Venezuelans growing desperate as crisis hits fishing industry

Resident Jovenel Moise says he will soon begin the process of selecting a new prime minister for the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country even as Prime Minister Jean-Henry Céant says he does not recognise the decision to force him out of office on Monday, following an overwhelming vote in the Lower Chamber of Deputies.

“I inform you that I will begin consultations with the Parliament as soon as possible on the selection of a new Prime Minister, in accordance with Article 137 of the 1987 Constitution as amended,” Moise wrote in a letter to the to the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Gary Bodeau.

Céant and his 21-member cabinet will remain in office as caretakers until a new prime minister is named.

Under Haitian law, a caretaker prime minister and government can only oversee the country’s day-to-day affairs, and cannot enter into any new contracts.
Céant, a lawyer had replaced Jack Guy Lafontant, as prime minister six months ago following a series of street demonstrations over fuel increases.
But in recent weeks, President Moise has been under pressure from opposition parties to step down over his handling of domestic affairs as well as the use of funds under the PetroCaribe an oil alliance of many Caribbean states with Venezuela to purchase oil on conditions of preferential payment.

In his letter, President Moise acknowledged receiving the information regarding “the decision of the Chamber of Deputies who dismissed Prime Minister Jean Henry Céant following a motion of censure voted by the Assembly of Deputies with 93 votes “for”, six “against” and three “abstentions”.

Last month, CARICOM leaders at their inter-sessional summit in St Kitts-Nevis expressed “deep concern about the situation prevailing in Haiti during the past three weeks characterised by violent protests jeopardising the political, economic and social stability of the country.

The Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat is expected to issue a statement later on Tuesday on the latest developments in Haiti.