Haiti's Preval names new prime minister

Haitian President Rene Preval named a new prime minister on Sunday after lawmakers fired his predecessor to quell violent protests over rising food prices in the impoverished nation, a senator said.

Preval named Ericq Pierre, a senior advisor with the Inter-American Development Bank, to replace former Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis, said the president of the Caribbean country's Senate, Sen. Kelly Bastien.

Alexis was dismissed on April 12 in a vote by opposition senators who blamed him for failing to ramp up food production and reduce the cost of living. At least six people died in riots over food prices in the poorest nation in the Americas.

Pierre's appointment must be ratified by Haiti's parliament.

Public unrest has struck in several countries as bad weather, competition with biofuels, market speculation and rising demand in Asia send the price of many staples soaring.