Friday, September 9, 2011

ARTICLE - PRESIDENTIAL CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL

LAUNCH OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL
(Haiti Libre) -

President Michel Martelly, more and more determined to take concrete action to improve the living conditions of the Haitian people, has proceeded officially, yesterday Thursday, September 8, 2011, to the presentation of a Presidential Consultative Council for Economic Development and Investment.

The ceremony took place in the presence, among others of former U.S. President William J. Clinton, the French Ambassador Didier Lebret, the Goodwill Ambassador of Haiti Wyclef Jean, the President of the National Assembly Jean Rodolphe Joazile and various personalities from the business and diplomatic corps.

In his speech the Head of State stressed the importance of this new presidential structure composed of former heads of state of friendly countries, major businessmen, eminent personalities and technicians. The Consultative Council, co-chaired by former President Clinton and Special Adviser of the Head of State Laurent Lamothe, is expected to develop strategies to attract direct investment in Haiti, support the public administration and raise funds to support economic growth. Other major figures of the world are expected to join this dynamic structure [such as: the former President of Colombia Alvaro Uribe, the Haitian star Wyclef Jean, Michaelle Jean UNESCO Special Envoy for Haiti, former Prime Ministers Jose Maria Aznar [Spain] and Percival Patterson [Jamaica], and Dennis O'Brien, the principal shareholder of the company Digicel...]

During his speech, the Head of State declared "...The Presidential Consultative Council for economic development and investment, is one of my campaign promises. This instance is called to develop innovative strategies to attract foreign direct investment and foreigners to Haiti. Laws and regulations will be adopted to ensure and provide facilities to investors.

The state and territorial collectivities will undertake work to improve the attractiveness of Haiti, as a center of investment. We are aware of delays that the country has accumulated compared to its friends in the way of investment. That is why, I wanted to do everything possible to build a vibrant Haitian economy, generating growth and job creation.

The Consultative Council with the personalities who compose it, is an excellent tool to help improve the country's image abroad and make of Haiti the Mecca of foreign direct investment, of the Caribbean. I enjoyed the following sentence. "If someone is now sitting in the shade of a tree it is because someone planted a tree a long time ago" Today, we think of planting a tree [...] Today, we put together people who can work to help us find the right way and good way to put Haiti on a global scale. I ask the Haitian people to be patient because it will take time. [...]"

"The reconstruction sites are open to facilitate and ensure investment in various sectors of economic activity," asserted President Martelly which plans to create 500,000 jobs over the next three years, by accelerating the engines of economic growth in Haiti.

The creation of the Consultative Council [whose term of office is the same as that of the President] consists also to make of Haiti a country where we can do business and invest. "There are many development capabilities and many opportunities for investments that will stimulate the production sector to create jobs...", said Mr. Lamothe.

Former President Clinton spoke during the launch "...When I came to Haiti for the United Nations, before the earthquake, that's what I wanted to do to help the economy grow and to diversify. I congratulate the President for the creation of this group and the important and impressive personalities who are members of it. The committee's work is very important because it brings together government officials, members of the international sectors and at the end, it will be to the Government to take the job.

This council has the mission to do something that will last a very long time, provide the opportunity to the Haitians to participate in an international community and allow Haitian talents to serve the global economy and be able to, not only be competitive but also be trained according to their abilities.

There are two missions for this commission. First, we must advise the President of the Republic and President of both Houses of what we think is important, in term of difference and changes to make, so that Haiti participates in the business world; and secondly, to be able to attract investors here, to attract capital and create sustainable and real employment. [...] Soon we will meet in New York with the Interamerican Development Bank and we will have other meetings to attract more investment in Haiti..."

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