Haiti Prime Minister Reshuffles Cabinet

Above: Haiti Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe (Photo: OPM Haiti)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haiti Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe has reshuffled the country’s cabinet, the government announced in a statement.

In a move approved by Haiti President Michel Martelly, the government announced six new portfolios, highlighted by Lamothe, who added the portfolio of Planning and External Cooperation.

Under the changes, Pierre Richard Casimir is the new Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship; Ronsard St Cyr is the new Minister of Interior and Territorial Collectivity; Josefa Gauthier was appointed Minister of Social Affairs and Labour; Vanneur Pierre was named Minister of National Education and Vocational Training and Jean Vilmond Hilaire was appointed Environment Minister.

The moves also mean the departure of Interior Minister Thierry Mayard-Paul.

The announcement included several reassignments: St Cyr had been the country’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labour, and Gauthier had previously served as Haiti’s Planning Minister.

Pierre, Hilaire and Casimir were new appointees. The latter took on the Foreign Ministry and Worship portfolio from Lamothe, who had served in that capacity even before he was confirmed as Prime Minister and had continued doing so.

It was not yet clear why the changes were made — Lamothe’s office declined comment Monday night.