Analyse du financement des Collectivités territoriales de l’Arrondissement de Jacmel selon les théories de l’incompatibilité des choix publics et de l’imbrication territoriale

Abstract

The theory of the incompatibility of public choices explores the tensions between national and local priorities, which often result from divergent objectives. It points out that decisions taken at the central level do not always align with local needs, leading to inefficiencies, conflicts of interest and fragmentation of governance. On the other hand, the theory of territorial interweaving puts forward the idea that territories are interdependent spaces of governance, where local development depends on the effective articulation between the different levels of power: central, regional and local. This approach considers that decentralisation can only be fully effective if local and regional authorities have adequate resources, sufficient room for manoeuvre and integrated coordination mechanisms. This paper examines the impact of local government financing on local development in Haiti, with a focus on the municipalities of the district of Jacmel. Through a mixed methodology integrating quantitative surveys of 149 local elected officials and semi-structured interviews, it analyzes the capacities of municipalities to mobilize their financial resources and the influence of decentralization on their autonomy. In the Haitian context, where centralization dominates the administrative system, these theories are relevant to analyzing the challenges of decentralization. The results of this research on the district of Jacmel illustrate several points of tension between national and local public choices.