Is Wyclef Jean’s Haiti charity defense starting to crumble?

A few hours after news that an earthquake had devastated Haiti, Jean went on various networks to talk about the effects on his homeland. Almost instantly, he began soliciting money through phone texting and instantly he raised millions of dollars for his Yele Haiti charity.

Just as quickly the hip-hop star became the envy of established aid organizations officials who watched haplessly as donations and pledges began pouring in. To be sure, the aid agencies caught on quickly and were able to raise gargantuan amount of money themselves.

But in the ensuing days, questions were raised about Jean and Yele Haiti’s track record Wyclef Jean’s Haiti charity defense starting to crumble? of humanitarian aid and their ability to dispense and manage such large amount of money took center stage.

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So as news of financial mismanagement by Jean resurfaced last week, several questions are raised. Should Jean stepped down and let professionals run Yele? Is Yele the only organization that’s mismanaging funds earmarked for reconstruction of Haiti. The seminal question, however, is he being targeted unfairly because of his celebrity status while others who may be doing far worse are given a pass.

According to an article by the New York Post, Yele collected $16 million in 2010 but it appeared that a third of that money was spent on emergency efforts. The article stated that $1 million was paid to Amisphere, a Florida firm whose registry could not be found .

Jean has defended his organization’s use of the money, pointing out that he was on the ground in Haiti immediately after the earthquake, feeding people and helping in the rescue efforts. He also said that Yele Haiti has rebuilt an orphanage among many other projects.

For all he shortcomings, Jean has remained passionately devoted to Haiti and has spent thousands of his own funds helping make Haiti a better place. He has been an official and unofficial ambassador, bringing celebrities to the country to raise the profile.

Jean has been able to transcend the music world and is now seen as Haiti’s best hope, despite the setback he suffered when he tried to run for president last year. Haitian electoral officials rejected his candidacy for a host of technicalities.
While I believe these latest allegations will not hurt’s Jean’s reputation in Haiti, if he still harbors presidential aspirations, it may undermine his credibility among foreign donors who are quick to withdraw support for Haiti at the slight allegations of wrongdoings by Haitian leaders.

“Wyclef is my man,” said Jacques Alexis, a teacher in Port-au-Prince during a telephone conversation. “you know he has wrapped himself in the Haitian flag long before it was fashionable. He has done everything to lift up Haiti. I don’t know why they’re always pointing to him when other organizations are raping the country. These foreigners want to control Haiti and they will do whatever it takes to do so. They see Wyclef as a problem.”

Maryse Celestin, an unemployed communications specialist was more direct. “Saying that Wyclef misappropriated money is like a thief calling another thief a thief. What other organizations are doing in Haiti right now should be investigated even more. We have seen little in two years of massive aid.”

Such sentiments were commonly voiced by people in Haiti, who have seen little improvements in their lives since the fateful earthquake destroyed half of the capital city.

So as the anniversary approaches, there is a sentiment that because nothing special has been accomplished Jean is being used as a scapegoat for a larger failing of the international community, which promised billions and has delivered about 16 percent of that money.

Many people say that Non Governmental Organizations or NGOs should be scrutinized just as closely as Jean’s Yele Haiti because they’ve received considerably larger amount of money and has spent most of it on salaries and not enough on helping improve the conditions in Haiti.

Whatever his aspirations, Jean needs to remove himself from the day-to-day operations of Yele and hand it over to the professionals that can do the work. He and his cousin Jerry Duplessis, are too involved and at times, they seem to comingle funds, using money raised ostensibly for charity work to organize concerts for the slum dwellers and other “frivolous” chores that don’t respond to the immediate needs of average Haitian, many of whom lost their homes after the earthquake.

Jean’s defense of his handling of the funds is somewhat shallow. His accounting and the scope of his projects do not come close to $16 million and that’s something he needs to address quickly. Otherwise, this story will continue to resurface.