RENÉ PREVAL recognizes the help provided by the United States in democratizing Haiti.

hen René Preval emerged as victor in the December 1995 presidential elections, it marked a new political experience in the course of Haitian history.
“It is the first democratic transition since 1804, when the country was created,” declared Father Jean-Yves Urfier, a leftist Roman Catholic priest who runs Haiti’s leading Creole-language newspaper, Liberté.

Preval’s predecessor, the highly popular priest, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, could not run for a new presidential term due to constitutional restraints and he abstained from backing Preval, who served as Prime Minister before the coup.
The 54 year-old former bakery owner and agronomist had only 16 days to conduct his electoral campaign and he based it on realistic promises. As a leader, assured Preval during the campaign, he would feel “like the father of a poor family with a sick child who digs into his pocket to find only five cents - not enough to buy the child medication or send it to school.” Despite the absence of a populist rhetoric, Preval obtained 88% of the votes.

A low turnout of voters for the election made many analysts think that Mr. Preval would become a weak president. However, once in office, the former prime minster assumed his post with unexpected determination. Aware of the fact that the job has to be done, Mr. Preval began to tackle major problems: insecurity, stabilization of democratic institutions and economic development. “Preval surprised even his friends by seeming to thrive on the job,” commented a Washington Post analysis.
In order to better inspect the progress of the internationally trained Haitian police forces, the President initiated a series of personal visits to police stations.

Mr. Preval aspires to be remembered as a president of the transition period, whose political and economic heritage will survive his mandate. He does not owe any political favors and thus counts on his own ability to enforce political and economic changes.

In an exclusive interview with NewsLink, the Haitian president expressed his views on the economic program.

Q: Your government has undertaken a wide range of reforms.
A: As you know, Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the northern hemisphere. On December 16th, 1990, people elected a president who headed a movement for change. The measures he initiated provoked a military coup. The international community declared an embargo on Haiti. This has deteriorated even further the social and political structures as well as infrastructure. We inherited a situation particularly difficult to manage.
The main government task will be to strengthen the structures of the state.That is, entrust the state its tasks in accordance with its new mission which consists of defining policies and their regulation.
Our objective is to withdraw the state from production, define the axes of development, guarantee the road and telecommunications infrastructure. The state should retreat from production because we initiated a program of modernization of public enterprises.
Our second mission concerns agrarian reform.

Q: Do you think that public opinion could be an obstacle to the privatization program?
A: We have had difficulties to explain the modernization program of public enterprises. People have finally understood and accepted the program. Haitian public enterprises are so weak. Some are even closed. Thus, since the enterprises are weak we do not expect them to generate major revenues. I do think that by rationalizing the operation of public enterprises through participation of the private sector we are moving towards the creation of necessary jobs which guarantee a good functioning of these enterprises.
Q: Which reforms have priority?
A: The state has to redefine its role and its dimensions, turning its attention away from production and concentrating on basic services like public transport, electricity and water, so that potential investors can count on the necessary basis for the remuneration of their capital.
Q: Which sectors are most in need of international investment?
A: Investors do not need to be told where to invest: they go to the most profitable sectors. We want to be able to create optimal conditions for investment.
The country is almost virgin and all of the sectors can be made profitable: tourism, concessions, services.
Q: Which political reforms have been undertaken thus far?
A: Not long ago, president (Jean Bertrand) Aristide dissolved the army. The major element of destabilization has disappeared. The army had to be replaced with very young and inexperienced police. We also have to reconstruct the hierarchy within the police forces. With the help of the international community in the area of training, we are in the process of creating solid structures.
Q: How would you describe the current US-Haiti relations?
A: The United States has helped with the restoration of democracy in Haiti, together with other countries, especially Canada, Argentina, Venezuela and France.
Q: How would you like the Haitians to remember the “Preval period”?
A: I would like them to remember it as a period of transformation.
I congratulate Haitian people on their patience in spite of the poverty in which they live. They have demands, but the people are patient because they have confidence.