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| Former President Bill Clinton |
Former President Bill Clinton is lending his convening powers and
the Clinton Foundation’s resources to help the hurricane struck Caribbean as it struggles
to rebuild months after hurricanes Irma and Maria. At
the request of leaders in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands,Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda, the Clinton Foundation
said Thursday that it will launch a new organization — the Action Network on
Post-Disaster Recovery — on behalf of the two U.S. territories and two eastern
Caribbean nations to secure long-term investments to help. The first meeting
will be held April 3 at the University of Miami with 300 to 400 representatives
expected from businesses, government and non-governmental organizations.
“Puerto
Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Caribbean community are in need, and we
must answer that call,” Clinton said in a statement. “Together with leaders
from government, business, and civil society, we can demonstrate what is
possible when we come together and bring our collective will and resources to
bear on this crisis. We have a responsibility to act, for the people who are
still suffering, and for all the future generations in the region.”
On
Wednesday, Clinton presided over a meeting in New York where representatives of
some of the governments and others involved in the recovery detailed the needs
of the islands. Following the meeting, Clinton announced commitments to rebuild
schools and homes in Dominica; the installation of solar equipment at primary
care clinics in Puerto Rico; and the distribution of remote Zika testing for pregnant women across the
region. He and others hope to build on those commitments as they solicit
additional investments in the areas of energy, infrastructure, health,
education and economic development. Clinton plans to visit Dominica and the
U.S. Virgin Islands next week to see recovery efforts firsthand.
This story has a lot more to it and you can read it inits entirety at
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/weather/hurricane/article197761039.html
