After the fire of the National Identification Office (Office National d’Identification ONI) in the police station of Cayes Jacmel on September 23rd, barely a week after the theft of materials at the ONI office in Port Salut (South) by unknown, a new drama hits the ONI.

A fire of unknown origin largely destroyed, on Sunday evening the ONI office in Les Cayes (south). The ONI had its offices in the same building as those of the Communal Electoral Office (Bureau Électoral Communal BEC) and of the Departmental Electoral Office (Bureau Electoral Départemental BED), which do not seem to have sudden significant damage.

A police-court magistrate went on the spot this morning to establish the report of the disaster. The damage are important, he equipment and various material were destroyed as well as many electoral cards and documents stored in the buildings. Informations concerning the printing of the new voter cards could be sunk.

ONI operations in Les Cayes were suspended while many voters are still waiting for their valuable electoral card. Note that the ONI has 141 offices in Haiti and has four million registered voters, according to official data.

Police visited the scene to collect the evidence and interrogate witnesses. An investigation is open, but for the moment it is unclear whether the cause of the fire was accidental or criminal.

See also:

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1241-haiti-jacmel-oni-and-cov-between-irregularities-and-bungling.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1293-haiti-elections-national-office-of-identification-fingered.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1274-haiti-jacmel-a-policeman-lynched-one-injured-police-station-fired.html

S / HaïtiLibre