On October 20, 2026, Haitian Secretary of State Lucien Jura addressed the public in a televised press briefing to break down two pressing national issues that have sparked widespread public concern: the recently declared state of emergency and the implementation of a long-awaited updated tax framework.
In a bid to curb escalating violent insecurity across three of Haiti’s most populated departments—Ouest, Artibonite, and Centre—the Haitian government formalized a state of emergency set to remain in effect through December 18. In his remarks, Jura urged calm across the general population, acknowledging that emergency security measures can often feel disruptive and misaligned with daily public interests. He emphasized that the administration remains fully committed to supporting citizens throughout the duration of the state of emergency, as it works to restore safety and stability to affected regions.
Jura also turned to clarify widespread confusion around the new national tax code, which officially entered into force on October 1. The revised framework introduces a slate of new fiscal provisions, including a widely discussed 15% tax rate that has left public sector workers anxious about upcoming end-of-year payments.
Addressing one of the most hotly debated questions—the taxation of the annual 14th month salary bonus, a standard benefit for Haitian civil servants—Jura cleared up common misconceptions. Contrary to circulating rumors, he confirmed, the 15% levy will not apply to the base 14th month bonus itself. Instead, the standard 10% tax rate will remain in place for this core payment, representing a 5 percentage point reduction from the proposed 15% rate. The 15% deduction will only apply to additional performance-based bonuses and special allowances that fall outside the scope of regular salary and standard benefit payments. Jura’s clarification confirms that all state-employed civil servants will receive their full 14th month bonus with the adjusted, lower tax rate, with only supplementary compensation subject to the higher 15% levy.
The full unedited press briefing is available via HaitiLibre, the originating Haitian news outlet.