Monday at the National Palace, the Council of Ministers adopted a decree amending the Decree of 1 June 2005 on the National Identification Card which states that the validity of National Identification Cards (CIN) issued over the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 was extended until 31 December 2017. This will enable more than 3 million holders whose CIN expires in 2015, to vote if they have the ageand in accordance with the regulations of the act, or, for those who wishes to be a candidate.

Moreover, the same day Jean-Baptiste F. Saint-Cyr, General Director of the National Identification Office (ONI) gave a press conference about the accompanying measures of the population, of the CEP and of government in the perspective of the next elections.

For this purpose, a contingency plan has been implemented,which consists in strengthening the institution's capacity, both in terms of personnel to the equipment. To do this, ONI has increased the number of operators, the opening of branch offices and the organization rRegistration Units. In addition, the Director of ONI, stressed that CIN are no longer produced abroad but in Haiti and that the purchase of new equipment have increased the production of 8,000 to 10,000 cards per day. Announcing shortly a new system that will permit to achieve 24,000 cards per day. The plan also includes mobile units to facilitate registration services throughout the country.

Concerning the diaspora, recording equipment are delivered in all consulates, noting that in neighboring Republic, 14,000 CIN have already been issued.

Finally, Jean-Baptiste F. Saint-Cyr recalled that a call center *8282, is available to all citizens, during office hours, to answer questions relating to the ONI and CIN.

TB/ HaitiLibre