Unlike last year’s crisis, this year a new government has been appointed very quickly.

As reported in a previous post, President Préval nominated Jean-Max Bellerive as the replacement for the previous PM, Michèle Duvivier Pierre-Louis.

On Friday 6 November M. Bellerive’s nomination was approved unanimously by the Senate. The next day he was ratified by the Chamber of Deputies by a vote of 52-0 with just two abstentions. On Sunday Prime Minister Bellerive named a new government with 18 ministers, 11 of whom also served under the previous administration. Interestingly, two of the newcomers are associated with the Fanmi Lavalas, the party of former President Aristide that was not allowed to stand at the recent Senate elections. This has been taken as a consensual sign.

On Monday 9 November Prime Minister Bellerive’s declaration of general policy was approved by the Senate. The vote was 22-0 with four abstentions, two of which are formally associated with President Préval’s Lespwa grouping.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister received the support of the Chamber of Deputies for the same policy declaration by a vote of 70-2 with two abstentions.

Last year PM Alexis was dismissed on 11 April and PM Duvivier Pierre-Louis’s government was ratified only on 5 September. This year the process has been much more speedy.

All the information is taken from the Radio Kiskeya site.