6989: Haiti President Taps Prime Minister (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: nozier <nozier@tradewind.net>

 Friday February 9 8:19 PM ET Haiti President Taps Prime Minister

 PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (P) - Two days after being sworn in as Haiti's
 new president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide designated economist Jean-Marie
Cherestal Friday as prime minister, Radio Kiskeya reported. If
confirmed, Cherestal will hold wide responsibilities over the
formulation of policy and day-to-day administration. Among his first
duties would be the selection of the Haitian Cabinet. Cherestal was a
finance minister and planning minister in the past Aristide
administration in the 1990s, and is a
 member of Aristide's Lavalas Family Party. In the interview with Radio
Kiskeya, Cherestal said he would chose a Haitian Cabinet ``in the spirit
of opening that President Aristide developed in his inaugural address.''
In Wednesday's inaugural speech, Aristide reached out to the Haitian
opposition, which has refused to recognize his government. ``All we need
to do is get along,'' he said. Aristide was elected Haiti's president by
92 percent of voters in November elections boycotted by the main
opposition parties. They alleged May legislative and local balloting was
rigged to give 10 Senate seats to
 Lavalas party candidates. The opposition has named an alternative
president.