Haiti-New Orleans Heritage Task Force Newsletter, May 2013
1. Haiti-New Orleans Heritage Task Force 1
Haiti-New Orleans Heritage Task Force
Newsletter, May, 2013
Highlights
Ochsner Health System Reports on its Recent Partnership Exploration Mission with
Nueterra
LSU College of Agriculture Reports on its Recent Opportunity Pursuit Mission with
Zanmi Agrikol and Others
Williams Architects Reports on Historical Preservation & Architectural Initiatives
Mission
Task Force Holds Inaugural Meeting April 25, 2013
Ochsner/Nueterra Partnership Opportunity Exploratory Mission
Left to Right, David Miller, President of Nueterra; Yvens Laborde, MD, Ochsner Health System and FONDYL-
SAHH; Hon. Andy Rene, Director General, CFI; and Vladimir Laborde, Economic Growth Specialist, PACEGI.
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2. Haiti-New Orleans Heritage Task Force 2
In February, 2013, David Miller, President of Nueterra, and Yvens Laborde, MD, Ochsner
Health System and FONDYLSAHH, conducted a partnership opportunity exploratory mission in
Haiti, which was recognized and supported by CFI.
As part of the mission, Mr. Miller, Dr. Laborde and other participants visited the town of La
Victoire. In La Victoire, FONDYLSAHH, Ochsner and FEED in Mayaya support the local commu-
nity with a school, housing, medical care, an orphanage, and several agricultural and commu-
nity projects with a focus on self reliance and sustainability. Mission participants also visited
Cap Haitien as well as Hopital Justinien, the second largest hospital in Haiti.
In addition, mission participants met with Heart to Heart, an NGO involved in a number of
community projects in Haiti, and toured facilities of Universite de Notre Dame and Universite
d'Etat d'Haiti for implications for healthcare in Haiti.
David Miller, Nueterra, and Yvens Laborde, MD, Ochsner Health System and FONDYLSAHH, meeting with and
serving the local residents of Mayaya La Victoire.
LSU College of Agriculture Trip Report
During the period April 10-15, 2013, a delegation representing the LSU College of Agriculture
traveled to Haiti for an opportunity pursuit mission. During the Mission, LSU representatives
met with Zanmi Agrikol, a leading Haitian agricultural cooperative, to discuss needs and mu-
tual goals and objectives. With the support of CFI, the delegation also met with the Ministries
of Agriculture and Education to discuss mutual goals and objectives, and also met with USAID
representatives.
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3. Haiti-New Orleans Heritage Task Force 3
Photos from the LSU Mission follow.
LSU Team visiting a Haitian carpentry class.
Presentation to LSU on Zanmi Agrikol’s Nutrition Program.
Williams Architects Trip Report
During the last week of March, 2013, Architects John Williams and Landon Anderson, repre-
senting Williams Architects, New Orleans, conducted a series of business meetings in Jacmel
and Port-au-Prince aimed at pushing forward one or more architectural initiatives in Haiti, sup-
ported by the Haiti-New Orleans Heritage Task Force.
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4. Haiti-New Orleans Heritage Task Force 4
The principal focus of their meetings was to propose that Haiti implement a program to create
several Historic Preservation Districts in Haiti, modeled after the New Orleans Vieux Carre
Commission, starting with a Jacmel Historic Preservation District. The purpose of Historic
Preservation Districts is to provide a set of thoughtful and realistic historic preservation guide-
lines that encourage serious investors to invest in historic restoration projects within the Dis-
trict, by assuring that all projects in the District complement the historic nature of the build-
ings in the District. As New Orleans has shown over many years, establishing Historic Preser-
vation Districts encourages serious investment in historic architecture and drives cultural tour-
ism.
During their stay in Jacmel, Messrs. Williams and Anderson met with the Mayor of Jacmel and
other local officials, including the head of Jacmel’s Tourism Program. They also toured
Jacmel’s historic district and its dozens of historic buildings in an 18-block area, as well as
nearby beachfront areas.
In Port-au-Prince, Messrs. Williams and Anderson visited with Haiti’s tourism, investment and
historic preservation leadership, including Minister of Tourism Stephanie The Director General
of the Minister of Tourism Maryse Noel, PACEGI Chairman Gregory Mevs, CFI Director General
Georges Andy Rene, and ISPAN Chair Monique Rocourt.
Photos from the Williams Architects Trip follow.
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5. Haiti-New Orleans Heritage Task Force 5
Meeting between John Williams and Landon Anderson of Williams Architects, Elodie LeFort, CFI and the Mayor
and Director of Tourism of Jacmel and Delegate from Jacmel
Inaugural Meeting of the Task Force, April 25, 2013
On April 25, 2013, the Inaugural Meeting of the Task Force was held at the offices of Williams
Architects in New Orleans.
Some 23 persons attended the Meeting, rep-
resenting the following organizations:
Center to Facilitate Investments
City of New Orleans, Office of the
Mayor
Amistad Research Center
Louisiana State University College of
Agriculture
Love Your Neighbor
Ochsner Health System
Pan Caribbean Consulting
Sanitary Consortium
Tulane University Payson Center
Tulane University Disaster Resilience Center
Williams Architects
William J. Clinton Foundation
Xavier University
Comments on CFI Facilitation
“Thank you, CFI. As others have
pointed out, CFI was flawless in as-
sisting LSU in getting into Haiti and
getting to see the people we
needed to see. Thank you very
much.” Dean Kenneth Koonce, LSU
College of Agriculture
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6. Haiti-New Orleans Heritage Task Force 6
Among other things, representatives of LSU, Ochsner Health System and Williams Architects
reported on their recent missions to Haiti, other organizations gave brief reports on their ini-
tiatives and plans in Haiti, and the Task Force leadership discussed Task Force plans with those
in attendance.
Representatives of LSU, Ochsner and Williams Architects all expressed great appreciation for
the assistance and support provided by CFI in facilitating their exploratory missions. Typical of
the comments were those of Dean Kenneth Koonce, LSU College of Agriculture, quoted above.
Photos from the Task Force Meeting follow.
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7. Haiti-New Orleans Heritage Task Force 7
Members of The Haiti-New Orleans Heritage Task Force
Georges Andy Rene, Task Force Chair,
Directeur Exécutif du Presidential Advisory
Council on Economic Growth & Investment,
& Directeur General du Centre de Facilitation
des Investissements
William Bertrand, Ph.D., Task Force Co-
Chair, Tulane Payson Center
Alix Célestin, Directeur Général de l’Autorité
Portuaire National de la République d’Haïti
Scott Cowen, Ph.D., President, Université Tu-
lane
Colin Crawford, Esq., Ecole de Droit de
l’Université Tulane
Norman Francis, Ph.D., President, Xavier
University
Dennis Kelly, Esq., Task Force Secretary, Pan
Caribbean Consulting, Inc.
Eamon Kelly, Ph.D., Tulane Payson Center
Dominik Knoll, World Trade Center-New Or-
leans
Vladimir Laborde, Economic Growth
Specialist, PACEGI & Special Advisor, CFI
Yvens Laborde, MD, Ochsner Health System
Mitchell J. Landrieu, Maire, Ville de la
Nouvelle Orléans
Ky Luu, JD, Tulane Disaster Resilience Leader-
ship Academy
Brooke Smith, Bureau du Maire, Ville de la
Nouvelle Orléans
About The Haiti-New Orleans Heritage Task Force
The Haiti-New Orleans Task Force (“Task Force”) is a non-governmental task force of constitu-
encies from Haiti and New Orleans. These organizations have come together under the lead-
ership of New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, and in close collaboration with Haiti’s Presiden-
tial Advisory Council on Economic Growth & Investment (PACEGI) and Center for Investment
Facilitation (“CFI”), to assist the Office of the Prime Minister, PACEGI and CFI in achieving their
missions in areas as diverse as education, infrastructure, healthcare, energy, shipping, tourism,
agriculture and public safety.
The work of the Task Force is rooted in the traditional heritage of people and culture and
other ancient ties that bind South Louisiana and Haiti. Starting from that foundation, the Task
Force is the product of the commitment of the individuals and institutions serving on it, each
of whom brings relevant Subject Matter Expertise to the work of the Task Force, and each of
whom has demonstrated a strong commitment to Haiti’s advancement in the context of cur-
rent events—common bonds of disaster and recovery, and shared recognition of the potential
within Haiti’s people.
Mike The Tiger
In a Mango Tree
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