Haiti Government - 1986

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Official name: Republic of Haiti

Type, republic

Capital: Port-au-Prince

Political subdivisions: five departments (despite constitutional provision for nine)

Legal system: based on Roman civil law system; constitution adopted 1964 and amended 1971 and 1983, legal education at State University in Port-au-Prince and private law colleges in Cap-Hai’tien, Les Cayes, Gonafves, and Jeremie, accepts compulsory 1CJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January

Branches: interim government following the end of 29 years of Duvalier family rule; unicameral legislature (59-member National Assembly) suspended following coup; judiciary appointed by President before coup

Government leader: Lt. Gen. Henri NAMPHY, President, National Council of Government (CNG; since February 1986), two other CNG members, and 12-member cabinet

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Elections: constitution as amended in 1983 named Jean-Claude Duvalier President for Life and granted him authority to name his successor; most recent legislative election held February 1984; talk of new elections in 18 to 24 months, following coup and Duvalier’s self-imposed exile

Political parties and leaders: Haitian Christian Democratic Party (PDCN), Sylvio Claude; Haitian Social Christian Party (PSCH), Gregoire Eugene; Haitian Democratic Action (ADH), Alexandre LeCouge;

National Rallying Democratic Party (PADRANA), Constant Pognon

Voting strength: (1984 legislative elections) Assembly comprised of regime loyalists before coup

Communists: United Party of Haitian Communists (PUCH), Rene Theodore (party in exile in the Dominican Republic); Haitian Workers Party (PTH; pro-Chinese Marxist), Sergio Gilles

Other political or pressure groups: none

Member of: FAO, G-77, GATT, 1ADB, IAEA, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB— Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, 1FC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ITU, OAS, P\HO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

NOTE: The information regarding Haiti on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Haiti 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Haiti 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.