Jacques-Édouard Alexis
Jacques-Édouard Alexis | |
---|---|
9th and 13th Prime Minister of Haiti | |
In office 9 June 2006 – 5 September 2008 | |
President | René Préval |
Preceded by | Gérard Latortue |
Succeeded by | Michèle Pierre-Louis |
In office 26 March 1999 – 2 March 2001 | |
President | René Préval Jean-Bertrand Aristide |
Preceded by | Vacant |
Succeeded by | Jean Marie Chérestal |
Personal details | |
Born | Gonaïves, Haiti | 21 September 1947
Jacques-Édouard Alexis (born 21 September 1947) is a
Early life and career
Alexis was born in Gonaïves, Haiti on 21 September 1947.[1] He is the great-great grandson of President Pierre Nord Alexis and Princess Marie-Louise-Amelie-Celestina Pierrot, a daughter of Prince Jean-Louis Pierrot. He attended school at Lycée Geffrard in Gonaïves (1959–1964) and later Lycée Toussaint Louverture in Port-au-Prince (1964–1966).[1] He received a degree in agricultural engineering from the State University of Haiti in 1973.
After graduation, Alexis held a series of jobs in academia.[1] He was an assistant professor of chemistry at the State University of Haiti from 1973 to 1976 and a teaching and research assistant at Université Laval, Quebec, Canada, from 1977 to 1978, earning his Master of Science degree in food science and technology from Université Laval in 1979.[1] He was then a professor of food technology and post-harvest technology at the State University of Haiti (1979–1987), a professor of post-harvest technology and human nutrition at Ecole Moyenne d’Agriculture (1979–1985), and Dean of the Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine at the State University of Haiti (1985–1987).[1] Between 1987 and 1990, he coordinated the founding of Quisqueya University, where he served as the school's first rector from 1990 to 1995.[1]
Under President René Préval, Alexis served in the government as the Minister of National Education, Youth, and Sport (1996–1999), Minister of Culture (1997–1999), and Minister of the Interior and Territorial Communities (1999–2000).[1]
As Prime Minister
First term
Alexis was nominated as Prime Minister by Préval on 16 July 1998, following congressional rejections of three prior nominees that had resulted in a year-long political crisis.
Second term
Préval was
Resignation
Criticism of Alexis's economic policies led to a no-confidence vote in February 2008, which Alexis survived.[11] Riots broke out in early April 2008 regarding high food prices, and Alexis announced an investment program designed to lower the cost of living.[12] On 10 April, it was announced that 16 Senators (a majority, as there are 30 seats in Haiti's Senate) had signed a letter advising Alexis to resign within two days. The letter described Alexis's proposals to resolve the economic crisis as "too little, too late" and said that "it is obvious that the majority of the people don't believe any more in the capacity of your government to take courageous measures to ease the misery that the population is facing daily."[13] The Senate then voted unanimously to dismiss Alexis on 12 April, with all of the 16 Senators present in favor. Préval said that he would consult with Parliament to choose a new Prime Minister, but he also said that Alexis had done his best and should not receive all the blame for the situation.[14]
Personal life
Alexis is married and has five children.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h (in French) Curriculum vitae of J Alexis[permanent dead link]. Haitian Office of the Prime Minister.
- New York Times(July 16, 1998).
- New York Times(November 5, 1998).
- ^ New York Times(December 19, 1998).
- ^ New York Times(January 15, 1999).
- New York Times(January 13, 1999).
- New York Times(August 27, 1999).
- Angus Reid Global Monitor.
- ^ "German embassy in Haiti - webpage". Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
- ^ "Country profile: Haiti". BBC News.
- New York Times(March 23, 2008).
- ^ "Haiti reels from food protests". Al Jazeera (April 7, 2008).
- ^ "Haiti senators call on PM to quit". Al Jazeera (April 10, 2008).
- ^ "Haiti PM ousted over soaring food prices" Archived 2013-07-14 at the Wayback Machine, AFP, April 12, 2008.