WASHINGTON -- Haiti President René Préval clearly is having fun at the Conference on the Caribbean, an affair that ranges from a regional leaders' summit with President Bush to a concert by Haiti-born hip hop star Wyclef Jean.

As Jean pumped up the crowd Tuesday night, Préval ducked his security detail and took a seat up near the front of the overflowing audience.

The two later shared a quick duet when Jean, as he was carried through the crowd on someone's neck, jumped off when he approached Préval's section and ...

... jumped onto a ramp. Préval immediately joined Jean and took the microphone to lead the crowd in the familiar hip hop call ``Ho, ho, ho.''

''This is my president!'' Jean said as Préval waved his fist in the air. ``He is the only president in the world who can rock.''

• There was a lot of talk in the hallways about the lack of a U.S. presence at the conference and the late arrival and early departure of U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez at Tuesday's main session.

''It's a reflection of the attitude of the U.S. government to the region. We are insignificant,'' said Robert Gregory, president of the Jamaica Promotions Corporation.

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