By Nelson A. King From Caribbean Life

The Washington, D.C.-based Organization of American States (OAS) says its Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) in Haiti has called for “respect for pre-established norms” in the electoral process in the French-speaking Caribbean country.

The OAS said on Wednesday that the EOM, led by former Uruguayan senator Juan Raúl Ferreira, “takes note of the decision by the National Electoral Court (BCEN) to carry out a verification at the Tabulation Center (CTV) of 12 percent of the voting return protocols issued in the elections held on Nov. 20.

“The Mission observed that political parties are making use of the available legal processes to present their claims and concerns,” the OAS said.

In accordance with existing agreements between the government of Haiti and the General Secretariat of the OAS, the OAS said it “has had a continuous presence in the country since Nov. 2 and will continue to accompany the Haitian people in this process until the final results of the election are published.

“The OAS / EOM reaffirms the importance of completing the final phases of the electoral process in accordance with pre-established norms and in a peaceful atmosphere,” said the OAS, calling on “all actors to conduct themselves responsibly in order to bring this process to its proper conclusion.”

The OAS has said that preliminary results in the Nov. 20 presidential election in Haiti are “in line” with data collected by its observation mission.

“The preliminary results show significant margins between the number of votes obtained by the candidates contesting the election, and are in line with data collected by OAS observers at polling stations on Election Day,” the OAS said.

Jovenel Moise, a member of the PHTK, or the Bald Heads Party, has been declared winner of the presidential election, the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) said.

Moise, a plantation owner, received 595,430 votes, or 55.6 per cent of the votes cast, defeating Jude Célestin of the LAPEH Party of former president Michel Martelly, who received 208,837 votes, or 19.52 per cent, of the popular votes.

The other presidential candidates Jean-Charles Moïse, of the Pitit Dessalines, received 118,142 votes, or 11.04 per cent; while Maryse Narcisse, of the Fanmi Lavalas, and who was a spokeswoman for former president Jean Bertrand Aristide, received 96,121 votes, or 8.99 per cent, of the popular votes.

For more on this story go to:  http://www.caribbeanlifenews.com/stories/2016/12/2016-12-30-nk-haiti-electoral-process-cl.html

IMAGE:  Organization of American States (OAS) logo