Haiti’s 12-member cabinet was sworn into office on Wednesday with Prime Minister Garry Conille underscoring the importance of peace and security in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
Conille’s attorney, Carlos Hercules, will be the Minister for Justice and Public Security and Haiti’s ambassador to UNESCO, Dominique Dupuy, will be the Foreign Affairs Minister.
Princeton-educated Ketleen Florestal takes over the Finance Ministry from Michel Patrick Boisvert, who also served as interim prime minister this year.
In addition, the 58-year-old Conille, a former United Nations senior official, said his administration would crackdown on corruption.
“The fight against corruption will be an absolute priority of my government,” Conille said, promising also regular audits of public resources.
“My government will work without rest to improve the conditions of each and every Haitian,” he said, telling the ceremony that “without security, no sustainable progress can be achieved..
“It is crucial our police and soldiers are ready to face today’s security challenges. And we will ensure that they have the tools they need to carry out their mission effectively and professionally.”
The ceremony comes less than 24 hours after a decree appointing members of the new cabinet was published in Haiti’s official gazette, two weeks after the presidential transitional council (PTC) named Conille as interim prime minister.
PTC president, Edgard Leblanc Fils, said the government’s goal is to “open a path to establishing free, democratic, credible and transparent elections”.
Conille said Haiti’s state institutions need to be “cleaned up and strengthened”, speaking also of the humanitarian crisis gripping the CARICOM country.
“My dear compatriots, Haiti is facing major challenges. Violence and security are paralysing our daily lives. The humanitarian crisis is exacerbating the suffering of our most vulnerable citizens.”
Haiti has not held an election since 2016 with the country’s last elected head of state, Jovenel Moise, assassinated at his private residence overlooking the capital, Port au Prince, in July 2021.
Earlier this year, the US Department of State said the establishment of the new transitional council paves the way for “free and fair elections” in the country.
Last October, the United Nations Security Council approved a Kenya-led multinational force as efforts continue to restore peace and security in the country with criminal gangs reported to be in control of at least 80 per cent of the capital.
The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Chad, Jamaica and Kenya have officially notified the Secretary-General of their intent to contribute personnel to the support mission.
Kenya’s President William Ruto has said the deployment would likely start within a few weeks.
During the ceremony on Wednesday, Conille asked for a minute’s silence, in memory of three police officers killed by gangs the previous Sunday.
More than 2,500 people were killed or injured in the first three months of the year and more than half a million others displaced.