Overview:
Businessman Marc “Gaspiyay” Santo won the Committee of Coordination of Labadie (CCL) 2025 presidential election. He will begin leading the village’s committee after swearing in on Jan. 1.
LABADIE, Haiti — Cheers erupted across the coastal village as word spread that Marc “Gaspiyay” Santo, a popular local businessman, had won the presidential election of the Committee of Coordination of Labadie (CCL) by a narrow margin.
Final results show Santo, 46, collected 1,005 votes, edging out former interim president Franklin Milscent, who received 927 votes, according to the electoral organization team.
The victory of their favorite candidate, Santo, in the village’s committee presidential election on Dec. 14 was seen by Labadie’s youth as an early Christmas present. Santo was No. 6 on the ballots but No. 1 in their hearts.
“San m ale avèl (Creole for I rock with him),” said Emerson Saint Julles, 17, standing with friends outside a polling site.
Residents as young as 14 were allowed to vote.
“Things are hard here now,” Saint Julles said. “This year is the first time I’m not going to school. I think Santo can help me — that’s why I voted for him.”
Saint Julles, who earns money driving kannòt, small motorboats that ferry people to and from Labadie, said his family has struggled since tourism declined. His father died before he was born, and his mother lives in nearby Cap-Haïtien.
Labadie residents jumping, dancing, running around and sharing hugs after hearing the news of town favorite Marc Santo winning the Committee of Coordination of Labadie (CCL)’s presidential election on Dec. 14, 2025. Video by Onz Chéry/The Haitian Times.
Economic pressure shapes the vote
Santo’s appeal is closely tied to Labadie’s economic reality. A peninsula about 7.5 miles north of Cap-Haïtien, the village has been hit hard since Royal Caribbean cruises stopped docking at Labadee Beach because of insecurity linked to gang violence elsewhere in the country.
About 800 of Labadie’s roughly 8,000 residents once worked directly for the cruise operations, while hundreds more relied on tourists to sell crafts and food, according to local officials. The suspension has pushed many families into deeper poverty, forcing some children out of school.
Cruise operations are expected to resume in April 2026, but residents say the damage has already been severe.
Santo owns several motorboats that he lends to young residents for transportation work — a visible form of support that boosted his popularity, particularly among youth.
Leadership expectations and security concerns
Milscent, who served as interim president, told The Haitian Times that insecurity rose as economic conditions worsened, though he said local efforts — including placing security agents around the village — helped curb theft and violence.
Santo now faces pressure to maintain security while also acting as an intermediary with the government and Royal Caribbean during his three-year mandate. He previously ran for the CCL presidency in 2022, finishing second, and served five terms — 15 years in total — as president of the neighboring Prunette area.
The new CCL president is scheduled to be sworn in on Jan. 1.
“Things are hard here now. This year is the first time I’m not going to school… I think Santo can help me, that’s why I voted for him.”
Emerson Saint Julles, voter
“When you’re Labadie’s president, you’re the official representative before CASEC and Royal Caribbean,” said Carly Philoclès, who supervised the election. “That’s why people are so invested. They see the president as the person chosen to receive and manage help on their behalf.”
In recent months, Royal Caribbean, through Société Labadie Nord (SOLANO), has provided residents with food assistance such as rice and cooking oil.
A tense but historic vote, hope beyond the results
The election drew 22 candidates overall and included votes for presidents of nine local areas. While many residents praised the enthusiasm and turnout, others raised concerns about irregularities.
Some alleged that voters cast ballots more than once, despite black ink being applied to thumbs after voting. Residents said some people washed the ink off, prompting crowds to gather at polling entrances to monitor voting.
In one incident, a man was escorted out by security after being accused of attempting to vote twice. He claimed his thumbs were black from cooking.
Philoclès acknowledged complaints but downplayed their scale.
“I’m not saying people didn’t vote twice,” he said. “But if it happened, it was very limited.”
The electoral team did not check identification documents to verify voters’ ages, relying instead on appearance and community recognition. Officials said any formal challenge would trigger an investigation and recount.
Despite the disputes, many residents said the election itself — held amid economic stress and uncertainty — was a sign of civic resilience.
“I’ve never seen an election like this,” said Luckenson Métellus, a motorboat captain in his 20s. “I didn’t vote for a person. I voted for Labadie. I want security. I want people to come here and say it’s safe.”
As Santo prepares to take office, residents say their expectations are high — not just for leadership, but for tangible change in a village still waiting for economic recovery.
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