Aid threat to Haiti

Vote counting by candlelight

By Peter Greste

Haiti's biggest aid donors have warned that the country risks losing their support if it does not correct flaws in recent elections.

The donors froze $500m dollars in aid early last year after President Rene Preval suspended both the Senate and chamber of deputies and began ruling by decree.

The Haitian Government had hoped these elections would restore an internationally acceptable elected legislature.

At a meeting of the Organisation of American States in Washington, the OAS secretary-general, the United States and Canada all warned Haiti that the aid could remain under lock and key if the country does not correct flaws in the first round of voting.

According to the chief of the OAS observer mission to Haiti, Orlando Marville, the electoral authorities violated their own constitution by using a formula that wrongly gave 10 of 19 senate seats up for grabs to the Family Lavalas party.

Mr Aristide's Lavalas Party has claimed victory in the election

The results give the party almost total control over both chambers of government, and if as expected, the former president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, wins presidential elections later this year, he would be in a very powerful position indeed.

OAS Secretary-General Cesar Gaviria said the errors in the poll were correctable and should be corrected. The United States representative also warned that the international community would find it difficult to work with a parliament elected with a tainted process.

But the Haitian Foreign Minister, Fritz Longchamp, defended the electoral council, arguing that it was an independent body, and he said the last thing Haiti needs is more sanctions.

The country is the poorest in the Western hemisphere. So far, the Haitian authorities show no sign of bending.