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Surprise Haitian Candidate Enters Controversial Brooklyn-NYC Council Race

Hardbeatnews, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Mar. 21, 2007: Admitting disappointment with the first special election to replace Congresswoman Yvette Clarke in the diverse populated 40th councilmatic district of Brooklyn, a surprise Haitian American candidate has thrown her hat into the ring, HBN has learnt.

Gina Faustin, who many may know for Gina’s Weekend, The Creole Expo and Miss Haiti USA, yesterday confirmed to HBN her candidacy for the new special election, set for April 24.

But she must submit 1,000 petitions to the New York City Board of Elections by midnight today. Faustin will be going up against fellow Haitian, Mathieu Eugene, who won the first election but called for a second election after questions arose following his residency.

Yesterday, she was hosted at a ritzy fundraiser in her honor on Park Avenue in Manhattan. The event was hosted by Patricia Kenner, the President of Campus Coach Line, a charter bus company, who Faustin said is a long time friend.

Faustin, who admits to being gravely disappointed with the outcome of the first election, insists, “I’m in it to win it and to make a difference and to tell the world that every Caribbean American is not the same and that we know the laws and abide by them.”

An alumus of schools in the 40th district, Faustin admitted that education will be one of her platform themes. She’s promising that any child who graduates high school, will attend college. “I’m not promising Harvard but they will go to college,” said the council hopeful.

Faustin, who is President of the PTA at the Sacred Heart Catholic School in the district, added that parental support within the district is sadly lacking and that parents don’t seem to be as involved in their children’s education as they should be.

The newcomer to the race is also suggesting that children need to be given incentives to remain in school. Reflecting on her own youth and participating in the swim team, Faustin said one way to provide incentive is by funding programs that will make students want to go to school in the first place and to keep their grades up.

She wants to bring pride back to education and said students should believe that “it’s cool to be smart.”

Among the other issues she plans to pay close attention are various health concerns primarily, the incidence of HIV, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Faustin hopes to combine her background in education and media to design programs that work to elevate the community. One such effort will seek to promote greater access to health care. She’s proposing that under her leadership, every resident of the district will have access to an annual physical exam.

The new candidate is also hoping to get seniors more involved in the community. She spoke of plans to implement programs to put them to work, volunteering in various areas of community development.

Faustin is confident that her goals are not unrealistic. She believes all it takes is a “slight change of behavior and the will to do the right thing.”

Kenner describes Faustin as an incredible advocate for health issues and believes she stands an excellent chance in the upcoming election. She is hoping that with Faustin’s “convincing position, priorities and goals, the district will know she is the right person to represent them.”

A drastically reduced slate of candidates is set to contest the special election in the 40th district of the New York City Council. The slate according to a HBN investigation reads Mathieu Eugene, Wellington Sharpe, Harry Schiffman and now Faustin.

Citing various reasons, several of the candidates told HBN last week they have opted not to participate in the new race to represent the district at the City Council.

The race is being re-run after Councilman-elect Mathieu Eugene failed to prove his residency within the district encompasses areas of Kensington, Prospect-Lefferts, Ditmas Park; parts of Crown Heights, Flatbush and East Flatbush.

Eugene called for the new election as the City Council geared up to investigate whether he lives in the district. All three women who contested the first poll on February 20th, Jennifer James, Zenobia McNally and Karlene Gordon, have ruled out their candidacy. Also opting out are Leithland Tulloch and Gerry Hopkins, while Mohammad Razvi and Joel Toney remain undecided.

The 40th district is made up of a large immigrant population. Prior to Yvette Clarke winning the seat in 2001, the post was occupied by her mother, Una Clarke. The new councilmember, once sworn in, will serve through the end of 2007 but they will have to face-off in a Democratic primary on September 11 and again at the November 6th general election. Whoever wins that election will serve until the end of Clarke’s term in 2009. – Hardbeatnews.com