Haiti's transitional council names new prime minister in hopes of quelling stifling violence

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Haiti’s newly installed transitional presidential council chose former Sports Minister Fritz Belizaire as the country's prime minister Tuesday as it presses forward in its monumental task of trying to establish a stable new government amid stifling violence.

Belizaire replaces Michel Patrick Boisvert, the former minister of economy and finance who was currently Haiti’s interim prime minister.

The nine-member transitional council, seven of whom have voting rights, is choosing a new prime minister and Cabinet in a bid to help quell gang violence that is choking the capital of Port-au-Prince and beyond.

Belizaire had the support of four of the voting members.