U.S Haitian Diaspora Honoring Former Jamaica's Premier P.J. Patterson As Regional Leader

Oct. 14, 2010 - PRLog -- Jamaica's Former Premier Percival J. Patterson, who will feature as Speaker at the Twelveth Annual Eric E. Williams Memorial Collection Lecture Series being held on October 15, 2010 at the Florida INternational University School of Law, is the current CARICOM Representative in the Haiti Interim Commission for Reconstruction.  Mr. Patterson is expected to outline the many contributions that the CARICOM countries are planning to  bring as the collective efforts of the member states to assist Haiti to recover itself despite their limited resources.  Mr.  Patterson is a proponent of a stable Haiti in order to maintain regional stability within CARICOM.

The Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition (HAGC) will take the opportunity to issue a public recognition to Mr. Patterson for providing temporary safe haven to nearly 2,000 Haitian Refugees who were fleeing their homeland on the aftermath of the forced departure of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in February 2004.  Despite criticism at home and abroad, Mr. Patterson stood tall with the Haitian People at this particular moment in the nation history. .  During that period, HAGC sent two delegations to Kingston to speak to Government Officials and the Haitian Refugees themselves including in their rank partisans of the deposed president and members of the opposition who were anti-Lavalas.  Since both countries broke diplomatic relationship, HAGC played a critical role in facilitating the voluntary return of some of those refugees by securing for them safe passage from the Haiti Prime Minister Gerard Latortue during one of his visit in Miami.  

At the lecture, HAGC will take the opportunity to issue a public recognition to Mr. Patterson for being a true stateman and a regional leader pursuing peace and democracy in the region, said Jean-Robert Lafortune, President of the Haitian-American Grasroots Coalition a Miami-based Haitian-advocacy group advocating for fair treatment for Haitian Nationals in the U.S and the Caribbean Region.

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The Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition is a leading Human Rights and Civil Rights Group advocating for the rights of Haitian Nationals seeking safe haven in countries such as the United States and the Caribbean. It pursues fair and equal treatment for all.