Haiti is in for a surprise as Wyclef Jean can be running for president. Jean is the former frontman of the Fugees who won a Grammy and says that he should be the one to lead his native land out of what happened with the earthquake last January. Jean has added an exciting buzz to Haiti’s election, considered one of one of the most essential in the country’s history. Skeptics question Jean’s lack of political experience. Since he hasn’t lived in Haiti since he was 9 and moved to live in New York and New Jersey, the majority are concerned about his qualifications.
Wyclef Jean hopes to be president of Haiti
Thursday, Wyclef Jean announced on a Miami radio station that he planned to run for president. Jean told the Miami Herald of his plans to become president after stepping down as chairman of the Yélé Haiti Foundation that he started. The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that $ 9.1 million for Haiti earthquake relief was raised by the Yélé foundation. This devastating earthquake on January 12 was big enough to get a 7.0 magnitude rating when Jean responded almost first to the capital city, Port au Prince.
Haiti earthquake is why Jean wants to run
Wyclef feels he has been called to be the Haitian president. He told the New York Times:
“I’m not running for president so much as I’m being drafted. The youth, in their mind, if I don’t come and put a perspective to things, they feel there’s no future for the country, and I have to agree with them.”
Jean was supposed to register with the election board in Haiti before flying back to announce his candidacy on “Larry King Live,” reports the times. Any person who hopes to be president of Haiti has to have been a resident of Haiti five years first and a citizen. Even though he left the country as a child, Jean said he met both requirements. He has a Haitian passport after being born in Croix des Bouquets.
Jean thinks he’s like Havel and Reagan
NPR said to Time magazine that Jean, when referring to his transition, will say he’s like Ronald Reagan and Vaclav Havel. But in contrast to Jean, both Reagan and Havel had decades of political leadership experience before getting elected. The most successful musician in politics may be previous Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett, who serves as Australia’s environment minister. Blur drummer Dave Rowntree ran for a seat for the British parliament this year but was trounced along with the rest of the Labour Party.
Jean’s Haiti in poor condition
Wyclef Jean wants to enter a presidential race, slated for Nov. 28, the Miami Herald said could arguably be Haiti’s most important vote in two decades. The winner will face the challenge of leading reconstruction efforts in the wake of the massive earthquake that claimed an estimated 300,000 lives. Although it has been six months since it happened, 1.6 million individuals have camps they’re living in.
Miami Herald
miamiherald.com/2010/08/05/1762628/its-official-wyclef-jean-to-run.html
New York Times
nytimes.com/2010/08/05/world/americas/05haiti.html?_r=1
NPR
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128996915
