Both Martelly and Ms. Manigat campaigned on these issues of the economy, jobs, crime, and housing. For Martelly to deliver, he must lead the nation as a whole, work constructively with a fragmented parliament, and deal effectively with unresolved political electoral grievances. The president and parliament must both show that national priorities trump personal interests. Such consensus has not been seen since the earthquake, but this is a teachable moment for the Haitian system.
The new government – especially Martelly – will have three initial tests of their commitment to progress. The first will be passing constitutional amendments to implement electoral reforms. The second will be to increase political space for Haitians abroad to improve their contribution to governance. The third will be selecting a prime minister capable of heading a government tasked with national reconstruction.
Six months after Haitians voted, and more than a year after the Western Hemisphere’s worst natural disaster devastated their lives, the wait for a new president is almost over. When President-elect Martelly takes the seat in the Palais National on May 14, he needs to be ready to finally deliver.
Bernice Robertson is the senior analyst for Haiti at the International Crisis Group, and Kimberly Abbott is the group's communications director for North America.
