Michèle Pierre-Louis
Encyclopedia
Michèle Duvivier Pierre-Louis (born 5 October 1947) is a Haiti
an politician who was Prime Minister of Haiti
from September 2008 to November 2009. She was Haiti's second female Prime Minister, after Claudette Werleigh
, who served from 1995 to 1996.
Pierre-Louis has been the Executive Director of the Knowledge and Freedom Foundation (FOKAL), a non-governmental organization
financed by George Soros
, since 1995. In June 2008 she was nominated as Prime Minister by President
René Préval
, after Préval's two previous nominees were rejected by the Chamber of Deputies
. Her nomination was approved by the Chamber of Deputies on 17 July 2008, with 61 votes in favor, one opposed, and 20 abstentions. It was approved by the Senate
on 31 July, with 12 votes in favor, 5 abstentions and none opposed. Her political programme and government still had to be approved by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
Préval announced the composition of the new government on 25 August; aside from Pierre-Louis herself, there were 17 ministers, seven of whom were retained from the previous government of Jacques-Édouard Alexis
. Pierre-Louis was appointed as Minister of Justice and Public Security, in addition to serving as Prime Minister. The government was to have been installed on 26 August, but this was delayed due to the impact of Hurricane Gustav
.
Pierre-Louis' political programme and government were approved by the Chamber of Deputies and subsequently by the Senate on 5 September 2008, following extended negotiations. 16 votes were needed in the Senate; she received only 15 in the first vote, but in a second vote held shortly afterward she gained the necessary additional vote. There were no opposing votes, but one senator abstained. This vote occurred as Haiti was ravaged by the effects of Hurricane Hanna and Hurricane Ike
, presenting a daunting challenge to Pierre-Louis and her government.
The British weekly news and international affairs publication The Economist
referred to Ms Pierre-Louis in their publication "The World in Figures 2010", writing:
In the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake
Pierre-Louis wrote a piece for the Huffington Post outlining her vision for a three-phase plan for the community: rescue, recovery and reconstruction.
Her son Pierre Louis, currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers
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 politician who was Prime Minister of Haiti
Prime Minister of Haiti
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Haiti is the head of government of Haiti. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President and ratified by the National Assembly. He or she appoints the Ministers and Secretaries of State and goes before the National Assembly to obtain a vote of confidence for...
from September 2008 to November 2009. She was Haiti's second female Prime Minister, after Claudette Werleigh
Claudette Werleigh
Claudette Werleigh was Prime Minister of Haïti from November 7, 1995 to February 7, 1996. She was Haiti's first female Prime Minister.She had previously been Minister of Foreign Affairs and of Religion in 1993 and 1995...
, who served from 1995 to 1996.
Pierre-Louis has been the Executive Director of the Knowledge and Freedom Foundation (FOKAL), a non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
financed by George Soros
George Soros
George Soros is a Hungarian-American business magnate, investor, philosopher, and philanthropist. He is the chairman of Soros Fund Management. Soros supports progressive-liberal causes...
, since 1995. In June 2008 she was nominated as Prime Minister by 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...
, after Préval's two previous nominees were rejected by 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...
. Her nomination was approved by the Chamber of Deputies on 17 July 2008, with 61 votes in favor, one opposed, and 20 abstentions. It was approved by 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...
on 31 July, with 12 votes in favor, 5 abstentions and none opposed. Her political programme and government still had to be approved by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
Préval announced the composition of the new government on 25 August; aside from Pierre-Louis herself, there were 17 ministers, seven of whom were retained from the previous government of 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....
. Pierre-Louis was appointed as Minister of Justice and Public Security, in addition to serving as Prime Minister. The government was to have been installed on 26 August, but this was delayed due to the impact of Hurricane Gustav
Hurricane Gustav
The name Gustav has been used for five tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean:* 1984's Tropical Storm Gustav - Spent most of its existence as a tropical depression hovering over Bermuda, no major damage was reported....
.
Pierre-Louis' political programme and government were approved by the Chamber of Deputies and subsequently by the Senate on 5 September 2008, following extended negotiations. 16 votes were needed in the Senate; she received only 15 in the first vote, but in a second vote held shortly afterward she gained the necessary additional vote. There were no opposing votes, but one senator abstained. This vote occurred as Haiti was ravaged by the effects of Hurricane Hanna and Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
, presenting a daunting challenge to Pierre-Louis and her government.
The British weekly news and international affairs publication The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
referred to Ms Pierre-Louis in their publication "The World in Figures 2010", writing:
Long known as the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, Haiti has stumbled from one crisis to another since the Duvalier years. But under its prime minister, Michèle Pierre-Louis, the country has an opportunity to make substantial and sustainable gains in both economics and politics. Her domestic achievements are already considerable, holding together a diverse coalition and quelling a determined opposition. Abroad, she has worked well with international leaders and won some influential friends, including Bill Clintonarticle.Bill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, a former US president. The tenure of Ms Pierre-Louis, whose social-activist brother-in-law was assassinated in 1998, may conceivably mark a turning-point in the country's long battle with extreme poverty, bloody confrontation and deep-rooted social injustice.
In the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 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...
Pierre-Louis wrote a piece for the Huffington Post outlining her vision for a three-phase plan for the community: rescue, recovery and reconstruction.
Her son Pierre Louis, currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers