Monday, April 4, 2011

Haiti has a New President!

If a movie star like Ronald Reagan can become President of the USA, and an action film star like Arnold can become governor of California, then why can't the king of Compas, become president of Haiti?

With over 60% of the population of Haiti under the age of 25, it is no wonder that the youth of Haiti voted for their hero.

Here is an AP story on the his victory:

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/04/04/general-cb-haiti-election_8391009.html

Associated Press
Michel 'Sweet Micky' Martelly wins Haiti election
By TRENTON DANIEL , 04.04.11, 07:47 PM EDT

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Musician Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly scored a come-from-behind victory Monday in Haiti's presidential runoff, according to preliminary results from last month's election in which he easily defeated a former first lady for the leadership of a country facing enormous challenges.

Martelly, who has never held political office, received nearly 68 percent of the vote in the two-way race with Mirlande Manigat, electoral council spokesman Pierre Thibault said in an announcement that was immediately followed by noisy celebration in the Haitian capital.

The popular musician, a star of the Haitian genre known as compas, had trailed Manigat in the crowded first-round election in November. But his campaign gained momentum in the second round and many voters seemed enchanted with his lack of political experience in a country where the government has failed to provide many basic services.

Martelly promised profound change for Haiti, vowing to provide free education in a country where more than half the children can't afford school and to create economic opportunity amid almost universal unemployment.

"I'm going to celebrate with the people, then I'm going home to my kids," Wilson Goren, a 32-year-old street vendor, said as fireworks erupted around him after the results were announced.

Final results are due to be released April 16.

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