Haiti election plans threatened by lack of cash

[seemslikeadream]

10 Aug 2004 22:31:18 GMT

By Joseph Guyler Delva

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Haiti's plans to hold high-tech and costly elections in 2005 are at risk unless international donors rapidly provide promised funds, a senior election official said on Tuesday.

Five months after President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was ousted in an armed revolt, Haiti's electoral council needs $100 million to organize what will be the most expensive ballot in Haiti's 200 years of independence, council member Rosemond Pradel said.

"But so far we have not received a penny," Pradel, secretary general of the nine-member body, told Reuters.

The Caribbean country's return to democracy after the ousting of Aristide and appointment of an unelected, U.S.-backed interim government could be delayed beyond December 2005, the current deadline, he said
more
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N10369218.htm

[lanparty]

1. Ya man !!!

Yaaaa, da BOOSH ADMINOSTRATION WILL affer to bail oos out uzin public funz. At the same tam, they be given us machines that will select the mon they wont in office.

De election weel be neider free no fair.

[Matilda]

2. Funny about that.

The country barely has electricity, but the only way to go with
elections is electronic voting.

The whole thing sucks.

[DulceDecorum]

3. Check this out:

The Caribbean country's RETURN TO DEMOCRACY AFTER THE OUSTING OF ARISTIDE and appointment of an unelected, U.S.-backed interim government could be delayed beyond December 2005, the current deadline, he said.
Preparations for the election have been torn by infighting, and the electoral council faces the further challenge of trying to organize high-tech voting with digitized identity cards and electronic voting machines in a country that barely has electricity.

<snip>

Aristide, WHO BECAME HAITI'S FIRST FREELY ELECTED LEADER when he initially took office in 1991, is in exile in South Africa after fleeing Haiti on Feb. 29. A Brazilian-led U.N. peacekeeping force is on the ground in Haiti.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N10369218.htm

I especially dislike the part about the
"appointment of an unelected,
U.S.-backed interim government"
and the idea that the elections
"could be delayed beyond December 2005."

What is with the 21st Century?
Verifiable voting went out with the last millenium?
Or it it just some idiotic Florida/Texas thing?

[struggle4progress]

4. Low tech elections are cheaper and better. eom