By
Vario Sérant
Haiti Correspondent
Caribbean Net News
PORT-AU-PRINCE
Petroleumworld.com
02 19 06
It is time is for celebration among the supporters of Rene Préval.
Most of them stayed all night long, from Wednesday to Thursday,
around the Presidential Palace, waiting for the proclamation
of their candidate's victory. Joyous demonstrations continued
throughout the day Thursday.
The
future tenant of the National Palace enjoyed his triumph in
his native land, Marmalade, in the north of Haiti, by rejoicing
in the applause of his close relations and members of his political
platform.
The
jubilation among Preval's supporters is, however, matched by
the indignation expressed by his more serious competitor, Leslie
François Manigat, who is credited with approximately
12% of the votes.
Manigat
denounces "a Machiavellian comedy which ended in the imposition
of a winner out of the rules of republican legality and far
from the requirements of the democracy in civilized country".
This
is not, however, the opinion of the Haitian provisional authorities.
Prime Minister Gerard Latortue voiced great satisfaction in
succeeding in getting the country out of a very difficult situation.
The
President's Cabinet director, Michel Brunache, considers the
accession of Préval to the presidency, as a result of
a political agreement, as an historic day.
Préval
was proclaimed president following five days of trouble, which
paralyzed the Haitian capital. His supporters wanted to force
the Provisional Electoral Council (PEC) to proclaim the of their
candidate's victory in the first round.
According
to partial results available on the website of the PEC, Préval
was on top with 48.76% of the votes. According to the Haitian
constitution, a presidential candidate has to obtain 50% plus
one vote in order to avoid a run-off election.
More
than 2% was thus added to Préval's total to change it
to 51.15%, according to a method considered a violation of the
electoral decree by François Benoît, the only member
of the PEC not to have signed the final results of the presidential
elections.
Former
president Leslie François Manigat, who came in second
position with 11.83% of the votes, emphasised Thursday that
he will not give in to the illegality. He announced, however,
that he will let it go, while maintaining his right to contest
the result.
Préval
had already run the country from February 7, 1996 to February
7, 2001. The 1996 presidential election was characteried by
very low participation. But the winner was credited at that
time with 88% of the votes.
Préval
is one of the few presidents to have remained in his country
at the end of his term of office. Most of his supporters are
among the underprivileged classes.
During
his 2006 presidential campaign, Préval, who was far from
talkative, attempted to disassociate himself from his mentor,
former president Jean Bertrand Aristide.
Instead
of campaigning under the banner of one of the Family Lavalas
branches (the party of former president Aristide), Préval
preferred to present himself under the aegis of the "Plateforme
Espoir" (literally in English "Hope Platform"),
which drew together the Party "Louvri Baryè"
(Open Barriers), "Coordination Resistance Grand-Anse"
(COREGA) and country association named "KOZEPÈP"
(People's Affairs).
Caribbean
Net News
Email: vario@caribbeannetnews.com
