a1613: Officer to Aid Haitians (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: JD Lemieux <lxhaiti@yahoo.com>

Officer to aid Haitians in overcoming barriers

By Amy C. Rippel | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted April 4, 2002


 A bridge. (ANGELA PETERSON/ORLANDO SENTINEL)
Apr 4, 2002

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It's pretty easy for Orange County Deputy Sheriff Elise
Camille to answer questions about law enforcement. The
questions about things like car repair, however, sometimes
leave her scratching her head.

As the only Creole-speaking deputy at the Orange County
Sheriff's Office, Camille is used to other Haitians
inundating her with questions.











Nowadays, the questions are coming more frequently.

Camille was promoted recently to be the first Haitian
liaison at the Sheriff's Office along with her new duties
as a department spokeswoman. In her first weeks in her new
post, Camille has been flooded with calls. By early May,
the 31-year-old Haiti native will be hosting a cable
television show that will deal with Haitian issues.

Central Florida Haitian community leaders say Camille is a
welcome addition. They estimate there are as many as
100,000 Haitians living in Orange, Osceola, Lake, Seminole
and Volusia counties. But social services aimed exclusively
toward the Haitian community haven't kept up with growth,
many said.

For Haitians who only speak Creole, seemingly simple tasks
such as getting a drivers license could become major
ordeals.

Camille will be the much-needed bridge between the Haitian
community and local government, said Jacquelin Daquin,
Haitian business owner and radio show host.

"We need to come together," Daquin said "We tried many
times, but, unfortunately, we failed many times. We do need
a center. We have Haitian doctors, Haitian lawyers, but
what we really need is to come together as a group."

Darnell Catin, a third-grade Mollie Ray Elementary teacher,
sees firsthand the problems many Haitian families have when
they move to this area.

Wooed to Central Florida by jobs in hotels, many Haitian
families quickly realize they don't have many places to
turn for help in issues ranging from immigration to school
for their children, Catin said.

Children are placed in classrooms according to age, not
skill level, giving them a huge disadvantage, Catin said.
Parents often work two and three jobs to make ends meet,
she said.

"They're limited to low-level jobs," she said. "Really,
they're stuck in the community."

One of the biggest challenges is the language barrier, said
Gerald Murray, a University of Florida anthropologist who
has observed Haitian culture.

"The Haitians in Central Florida don't have the same
cushion that Cubans have in Miami. They [Cubans] are living
in a community where most people speak Spanish rather than
English," Murray said.

In comes Camille. As Haitian liaison, she's expected to
fill the gap in the community, said Orange County
Undersheriff Malone Stewart.

"She serves as a clearinghouse. People who don't know where
to turn can call her," he said.

The 30-minute television show will air on the county's
cable channel, Orange-TV. It will bring in representatives
from, among other places, immigrations, the School Board
and the health department. At times, the show will be a
how-to, from simple to complex, for the Creole-speaking
community. Other times, it will delve into issues that face
the Haitian community.

"It'll also be the Sheriff's Office trying to get closer to
the Haitian community," Camille said. "It's very important.
Just like the Hispanics, we have a lot of Haitians here."

Amy C. Rippel can be reached at arippel@orlandosentinel.com
or 407-420-5736.
Copyright © 2002, Orlando Sentinel


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