Home  News Local News Haitians should get TPS - Holness
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Haitians should get TPS - Holness |
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Saturday, 05 July 2008 |
A resolution by the City of Lauderhill to establish a Sister City relationship with Petionville, Haiti, raised in a commission meeting on Monday, brought to the fore concerns Haitians in South Florida had about their status in the United States.
The request, approved 5-0, was made by Commissioner Dale Holness, who said the contributions that Haitians have made to the United States, historically and today cannot be ignored and should be highlighted.
Holness pointed to the pivotal role Haitians played in the Revolutionary War in the United States in ensuring US independence and the benefits Americans have as a result of this contribution.
He also addressed the significant trade between Haiti and South Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties) which has generated in excess of $800 million in revenue for the tri-county area.
Haitians in the audience applauded the effort to increase relationship with Haiti, especially since many Haitian residents have been contributing to the development of Lauderhill. However, they lamented what they called the inequality in the treatment of Haitians through the wet-foot dry-foot policy which favors Cubans, but leave Haitians in the cold.
Commissioner Holness, who was also instrumental in another resolution for the granting of Temporary Protective Status (TPS) to Haitians, told residents that though this is just for out-of-status Haitians here, it was a necessary move, which can be granted by the President of his own volition, without approval from Congress. “It’s not enough,” he said, “but it’s a start.”
The Sister City relationship should foster business development, economic and cultural exchange between Lauderhill and Petionville.
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