Haiti's newly installed transitional council chose former Sports Minister Fritz Bélizaire as the Caribbean country's prime minister on Tuesday as it moves to establish a stable new government amid stifling violence.
Mr. Bélizaire replaces Michel Patrick Boisvert, the former minister of economy and finance who was the current interim prime minister.
Mr. Bélizaire is little known and even some members of the council said they were unfamiliar with him.
The nine-member transitional council, seven of whom have voting rights, was choosing a new prime minister and Cabinet in a bid to help quell gang violence that is choking the capital, Port-au-Prince, and beyond.
Bélizaire had the support of four of the council's voting members.
Heavy gunfire was reported in several neighbourhoods in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, including near the National Palace, although it wasn't immediately clear if it was in response to the unexpected announcement of a new prime minister.
Earlier on Tuesday, the council chose Edgard Leblanc Fils, a former presidential candidate, as its president.
He said the council met Monday with army and police officials to talk about Haiti's security crisis and how best to resolve it.
comments powered by Disqus
All feeds
