by Renee Israel
Wyclef Jean, the hip hop artist who is seeking to become the next president of Haiti, flew into the disaster stricken nation this week in the hope of making some significant changes.
Jean is hoping to change the constitution that will allow dual citizenship so that he can be listed on the presidential ballot.
The current law states that a presidential candidate needs to have lived in the country for at least five years prior to the election.
Odds of 5/4 have been listed at UK bookies that Jean will become the next president of the Caribbean nation when elections are held in November.
An eight member electoral council will decide whether Jean can be listed on the ballot.
Jean left Haiti when he was nine years of age and he is not a US citizen, having never sought the right.
He is a former member of the Fugees band and is wildly popular among Diaspora Haitians who are found in Miami, Montreal, New York, Paris and other major centers around the world.
Jean has pledged that if he is chosen as president, he will expand education and employment, while rebuilding the country's infrastructure that was destroyed in a giant earthquake several months ago.
While critics say that Jean lacks the experience and political vision needed to be president, others believe that his celeb status will keep international focus on the nation's immediate needs - which are many.
After arriving in Haiti with his wife and daughter, Jean said "the United States has Obama, here you're going to have Wyclef."
Jean is facing controversy in the United States where it is reported that he owes tax authorities more then $2.1 million.
