Wyclef Jean: Haiti's Next President?

by Meredith Slater · 2010-08-07 06:30:00 UTC
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As I wrote in February, celebrities often have an inordinate amount of power when it comes to swaying public opinion. So when they use it to bring attention to natural disasters, social issues or global problems, that's all well and good. But what about when they decide to run for president...of a country they don't even live in?

Well, that's what's happening in the case of Wyclef Jean, who this week officially announced his candidacy for president of Haiti. Now, there are quite a few things wrong with this picture, so I'll lay them out as clearly as I can.

1). Wyclef Jean does not live in Haiti. Jean moved from Port-au-Prince to the U.S. at the age of 9. Now, 39-year-old Jean is a permanent resident of New Jersey, and he hasn't lived in Haiti since he left. That means he does not meet the basic requirements to run for president in Haiti -- including the requirement that candidates be citizens, and reside in the country for at least the last five years.

2). Wyclef Jean does not speak French, and his Creole isn't great either. This, according to journalist and friend of Jean, Michele Montas, would be a real problem considering that everything in the Haitian government is conducted in French and Creole.

3). Wyclef Jean announced his candidacy on Larry King Live. Now, nothing against Larry King, but he doesn't exactly appeal to a large Haitian audience. As Montas once again aptly put it, "I don't think the U.S. public is voting."

4). Wyclef Jean was recently under scrutiny for funneling money to himself through his foundation. In the 2006 tax filing for Yéle Haiti, it showed that one third of the foundation's total revenue went to expenses like Jean's recording studio, production company and a television company owned by Jean and a fellow Yele board member. Though Jean denied any wrongdoing, he did hire an accounting firm after the mess.

Now, I understand that Haitians are looking for a change in leadership, and someone who is young, passionate and already well-loved is very appealing. But wouldn't it help if that person had experience in politics, knowledge of the government and the ability to speak the native language? In a country plagued with a history of corruption, it might also be nice to have a president without recent scandals tailing him.

But hey, maybe that's just me.

Photo Credit: Ali Dan-Bouzoua

Meredith Slater works as a grant writer for organizations such as Friends of the World Food Program and Henry Street Settlement.
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