Haiti’s Senate voted Haitian Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis out of office yesterday after lawmakers criticized her performance in promoting economic recovery in the impoverished Caribbean nation.
The resolution dismissing Pierre-Louis was approved by a simple majority in the 29-member Senate as opponents of the measure boycotted the vote.
“Eighteen Senators voted against the prime minister, which means the president has to replace her. We will write to the president to inform him of our decision,” Senate leader Kely Bastien said.
Senators from Haitian President Rene Preval’s party had led the criticism against the prime minister and he was expected to move quickly to appoint a replacement for Pierre-Louis, who had served just over a year in office.
The prime minister had rejected accusations that she failed to effectively use millions of dollars made available through an oil discount agreement with Venezuela to repair buildings and roads damaged in storms last year.
But Senator Joseph Lambert, a member of Preval’s Lespwa movement, said she had done nothing to improve living standards since she was appointed head of government.
“Prime Minister Pierre-Louis proved she did not have the capacity nor the leadership to meet the population’s expectations and satisfy its basic needs. That’s why we were obliged to fire her,” Lambert said.
Pierre-Louis’ removal was likely to disappoint former US president and UN special envoy for Haiti Bill Clinton, who had been counting on political stability to attract foreign investment to help develop the poor Caribbean state.
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