Enex Jean-Charles to replace Fritz Jean
Less than 48 hours after lawmakers rejected economist Fritz Jean as the country’s new prime minister, Interim President Jocelerme Privert has nominated another person for the post.
Professor of administrative law, Enex Jean-Charles, who also served as an advisor to several heads of state, was named on Tuesday as a replacement for Jean. He now has to get parliamentary approval for his policies, as Privert seeks to move ahead with plans for development as well as fresh presidential elections scheduled for April 24.
Privert has said he will wait for Jean-Charles to get the nod from parliament before naming members of the new Provisional Electoral Commission (CEP). On Sunday, Privert watched as legislators voted down Jean and the CEP that is needed to organize the twice-postponed presidential runoff vote following former President Michel Martelly’s departure from office on February 7, without any successor being elected.
Last week, Sandra Honore, the top U.N. envoy for Haiti, told the United Nations Security Council that Haiti was at a “critical juncture” in consolidating its democracy and the next few weeks would be decisive.
Last mont, the Tet Kale Haitian Party (PHTK) political party of former president Michel Martelly criticized Interim President Jocelerme Privert over his selection of a prime minister Fritz Jean, saying that it was done in violation of the February 6 agreement.
Leaders of the PHTK told a news conference that Privert’s decision to appoint Jean, a fellow member of his own party as the new provisional prime minister, was in violation of the agreement and could deepen the country’s long-standing political crisis.
“The decision of the provisional president Jocelerme Privert to unilaterally name as prime minister Fitz Jean is a violation of the February 6 agreement with the former President Martelly and the two branches of parliament,” said PHTK strategic adviser Guichard Dore. He told reporters “we are dealing with a monocular power.”
