As the Dominican Republic prepares for presidential elections this weekend, an election observer team has said it is optimistic the poll will be without problems.

Latest opinion polls indicate that the Dominican Liberation Party of former president Leonel Fernandez is ahead, with between 56-60% of the vote.

The polls suggest that incumbent President Hipolito Mejia’s Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) has 27%.

The Organisation of American States (OAS) which is observing the elections has said it is confident the first round of the presidential elections will be normal and without difficulties.

But head of the OAS mission, Santiago Murray, told BBC Caribbean Service he believes that eventually the state-run Central Electoral Board will need to change.

"They are doing their best, but I think eventually this kind of system they have here will have to change. That's one of our suggestions and recommendations that we are eventually going to put forward," Mr Murray said.

Regarding the election campaign, Mr Murray said it had largely revolved around the parties attacking each other and he would have liked to have seen the candidates reveal more about their policies.

"I would have liked to have seen a campaign with a higher level of discussion of issues and programmes. It has gone down to an aggressive campaign, on a personal level with not that much discussion about programmes and proposals," the OAS official said.

Supporters of leading opposition candidate Leonel Fernandez have accused Mr Meija's governing party of fraudulent practices.

They allege that the PRD which wants President Meija re-elected, has been secretly printing voter registers to influence the outcome.