Wyclef Jean has decided to run for president of Haiti now. Jean, the Grammy-winning former frontman of the Fugees, said he feels it is his calling to lead his native land out of the despair caused by the earthquake in Haiti last January. Jean has added an exciting buzz to Haiti’s election, considered one of the most important in 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. Article source – Wyclef Jean, former Fugees frontman, runs for president of Haiti by Personal Money Store.

Wyclef Jean trying to become president

The president plans Wyclef Jean has were announced Thursday on a Miami radio station. The Miami Herald reports that Jean will step down as the founder and chairman of the Yéle Haiti Foundation to prepare for his candidacy. 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 while Jean responded almost first to the capital city, Port au Prince.

Haiti earthquake compels Jean to run

Wyclef Jean described his candidacy for Haitian president as a calling. He interviewed with the New York Times saying:

“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. In order to run for president of Haiti, you’ve to have been a citizen who was a resident at least for five years. Jean hasn’t lived in Haiti for years but claims to nevertheless meet both requirements. He has a Haitian passport after being born in Croix des Bouquets.

Havel and Reagan has competition being compared to Jean

Vaclav Havel and Ronald Reagan are people that Jean talks about when referring to his transition, reports Time magazine who talked to NPR. Jean has no experience in politics which is very different from Reagan and Havel. Australia’s environment minister, previous Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett, was an very successful musician in politics. The Labour party entirely lost in elections including Blur drummer Dave Rowntree who ran for British parliament.

Jean’s Haiti is in dire straits

November 28 is when the elections will be made for what Wyclef Jean wants to win and also the Miami Herald explains this could possibly be an very significant vote. There was an earthquake in Haiti taking 300,000 lives which the president could have to work on helping the country because of. Although it has been six months since it happened, 1.6 million individuals have camps they’re living in.

Additional 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

Though they usually very private, Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys have announced that they are expecting their first child together. The musical couple is planning on getting married later this year. This will be the first child for Alicia Keys, and the third for Swizz Beats (otherwise known as Kasseem Dean).

Article Source: Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys – A musical child on the way

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz’s relationship

Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys have been together since the fall of 2008. Swizz Beatz does work as a rapper, though he is best-known as a producer. Swizz Beatz has produced records for Alicia Keys as well as Gwen Stefani, Beyonce, Jay-Z, and other big-name acts. As a general rule, the couple avoids the spotlight.

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats at the Black Ball

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz announced their pregnancy and engagement during the Black Ball in London. The Black Ball is an annual charity fundraiser for Keep a Child Alive, a charity co-founded by Alicia Keys. The charity provides debt settlement relief, anti-retro-viral drugs and other support services to AIDS services in Africa and India. The charity benefits each year from the Black Ball – the several million dollars raised helps build support for their mission. In addition to being a Grammy-award winning musician and acting as global ambassador for Keep A Child Alive, Keys has several other charity involvements. Alicia Keys has donated time, money, and work to many charities, including the Haiti Earthquake, Live Earth, Frum tha Ground Up, and more.

Alicia Keys’ first child

This child will be the first for Alicia Keys, and the third for her husband-to-be Swizz Beatz. This will be the first marriage for Alicia Keys, and the second for Swizz Beatz. Swizz Beatz divorced his wife in 2008, among rumors of a relationship with Alicia Keys. There are already two children that call Swizz Beatz dad, each one from a different relationship.

Recent earthquakes have Caribbean residents running scared

The recent Haiti earthquake that ravaged Port-au-Prince shook the lives of hundreds of thousands of people to their very foundation. The world has reached out with supplies, food, even cash advances for relief groups and recovery efforts. However, the lack of homes and the nightmare of delivering aid using an annihilated infrastructure make Haiti a scene that nightmares are made of. The Caribbean has been rocked by another earthquake, this time in the Cayman Islands. Fortunately, this was only a 5.8 and there haven’t been any damage or injuries reported as yet. The epicenter was about 30 miles southwest of the Cayman Islands, at the Oriente Fracture Zone, which is on the Cayman Trough.

The Cayman’s also had a 6.8 earthquake right after Hurricane Ivan landed in December of 2004. Only minor structural damage was reported at the time.

Buildings and homes shook while people held their breath

The Washington Post indicates that minor earthquakes are common in the Cayman Islands region, the aftermath of the Haitian disaster weighed heavily on the minds of residents.

“The whole building was rocking,” said Junior Elliott, who was in the midst of a water delivery to an office building in George Town when the 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit at 9:23 a.m. Elevators were shut down, and building occupants fled via stairwell. Reports indicate evacuation plans took place in an orderly fashion and emergency services weren’t needed.

Some phone service was out for a short time

But overall, the impact of the Cayman Islands earthquake was much less than the Haiti earthquake. Aside from the lesser severity, one of the reasons is that building codes on the Caymans require homes and commercial structures to be resistant to both hurricanes and earthquakes. Such regulations are likely possible because the overall economy of the Cayman Islands is superior to that of Haiti. The average income of $ 42,000 grants Caymanians the highest standard of living of all peoples of the Caribbean region. Incidentally, that amount is higher than those of the average cash advance customer in America – although not by as much as you’d think.