Gerard Latortue - Haiti Observer Blog

Born in Gonaives on the 19th of June 1934, Haiti's 12th Prime Minister, Gérard Latortue ascended to the seat with much criticism in the wake of his appointment. For, when he was named as Haiti's Prime Minister on March 12, 2004, Latortue had been absent from the country, living on foreign shores for well over a decade.

After studying in Paris at the Institutes of Economic and Social Development, and Political Sciences, Latortue, at 26, returned to his country of birth and began work as a lawyer and later a professor. A year later, after noting that Haitians had no place to study economics, he co-founded a business and economic study institute in the nation's capital.

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The atmosphere after President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was taken out of office in 2004 was expectedly tense. His elected prime minister, Yvon Neptune was first-hand witness to this when, following the removal of Aristide, on March 2, he was almost arrested by a mob claiming he should face corruption charges.

It is said that Guy Philippe was the leader of this crusade and his motive had been in retaliation for interviews Yvon Neptune had given to various news bodies in America and Europe. After having served as Prime Minister since 2002, he found himself replaced by an unelected, provisional new government and the country's 12th Prime Minister, Gérard Latortue.

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The Haitian Prime Minister heads the country's government and shares executive powers with the head of state. The holder of the Prime Minister post is appointed by the incumbent president and gets approval from the National assembly.

The Prime Minister has the responsibility of law enforcement vested upon him and works alongside the president to ensure national defense.

Previous Haitian Prime Ministers:

February 9, 1988 - June 20, 1988 - Martial Célestin

June 20, 1988 - February 13, 1991 - Post abolished

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