Preval wants to hold elections before leaving office

Haiti’s President René Préval says he plans to do everything in his power to ensure that general elections are held in the country before he demits office next year.



The constitutional deadline for the elections is February 7, 2011, but the massive earthquake on January 12, destroyed a number of government buildings and killed many public servants.



Préval says while the Haitian constitution states that a president must depart office on February 7, 2011, it also indicates that the president must serve five years.



Because of delays and controversy in the 2006 presidential elections, Préval did not take office until May 14, 2006.



However, he says he has no plans to stay beyond May 14, 2011, which would be a violation of the constitution.



Opposition politicians have been calling for Préval to step down on February 7, saying that an interim government could organise the elections.