PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Feb 23 2017 – President Jovenel Moise says he has appointed Dr. Jack Guy Lafontant, a professor of gastroenterology at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of the State University of Haiti (UEH) as the country’s new Prime Minister.
He replaces Enex Jean-Charles, who submitted his letter of resignation earlier this month to allow the new head of state to enter into discussions with the Presidents of both Houses of Parliament for his successor, as stipulated in the Constitution.
“After a second round of consultations with the presidents of both Houses, I chose Dr. Jack Guy Lafontant as Prime Minister,” Moïse said in a statement.
Dr. Lafontant, 56, married and a father of three, is an unknown political figure. He has been pursing his medical career for 30 years and is also professor of gastroenterology at the University of Notre Dame of Haiti (UNDH) and a member of the American College of Gastroenterology.
Under the Haitian Constitution, the next step for the new prime minister will be to select his cabinet and present himself before the Parliament in order to obtain a vote of confidence on his policy statement.
“The vote is held by public vote and with an absolute majority of each of the two (2) Chambers. In the case of a vote of no confidence by one of the two (2) Chambers, the procedure starts again,” the Constitution notes.
One legislator, Gary Bodeau told reporters that the “President of the Republic made his choice. It is up to the Prime Minister-Designate to find a majority to have his general policy ratified. He needs 60 deputies and 16 senators.”
Moise was sworn in as Haiti’s 58th head of state after winning the November 20 presidential election last year.
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