A fifth government in three years took office in this West African island nation, ending several weeks of uncertainty as political leaders became embroiled in financial scandals and the president fired the prime minister. In two decrees issued late Saturday, President Fradique de Menezes appointed Damiao Vaz de Almeida, a former Labor Minister, as the country's new prime minister and named a 12-member Cabinet to the coalition government. Ovideo Pequeno kept his job as foreign minister and Arlindo Carvalho stayed on as oil minister to develop the impoverished country's oil reserves. Menezes fired the former prime minister, Maria das Neves, on Tuesday over her alleged involvement in a corruption scandal. Menezes has dismissed four governments and dissolved Parliament once since he began his term in 2001. A general election is due in 2006.
