Haiti Dismisses Justice Minister, Makes New Appointment Amid Police Inaction In Gang Crime

Haiti Dismisses Justice Minister, Makes New Appointment Amid Police Inaction in Gang Crime

Haitian Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe signed on Thursday a decree appointing Rockfeller Vincent as the new justice minister to replace Lucmanne Delille, a few hours after the latter introduced severe measures against gang crime

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2020) Haitian Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe signed on Thursday a decree appointing Rockfeller Vincent as the new justice minister to replace Lucmanne Delille, a few hours after the latter introduced severe measures against gang crime.

Vincent had served as the general director of the Anti-Corruption Unit since January 2020.

"[The decree hereby] appoints citizen Rockfeller Vincent Minister of Justice and Public Security (MJSP)," a statement, published in the official Le Monituer journal, read.

The new appointment was announced on Thursday evening, a few hours after a statement made by Delille, who was appointed to the post of the justice minister in March, about tracking down the participants of a recent march by gang members in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince that was ignored by law enforcement officers.

The capital has been marred with gang-related clashes, daily kidnappings and an overall unstable security situation. The latest gang demonstration took place on Tuesday with no police forces intervening and protesters firing guns into the air.

However, on Monday, the Haitian police launched tear gas at the participants of a peaceful gathering in front of the premises of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security in the capital. The protesters were calling for the government to take measures against a wave of violent crime in the city. A similar demonstration last week was also dispersed by the police, when law enforcement officers chased off demonstrators who had tried to organize a sit-in near the Justice ministry.

Haiti has been torn apart by months of anti-government rallies, as many accuse members of the state of widespread corruption.