Haiti - 'Help rebuild our country'

Haiti's President-Elect Michel 'Sweet Mickey' Martelly has called on his compatriots in South Florida and in the diaspora to help him rebuild the earthquake-ravaged, French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nation.

"We need your help to accomplish all that we have planned for Haiti," he told nationals at the Little Haiti Cultural Centre on Monday.

"We need you to bring your talents back to Haiti. We need you to bring your skills and expertise back to Haiti," Martelly said, as he urged the Haitian Diaspora to help him honour his campaign pledge of free education for citizens.

He proposed that one US dollar on every US$100 wire transfer to Haiti and a small levy on every telephone minute would go towards an education fund to help him realise his goal.

Martelly estimated that the phone levy would raise US$36 million annually, while the wire transfers would raise about US$50 million.

"The diaspora will be able to send 860,000 kids to school for free and change their lives," he said.