|
President
Preval has begun a series of secret talks with the
presidential hopefuls. Many candidates said that
that they are skeptical about any conversation
with Preval but, paradoxically, they are too happy
to sit down with him secretly for any possible
opportunity to gain some political advantage.
Actually for a candidate like former first lady
and Senator Myrlande Manigat , this casual meeting
seems to be a disservice. Many of her supporters
expressed their discontent about her meeting with
the outgoing president, Rene Preval, who has lost
the trust of his countrymen because of his cynical
behavior especially toward former president
Aristide.
Wyclef
Jean and President Rene Preval
The
first candidate who surrendered to President
Preval’s subterfuge talk was Wyclef Jean,
followed by Mrs. Myrlande Manigat.
Preval’s third target was a very
challenging one; Henri Ceant, not a typical
candidate, a lawyer, a notary public and a farmer
who grew up in a modest family with strong ethical
values. His mother was illiterate; nevertheless,
she nurtured a child that has become a noble
gentleman and a model for society. This week,
Henri Ceant declined the President’s invitation
for a sweet personal talk. Although his name is
among the candidates that Haiti’s electoral
council qualified to run for president, Ceant
chooses to challenge the council’s decision on
behalf of the others that have been disqualified.
“An
honorable man must act with strength of his
character and I
must be inflexible when it comes to making
decisions about policies that are inconsistent
with the core moral principles that make up the
dignity and sovereignty of a nation,” he
said.
Attorney
Jean Henry Ceant
Many
Haitians cried: at last we have found a man, when
the news hit the waves that Mr. Ceant turned down
an invitation to meet the President alone because
of his lack of ethical values and the
irresponsible way that he is leading the country
with a complete disregard for the right of the
people and the sovereignty of the nation. Despite
all of this, a few observers believe that
Ceant’s decision is naive and politically
incorrect to decline an invitation from a head of
state.
Contrarily
to Mrs. Manigat and hip-hop singer Wyclef Jean,
Ceant has shown the type of personality that the
Haitian people dream to see in the person who will
succeed Rene Preval.
We have not seen a man like Ceant in Haitian
politics for many years, whereas most of our
leaders would
prostitute
themselves for the sake of getting power or to
keep it.
Ceant
stated with clarity that the President needs to
have a public conversation with the Haitian
people, not private conversation with a few
political leaders. He wishes to have a public
dialogue with the President to debate the
electoral crisis that is threatening this fragile
democratic process. The double standard policy
adopted by the electoral council on the
recommendation of President Preval is unacceptable
and must be reconsidered, affirmed Henri Ceant.
Ceant
became the front-runner in Haiti’s presidential
race shortly after he took the decision to run for
president, due to his education, his integrity,
his experience and his alleged association with
former president Jean Bertrand Aristide, Haiti’s
charismatic leader who is now living in exile in
South Africa.
|
