Jacques-Édouard Alexis
3055120
221660115
2008-06-25T14:32:47Z
Mikko Paananen
61886
has not been PM since April
{{redirect|Jacques Alexis|the Haitian novelist|Jacques Stephen Alexis}}
{{Infobox Prime Minister
| name = Jacques-Édouard Alexis
| image = Jacques-Édouard Alexis.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption =
| order = [[List of Prime Ministers of Haiti|Prime Minister of Haiti]]
| president = [[René Préval]]
| term_start = [[09 June]] [[2006]]
| term_end = [[12 April]] [[2008]]
| successor =
| predecessor = [[Gérard Latortue]]
| president2 = [[René Préval]]<br>[[Jean-Bertrand Aristide]]
| term_start2 = [[26 March]] [[1999]]
| term_end2 = [[02 March]] [[2001]]
| predecessor2 = [[Rosny Smarth]]
| successor2 = [[Jean Marie Chérestal]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|09|21|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Gonaïves]], [[Haiti]]
}}
'''Jacques-Édouard Alexis''' (born [[21 September]] [[1947]]) is a [[Haiti]]an politician. He served as the [[List of Prime Ministers of Haiti|Prime Minister of Haiti]] from 1999 to 2001 and has been Prime Minister for a second time from 2006 to 2008, when he was dismissed due food riots.
==Early life and career==
Alexis was born in [[Gonaïves]], Haiti on [[September 21]], [[1947]].<ref name=cv>{{fr icon}} [http://primature.gouv.ht/bio.php Curriculum vitae of Jacques-Édouard Alexis]. Haitian Office of the Prime Minister.</ref> He attended school at [[Lycée Geffrard]] in Gonaïves (1959–1964) and later [[Lycée Toussaint Louverture]] in [[Port-au-Prince]] (1964-1966).<ref name=cv/> 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.<ref name=cv/> 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]], Québec, Canada, from 1977 to 1978, earning his [[master of science]] degree in food science and technology from Université Laval in 1979.<ref name=cv/> 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).<ref name=cv/> Between 1987 and 1990, he coordinated the founding of the [[University of Quisqueya]], where he served as the school's first rector from 1990 to 1995.<ref name=cv/>
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).<ref name=cv/>
==As Prime Minister==
Alexis was nominated as Prime Minister by Préval on [[July 16]], [[1998]], following congressional rejections of three prior nominees that had resulted in a year-long political crisis.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B07EFD71630F935A25754C0A96E958260 "President of Haiti Nominates a Premier"]. ''[[New York Times]]'' ([[July 16]], [[1998]]).</ref> His nomination was preliminarily ratified by the [[Senate of Haiti|Senate]] on [[December 15]] and by the [[Chamber of Deputies of Haiti|Chamber of Deputies]] on [[December 17]] despite an unfavorable report regarding his management of funds as Minister of Education.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A01EEDB163EF936A35752C1A96E958260 "Haiti's Would-Be Premier Gets Poor Report"]. ''[[New York Times]]'' ([[November 5]], [[1998]]).</ref><ref name=approve>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B06E6D61F3DF93AA25751C1A96E958260 "Haiti's Parliament Approves New Premier"]. ''[[New York Times]]'' ([[December 19]], [[1998]]).</ref> Completion of the ratification process requires ratification of the nominee's proposed cabinet and general policy;<ref name=approve/><ref name=specter>McKinley, James C., Jr. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C07EFDF1131F936A25752C0A96F958260 "Haitian Leader's Foes Raise the Specter of Dictatorship"]. ''[[New York Times]]'' ([[January 15]], [[1999]]).</ref> Alexis's final ratification was delayed by the insistence of opposition leaders that they receive cabinet posts.<ref name=specter/> Parliament passed a bill extending their term so that they could continue the ratification process, but Préval denied that they had authority to do so, announcing on [[January 11]] (the final day of the parliamentary session) that he intended to bypass Parliament and form a government by decree.<ref name=decree>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A01E5DF1231F930A25752C0A96F958260 "Haiti Leader to Rule by Decree; an Attack Follows"]. ''[[New York Times]]'' ([[January 13]], [[1999]]).</ref><ref name=specter/> Opposition parties accused Préval of having staged a bloodless coup and considered Alexis an illegitimate prime minister.<ref name=specter/><ref>Crossette, Barbara. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01E5DE153BF934A1575BC0A96F958260 "Facing Haiti Pullout, U.N. Tries New Mission"]. ''[[New York Times]]'' ([[August 27]], [[1999]]).</ref> Alexis served as Prime Minister from [[26 March]] [[1999]] to [[7 February]] [[2001]].
Préval was [[Haitian presidential election, 2006|re-elected in February 2006]], and he again nominated Alexis as Prime Minister on [[17 May]] [[2006]], three days after taking office as President.<ref>[http://www.angus-reid.com/tracker/view/7164 "Haiti"]. [[Angus Reid Global Monitor]].</ref> The nomination was ratified almost unanimously by both houses of parliament, and Alexis and his government were sworn in on [[9 June]] [[2006]]. His second government consisted of a coalition of six parties, including Préval's [[Lespwa]] party, the [[Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats]], the [[Struggling People's Organization]], and [[Jean-Bertrand Aristide]]'s [[Fanmi Lavalas]] party.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.diplo.de/diplo/en/Laenderinformationen/01-Laender/Haiti.html|title=German embassy in Haiti - webpage}}</ref> His stated policy objectives included the restoration of security in the country and the provision of basic services to citizens.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1202772.stm "Country profile: Haiti"]. [[BBC News]].</ref>
Criticism of Alexis's economic policies led to a no-confidence vote in February 2008, which Alexis survived.<ref>Lacey, Mark. [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/23/world/americas/23haiti.html "Haiti’s Poverty Stirs Nostalgia for Old Ghosts"]. ''[[New York Times]]'' ([[March 23]], [[2008]]).</ref> Riots broke out in early April 2008 regarding high food prices, and Alexis announced an investment program designed to lower the cost of living.<ref>[http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/EF148E23-958B-45A1-956D-FEDAC8847D05.htm "Haiti reels from food protests"]. [[Al Jazeera]] ([[April 7]], [[2008]]).</ref> On [[April 10]], it was announced that the 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."<ref>[http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D33E1E37-5999-4610-918A-DBFA5542EDA1.htm "Haiti senators call on PM to quit"]. [[Al Jazeera]] ([[April 10]], [[2008]]).</ref> The Senate then voted unanimously to dismiss Alexis on [[April 12]], 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.<ref>[http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hL0HvIfNZQ2nMgFdy9dSKLZ7t2Gw "Haiti PM ousted over soaring food prices"], AFP, [[April 12]], [[2008]].</ref>
==Personal life==
Alexis is married and has five children.<ref name=cv/>
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
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{{Succession box
| before = [[Rosny Smarth]]
| title = [[Prime Minister of Haiti]]
| years = 1999 – 2001
| after = [[Jean Marie Chérestal]]
}}
{{Succession box
| before = [[Gérard Latortue]]
| title = [[Prime Minister of Haiti]]
| years = 2006 – present
| after = Incumbent
}}
{{end box}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexis, Jacques-Edouard}}
[[Category:Prime Ministers of Haiti]]
[[Category:Current national leaders]]
[[Category:Haitian politicians]]
[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
{{HaitiPMs}}
[[de:Jacques-Édouard Alexis]]
[[el:Ζακ-Εντουάρ Αλεξίς]]
[[es:Jacques-Édouard Alexis]]
[[fr:Jacques-Édouard Alexis]]
[[id:Jacques-Edouard Alexis]]
[[pl:Jacques-Édouard Alexis]]
[[ru:Алексис, Жак Эдуар]]
[[fi:Jacques-Édouard Alexis]]
[[vi:Jacques-Édouard Alexis]]
[[zh:雅克-爱德华·亚历克西]]