27101: Hermantin(News) Latortue says he will step down as Haiti's prime minister on Feb (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

Sun Sentinel

Latortue says he will step down as Haiti's prime minister on Feb. 7

AFP

January 5, 2006, 11:59 AM EST



PORT-AU-PRINCE -- Haitian Prime Minister Gerard Latortue told AFP Thursday he 
will step down on Feb. 7, despite the country's elections being postponed.

"I stand by my decision and my pledge to step down on Feb. 7, along with the 
government," said Latortue, a former exile from Boca Raton.

He said he would attend to the country's minor day-to-day affairs until a newly 
elected government takes over.

But he stressed that, "from Feb. 7, I will not undertake any new initiatives or 
make any decisions that involve the state, and I will not approve any laws."

"No matter when elections are held, I will step down on February 7, 2006. I 
hope the transition period will be as short as possible," he added.

A coalition of political parties had clamored for Latortue's resignation, 
charging that he had failed to organize elections in a timely fashion.

According to Haiti's constitution, the new president should take office on Feb. 
7. But, as Haiti has struggled to keep a date for its first elections since 
former president Jean Bertrand Aristide was forced from office in early 2004, 
that will not be possible.

A new date for the vote has not been set since elections slated for January 8 
were postponed. However, sources close to the government and the electoral 
council have speculated that a first round could be held on Feb. 7.
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