Consider how much the country has suffered from years of rule by The Duvalier's and Aristide, I doubt a US - Citizen is the worst thing that can happen to your country.

 

Credit: USAToday.com

 

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) ? A wealthy U.S. businessman whose bid to run for president of Haiti was rejected by electoral authorities defiantly pledged Saturday to fight for a spot on the ballot in his native country's first election since the February 2004 ouster of Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

 

Haitian-American businessman Dumarsais Simeus, a candidate for the Haitian presidency, speaks to reporters in Port-au-Prince.

By Thony Belizaire, AFP/Getty Images

 

Dumarsais Simeus, owner of one of the largest black-owned business in the United States, said he has appealed to the Provisional Electoral Council to reverse its decision to strike his name from the list of presidential candidates in the Nov. 20 election and will do "everything possible," including filing a legal challenge if necessary, to participate in the race.

 

"This election, without us being allowed to participate as a presidential candidate, will have no legitimacy whatsoever," Simeus, the son of illiterate Haitian rice farmers, said at a news conference in the capital.

 

The electoral council late Friday issued a list of 32 approved presidential candidates ? a diverse group that includes former government officials from across the political spectrum and a leader of the rebellion that forced President Aristide out of office and into exile in South Africa.

 

Simeus, the 65-year-old owner of a Texas-based food services company, was rejected because he has U.S. citizenship, said Rosemond Pradel, the council's secretary-general.

 

The businessman, who has lived outside his native country for more than 40 years, told reporters that he has always maintained links to Haiti and his citizenship should not be an issue.

 

"I was born in Haiti. I have Haitian nationality. This is not negotiable. Period."

 

Garry Lisade, an attorney for the businessman, said the electoral council misinterpreted Haitian election law, which requires that any objection to a candidacy be lodged within 72 hours of the Sept. 15 filing deadline. Simeus had already received confirmation of the "provisional acceptance" of his candidacy, the campaign said.

 

If the electoral council does not reverse it's decision, Simeus said he would appeal to the Supreme Court.

 

Simeus, who has said he hopes to use his business skills to help the economy of the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation, said he asked the council for an explanation of its decision but has not received a response. In any case, he said he had no intention of abandoning his bid for the presidency.

 

"We are in this battle to stay," he said. "We are in this battle to change the country."

 

The council, which rejected 22 presidential candidates, accepted the candidacies of two presumed front-runners: former President Rene Preval, a one-time close ally of Aristide; and Marc Bazin, a former prime minister who is running as a candidate of a moderate faction of the ousted leader.

In a word, he is unelectable. The last thing Haitians want are rich carpetbaggers who think they know their country better than they do.

Papa Duvalier was elected in what is believed to be a fair election. Of course Baby Doc wasn't but my point is The Haitians don't exactly have a great track record on who is best for their country. I think this guy would do a much better job than the favorites who are hold overs from the aristide regime.

There's a word for what you propose. It's called imperialism, and I'll have nothing to do with it.

There's a word for what you propose. It's called imperialism, and I'll have nothing to do with it.

 

The man was born in Haiti and has it's best interest in mind. If you believe one of the poorest counties in the world and the poorest in the western world, should be put back in the hands of cronies of the former regime, it is obvious you do not have it's best interest in mind.

 

This man, is not trying to make it a pawn of the us, he worked his way through haitian poverty and he'd have the same task if he were elected but if you feel Aristid's cronies are a better fit, then don't complain when Haiti continues to suffer.

Haiti's problem is that each leader that comes in there steals a tremendous amount of money from the nation and does nothing for the country. Thus leading to another revolution every 5-10 years.

There's a word for what you propose. It's called imperialism, and I'll have nothing to do with it.

 

 

Why the hell would the United States want Haiti? :lol

For the same reasons they did it in the '10s and with Baby Doc.

 

And maybe this guy has Haiti's best interests in mind, but to the people, he's still an imperialistic carpetbagger who has no perspective of the real Haiti. That's why the belief that the expat Iraqi National Congress would take over failed, and that's why he'll fail.

 

Oh, and Marc Bazin, how cute. He still actually thinks he can win the election, despite being given a resounding NO in 1990 b/c of the taint of American control.