Weekly Report - 09 August 2012 (WR-12-31)

HAITI | Cabinet reshuffle. Less than three months after taking office mid May, Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe has carried out a cabinet reshuffle. The changes - in which he replaced three of his ministers, including Interior Minister Thierry Mayard Paul - appeared to take the media by surprise and were justified as necessary for “greater efficiency”, with no further explanation offered. Mayard Paul, a close ally of President Michel Martelly and his former campaign chief, has been replaced by Ronsard Saint Cyr, the former minister for social affairs and labour. Lamothe will swap the additional portfolio he held – foreign affairs – for the planning ministry to replace Josefa Gauthier who, in turn, will take over from Saint Cyr. The new head of foreign affairs is Pierre Richard Casimir, who was serving as secretary of state for that portfolio. Aside from Mayard Paul, the other two ministers to be replaced are Joseph Ronald Toussaint (environment) and Réginald Paul (education). A former member of the main opposition Inité party of Martelly’s predecessor, René Préval (2006-2011) which has since fractured [WR-12-25], Toussaint has been replaced by environmentalist Jean Vilmont Hilaire; Paul has been replaced by Vanneur Pierre, who was director general of the ministry.

End of preview - This article contains approximately 201 words.

Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article

Not a Subscriber?

Choose from one of the following options

• Subscribe
• Sign up for a one-time, 14-day trial