In Haiti, for the first time in its history, a petition created in 2022 by Werley Nortreus currently demands the Haitian government, establish a constitutional reform and new amendments before the next general elections.
According to the demand, either the government adds new texts as amendments to the current constitution or creates a new general constitution with new texts. Both ways should include Nortreus’s proposals.
Werley Nortreus is a Haitian-born author, writer, rising politician, and other fields. He was born in the commune of Limbé and grew up in Port-au-Prince. According to Goodreads, he is the author of a book called Best Quotes of Werley Nortreus (Vol. 1) which he released in 2017. He also wrote and published quotes on different topics that are known to many people across the world.
Other sources say Nortreus is the founder and main leader of some political organizations, such as the political party and movement called Jeunes Dirigeants Haïtiens Progressistes (JDHP) which he currently represents. In 2022, he became the first politician to create and propose the idea of allowing younger candidates to run for Executive, Legislative, and Judicial offices in elections in a petition, according to the South African newspaper Mail and Guardian.
“A new constitution that includes everyone is the only chance for the country to remove itself from the miserable situation it finds itself in. The old constitutions have divided more than united. Therefore, I created the petition so that everyone’s rights can be taken into consideration. The country needs this new constitution before the new general elections,” Nortreus said.
It is the first time in the country and the Caribbean that a petition has been created that calls for reducing the age a candidate must have to participate in the elections for high offices. Currently, a candidate must be 35 years old or older to run for Executive or be eligible to work in Judicial offices. Nortreus is currently creating a path for youths and others.
The petition is available to sign in two versions: English on change.org and French on mesopinions.com. Former President Moïse proposed a new constitution and referendum in 2020, but he did not propose the idea of reducing the age for the Executive, the Legislature (Senate), or the Judiciary, which excluded the majority of new candidates and citizens. The constitution proposed by former leader Moïse was published in 2021, but some leaders opposed it.
The petition created by rising politician Nortreus is the first idea that proposes reducing the age a candidate must have to run for the Executive and Legislature (Senate) and giving the right to be elected to the Judicial position as well. If his idea is approved and included in the constitutional reform that the leaders and members of the High Transition Council installed by Prime Minister Ariel will have to establish in the coming months, it will be the first time that the country will reduce the age limit to be elected in the three branches, especially the Executive. For example, candidates starting at the age of 25 years old to above will be able to be elected as President, Prime Minister, or Vice President, and have the right to be elected to the Judicial post.
“I have good reasons for creating the petition. I think that the idea that I propose is clear. This idea can help lead Haiti on the road to stability and development. Haitians have been electing candidates over 35 years of age for years that have not brought any results at all.
Nowadays, Haitians are paying the consequences of their choices. Now, I believe the time for the country to have a constitution that offers all its citizens’ privileges has come. The country must have a constitution that makes all its citizens comfortable. It is not possible for the country to continue to have a constitution that includes one category of people and excludes another category of people.
Removing the country from the state of degradation it is in will not be possible with the same ideologies that are already there. I will continue to ask the Haitian government to include my proposals in the upcoming constitutional reforms before the upcoming general elections. Together, we can make Haiti stable and well-developed so all Haitian citizens can feel comfortable.
Foreign tourists and investors will be able to come to the country to visit or for investment purposes. Now, I hope everyone understands why I created the idea in the form of a petition. Thank you”, Werley Nortreus said recently.
Nortreus also asks for more people to sign the petition so his idea can become a reality to help the country become stable and develop, not only for Haitian citizens but for other nations as well, so others can be interested in coming to the country to visit or invest.
