Jacques Edouard Alexis Is The Most Experienced Candidate To Lead In Haiti

Pizou says...

Ex-premier could outstrip Wyclef in Haiti electionAdvertisement | ad info.

Ramon Espinosa / AP
FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2008 file photo, Haitian-born singer Wyclef Jean, right, speaks with flood victims in Gonaives, Haiti.

Jean is expected to announce his bid for the presidency on Thursday from Haiti.

(AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, file)By JONATHAN M. KATZ

updated 8/4/2010 5:39:02 PM ET
Share Print Font: +-PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Another potential powerhouse emerged Wednesday in the race for Haiti's presidency as the ruling party nominated ousted ex-Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis to lead the earthquake-ravaged nation.

The backing of President Rene Preval's newly formed Unity party could push the former premier's prospects ahead of the international star power of Haitian-born, Brooklyn-raised singer Wyclef Jean.

Alexis was nominated late Tuesday at a Unity meeting, presidential Chief of Staff Fritz Longchamp told The Associated Press.

The two candidates were pictured side-by-side on the front page of Port-au-Prince's Le Nouvelliste newspaper the next day under the headline, "Alexis designated, Wyclef decided." Jean says he will declare his candidacy Thursday night in an English-language interview from Haiti broadcast primarily in the United States.

The winner of the Nov. 28 election will be faced with monumental tasks including rebuilding a capital destroyed by the magnitude-7 earthquake and dealing with an estimated 1.6 million homeless.

Before Jean's impending announcement, first reported Tuesday by AP, political observers in Haiti were most closely watching to see who would be chosen to carry the standard of the president's party.

Preval, who is barred by the constitution from running, created Unity last year. It quickly absorbed Cabinet ministers, the presidents of both parliamentary chambers and almost half the members of the lower house with promises of helping to finance their upcoming campaigns.

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.Alexis was brought on in 2006 as Preval's No. 2 and head of government, tasked with uniting a fractious Cabinet after the ouster of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and two years of gang warfare under a U.S.-backed interim government.

Alexis was ousted by the Senate in April 2008 as Port-au-Prince melted down in a week of food riots that killed at least seven people including a U.N. police officer.

He has since been largely invisible in Haiti, popping up now and then at speaking engagements in the United States.

Candidates have until Saturday to register.

Scores are expected to seek the presidency, from small-town mayors and businessmen to other former heads of government.

All must be approved by an eight-member, presidentially approved electoral council that will verify constitutional requirements including having resided in Haiti for five consecutive years leading up to the election and never having held foreign citizenship.

Posted by Pizou on August 10 2010 at 8:44 PM

Messages in this topic

How dare you say something like that.Either you are being paid or you're stupid. The guy was in power and did nothing!!! I thought only dogs go back to their vomit. I was wrong you do too > >
Sebastian, 11-Aug-10 4:06 pm
'CHANGE..... Haiti can believe in'??????? Let me tell you, the needs of the people are great and daunting. Preval has done a TERRIBLE job dealing with the aftermath of earthquake. People are starving. Children are dying because medicine and food a > >
Joseph Richard, 18-Aug-10 12:31 pm
This is my point! Jacques Edouard Alexis was ousted as prime minister for incompetence and mediocrity, and yet, Haitians would elect him as president? Can someone please explain that kk mimi bull crap argument/logic to me? Jacque Edouard Ale > >
Tiba, 18-Aug-10 12:59 pm
Tiba, the international community states that he is the most experienced in terms of managing Haiti's political and economic affairs, but that does not mean he is the most competent and qualified candidate... > >
Toulimen, 18-Aug-10 7:19 pm
Voleur, assassin et criminel, le sousou de Preval ou du regime Aristide-Preval, il veut a tout prix reprendre le pouvoir, par n'importe quel moyen, pour bannir la justice, promouvoir l'impunite et le mepris du peuple, fouler le droit des haitiens d > >
Albert Chancy, 25-Aug-10 7:56 am
Nou tout pedi tet nou ak pawol Alexis nou an. pep la fenk revoke Alexis pou premye minis epi nou panse li ta ka vote l kounye a pou prezidan. An tou ka li le li tan pou pepl la aprann chazi si li pa vle tonbe nan kakofoni lavalas la anko. se bagay no > >
Lanj Andre, 27-Aug-10 12:34 pm