Jocelerme Privert (French pronunciation: [ʒɔslɛʁm pʁivɛʁ]; born 1 February 1953[1]) is a Haitian accountant and bureaucrat who served as the interim President of Haiti from 2016 to 2017.

Jocelerme Privert
Privert in 2016
Interim President of Haiti
In office
14 February 2016 – 7 February 2017
Prime MinisterEvans Paul
Fritz Jean
Enex Jean-Charles
Preceded byEvans Paul (acting)
Succeeded byJovenel Moïse
President of the Haitian Senate
In office
14 January 2016 – 14 February 2016
Preceded byAndris Riché
Succeeded byRonald Larêche
Haitian Senator
In office
26 April 2011 – 14 January 2016
ConstituencyNippes
Minister of Interior and Territorial Communities
In office
2002–2004
Minister of Economy and Finance
In office
2001–2002
Personal details
Born (1953-02-01) 1 February 1953 (age 71)
Petit-Trou-de-Nippes, Haiti
Political partyInite
SpouseGinette Michaud Privert
ChildrenNandie
Fadha
Nadia

Political career

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Early political career

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A longtime politician, he first served as the economics and finance minister under Jean-Bertrand Aristide during 2001 and 2002.[2] Aristide reappointed him Minister of Interior and Territorial Communities in 2002 and he served until the 2004 Haitian coup d'état that removed Aristide from the presidency.

Accusation of massacre and incarceration

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Privert was accused of involvement in the La Scierie massacre in Saint-Marc and arrested on 4 April 2004. According to Haitian organizations defending human rights, dozens of people were killed in February 2004 in the town of Saint-Marc, an opposition stronghold at that time. Jocelerme Privert was released after 26 months in prison.[3]

Later political career

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After his release from prison, he served as an advisor to then-president René Préval. He subsequently ran for a senate seat in a 2008 by-election in Nippes department, but was not elected. He was later elected Senator for Nippes department in the 2010 general elections, serving from 26 April 2011 to 14 January 2016 and was elected by the Senate to serve as its president.[4] He was also the President of the Senate Committee on Economy and Finance.[5]

Provisional presidency

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Privert was elected by the Senate as the provisional President of Haiti on 14 February 2016, pending a general election after no more than 120 days.[6] A general run-off election date later agreed between Jovenel Moïse and Jude Célestin was originally scheduled to be held on 24 April 2016, but the Conseil Electoral Provisoire decided on 5 April 2016 to hold a new election in early October 2016.

On 14 June 2016, his presidential term expired, but he remained de facto president as the National Assembly refused to meet to appoint a successor.[7][8] On February 7, 2017, he was succeeded by Jovenel Moïse of the Michel Martelly-founded Haitian Tèt Kale Party (PHTK) who won the November 2016 election.[9]

Personal life

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Privert met his wife, Ginette Michaud, a physician and radiologist, in 1986.[10] The couple married in 1988 and had three daughters: Deborah, Sarah, and Vicky.[10][11]

Privert is an accountant. He served in the General Tax Directorate (a governmental agency) from 1979 until the directorate was removed in 1999.

References

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  1. ^ "Jocelerme Privert". Archived from the original on 2016-03-25. Retrieved 2016-02-14.
  2. ^ Ed 2002 (2002). South America, Central America and the Caribbean 2002. Routledge. p. 476.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "Political Affairs Magazine - "La Scierie" Prisoners Dragged Before St. Marc Kangaroo Court". Jun 15, 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-06-15. Retrieved Feb 15, 2019.
  4. ^ "Web Page Under Construction". www.lematinhaiti.com. Retrieved Feb 15, 2019.
  5. ^ "InvestAsian | Buy Property & Stocks in Asia | Skip the Next Recession". Emergingfrontiers.com. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  6. ^ "Haiti lawmakers elect Jocelerme Privert as interim president". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved Feb 15, 2019.
  7. ^ "Interim President's Mandate Expires in Drifting Haiti - ABC News". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2016-06-24. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
  8. ^ Maxime, Samuel (14 June 2016). "President falls de facto". Haiti Sentinel. Sentinel Publishing. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  9. ^ Brice, Makini (Nov 29, 2016). "Businessman Moise wins Haiti election in first round - provisional..." Reuters. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016. Retrieved Feb 15, 2019 – via uk.reuters.com.
  10. ^ a b Hugot Gabriel, Winnie (2017-01-13). "Ginette Michaud Privert: "Première dame, je joue un rôle"". Le Nouvelliste (Haiti). Archived from the original on 2018-01-12. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  11. ^ Charles, Jacqueline (17 February 2016). "Haiti's Jocelerme Privert: From 'political prisoner' to president". Miami Herald. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
Political offices
Preceded by President of Haiti
Interim

2016–2017
Succeeded by