23559: (Hermantin) Sun-Sentinel-Haitian Council director stepping down after surviving (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Haitian Council director stepping down after surviving scandal over use of
funds


By Alva James-Johnson
and Mireidy Fernandez Staff WriterS

October 20, 2004

Delray Beach -- Daniella Henry, the undaunted activist who founded one of
Palm Beach County's largest Haitian-American agencies and survived a scandal
that erupted a little more than a year ago, is stepping down as executive
director.

Henry, of the Haitian-American Community Council, told the South Florida
Sun-Sentinel in an interview on Tuesday that she would resign by Nov.1 to
pursue other projects, which include a training program in Haiti for
prospective U.S. immigrants and an organization in Palm Beach County that
will focus the Haitian diaspora on rebuilding the country.

She said she is training the agency's supervisor, Edeline Jung, to replace
her.

The resignation comes a year after a scandal rocked the agency. Allegations
arose that Henry had violated conflict-of-interest laws when she spent
$95,450 in federal funds to place AIDS clients into rental homes owned by
her relatives.

Although the city of West Palm Beach determined Henry was in conflict of
interest, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has yet to
determine whether the city of West Palm Beach, which awarded the federal
funds to Henry's program, has to repay the money.

Henry said she was only trying to help people when she provided the housing.
She said she didn't leave at the height of the scandal because it's against
her nature.

"I'm no coward," she said. "I will not run. I had to stay and fight to keep
the agency running ... I'm very happy and proud that I can leave a landmark
to serve the community."

Council Board President Carolyn Zimmerman said Henry isn't leaving the
center, but merely stepping down as executive director. She said Henry would
stay on as a consultant and continue helping local Haitians.

"She'll still be overseeing everybody," Zimmerman said. "She'll have the
freedom to go to the community and talk about what their problems are."

Henry started her activism in the 1990s as an employee at the Haitian
Chamber of Commerce in Delray Beach and helped to settle many boat refugees.
She founded the council in 1992. It now serves about 6,000 to 8,000 people
in Palm Beach County annually, she said.

To her supporters, she's been the guardian angel who helped reunite droves
of Haitian children with local families. To her critics, she's been a
self-promoter.

Ford Eloge, a West Palm Beach radio broadcaster with WPSP-AM 1190 and a
critic of Henry, said the council shouldn't be about one person, but about
serving the community.

"If we really want to help the Haitians, we should lead together as a
group," he said. "By having one person running the show, we won't have a
community."

West Palm Beach officials are disputing HUD's fine for the $95,450, but so
far no conclusion has been reached, Miami-based HUD spokeswoman Gloria
Shanahan said.

"By the end of the month, HUD will be issuing a final report," said
Shanahan. Roxanne Manning, an economic and community development
administrator for West Palm Beach, said "One of the things we're keeping in
mind is that the intended recipients of the service did in fact receive the
services."

Henry dismissed the notion that any money needs to be repaid, and said she
wants to leave the controversy behind.

After surviving personal attacks and accusations from people she said "were
jealous and had a personal agenda to destroy the center," she's ready to
take on bigger challenges --as long as it helps her impoverished and
politically unstable homeland.

After resigning, she plans to run a program in Port-au-Prince to teach
prospective U.S. immigrants English so their transition will be smoother
when they immigrate.

She also plans to work with an organization called the Haitian Diaspora
Organization in Palm Beach County, which aims to involve Haitian-Americans
in the social, economic and political development of Haiti.

"After all I've been through, I'm ready to be the president of Haiti right
now," she said. "You have to have that type of talent to fight that
opposition."

Alva James-Johnson can be reached at ajjohnson@sun-sentinel.com or
954-356-4523.
Copyright © 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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