The Government Commissioner to the Court of First Instance of Cap-Haïtien, Eno Zéphyrin, Deserves to Be Revoked

By Jean Venel Casséus

Haiti is no longer in the era of summary demonstrations of authority, nor where intimidation served as law. Memories of "Bòs Pent" and injunctions like "m'ap arete w" refer to a historical sequence marked by institutional brutality, the absence of procedural guarantees, and the assumed confusion between power and threat.

The behavior, to say the least 𝑡𝑖 𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑘𝑎𝑛, recently displayed on social media by the Government Commissioner to the Court of First Instance of Cap-Haïtien, Eno Zéphyrin, causes both embarrassment and consternation. The public use of threatening language, summarized by the sinister "m'ap arete w," is part of an assumed logic of regression. This stance reflects an authoritarian conception of the judicial function, where public speech serves as a tool of pressure and institutional action relies on fear rather than on law.

The role of Government Commissioner has never been intended to embody brute force or verbal one-upmanship. It is based on representing society before the courts, defending legal order, and strictly respecting fundamental rights. Such a responsibility requires restraint, solid legal training, and an understanding of social balances. Above all, it implies a rigorous distinction between the authority of the State and its abusive use.

Cap-Haïtien has no need for gesticulating figures or Bob Lecorps-like postures. The city, like the country, needs sober magistrates, aware of the impact of their words and respectful of the dignity of the office they hold. Eno Zéphyrin does not have the stature for his position.