PORT-AU-PRINCE, (Reuters) – Haiti’s provisional president has appointed economist Fritz Jean as the new prime minister, the government said yesterday, in a step forward for the impoverished Caribbean nation that is trying to quickly hold a delayed presidential election.
The official government gazette, Le Moniteur, said President Jocelerme Privert had signed an executive order to appoint Jean, a former central bank governor.
Jean’s job will include helping create a balanced election council supported by Haiti’s fractious rival political parties, a key step needed to hold the election set for April.
A runoff election due on Jan. 24 was cancelled amid violent protests, and after the opposition candidate said he would not take part because of widespread fraud in the first round.
Privert is due to hand over to an elected president in May.
