After Unrest Following Rise of Gasoline Prices, Haiti Vows to Name New PM ‘as Soon as Possible’

Dr. Jack Guy Lafontant

Haiti’s Prime Minister Dr. Jack Guy Lafontant stands on stage during his confirmation ceremony at the National Palace, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Lafontant resigned Saturday, July 14, 2018, amid criticism for his failed attempt to increase fuel prices. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery, File)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s president says he will appoint a new prime minister as soon as possible following the resignation of the country’s second-highest official.

President Jovenel Moise said late Saturday in a television broadcast that he will “form an inclusive government whose mission will be to alleviate the misery of the Haitian people.”

Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant resigned earlier in the weekend over his handling of a failed plan to raise the prices of gasoline, diesel and kerosene by 38 percent to 51 percent.

At least seven people were killed and dozens of businesses were looted during riots after the government announced the price hike.

Moise said he had spoken with protesters and international organizations to find a solution, but did not say if fuel prices would still rise.

Still independent.

We hope this story was worth your time. For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed Black-owned and independently run. We didn't get here by waiting on ad budgets that were never built to prioritize us. Our readers did that.

Corporate support for Black media has always been thin. Outlets like ours get roughly 1% of the $170 billion spent on U.S. advertising each year, and that margin is shrinking further as advertisers walk back the DEI-linked commitments they made in 2020. That's the backdrop. It's not why we're asking.

The wider picture isn't any steadier. Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under, it's rarely the ones built to center a Black perspective from the ground up that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Back to top