Haiti’s new prime minister wins confirmation

An overwhelming majority of members in the Chamber of  Deputies ratified Bellerive as the new premier of the  impoverished Caribbean nation. He was appointed to the position  by President Rene Preval last week.

The 52-2 vote came a day after Bellerive won unanimous  confirmation in the Senate.

He is expected to be sworn into office by Preval sometime  next week, after forming a cabinet and submitting his  government plan for formal approval by parliament.

Bellerive, who is respected by diplomats and international  donors, replaces Michele Pierre-Louis, who was fired as prime  minister by the Senate on Oct. 30 for allegedly failing to  improve the country’s economy.

Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere and  has a long history of political violence and instability.

Bellerive has faced little or no opposition from Haiti’s  lawmakers, even though some had opposed Pierre-Louis’ removal  as unconstitutional and rejected criticism of her response to a  series of devastating hurricanes and storms in 2008.

“Our only concern is to make sure that he brings concrete  answers to the population’s day-to-day problems,” said Saurel  Francois, who represents the Lavalas party of ousted former  President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in the Chamber of Deputies.

Four hurricanes and tropical storms pounded Haiti last  year, killing some 800 people, devastating crops, washing away  bridges and flooding seaside towns.

Bellerive previously served as Preval’s planning and  external cooperation minister and has held positions in  governments under at least six different prime ministers over  the past two decades.