Port-Au-Prince, Mar 13: Haiti's new Prime Minister Gerard Latortue was sworn on Friday by interim President Boniface Alexandre at the National Palace in the violence-torn capital. Latortue received the presidential decree naming him as prime minister during a ceremony attended by diplomats, politicians, and the council of 7 eminent Haitians who chose him, popularly known as the "council of wisemen."

During the ceremony, Alexandre spoke of "the common vision of national reconciliation" that he shared with the new prime minister.

He also denounced "the passion, the hatred, the vengeance and the corruption at the highest levels of the government" of deposed president Jean Bertrand Aristide.

"Your failure would also be ours, and that of the entire Haitian population. We are condmened to succeed," Alexandre said. Bureau Report