2026-02-11

Prime Minister Alix Fils-Aime executed his most politically significant governance move on February 7 by revoking Alfred Metellus as Minister of Economy and Finance and appointing himself to the portfolio ad interim. The decision came during the first Council of Ministers meeting held immediately after the Transitional Presidential Council handover ceremony and represents an unprecedented concentration of executive and fiscal authority in the hands of the Prime Minister. The move is widely interpreted as retaliation against Metellus who had been floated by several CPT members as Fils-Aime's potential replacement during the late January attempt to oust the Prime Minister. Zantray News characterized the dismissal as taking on the appearance of revenge noting that the action functions as an assertion of Fils-Aime's authority over potential rivals within the transitional government. By assuming direct control of the Economy February 11, 2026 and Finance Ministry Fils-Aime now personally controls both the government apparatus and the national treasury creating a single point of authority for all budget allocations fiscal policy decisions and donor fund disbursement. This concentration of power deviates from the power-sharing model that characterized previous phases of the transition and may create friction with political stakeholders who view the move as exclusionary rather than inclusive governance. The February 7 Council of Ministers also adopted a project de decret placing the direction of executive power collectively in the hands of the Council of Ministers. This institutional arrangement formally addresses the absence of a head of state by distributing presidential functions across the cabinet with Fils-Aime presiding. Three additional arretes were presented to establish provisional municipal commissions in Port-au-Prince Petion-Ville and Gressier restoring some local administrative capacity in the capital region pending elections. Minister of Tourism John Herrick Dessources presented strategic priorities for the tourism sector on February 10 signaling an attempt to project normalcy and forward economic planning despite deteriorating security conditions.