23380: ( Hermantin) Miami-Herald-TASK FORCE ON HAITI WORKS ON GOALS (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

CORAL GABLES

TASK FORCE ON HAITI WORKS ON GOALS

Nearly three months after Gov. Jeb Bush announced the formation of an
advisory group on Haiti, members met for the first time Monday at the
Biltmore Hotel. During the meeting, they discussed their mission and heared
from others long involved in the fight to assist Haiti.

Among those who provided a historical overview of the U.S. and Florida's
involvement in Haiti were Julieta Valls, president of the Florida
Association for Volunteer Action in the Caribbean and the Americas (FAVACA),
and Ernest Preeg, former U.S. ambassador to Haiti.

Advisory group members have six months to come up with a report to present
to Bush on short-term and long-term goals that he and Florida can champion
on behalf of Haiti.

Marie Florence Bell, a Haitian American and Miami resident who chairs the
task force, said Monday that the biggest challenge will be managing the
expectations of both group members and Haitians, many of whom are already
looking to the task force to come up with a magic pill to solve Haiti's host
of problems.

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