Haiti is in for a surprise as Wyclef Jean could be running for president. The earthquake that hit Haiti last January was devastating and Wyclef Jean, as the Grammy winner as frontman of the Fugees, thinks he needs to help the individuals of this native land. Jean has added an exciting buzz to Haiti’s election, considered one of probably the most essential within the country’s history. Many are concerned because Jean has no political experience. His qualifications are sketchy considering he mostly grew up in New Jersey and New York after he left Haiti at age 9.
Wyclef Jean trying to become president
Thursday, Wyclef Jean announced on a Miami radio station that he prepared to run for president. . The Yélé committee was responsible for raising $ 9.1 million to help with Haiti earthquake relief, reports the Chronicle of Philanthropy. The earthquake was a 7.0 magnitude which happened January 12 and devastated the capitol, Port au Prince, and Jean was one of the first people to respond to it.
Jean runs because of Haiti earthquake
Wyclef Jean plans on running for president because he thinks he was called to it. 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.”
The Times said Jean was preparing to announce his Haitian presidential bid on “Larry King Live” after flying to Haiti on Thursday to register with the elections board. Candidates for the Haitian presidency must be citizens with five or more years of residency in Haiti. Both needs are met by Jean despite the fact that he hasn’t lived there since he was a child. He has a Haitian passport after being born in Croix des Bouquets.
Jean compares himself to Reagan, Havel
Vaclav Havel and Ronald Reagan are people that Jean talks about when referring to his transition, reports Time magazine who talked to NPR. But as opposed to Jean, both Reagan and Havel had decades of political leadership experience before getting elected. A musician that succeeded in politics quite a bit was previous Midnight Oil frontman who became Australia’s environment minister, Peter Garrett. The Labour party completely lost in elections including Blur drummer Dave Rowntree who ran for British parliament.
Haiti doing very bad
November 28 is when the elections will be made for what Wyclef Jean wants to win and also the Miami Herald explains this might be an extremely essential vote. The winner will face the challenge of leading reconstruction efforts in the wake of the massive earthquake that claimed an estimated 300,000 lives. 1.6 million people nevertheless live in camps they made throughout the country.
Further reading
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
