Haiti's President-Elect Determined To Jumpstart Economy

By Kaeun Yu

Haitian President-Elect Michel Martelly expressed his determination Thursday for reinvigorating Haiti through economic modernization and partnerships with financial institutions.

“My focus, as I promised during my campaign, is to revive and modernize Haiti’s economy,” Martelly told reporters during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington. 

To accomplish the reforms and stimulate the economy, Martelly said he would need access to loans from international financial institutions.

“No country can build or rebuild infrastructure based on the grants alone,” Martelly explained.

He also said he plans to bring economic development by attracting foreign direct investment projects and opening Haiti to tourism and businesses.  

Martelly, a singer-turned-politician, recently won a sizable victory in the country’s run-off elections. His inauguration is May 14.

Wyclef Jean Running For President Of Haiti

Hip-Hop artist Wyclef Jean has announced his intentions to run for presidency of his native Haiti.  Jean who has lived in the United States since age 9, announced his candidacy days before the August 7 deadline.

Jean was very involved in the aftermath of a January 12 earthquake that ravaged the poorest nation in the western hemisphere, killing 200,000 people.

“The quake drove home to me that Haiti can’t wait another 10 years for us to bring it into the 21st century,” said Jean according to a Time interview.

By Robert Hune-Kalter - Talk Radio News Service