First woman Prime Minister named

Sao Tome and Principe President Fradique de Menezes on Thursday appointed Maria das Neves the archipelago's first woman Prime Minister, news agencies reported. Menezes who fired Gabriel Costa from the prime minister's job last week, said in a television address to the nation that he had asked Neves, a 44-year old economist to form a new government. She was proposed for the post by the Sao Tome and Principe Liberation Movement (MLSTP) party. Neves was Minister for Trade, Industry and Tourism in the former administration. Before that she worked for the World Bank and UNICEF. She was expected to begin consultations to form a unity government on Friday with both her MLSTP party and other parties with seats in the 55-member parliament, Lusa reported on Friday. Menezes dissolved the government following complaints from the army over the promotions of two officers to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel on 5 September. The Minister of Defense Victor Tavares Monteiro was one of the officers promoted from reserve captain. He resigned last week. The other was Major Luiz Maria, who held the defense portfolio. De Menezes had appointed Costa to head a coalition government after elections on 3 March left the country's 55-seat parliament without a majority party. Sao Tome and Principe is an island chain just off the West African country of Gabon, and has a population of some 150,000 people.