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Haiti: Govt. Formed an Electoral Commission to End Electoral Deadlock; Will the CEP Reschedule the Runoff?

BY WADNER PIERRE

Since the CEP published its tainted and most controversial results for the presidential, second round legislative and local elections early last November, thousands have been demonstrated in the streets of Haiti’s largest cities to reclaim a recount of their votes. Religious leaders and international human rights and advocacy groups have also urged the CEP to investigate irregularities and massive electoral frauds that are no longer mere allegations.

As protests widening, diplomatic talks failed and G8 candidates remaining steadfast in their position, to remedy the situation, Haiti’s PM Evans Paul in an one-page letter sent to the President Michel J. Martelly, proposed a formation of an electoral commission to ensure the credibility of the already festered electoral process.

The commission according to the Prime Minister’s letter will have three days to produce recommendations to the government and the Conseil Electoral Provisoire (Electoral Provisional Council), known as the CEP. The head of the government stated,“ …it is necessary to organize credible, transparent, participative and inclusive elections,” as well as “to do whatever it takes” to create a climate of trust for the actors involving in the process.

The CEP shows no sign that it will abide by the recommendations of the government-formed commission. One of its members Marie Carmelle Paul Austin told a radio in the Haiti’s capital that the electoral council members are ready to depart in bloc should the commission interfere in their work. “If this commission’s purpose is to redo or verify the work that the CEP has already done, the council members will resign,” implied council Austin.

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Haiti Elections: Catholic Church still Undecided whether to join the Govt.-formed Electoral Commission or Not

BY WADNER PIERRE

Nearly two months since Haiti’s Conseil Electoral Provisoire (Electoral Provisional Council), know as the CEP, announced the final results for the first round residential, second round legislative and local elections that plagued with massive frauds. The controversial results for the presidential elections placed Haiti’s ruling Party candidate, Jovel Moise at the first place with over 34 percent of the popular and the former 2010 presidential candidate Jude Celestin in second place. Since then protest against those tainted results have been widened through the country.

After candidates and their backers, religious leaders (Catholics and Protestants) and national and international human rights and advocacy groups urged the CEP to form an independent commission to investigate the electoral frauds that were no longer mere allegations, the CEP rejected such proposition and proceeded to schedule the presidential runoff on Dec. 27 with the two candidates obtained the majority of the vote. Celestin, a member of group of eight presidential candidates, known as G8, who have been protesting the CEP’s results, declared he would not participate at the runoff unless the CEP satisfied the demand of G8.

The United States, a staunch supporter of the current administration, and spent over $30 millions for the organization of these log-overdue elections, sent Kenneth Merten, the U.S former ambassador to Haiti and State Department’s Special Envoy to Haiti to convince candidates, most importantly Celestin, to accept the CEP’s results. Merten, a close friend of Martelly, and one the controversial figures that engineered Martelly’s election in the 2010 controversial elections, failed to his mission.

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Consent of the Governed

Plato, through the character of Socrates, advances a now classic argument against democracy. When it comes to a matter that requires knowledge and skill, such as a medical issue, it would be foolish to decide by having the ignorant vote …




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U.S. government plans to urge states to resist 'high-risk' Internet voting





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East Central Intergovernmental Association of Iowa Receives $600,000 Grant for Brownfields Environmental Assessment and Cleanup Planning

Environmental News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE




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EPA Names City of Chesapeake Garage WasteWise Local Government Partner of the Year

PHILADELPHIA – (May 7, 2020) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the 2019 winners of the National WasteWise Awards this month. The City of Chesapeake Garage, in Chesapeake, Virginia, was recognized as Local Government Partner of the Year.




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Government bailout a 'last chance' for Thai Airways

National airline expected to gradually trim fleet size




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Scottish agents urge Government to relax furlough scheme

Staff are 'being threatened' for not giving refunds




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Sweetest Love Hangover

If you are going to nurse a hangover nurse one in New York City...yesterday became very spontaneous and boarded the Staten Island Ferry and had an opportunity to look at Lower Manhattan and Miss Liberty herself from a respectable distance. I am so amazed




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What is Drip and how, precisely, will it help the government ruin your life? | Charlie Brooker

The Data Retention and Investigatory Powers bill is the most tedious outrage ever, right down to the dreary acronym. But oh, the horrors it will bring …

David Cameron cares about your safety. It's all he ever thinks about. It's his passion. He's passionate about it. Every time David Cameron thinks about how safe he'd like to keep you, passion overcomes him and he has to have a lie down. With his eyes shut. A bit like he's having a nap and doesn't care about your safety at all.

Right now he's so committed to keeping you safe, he's rushing something called the Drip bill through the House of Commons. Drip stands for Data Retention and Investigatory Powers and critics are calling it yet another erosion of civil liberties and … see, I've lost you because it's just so bloody boring. Maybe it's just me, but whenever I hear about some fresh internet privacy outrage my brain enters screensaver mode and displays that looped news footage of mumblin' Edward Snowden and I automatically nod off only to be awoken shortly afterwards by the sound of my forehead colliding sharply with the table.

Continue reading...




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Germany: Angela Merkel Governs From Home After Negative Test

The German chancellor is staying home after being exposed to a doctor who tested positive for the coronavirus. A first test came back negative, but Merkel will keep governing remotely for the time being. What does Germany's line of succession look like, and who would jump in if Merkel gets sick?




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Md. Gov. Hogan vetoes sweeping education legislation

 -More




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Three more Utahns die of coronavirus, but governor is optimistic about easing more restrictions soon




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Republican candidates for governor say they want to change Utah’s election law




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After controversial contracts, Utah’s governor says coronavirus purchases will return to normal




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Utah governor pressured to extend rent deferrals and eviction moratorium to July 15




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Robert De Niro says he’d play Gov. Cuomo in a coronavirus movie: ‘He’s doing what a president should do’

De Niro, 76, also voiced his support for Joe Biden as a presidential candidate on "The Late Show," and was critical of President Trump’s handling of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak.




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SEE IT: Gov. Cuomo approves of Robert De Niro playing him, gives his best ‘Taxi Driver’ impression

Gov. Cuomo is down with Robert De Niro portraying him in a movie about the coronavirus pandemic, should there be one, and he also took a moment to play the role of the Manhattan-born actor.




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Gov. Cuomo, don’t cry over spilled milk: Edie Falco says N.Y. shouldn’t prop up dairy farmers

Like many New Yorkers — indeed, many Americans — I’ve looked to Gov. Cuomo’s decisive leadership during the coronavirus crisis. But his Nourish New York initiative, while well-intentioned, is a step in the wrong direction. With federal funds stretched to the limit, why would the governor squander $25 million to bail out the dairy industry, which is rife with disease and cruelty?




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Taking government money? Disclose your political spending: Companies should opt for transparency now more than ever

With increasing reports of large public companies and politically connected ones receiving COVID-19 rescue aid and the Trump administration blocking proper oversight, business leaders can act on their own to protect the integrity of the government aid effort and of companies themselves. They can do that by disclosing their companies’ political spending to show that political influence is not a factor in who gets help.




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Justice extended, not denied: Gov. Cuomo rightly extends the deadline under which Child Victims Act survivors can face their

Last Feb. 14, Gov. Cuomo signed the Child Victims Act into law. He did it in the newsroom of the Daily News, because it was this paper that, over many years, spotlighted the wrenching cases of people abused as children, perversely prevented from seeking justice as adults.




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Government sets 29 June return date for racing

Horse and greyhound racing is not due to resume until 29 June according to the Department of Agriculture, though Horse Racing Ireland remains hopeful restrictions will be lifted earlier.




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State pulls liquor license of Queens restaurant that flouts governor’s no dining in order

The operators of the New Oriental Guyana Restaurant on Liberty Ave. in Jamaica shut its front gates — but in a Prohibition-era move, they let dozens of customers in through an alley door so they could wine and dine the night away, the State Liquor Authority said.




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Agencies urge Gov. Cuomo to boost funding for special education preschool amid shortage

Advocates predict up to 2,000 city youngsters with disabilities may be unable to find an appropriate preschool this spring because of financial constraints that make it harder to hire and maintain teachers for special needs programs.




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SEE IT: Gov. Cuomo approves of Robert De Niro playing him, gives his best ‘Taxi Driver’ impression

Gov. Cuomo is down with Robert De Niro portraying him in a movie about the coronavirus pandemic, should there be one, and he also took a moment to play the role of the Manhattan-born actor.




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WATCH LIVE VIDEO: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s May 9 press conference with coronavirus updates

Watch New York Gov. Cuomo’s daily press conference with updates on the state’s fight against coronavirus.




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Editorial: If the government says to close up shop and stay home to fight the coronavirus, do it. That means you too, Elon Musk

Ideally, business owners and individuals will make the right decisions in the face of coronavirus. But then, there will always be companies like Tesla.




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Editorial: Climate change is just as real as COVID-19. Now's the last, best chance for our government to treat it that way

President Trump and Congress should keep climate change in mind as they prepare economic aid packages for businesses and industries.




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Editorial: It's no government takeover of PG&E, but it's still a possibility for the state's most dangerous utility

It's not the government takeover that many Californians wanted for the fire-starting utility, but the deal Gavin Newsom struck with PG&E should help.




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Editorial: Hey, Gov. Newsom, give California renters a real eviction moratorium

The governor's announcement made it sound like renters had true protections, meaning many tenants could unwittingly end up setting themselves up for eviction.




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Editorial: Letting state governments go bankrupt is a terrible idea

Egged on by Mitch McConnell, Trump has floated the idea of letting states go bankrupt in response to the COVID-19 cash crunch. It's a really bad idea.




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Op-Ed: As coronavirus cases multiply, so does government disinformation

A graph of the spread of fake news -- conspiracy theories, propaganda and disinformation -- would likely run parallel to that of the coronavirus itself.




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Column: With a pledge to follow coronavirus science, 10 governors made the president blink

Two state pandemic coalitions represent a refusal to bow and scrape to Trump or to fight one another for federal resources.




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Op-Ed: Yes, the government can restrict your liberty to protect public health

Sorry, liberators. Court rulings have firmly established that public health closures — like our current coronavirus shutdowns — are constitutional.




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Criticism grows over Gov. Gavin Newsom's management of the coronavirus crisis

Business groups, nonprofits, healthcare associations and some legislators are criticizing some moves the California governor made in response to coronavirus outbreak.




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Gov. Gavin Newsom says staying home now will help reopen California sooner

Gov. Gavin Newsom urged Californians to stay home to avoid undoing the progress the state has made in fighting the spread of the coronavirus.




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All state and local beaches in Orange County must temporarily close, Gov. Gavin Newsom says

The news comes after a memo saying California's governor would go further, closing all state and local beaches and parks, a plan he appeared to abandon.




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Californians broadly trust state government on coronavirus — but mistrust Trump, poll finds

Approval of Gov. Newsom's response to the coronavirus crosses party lines; much else does not. Partisanship strongly shapes views of the pandemic.




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Gov. Gavin Newsom says reopening California will begin this week amid coronavirus crisis

The governor said bookstores, florists and others can reopen for pickup as early as Friday. More detailed guidelines will be released later this week.




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Joe Biden to hold first high-dollar fundraiser, featuring Gov. Gavin Newsom

Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, will hold his first high-dollar fundraiser, featuring California Gov. Gavin Newsom.




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Supreme Court tosses Bridgegate convictions of two officials for ex-N.J. Gov. Chris Christie

The Bridgegate scandal was no crime, the Supreme Court ruled, tossing the convictions of two officials who caused a traffic jam as political punishment to then-Gov. Chris Christie’s enemies.




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Robert De Niro says he’d play Gov. Cuomo in a coronavirus movie: ‘He’s doing what a president should do’

De Niro, 76, also voiced his support for Joe Biden as a presidential candidate on "The Late Show," and was critical of President Trump’s handling of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak.




gov

SEE IT: Gov. Cuomo approves of Robert De Niro playing him, gives his best ‘Taxi Driver’ impression

Gov. Cuomo is down with Robert De Niro portraying him in a movie about the coronavirus pandemic, should there be one, and he also took a moment to play the role of the Manhattan-born actor.




gov

Robert De Niro says he’d play Gov. Cuomo in a coronavirus movie: ‘He’s doing what a president should do’

De Niro, 76, also voiced his support for Joe Biden as a presidential candidate on "The Late Show," and was critical of President Trump’s handling of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak.




gov

SEE IT: Gov. Cuomo approves of Robert De Niro playing him, gives his best ‘Taxi Driver’ impression

Gov. Cuomo is down with Robert De Niro portraying him in a movie about the coronavirus pandemic, should there be one, and he also took a moment to play the role of the Manhattan-born actor.




gov

WATCH LIVE VIDEO: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s May 9 press conference with coronavirus updates

Watch New York Gov. Cuomo’s daily press conference with updates on the state’s fight against coronavirus.




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Government scientist felt pressured to approve contract for work on drug Trump touted

A government scientist felt pressure to approve a research contract for a lab investigating hydroxychloroquine, a drug Trump has touted as a coronavirus cure.




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Opinion: Trump actually wants Michigan's governor to 'make a deal' with armed protesters

Since when is it a good idea for the president of the United States to encourage political leaders to cave in to demands by armed protesters?




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Brigade urges government to stop neglecting fire safety at Grenfell report committee

The London Fire Commissioner will today call for the Government to take stronger action and undertake urgent research on ‘buildings that fail’ on fire safety which leaves ‘stay put’ advice no longer viable.