From office of Rep Frederica Wilson:
Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jean Monestime and more than twenty other elected officials from across South Florida will come together Friday, January 11, 2013 at 12:00 noon, at North Miami City Hall, to urge the U.S. to remember its commitment to Haiti, as the third anniversary of the devastating earthquake approaches. Saturday, January 12, 2013, will mark three years since the massive earthquake leveled Haiti, killing more than three hundred thousand people, injuring another three hundred thousand and leaving one million people homeless.
“The people of Haiti are hurting. Still, hundreds of thousands of people live in tent cities, and progress has been slow in rebuilding homes, roads, schools, hospitals and businesses. As the most powerful democracy in the world, the U.S. has a duty and moral obligation to provide leadership and continued support to the people of Haiti. I also urge the international community to continue its support, to help rebuild the struggling Island Nation,” says Congresswoman Wilson.
Following the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, that killed hundreds of thousands of people and left more than one million homeless, Congresswoman Wilson, who represents one of the largest Haitian-American populations in the country, put in a request to the White House for an extension and re-designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals living in the United States. She also hand-delivered a letter to President Obama, signed by 50 members of Congress, with this dual request.
Rep. Fredrika Wilson,reminds us of the importance to remember Haiti…Haiti covers the Western Third of The Caribbean Island of Hispaniola.The Capital City is Port-au-Prince…The January[12,2010] earthquake significantly damaged Key Infrastructure and greatly reduced the Capacity of Haiti’s Medical Facilities…Despite the passage of time,Haiti’s Infrastructure remains in Very Poor Condition,unable to Support Normal Activity,much less Crisis Situations…Living conditions are Difficult and the Availability of Food Suplies,Clean Drinking Water and Adequate Shelter is Limited…Crime: Haiti is a Key Transit Point for Drugs coming to The United States…Law and Order in Haiti is Negatively Impacted as a result,Kidnapping,Death Threats,Murders,Drug-Related Shootouts,Armed Robberies,Home Break-ins and Car-Jacking are Common in Haiti…Haiti,like most Caribbean Countries,can be Affected by Hurricanes and other Storms.
Caribbean/China Economic and Trade: By the time Wang Qishan,China’s Vice Premier,arrived in Trinidad for the third China/Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum early last week,Beijing had already ramped up it’s involvement with most Countries in the 15-member Caribbean Community[CARICOM] grouping…In the days leading up to the September 12-13 event in Port of Spain,China signed cooperation and loan agreements for projects worth Millions of Dollars with Barbados, The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda…Before the forum ended,it had added Trinidad,Tobago and Guyana to the list of Countries benefiting from Beijing’s Largesse…If those agreements were not sufficient,Wang took the opportunity at the opening of the Forum,also attended by nearly[50]Chinese Business Organizations to announce that his Country would be providing US$[1]Billion in loans and preferential treatment to Caribbean Countries in Support of Local Economic Development…China is also contributing[$1]Million to the Caribbean Development Fund[COF],designed to provide Technical and Financial Assistance to the CARICOM-designated disadvantaged Countries,Regions and Sectors…Beijing offered no less than 2,500 Training Opportunities for Caribbean Countries and[30]Opportunities for Caribbean Professionals to Study for Master’s Degrees in China.
Caribbean/China Economic and Trade: Wang said China would also boost the ability of Caribbean Countries to cope with Natural Disasters,including Support in the Building of Seismic and Tsunami early Warning and Monitoring Networks…China is the Third-Largest Direct Investor in Latin America and The Caribbean,after The United States and European Union, accounting for[9%] of foreign direct investment in the region…The value of China’s Trade with the Caribbean and Latin America is estimated at[$156 billion]…Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo,who was among a handful of Regional Leaders who came to Port of Spain for the Forum,said it was necessary for CARICOM to pursue a Non-Reciprocal Trade Agreement or a Partial Scope Agreement with China similar to the one that exists between his Country and Brazil…Jagdeo said that because of the small size of the Caribbean’s Economies,the top[30 or 40] export commodities could be imported into China on a duty-free basis,which would have a minimal effect on the Asian Giant while generating significant Wealth for The Caribbean…Over the past two decades,bilateral trade between The Caribbean and China has grown significantly from[$20]Million in 1990 to[$2]Billion in 2008,he noted…”In the last[10]years,China’s Exports have consistently accounted for more than[70%] of total trade,”Jagdeo said.”In 2008,[93%] of Caribbean-China Trade consisted of China’s Exports to the region…The region itself exported significantly[over$60 million in goods]to China in that year…”China has a growing demand for the Region’s Raw Materials including Gas and Asphalt in Trinidad and Tobago,Bauxite in Jamaica and Timber,Bauxite and Minarals in Guyana…In addition,Chinese Companies have used The Bahama’s close geographic proximity to The United States to Manufacture and Assemble Products destined for The United States Market,and to invest in the Service Sector such as Tourism,”Jagdeo said…Host Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar said that,”the challenge for us in The Caribbean as we welcome Foreign Direct Investment inflows from China is to continue to improve the Investment Climate to ensure that the interventions contribute to linking Domestic Firms to the Global Economy…The United States Need To Up The Ante on Economic Trade and Investments Globally.
Caribbean/China Economic and Trade: Host Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar said,”It is also necessary to Strive for the Matching of Financing Injections into High-Return Projects,”she said.Caribbean Countries have Struggled as a Result of The Global Economic Crisis,and regard The So-Called Bric Countries…India,Brazil,Russia and China…As integral to the Future Development of The Region…Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer said,”China must be Commended for Reaching Out to The Caribbean Region at a time when Countries are Struggling to Address The Impact of The Global Financial Crisis.”The Global Economy has been undergoing very Significant Structural Changes piloted by New Drivers of Global Growth,said Guyana’s Finance Minister Ashni Singh.”Increasingly what we see is Chinese Companies,having grown Rapidly as they have,driven by the Domestic Growth[are] looking increasingly for a Global Presence…We see Chinese Companies looking for Investment Opportunities Throughout The World,we see that happening in The Caribbean,Latin America,Africa and elsewhere…The Forum here had been billed as an ideal opportunity for Caribbean Countries to discuss and establish Blueprints for future Cooperation in areas such as Finance,Infrastructure,Tourism and Agriculture…Recent data indicate China is not only The Third Largest Inbound Tourism Destination,but also The Third-Largest Source of Outbound Tourism…Simplifying The Visa Process for Chinese Tourists,or eliminating it entirely will be a Major Step for Business Relations between China and The Bahamas…The U.S.need to step it Up on Agriculture,Tourism and Finance.
Caribbean/China Economic and Trade: ”We are seeking a possible way to speed up the process or eliminate the pross entirely,”said Brent Symonett,Minister of Foreign Affairs,relating to The Visa Process,adding”we hope to have a Resolution to this Issue in Short Order.”But not everyone is Unreservedly Enthusiastic regarding China’s Growing Economic Influence in The Caribbean…Economist Indera Sagewan-Ali said that Chinese Officials came to The Region With Self-Interest at Heart as well…”China has a Lot of Money and is Looking for Investment Opportunities…It has a Lot of Capacity for Construction and all these things and they want to Send it Out There,so they came Out Very Well…The Challenge is,has The Caribbean thought about what is in it for us?”She said…The Head of The Joint Consultative Council in Trinidad and Tobago,Afra Raymond,also urged Caution regarding The Recent Chinese Investment Thrust in The Caribbean.”We had a Terrible Experience with what I call The”Manning Model”[In reference to the Former Patrick Manning Government]…For the last Eight or Nine Years,with Huge Unecessary Projects Using The Taxpayer’s Money…Chinese Contractors came here with Chinese Laborers and Chinese Fittings,and we still have to Continue Paying for Those Projects,”he said.”That was a Failed Model.
Hello Lauren:
I Disagree with Congresswoman Frederica Wilson:
The Earthquake in Haiti was definitely a real tragedy. But
here is the deal: Haiti is not the only ones to have
experienced a tremendous lost of life and infrastructure
damage in recent years due to natural disaster. Remember
Indonesia, Japan, etc…
I think people in Haiti should get busy rebuilding their own
country and stop depending on others to do it for them.
Another thing — Instead of asking this Gov’t for Temporary
Protected Status for Haitian Nationals — let them go back
to Haiti and put their skills and talents to use where it is
needed. (maybe then American Citizens can get some jobs in
their own damn Country! That We Deserve!)
And by the way the United States is not the “leader” of
Haiti and they are not our responsibility. Haiti has gotten
PLENTY of HELP from the United States and the rest of the
world, What’s lacking in Haiti is a PEOPLE who obviously do
not know how to properly run a country and govern
themselves.
Thank You,
Ms Joy Haddocks James