Elisabeth Delatour Préval
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth Débrosse Delatour Préval (born around 1962) is a Haiti
an businesswoman, presidential economic advisor
and economist
. She has been the First Lady
of Haiti
since December 6, 2009, when she married President
René Préval
.
, the former Governor of the Bank of the Republic of Haiti
, the country's central bank
. The couple had two children together during their marriage, which lasted until Leslie Delatour's death on January 26, 2001.
Delatour received an MBA from The George Washington University in 1988. She has worked as a businesswoman for a Haitian electrical utility as well as a road contractor
during her career. She worked as an economic advisor to President René Préval before her marriage to him in December 2009.
of the capital, Port-au-Prince
. Delatour, who was 47-years old at the time of the wedding, wore a beige dress, while Preval wore a white suit. The ceremony was attended by approximately fifty people. This was Delatour's second marriage, while Preval had been married twice before, both of which ended in divorce. The couple went on a two day honeymoon before moving into the National Palace
officially on December 9, 2009.
, which devastated Port-au-Prince
and the surrounding region. The First Lady and President both escaped the National Palace
, which collapsed in the earthquake. The couple were about to enter the private, presidential living quarters in the National Palace when the earthquake struck. Both were able to move away from the palace before the building collapsed. False rumors initially spread in Port-au-Prince that Delatour Preval had been killed in the quake.
In the aftermath of the earthquake Delatour Preval told reporters, "I'm convinced the country will make it. Seeing the solidarity among the people, there is hope." Delatour Preval also defended the Haitian government of President Preval against criticism
that it was ineffective, or even non-existent, in the days following the earthquake. She reiterated that the government was still functioning, while acknowledging that that there was widespread concerns about government effectiveness, especially after the collapse of major government buildings, including the National Palace. In an interview
, Delatour Preval stated, "Visually, people can’t see what they used to recognize as the symbols of the state...That has generated some kind of panic. ‘Are they there or aren’t they there?’"
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an businesswoman, presidential economic advisor
Advisor
An advisor is normally a person with more and deeper knowledge in a specific area i.e. a specialist and may refer to:-Finances:*Commodity trading advisor, any person who engages in the business of advising others...
and economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
. She has been the First Lady
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
of Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
since December 6, 2009, when she married President
President of Haiti
The President of the Republic of Haiti is the head of state of Haiti. Executive power in Haiti is divided between the president and the government headed by the Prime Minister of Haiti...
René Préval
René Préval
René Garcia Préval is a Haitian politician and agronomist who was the President of the Republic of Haiti from 14 May 2006 to 14 May 2011. He previously served as President from February 7, 1996, to February 7, 2001, and as Prime Minister from February 1991 to October 11, 1991.-Early life and...
.
Professional and personal life
Delatour is the widow of Leslie DelatourLeslie Delatour
Leslie Delatour was a Haitian economist.- Background :Born in 1950, he studied at Johns Hopkins University and at the University of Chicago. Notable as Haiti's Finance Minister and Governor of the Bank of Haiti, he also served as consultant at the World Bank, the Inter-American Bank and USAID. He...
, the former Governor of the Bank of the Republic of Haiti
Bank of the Republic of Haiti
-History:The Bank of the Republic of Haiti was founded after the independence of Haiti from France. The oldest reference to a bank in Haiti can be attributed to a short correspondence exchanged during September 1825 between a foreign tradesman, Nicholas Kane, the Secretary of State Balthazar...
, the country's central bank
Central bank
A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is a public institution that usually issues the currency, regulates the money supply, and controls the interest rates in a country. Central banks often also oversee the commercial banking system of their respective countries...
. The couple had two children together during their marriage, which lasted until Leslie Delatour's death on January 26, 2001.
Delatour received an MBA from The George Washington University in 1988. She has worked as a businesswoman for a Haitian electrical utility as well as a road contractor
Independent contractor
An independent contractor is a natural person, business, or corporation that provides goods or services to another entity under terms specified in a contract or within a verbal agreement. Unlike an employee, an independent contractor does not work regularly for an employer but works as and when...
during her career. She worked as an economic advisor to President René Préval before her marriage to him in December 2009.
First Lady of Haiti
Elisabeth Débrosse Delatour married René Préval on Sunday, December 6, 2009, becoming First Lady of Haiti. The wedding was held at 11 a.m. at Delatour's home in Furcy, a suburbSuburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of the capital, Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
. Delatour, who was 47-years old at the time of the wedding, wore a beige dress, while Preval wore a white suit. The ceremony was attended by approximately fifty people. This was Delatour's second marriage, while Preval had been married twice before, both of which ended in divorce. The couple went on a two day honeymoon before moving into the National Palace
National Palace (Haiti)
The National Palace is located in Port-au-Prince—facing Place L'Ouverture near the Champs de Mars—and is the official residence of the Haitian president. It was almost completely destroyed in the 2010 Haiti earthquake...
officially on December 9, 2009.
2010 Haiti earthquake
Delatour Preval was thrust into the international recovery efforts in January 2010 following the 2010 Haiti earthquake2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
, which devastated Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
and the surrounding region. The First Lady and President both escaped the National Palace
National Palace (Haiti)
The National Palace is located in Port-au-Prince—facing Place L'Ouverture near the Champs de Mars—and is the official residence of the Haitian president. It was almost completely destroyed in the 2010 Haiti earthquake...
, which collapsed in the earthquake. The couple were about to enter the private, presidential living quarters in the National Palace when the earthquake struck. Both were able to move away from the palace before the building collapsed. False rumors initially spread in Port-au-Prince that Delatour Preval had been killed in the quake.
In the aftermath of the earthquake Delatour Preval told reporters, "I'm convinced the country will make it. Seeing the solidarity among the people, there is hope." Delatour Preval also defended the Haitian government of President Preval against criticism
Criticism
Criticism is the judgement of the merits and faults of the work or actions of an individual or group by another . To criticize does not necessarily imply to find fault, but the word is often taken to mean the simple expression of an objection against prejudice, or a disapproval.Another meaning of...
that it was ineffective, or even non-existent, in the days following the earthquake. She reiterated that the government was still functioning, while acknowledging that that there was widespread concerns about government effectiveness, especially after the collapse of major government buildings, including the National Palace. In an interview
Interview
An interview is a conversation between two people where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.- Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research:"Definition" -...
, Delatour Preval stated, "Visually, people can’t see what they used to recognize as the symbols of the state...That has generated some kind of panic. ‘Are they there or aren’t they there?’"