Dumarsais M. Simeus

[edit] Early life
Siméus was born in Pont-Sondé in Haiti's Artibonite Valley, the eldest son of illiterate peasant rice farmers. He grew up working the land in Haïti to feed himself and his 11 siblings. In 1961, his family sold some land so he could fly to the United States to pursue a college education at Florida A&M University. Siméus transferred to Howard University in Washington, DC, where he earned a degree in electrical engineering.

In 1970, he became a US citizen[1]. In 1972, he earned an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business[2].


[edit] Career
He worked his way up the corporate ladder. He was a financial analyst at Rockwell International and KB Home, a director of Latin American Operations for Bendix, general manager of Hartz Pet Food, France, and vice president of International Business Development at Atari[3] [4].

He quickly rose in the corporate world, becoming president of Beatrice Food, Latin America;and eventually president and chief operating officer of TLC Beatrice International Food.

In 1984, Siméus started working for TLC Beatrice International Holdings Inc., the $2.1 billion, black-owned food processing and distribution company. He served as President and CEO for two years before leaving in 1992 to buy and run his own business.

In 1996, with $55 million financing, Siméus bought Portion-Trol Foods from Flagstar Corp in Mansfield, Texas, and renamed it Simeus Foods International Inc. Siméus Foods, based south of Fort Worth, manufactures value-added food products for national multi-chain restaurants and large institutions such as El Pollo Loco, Denny's, T.G.I. Friday's and Burger King in the United States and Canada[5]. Simeus Foods Intl. now generates $155 million a year.

In 1999, Siméus Siméus established Org. Sové Lavi www.sovelavi.org, a non-profit foundation to provide medical care, education and clothing to Haitians.

Between October 2004 and February 2005, he served on Florida Governor Jeb Bush's advisory board for Haiti. The group made a series of recommendations for Haïti's security, economic development and disaster preparedness[6].

A group of about 40 U.S.-based Haitian business and civic leaders have urged him to run for president[7].


[edit] Run for Haitian Presidency
After months of speculation, Simeus decided to contest the Haitian Presidency in August 2005[8]. Simeus' political platform includes making it easier for companies to invest in Haiti, promoting jobs, and rooting out corruption by making government accountable. Simeus said, "I want to create a Haiti where people are proud to stay because there are opportunities." ..."I want a Haiti where there is access to capital for the average guy, for the poor guy who was born in a hut like I was born in."[9] During his campaign he rans into a few challenges.

His status as a dual national became a challenge. Simeus said that he still has Haitian citizenship despite taking the US Oath of Allegiance, which renounced all other citizenships. The Haïtian Electoral Board disagreed. Eventually this matter was taken to the Haitian Supreme Court which recently ruled that Simeus could place his name on the ballot, but he still faces election council challenges to his candidacy and a threat of prosecution alleging false candidacy claims on election papers. Article 135 states a presidential candidate must "be a native-born Haitian and never have renounced Haitian nationality" and have resided in the country for five consecutive years before the election.

Another challenge is his public acceptance. Simeus was essentially unknown in Haiti prior to 2004 and many viewed him as an outsider. At a campaign rally, he was cordially received in Solino, a crumbling and crime-plagued neighborhood of the Haitian capital Port au Prince. But when his tour reached the Bel Air neighbourhood, a stronghold for supporters of ex-president Aristide, dozens of angry men and women rushed onto the streets, hurling rocks and chunks of concrete at Siméus's car, forcing him to flee[10].

On September 27, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on a 6-hour visit to Haiti, publicly and pointedly called on Haiti’s interim government to hold “inclusive” elections. Rice reportedly pressed Prime Minister Gérard Latortue for Siméus to be readmitted to the race. On October 11, the Supreme Court ruled in Siméus’ favor, ordering the CEP to put the Texan back on the ballot. This never happen and Simeus has seemingly thrown his support towards the front runner of the election, former President René Préval.


[edit] Family
Simeus is married and a father of three. He has brought 40 relatives to the United States but his parents remain in Haiti[11]


[edit] See also
Haiti
Haitian elections, 2006
Constitution of Haiti
Dumarsais Simeus a bel et bien renoncé à sa nationalité. Canada permet à un étranger d'obtenir la nationalité canadienne et de garder sa nationalité d'origine. Par contre les USA exigent a tous ceux qui veulent devenir citoyen americain de renoncer à sa nationalite d'origine. Dumarsais Simeus a déclare dans une conférence de presse qu'il procédera à l'arrestation de tout individu qui osa prouver qu'il a renonce à sa nationalité haïtienne. En voici les preuves convaincantes. 1. Les journaux américains parlent de Dumarsais Simeus comme un riche businessman américain qui vit aux USA depuis 44 ans. 2. Actuellement il est age de 65 ans, cela veut dire qu'il s'est établit également aux USA à l'age de 21 ans. Le gouvernement des USA exige à tout homme âgé entre 18 et 26 ans de se faire enregistrer dans une liste dénommée: Sélective Service. En cas de guerre avec les nations ennemis, l'armée américaine fera appel a toute personne se trouvant sur cette liste. 3. Deux des critères d’éligibilité pour la demande de citoyenneté américaine sont : l’attachement aux principles de la constitution américaine, et la volonté manifeste de se mettre à la disposition des Etats Unis en tout temps et en tout lieu. 4. La loi sur la naturalisation aux état- unis est exclusive. Elle ne permet pas a un individu d'obtenir la nationalité américaine et de garder sa nationalité d'origine. La personne en question en question perd automatiquement sa nationalité d'origine. Par contre un haïtien devenu citoyen du canada peut briguer pour la présidence en Haïti Voici le serment d'allégeance qu'il a fait avant d'obtenir la citoyenneté américaine. Serment : "J’affirme par la présente, sur le serment, que je renonce et abjure, absolument et entièrement, à toutes les allégeances et fidélités à n'importe quel pays, prince, potentat, état ou souveraineté étranger, de laquelle ou desquels j'ai jusqu'ici été un sujet ou un citoyen ; que je soutiendrai et défendrai la constitution et les lois des Etats-Unis d'Amérique contre tous les ennemis, étranger et domestique ; que je soutiendrai la foi et l'allégeance vraies à la même chose ; Que je prendrai les armes au nom des Etats-Unis quand requis par la loi ; Que j'assurerai le service de non-combattant dans les forces armées des Etats-Unis quand requis par la loi ; Que j'effectuerai le travail d'importance nationale sous la direction civile quand requis par la loi ; Et cela j'ai prends librement cet engagement sans aucune limite morale ou but de m'évader ; Aidez-ainsi moi Dieu." Cependant L'immigration américaine alloue seuls les témoins de Jéhovah d'ôter ce paragraphe su sermon.:"Que je prendrai les armes au nom des Etats-Unis quand requis par la loi ; que j'assurerai le service de non-combattant dans les forces armées des Etats-Unis quand requis par la loi " Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America Oath: "I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."< http://uscis.gov/graphics/aboutus/history/teacher/oath.htm> In some cases, INS allows the oath to be taken without the clauses: "… That I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law; that I will perform non-combatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by law…" Serment de naturalisation d'allégeance vers les Etats-Unis d'Amérique Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America Oath: "I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."< http://uscis.gov/graphics/aboutus/history/teacher/oath.htm> In some cases, INS allows the oath to be taken without the clauses: "… that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law; that I will perform non-combatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by law…"
Certains haitens pensent que Dumarsais Simeus est un multi-millionaire qui va investir son argent en haiti. Je dis que c'est faux. Dumarsais Simeus etait president d'une compagnie deficitaire. Il a achete cette compagnie à l'aide d'un pret de 60million de dollars qu'il a eut pour une periode de 30 ans. Qui sais si Mr Simeus n'etait pas responsable de la faillite de la compagnie juste dans le but pour l'acheter. Se neg latibonit li ye deja. Cet argent ne lui appartient pas, c'est l'argent d'une banque. Il n'est que le gestionnaire. En devenant presidant haiiten, il pourrat trouver de l'argent pour payer entierement sa dette. C'est un homme endetté. Li dwe tout cheve nan tet li. Il ne peut meme pas dormir la nuit. Tout haitien vivant a l'etranger reve de venir en haiti pour trouver l'argent pour payer leur dette( pret pour etude, pret pour achat de maison,. haiti pat manje pwa, li paka bay lapire


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