New York Haitians wary of Wyclef Jean president bid

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hip-hop star Wyclef Jean's love for his homeland is not doubted by Haitians in New York -- one of the largest communities outside the Caribbean nation -- but many are wary of his campaign to become Haiti's president.

The Grammy Award-winning musician is widely popular in the poor country, which is struggling to recover from a devastating January 12 earthquake that killed up to 300,000 people and wrecked much of the coastal capital, Port-au-Prince.

Jean, 40, who emigrated to Brooklyn when he was 9 and lived in the New York City borough's Flatbush neighborhood for several years, spent three days in Haiti after the quake and has helped raised millions of dollars for relief efforts.

"Being an entertainer doesn't make you a politician," said hotel manager Ernest Semexamt, 52, as he got a haircut in a barber shop in Flatbush on Thursday. Outside on Norstrand Avenue, Haitian flags fluttered above the traffic.

"Just because he collected money to help the people, that doesn't give you qualifications to become president of a country," said Semexamt, who has lived in the United States for 32 years. "It's a terrible idea for everyone."

Questions have been raised as to whether Jean meets legal requirements to contest the November 28 election to choose a successor to President Rene Preval. There are 34 presidential contenders and Haiti's provisional electoral council is due to decide on the final list of candidates on Friday.

"He doesn't have enough experience to lead Haiti," said barber Patrick Goby, 42, who left his homeland 11 years ago. "He has shown he is a good nationalist, but that's not enough for the people living in Haiti."

More than 250,000 Haitian-Americans are believed to live in New York City.

SOMEONE TO HELP HAITI

Jean, who has been in hiding after receiving death threats, has rebuffed criticism he lacks the experience and qualifications to be president, arguing Haiti needs an international figure who can attract aid and allies.

"For president of Haiti, I think he is the better choice," said Frejlev Masson, 32, who moved to New York a decade ago and manages Factor Music in Flatbush, which sells Haitian, French and zouk music.

"A lot of people are against him because he's a rapper, he doesn't speak French," he said. "Well, guess what? We don't need the French, we don't need the Creole, we don't need the English -- we need someone who can help Haiti right now."

Jean carries a Haitian passport, but has U.S. permanent residence status and has lived in New Jersey since he was a teenager. Haiti's electoral law requires candidates to have five consecutive years of residency in Haiti, among other requirements, such as tax compliance. Jean has said he meets those requirements.

His lawyers say he has maintained a "constant presence" in Haiti since 2005, and argue his appointment in 2007 as a roving "ambassador-at-large" for Haiti involved some inevitable absences from the country.

While Haitians living abroad can only vote if they return to their homeland, Ricot Dupuy, co-founder of Radio Soleil, a New York-based Haitian station, said electoral fever was sweeping the diaspora.

"They can't vote but maybe they can influence people in Haiti -- friends, relatives," said Dupuy, 56, who has lived in the United States for 30 years and started Radio Soleil more than 16 years ago.

Evelyne St-Amand, 53, owner of BG L'Auberge Creole restaurant and bakery in Flatbush, said she only knew Jean as a singer and that he lacked the experience to be president.

"He loves his country. I'm grateful for what he has done, but I don't know whether he should be president," she said.

Working behind the counter at Bethesda Variety Boutique in Flatbush, Lubin Lubrun, 51, had similar feelings. "I see him on TV singing, but running a country and (having) political power -- I don't think so."

(Additional reporting by Joseph Guyler Delva in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Mark Egan and Peter Cooney)