Haiti's Government Resigns, New Prime Minister Appointed— President

Haiti's government has resigned and a new prime minister has been appointed, President Jovenel Moise announced on Wednesday, saying the change was aimed at tackling insecurity in the country.

“The resignation of the government, which I accepted, will make it possible to address the glaring problem of insecurity and continue discussions with a view to reaching the consensus necessary for the political and institutional stability of our country. Minister Claude Joseph has been appointed PM,” Moise tweeted.

 Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, is plagued by poverty, insecurity and natural disaster.

Kidnappings for ransom have surged in recent months in Port-au-Prince and other provinces, reflecting the growing influence of armed gangs in the Caribbean nation.

 Anger has been piqued by the abductions on Sunday of 10 people in Croix-des-Bouquets, a town northeast of the capital Port-au-Prince. 

 They include seven Catholic clergy — five of them Haitian, as well as two French citizens, a priest and a nun. 

 On Monday Haiti’s Catholic Church slammed the government’s failure to act over the unrest, with stinging comments decrying Haiti’s “descent into hell.” 

 Moise — whose government has also been in a political crisis over amid a dispute over his term limits in office — had responded by saying he was aware the state “must make more of an effort.” 

AFP