Haitian Senate poised to fire prime minister

[struggle4progress]

By Joseph Guyler Delva

PORT-AU-PRINCE, April 11 (Reuters) - Haiti's fragile government appeared in trouble on Friday after a week of nationwide unrest over skyrocketing food prices as opposition senators planned to fire the prime minister.

Leaders of a group of 16 senators who set a deadline for Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis to step down said they scheduled a hearing in the Senate for Saturday for a no-confidence vote. Analysts say a vote against Alexis would be a blow to President Rene Preval but not a crushing one.

"Our decision is made. We have the constitutional prerogative to fire the prime minister and we have decided to do so to preserve the country's stability," Sen. Gabriel Fortune said. Senators blame the government for not doing enough to counter the rise in the cost of living.

At least five people were killed in protests that began on April 2 in the impoverished Caribbean country and pitted U.N. peacekeepers against crowds of Haitians angry over the rising cost of staples like rice, beans, corn and cooking oil ...

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN11302426

[magbana]

1. Elite Haitians Trying to Get Rid of PM Alexis

Prime Minister Alexis is politically to the left of Preval. The opposition in the parliament largely represents the elite interests in the country and they have been gunning for Alexis for a while. I understand the citizens are in front of the parliament today to protest this latest attempt to get rid of Alexis and further destabilize the country.

[magbana]

2. HAITI PREZ Announces Drop in Price of Rice - PM Alexis Dumped

Haiti President Announces Drop in Rice

By JONATHAN M. KATZ – 1 hour ago

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — President Rene Preval announced a drop in the price of rice Saturday in a bid to defuse anger of rising food prices that fueled days of deadly protests and looting across Haiti.

After meeting with food importers in the national palace, Preval said the price of a 50-pound (23-kilogram) bag of rice will drop from US$51 (euro32) to US$43 (euro27) — a reduction of 15.7 percent.

The Haitian president said the government will use international aid money to subsidize the price of rice and that the private sector has agreed to knock US$3 (euro2) off the price of each bag. Preval did not say when the price reduction would go into effect.

Preval also said he would ask Venezuela for help, especially about providing fertilizer for struggling farmers.

The announcements come in the wake of looting and clashes between hundreds of protesters and U.N. peacekeepers earlier this week. Protesters blame the government for failing to create jobs and control soaring food prices, and some demonstrators called for Preval's resignation. The violence left at least five people dead.

On Saturday, U.N. military commander Maj. Gen. Carlos Alberto Dos Santos Cruz told The Associated Press that calm was returning across the country, with some transportation resuming and people going back to work.

Haiti's parliament was meeting Saturday and is expected to discuss the fate of Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis, whom several senators have already called upon to resign. Preval pledged to support any decision they make.

"If the prime minister has a vote of censure, I will call the president of the senate to propose a new prime minister," Preval said.

The U.N. commander said that several social, economic and political changes are still needed in Haiti to maintain the present calm and address the increased cost of living. Cruz did not provide specifics.

"It is important for the people to have a peaceful life in Haiti," Santos Cruz said.

Globally, food prices have risen 40 percent since mid-2007. Haiti, where most people live on less than US$2 (euro1.26) a day, is particularly affected because it imports nearly all of its food, including more than 80 percent of its rice.

Much of Haiti's once-productive farmland has been abandoned as farmers struggle to grow crops in soil decimated by erosion, deforestation, flooding and tropical storms.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hZKTyI2x6DlbH6opvSIQd7yNtBpgD900F8980

http://snipurl.com/24873

Haiti senators vote to oust prime minister following deadly protests


2008-04-12 19:52:39 -

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - Haiti's Parliament has voted to dismiss Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis following deadly riots over rising food prices.
Senator Gabriel Fortune says 16 of Haiti's 27 senators voted in favor of the dismissal in Saturday's session. The vote reflects widespread frustration over rising cost of living in the impoverished country and days of looting and clashes between protesters and U.N. peacekeepers over high food prices.
Alexis survived a no-confidence vote over the government's handling of the economy in February. He was nominated prime minister in May 2006, succeeding former interim Prime Minister Gerard Latortue.


http://www.pr-inside.com/print533664.htm

http://snipurl.com/2487e

[Mika]

3. I don't get it (actually, I do).

According to the above article Haitians live on about $60 per month, 300% more than the average Cuban income. Yet, they are in seriously deep shit.

How is it that Cubans (in Cuba) manage to have an incredible infrastructure that supports all of the basic needs of all the people all of the time?





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[Judi Lynn]

4. Everytime they get a President the people want who will help improve the general condition,

the U.S. right-wing finds a way to get rid of him. It took two _Bushes to overthrow Aristide and drive him completely out of the area, and the people of Haiti have been demanding his return, even at the risk of being attacked, and murdered when they protest.

Cuba has been able to have a strong enough revolutionary resistance to the U.S. to keep them at bay.

Haiti is still controlled by the elite who own the only business there, and colaborate with the International Republican Institute, and various NGO's right-wing Presidents send to tear things apart and put them back the way that benefits US interests, and those of the tiny oligarchy.

Is that going in the direction you were thinking? That's my best guess.

[Mika]

5. It was more of a rhetorical question.

Most all that we see in the US media is the uninformed condemnation of Cuba. While life in US controlled states (both historically and present day) always seem to degrade and turn into a desperate situation, life in Cuba has become more bearable as time has gone by. Cuba has been victimized by numerous state (US) sponsored terrorist attacks as well as a genocidal extra territorial US embargo, but still Cuba's infrastructure has expanded and improved every year.

Cuba is an excellent example to the world on how a nation can work together to marshal meager resources and direct them to the needs of all the people.


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