By Joseph Guyler C. Delva From HCNN

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (HCNN) — A high-ranking French diplomat in Haiti has acknowledged that current Haitian authorities had a firm determination to fight corruption, but warned that the fight against the plague will be a long-haul battle which the Caribbean country should win to attract investments.

French acting Chargé d’Affaires in Haiti, Dominique Delpuech, who arrived in Port-au-Prince in September 2011, recognized that the government of president Martelly and Prime minister Laurent Lamothe has shown a strong commitment to fighting corruption.

“All I have seen, since I’ve been in Haiti, is that there is a firm determination on the part of Haitian authorities to combat corruption,” Delpuech told the Haitian-Caribbean News Network (HCNN), in a weekend interview.

” It is important — for the straightening of the country, for the faith, particularly, in the possibility to invest in the country — that the challenge of fighting corruption be picked up by Haitian authorities,” said Delpuech. “It is not a battle that can be won in a day. It’s a long-haul battle,” warned the French diplomat.

President Martelly, who took office in May 2011, solemnly signed into law, about 4 months ago, an anti-corruption bill which provides for tougher punitive measures against those involved with corruption, in the public administration or in the private sector.

“(Fighting corruption) is fundamental in the implementation of any policy aimed at attracting foreign investments,” Delpuech stated.

The French diplomat made the comments on Saturday, following a ceremony to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Haitian anti-corruption Unit, known as ULCC, headed by former Colonel Antoine Atouriste, as Director-General.

President Martelly, who attended the ceremony, addressed the attendance in a speech which was characterized as objective by Delpuech.

” I was agreeably surprised by the objectivity of the speech by the Haitian authorities, the president of the Republic and the Director-General, Col. Atouriste,” said the French Chargé D’Affaires.

“The road covered so far has been recognized and they acknowledge that there had been corruption and that corruption still exists,” Delpuech said.

President Martelly and Prime minister Lamothe have publically called on relevant anti-corruption authorities to act against the plague that is responsible for the extortion of significant sums of money from the State treasury.

The US government — through the special coordinator for Haiti at the State Department, Thomas Adams — acknowledged last year that the Martelly/Lamothe government had taken more actions to fight corruption than any of its predecessors.

For more on this story go to; http://hcnn.ht/en/2014_09/politics/375/France-hails-Haiti%27s-firm-determination-to-fight-corruption-Michel-Martelly-Laurent-Lamothe-Dominique-Delpuech-Haiti-lutte-contre-la-corruption-gouvernement-haitien.htm

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