Wyclef' Jean's Brief Run for Haiti's Presidential Elections Promoted Creole

Wyclef Jean's Candidacy's Good For Haitian Creole Language Promotion and Development

Multimillionaire International recording artist, Wyclef Jean's candidacy for Haiti's presidential elections on November 28, 2010 may be a good promotion for the Creole language. The Haitian-born and Brooklyn-raised singer plans on governing Haiti with Creole and English. Because he was not raised in Haiti, his command of French is lacking. Yet, that is the language most official meetings are held in. His candidacy and potential presidency (he is a front-runner) may highlight the role played by Creole in the daily life and activities of Haitians.

With a clear lack of experience in politics, the former Fugees frontman clearly sets himself apart from his political rivals in this post-quake country. Whether he will be on the Nov. 28 presidential ballot is not clear and still needs to be determined by the country's eight-member provisional electoral council. Jean officially announced his candidacy on August 5, 2010.

Jean is officially running under the banner of "Viv Ansanm, Live Together" party. He states that whether he wins or loses, his movement, Fas a Fas, will have a voice in the national dialogue.

Unfortunately, the Haitian electoral council put an end to his candidacy. Jean is disqualified from running in the November 28 elections.
"the board approved two leading presidential candidates, former Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis and Yvon Neptune, who was the last prime minister under ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and has been active in helping to coordinate reconstruction efforts. Also allowed to run are: Jude Celestin, head of the government's primary construction firm and the candidate supported by President Rene Preval, and Michel Martelly, a well-known Haitian singer known as "Sweet Mickey."
The electoral commission rejected the candidacy of U.S. Ambassador Raymond Joseph, who is Jean's uncle. Preval is barred running for re-election under the Constitution....."