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Musician Wyclef Jean Running for Haitian Presidency
As a general rule, most difficult jobs should be left to professionals. Oncology is no place for an amateur. One would prefer a member of the bar as legal counsel if facing a capital charge. Civil engineering is not for hobbyists. So, it follows that a seasoned politician ought to be head of government. While it does not guarantee statesmanlike decisions, it improves the odds. That said, the decision of musician Wyclef Jean to run for the Haitian presidency is an exception to the rule of professionalism. Despite his shortcomings, it is hard to see how Haiti could do better for itself.
Although he made his mark with the Fugees out of New Jersey, Mr. Jean was born in Haiti and spent the first nine years of his life there. Five years ago, after making his mark in music, he established a charity, the Yele Haiti Foundation. It has handed out thousands of scholarships to Haitian kids. In a nation where most people are illiterate, this is of paramount importance.
At the same time, Yele Haiti's finances need some explaining. Wikipedia reports [footnotes dropped]
The Foundation filed its tax forms for 2005-2007 all in August 2009, a delay Charity Navigator characterized as "odd" even among charities, and "beyond late". Much of Yéle Haiti's money has been paid out to Wyclef Jean, his relative and fellow Yéle Haiti director Jerry Duplessis, or companies they own. For example, of the $1,142,944 in total revenue the foundation collected in 2006, at least $410,000 was paid directly to Jean and his business partner for rent, production services, and Jean's appearance at a benefit concert
Meanwhile, no less an entertainer and humanitarian than Sean Penn is suspicious of Mr. Jean's candidacy, "This is somebody who's going to receive an enormous amount of support from the United States, and I have to say I'm very suspicious of it, simply because he, as an ambassador at large, has been virtually silent. For those of us in Haiti, he has been a non-presence." Mr. Penn has been working there, not as an actor, but a relief worker since the earthquake. Another exception to the professional rule, Mr. Penn's opinion about Haiti matters because he has put himself in the battle against poverty there and has learned a thing or two.
It is quite possible that Mr. Jean's finances need some cleaning up (he owes the IRS $2.1 million according to The Smoking Gun) and that his attention to Haiti's problems has differed in quality from Mr. Penn's. That said, Haiti needs a leader who can get and keep the attention of the outside world. The local politicians since the Duvaliers left have not achieved much, and the earthquake changed the political and economic agenda forever.
An old political adage applies here; "you can't beat somebody with nobody." Apart from Mr. Jean, upon whom could Haiti call? President Rene Preval, who stole the 2006 election (far more serious than stealing money)? Ex-President Boniface Alexandre whose presidential term started with a coup and included extrajudicial executions and "excessive use of force by police officers" according to Amnesty International? Or former Prime Minister Michèle Pierre-Louis, who was ousted for economic incompetence?
One would prefer a professional politician who can unite Haitians, command the attention of the world community and secure the support of international institutions. Unfortunately, there isn't one. So, the musician will have to do.
© Copyright 2010 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.
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