28317: Hermantin(News)State still backs Haiti initiative (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Sun Sentinel


State still backs Haiti initiative



Marie-Florence
Siclait Bell Palmetto Bay

April 16, 2006



Re your April 2 editorial and a previous South Florida Sun-Sentinel article 
about Gov. Jeb Bush' s Florida-Haiti Initiative: While it is unfortunately true 
that in the 2005 legislative session, the Florida Legislature reduced the 
governor's recommended international affairs budget by $2.83 million, including 
funding for implementation of Haiti assistance recommendations, Florida efforts 
to assist Haiti have continued to move forward with zeal.

Despite the lack of state funding and significant political unrest in Haiti, 
the governor's office has been able to accomplish a great deal in the few short 
months since the release of the Haiti Advisory Group Report. Working with a 
number of entities, some of Florida's accomplishments include: criminal 
forensics training of Haitian National Police (PNH) officers in Florida as well 
as the securing of criminal forensic equipment for the PNH, the recruitment and 
dispatch of election observers from the offices of Florida supervisors of 
elections for February's Haitian presidential elections, the briefing/training 
of Haitian civil protection officials in Florida and Haiti in preparation for 
the upcoming hurricane season, and the securing of federal funding for Haitian 
student scholarships for study at Florida community colleges.

These are just a few examples; many, many more can be found in the 
Florida-Haiti Initiative status report, at http://international 
affairs.flgov.com.

For fiscal year 2006-2007, and the second legislative session in a row, Bush 
has recommended state funding for the implementation of Haiti Advisory Group 
recommendations. If the Florida Legislature sees fit to fund this noble 
initiative, much more work can be done in Haiti.

And it could not come at a better time. With a newly elected and long-awaited 
Haitian president soon to be sworn into office, the country is at a crucial 
turning point in its history. Gov. Bush and the state should be commended for 
continuing to extend the hand of supportive friendship to Caribbean neighbors 
in Haiti.


Copyright © 2006, South Florida Sun-Sentinel