The Consul General of Haiti in Miami, Mr. Francois Guillaume II, met last week at the premises of "Miami-Dade College," members of the Haitian community around the new immigration reform in the United States.

Accompanied by a delegation of senior official of the consulate, François Guillaume II, eld talks for several hours with the leaders and activists of the most influential sectors of the Haitian community in the field of immigration, to encourage these latter to come together to work on a Haitian-Caribbean initiative for the benefit of communities living in the United States.

This citizens' initiative will be presented subsequently in the U.S. Congress for appropriate action face the reform on immigration. Recalling that more than 12 million immigrants are living in the United States in irregular conditions which includes more than one hundred thousand Haitians, Francois Guillaume II declared "It is in the interest of all Haitian immigrants to the United States to rally around the same table to reach together a Haitian initiative, which takes into account the situation of our compatriots living in the country in irregular conditions."

This decision was welcomed by all leaders and young academics from Florida participating in this important meeting, among others: Ms. Marlene Bastien "Fanm Ayisyen nan Miami," Ms. Gepsie Metellus of "Sant La", lawyer, Beatrice Cazeau of "Haitian-American Leadership Organization (HALO)," Mr. Jean Robert Lafortune of "Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition (HAGC)", Dr. Larry Pierre of "Center for Haitian Studies (CHS)," and "The Student's Organization Upward Bound," to name a few.

These leaders of the Haitian community in Florida, see in this approach, a huge opportunity for the Haitian people and the authorities of the United States to get closer through a fruitful collaboration on the new immigration law in order to bring relief to our fellow citizens.

In order to make these discussions, a Caribbean initiative, the Consul General of Haiti in Miami, intends share them especially with his counterparts in the Consular Corps of CARICOM (Caribbean Community).

HL/ HaitiLibre