02-07-06,9:14am
Port-au-Prince, Feb 6 (Prensa Latina) Haiti's former Prime Minister Rene Preval, 63, leads the preference for the Feb 7 presidential race with 40 per cent support to L'Espoir Party.
An inquiry by Gallup/USA shows the ex president (1996-2001) on the lead followed by businessman Charles Henri Baker (10 percent) and Prof. and ex President Leslie Manigat (1988) as third.
The analysts claim that the other 32 candidates lack a program as comprehensive as Preval's: setting up institutions, social justice, economic growth, security and international cooperation.
Rene Preval Garcia, born Jan 17, 1943, has two girls. He studied Agronomy at the universities of Gembloux and Lovaina, Belgium, and Geothermic Sciences in Pisa, Italy.
His political curricula began with active involvement in the Civic and Resistance Committees under the dictatorship of Jean Claude Duvalier (1971-1986).
Unlike his rivals, Preval has always focussed on the true problems at the core of the national crisis.
He proposes setting democratic, modern and lasting state and territorial institutions enabling general involvement including overseas residents.
His top goals are to fight corruption and achieve transparence, competitiveness, efficiency and respect for state authority.
Fighting extreme poverty, social and cultural marginalization, achieving economic growth, and a state of law and setting a national disarmament project are Preval's project for a future Haiti.
He also wishes to promote quality education and its generalization, plus programs for the youth and women's emancipation and setting up institutions to fight organized crime.
His foreign policy favors international exchange north-south and south-south, respect, dignity, solidarity and bilateral and multinational cooperation while promoting national interests.
A second round is set for Feb 19 but Preval says the new president will be chosen on Feb 7, first elections past the 2004 coup against President Jean Betrand Aristide, now exiled in South Africa.
These elections also include choosing 129 Legislators among 1,300 candidates.
