Ericq Pierre
Encyclopedia
Ericq Pierre is a Haiti
an economist working for the Inter-American Development Bank
. He was unsuccessfully nominated as Prime Minister by President René Préval
in 1997 and 2008.
Pierre lives in Washington, DC, where the Inter-American Development Bank is based, and is an advisor for the Bank regarding Haiti. In the midst of a political crisis following the resignation of Prime Minister Rosny Smarth
, Pierre was nominated as Prime Minister by President Préval in 1997, but the Chamber of Deputies
rejected the nomination on August 26, 1997, with 43 votes against him, nine in favor, and eight abstaining. Pierre's inability to demonstrate that his grandparents were of Haitian nationality by presenting their birth certificates and his support for an economic plan that involved privatization and large-scale lay-offs of state employees contributed to his defeat.
After Prime Minister Jacques-Édouard Alexis
was defeated in a vote of no confidence on April 12, 2008, Préval nominated Pierre as Prime Minister for a second time on April 27, 2008. In Les Cayes
on May 5, leaders of the riots against high food prices that had occurred in April demanded that a new Prime Minister and government be installed within a week, threatening renewed violence if this did not happen.
The Senate
approved Pierre's nomination on May 7, with 17 votes in favor, two abstentions and none opposed. The nomination still had to be approved by the Chamber of Deputies. In an Associated Press
interview, Pierre emphasized the need for long-term strategies to deal with the deepening poverty caused by rising food prices.
The Chamber of Deputies rejected Pierre's nomination on May 12; there were 51 votes against him and 35 in favor, with nine deputies abstaining. As a result, Préval had to nominate someone else. Opposition deputy Levaillant Louis Jeune said that the deputies "didn't really believe in the plan that he had for the people of this country". Additionally, as in 1997, questions arose about Pierre's nationality documents.
Speaking at the Hotel Montana
in Port-au-Prince
on May 15, Pierre alleged that corrupt deputies had prevented his nomination from succeeding because he had been unwilling to negotiate with them and satisfy their demands for money, projects, and positions in the government. He was dismissive regarding the nationality issue.
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 economist working for the Inter-American Development Bank
Inter-American Development Bank
The Inter-American Development Bank is the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean...
. He was unsuccessfully nominated as Prime Minister by President 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...
in 1997 and 2008.
Pierre lives in Washington, DC, where the Inter-American Development Bank is based, and is an advisor for the Bank regarding Haiti. In the midst of a political crisis following the resignation of Prime Minister Rosny Smarth
Rosny Smarth
Rosny Smarth was Prime Minister of Haiti briefly, from February 27, 1996 to June 9, 1997. He resigned his post before a successor was found, leaving the post vacant for nearly two years. His political party is the OPL.-References:...
, Pierre was nominated as Prime Minister by President Préval in 1997, but the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Haïti
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of Haiti's bicameral legislature, the National Assembly. The upper house of the National Assembly is the Senate of Haiti. The Chamber has ninety-nine members who are elected by popular vote to four-year terms...
rejected the nomination on August 26, 1997, with 43 votes against him, nine in favor, and eight abstaining. Pierre's inability to demonstrate that his grandparents were of Haitian nationality by presenting their birth certificates and his support for an economic plan that involved privatization and large-scale lay-offs of state employees contributed to his defeat.
After Prime Minister Jacques-Édouard Alexis
Jacques-Édouard Alexis
Jacques-Édouard Alexis is a Haitian politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Haiti from 1999 to 2001 and was Prime Minister for a second term from 2006 to 2008 when he was dismissed due to political fallout from food riots....
was defeated in a vote of no confidence on April 12, 2008, Préval nominated Pierre as Prime Minister for a second time on April 27, 2008. In Les Cayes
Les Cayes
Les Cayes , is a town and seaport in southwestern Haiti, with a population of approximately 45,904 people . Estimates from 2008 place the population at close to 70,000 people...
on May 5, leaders of the riots against high food prices that had occurred in April demanded that a new Prime Minister and government be installed within a week, threatening renewed violence if this did not happen.
The Senate
Senate of Haiti
The Senate of Haiti is the upper house of Haiti's bicameral legislature, the National Assembly. The lower house of the National Assembly is the Chamber of Deputies. The Senate consists of thirty seats, with three members from each of the ten administrative departments. Prior to the creation of the...
approved Pierre's nomination on May 7, with 17 votes in favor, two abstentions and none opposed. The nomination still had to be approved by the Chamber of Deputies. In an Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
interview, Pierre emphasized the need for long-term strategies to deal with the deepening poverty caused by rising food prices.
The Chamber of Deputies rejected Pierre's nomination on May 12; there were 51 votes against him and 35 in favor, with nine deputies abstaining. As a result, Préval had to nominate someone else. Opposition deputy Levaillant Louis Jeune said that the deputies "didn't really believe in the plan that he had for the people of this country". Additionally, as in 1997, questions arose about Pierre's nationality documents.
Speaking at the Hotel Montana
Hôtel Montana
The Hôtel Montana was a hotel in the Pétionville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Built in 1946, the hotel was a popular four star tourist resort until the main building collapsed along with most buildings in the city during the 2010 Haiti earthquake...
in 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....
on May 15, Pierre alleged that corrupt deputies had prevented his nomination from succeeding because he had been unwilling to negotiate with them and satisfy their demands for money, projects, and positions in the government. He was dismissive regarding the nationality issue.