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The decree, set to be published on Monday, was provided to The
Associated Press by a government source. It marks even more
turmoil in an already rocky democratic transition process for
Haiti, which hasn’t held democratic elections in years in a
large part due to the soaring levels of gang violence plaguing
the Caribbean nation.
Fils-Aimé is the former president of Haiti’s Chamber of Commerce
and Industry and in 2015 ran an unsuccessful campaign for
Senate. The businessman studied at Boston University and was
previously considered for the position as a private sector
candidate for the post before Conille took the seat.
Conille, a longtime civil servant who has worked with the United
Nations, served as prime minister for only six months.
The AP on Sunday couldn’t reach Conille or a spokesperson for
him.
The transitional presidential council was established in April,
tasked with choosing Haiti’s next prime minister and Cabinet
with the hope that it would help quell turmoil Haiti. But the
council has been plagued with politics and infighting, and has
long been at odds with Conille. Organizations like the
Organization of American States tried and failed last week to
mediate disagreements in an attempt to save the fragile
transition, according to The Miami Herald.
The process suffered another blow in October when three members
on the council faced corruption accusations, from
anti-corruption investigators alleging that they demanded
$750,000 in bribes from a government bank director to secure his
job.
The report was a significant blow to the nine-member council and
is expected to further erode people’s trust in it.
Those same members accused of bribery, Smith Augustin, Emmanuel
Vertilaire and Louis Gérald Gilles, were among those to sign the
decree. Only one member, Edgard Leblanc Fils, did not sign the
order.
The move by the transitional council came under fire by some in
Haiti like former Justice Minister Bernard Gousse, who told
local media that Conille's dismissal was “illegal” because the
council was over-extending its powers and because of the
corruption allegations levered against them.
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Associated Press reporter Megan Janetsky contributed to this
report from Mexico City.
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