Auxiliary emeritus Bishop of the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince Joseph Lafontant purifies with incense the coffin of Haiti's former President Rene Preval. Photo: ReutersThousands of Haitians gathered on Saturday (local time) to say an emotional final farewell to former President Rene Preval (74) the country's first democratically elected leader to peacefully transfer power to his successors. Rene Preval, who died last Friday, had an understated style, a marked contrast to the fiery oration of his one-time friend, former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, or the showmanship of his final successor, Michel Martelly. Preval will be best remembered internationally for leading Haiti in the immediate aftermath of a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that killed at least 200,000 people. His daughter also said that, despite serving as a prime minister and later a popular two-time president, politics did not even interest him.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 11, 2017 20:52 UTC