Values and Ethics in the Haitian Civil Service
Summary: A June 2015 training presentation by Professor Enex Jean-Charles for OMRH, laying out the values expected of Haitian civil servants under the 1987 Constitution and connecting them to the ongoing deontology and anti-corruption reforms.
Key Findings
- The presentation argues that the democratic state created by the 1987 constitution requires a modern, competent civil service grounded in shared values and public-sector ethics.
- It defines ethics in relation to morality and deontology, treating the civil service as a profession governed by duties.
- Haitian civil servants are presented as legally bound to ethical norms, including equal access, impartiality, equity, neutrality, competence, honesty, legality and accountability.
- The core public-service values listed include loyalty, devotion, probity, discretion, efficiency, effectiveness, impartiality, diligence and disinterested service to the Republic.
- Specific obligations cover effective work, hierarchical obedience, service to the public, professional discretion, neutrality, honesty and avoidance of conflicts of interest.
- The conclusion identifies the lack of dedicated ethics-guardian institutions as a major weakness, noting that anti-corruption bodies address procedures but not the broader philosophical dimension of ethics.
How to cite
Office of Management and Human Resources (OMRH), 2015, Values and Ethics in the Haitian Civil Service, https://omrh.gouv.ht/Media/2-DocumentsStrategiques/PRESENTATION%20ETHIQUE%20FONCTION%20PUBLIQUE%20HAITIENNE.pdf