THE LATIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES - OR CAMACOL -
IS THE LARGEST HISPANIC BUSINESS ORGANIZATION IN FLORIDA AND
WORKS WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND PARTNERS TO PROMOTE THE ECONOMY
AND STRENGTHEN LOCAL BUSINESSES.
NEXT WEEK, CAMACOL'S HEMISPHERIC CONGRESS TAKES PLACE HERE IN
SOUTH FLORIDA.
NOW IN ITS 40TH YEAR - CAMACOL'S FLAGSHIP PROGRAM UNITES OVER 30
COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT LATIN AMERICA AND SPAIN OVER FOUR
DAYS OF SEMINARS AND NETWORKING EVENTS, CONNECTING LOCAL
BUSINESSES TO THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE.
HERE TO SHARE MORE ON THIS YEAR'S HEMISPHERIC CONGRESS IS
CHAIRMAN AND CITY OF MIAMI COMMISSIONER WILLY GORT.
MR.
COMMISSIONER, THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU.
TALK ABOUT CAMACOL, MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT BUT DON'T
KNOW WHAT ALL IT DOES.
GIVE US AN OVERVIEW.
BACK IN 1959 WHEN THE REFUGEES STARTED TO COME,
CALIFORNIA COL STARTED IN 1965.
IF YOU GO BACK IN THE 60s PEOPLE DIDN'T SPEAK SPANISH.
SO IF YOU WANTED TO TAKE OUT A LICENSE, YOU WANTED TO GO TO THE
CITY OR THE COUNTY OR THE STATE, FOR A LICENSE, YOU HAD TO TAKE
AN INTERPRETER.
WE PUT THE CAMACOL TOGETHER AND WE CAME OUT WITH
THE TRANSLATORS, MY FATHER
AUTOMATICALLY WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TRANSLATORS WHO WERE IN
THE -- YOU WERE BILING WALT.
I WAS ABLE TO GO WITH HIM AND THAT'S WHERE WE STARTLED TO
REALLY PUT THINGS TOGETHER.
THEN WE HAD TO GET VERY MUCH INVOLVED INTO LOBBYING.
A LOT OF CHANGES HAD TO BE MADE.
FOR EXAMPLE, OPPORTUNITY LIKE DOCTORS, ATTORNEYS, AND
PROFESSIONALS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CLASSES AND BE ABLE TO TAKE
TESTS SO THEY CAN PRACTICE, THEY CAN DO IN HERE, SO THAT'S PART
OF THE THINGS WE DID.
A LOT OF THE LOBBYING AND HELP A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES HELP
THEM OUT.
THE PROCESS WHERE THEY SHOULD BE SO THEY COULD GET THEIR LICENSE
AND THEIR PERMITS AND THAT'S ORIGINALLY HOW IT BEGAN.
WE STARTED DOING ALL KINDS EVER PROGRAMS AND HELPING THE CITY,
COMMUNITY, WORK, LOT OF THE MEETINGS?
BEFORE TRIRAIL, WHEN THE METRO RAIL, WE WERE PART OF THE
MEETINGS, WE WERE IN THE MEETINGS FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN
WE WERE PLANNING TO DO THE METRO RAIL.
WE BECAME VERY EVOLVED.
A LOT OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES TODAY HAVE BECOME MAJOR
CORPORATIONS SO WE WERE VERY A PART OF THAT.
HAD A BIG FOOT PRINT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I REMEMBER WHEN I HEAR CAMACOL I REMEMBER HOW DO YOU THOSE
BASKETS EVERY DECEMBER FOR PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO
DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY MEAL.
RIGHT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS DO YOU AS WELL, RIGHT, HELPING
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITIES WHO ARE IN NEED.
LAST YEAR WE PROVIDE BED 3,000 BASKETS.
WOW. AND EACH BASKET IS ABOUT $200
IN FOOD AND INGREDIENTS THAT THEY NEED FOR HOLIDAYS.
A LOT OF FAMILIES LOOK FORWARD FOR THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU TOLD ME TOO IS CAMACOL IS A CONNECTOR,
YOU BRING TOGETHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME INTERESTS.
TALK ABOUT THAT.
GOING THROUGH HISTORY OF THAT ONE OF OUR VICE PRESIDENTS, AT
THE TIME, WILLIAM ALEXANDER, WILLIAM ALEXANDER IS A CAPTAIN
FOR EASTERN AIRLINES.
HIS ROUTE WAS CENTRAL AMERICA.
HE VISITED THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TALK TO THEM.
WHAT CREATED THE HEMISPHERIC CONFERENCE, THE UNITED STATES
AND THIS PUTS US IN TOUCH WITH SMITH.
AND WHAT IT DS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS THE FOURTH
HISPANIC COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT, A BUYING POWER OF $3 BILLION.
SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE FIRMS THAT COME INTO THE UNITED STATES
MARKET, UTILIZING THE CITIES LIKE MIAMI, NEW YORK, LOS
ANGELES, GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INTO THE
UNITED STATES MARKET.
THE LOCAL FAMILY START TRAVELING AND WE HAVE WHEN THEY COME TO
THE HOUSE THEY TRY THE FOOD AND THEY REALIZE, HEY, THIS IS
SOMETHING NEW, AND THIS IS A LOTS OF THE CUSTOMS THAT HAVE
BEEN CREATED IN THE UNITED STATES IS TO ASSISTANCE, AT THE
SAME TIME, GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN THEIR ORIGINAL COUNTRY AND HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE 48th HEMISPHERIC CONGRESS, WHAT IS
GOING TO BE DIFFERENT AND HOW MANY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES ARE YOU
GOING TO BRING TOGETHER?
AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE 20-SOME COUNTRIES.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, ARE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WANTS TO DID IS MAP MAKE.
WE ASK THEM WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SELL, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO
BUY?
WE GET THE DACT PART HERE IN THE UNITED STATES TO GET TOGETHER
WITH THEM AND THEN WE BECOME A CONDUIT.
WE SET UP THE MEETINGS, WE GET TOGETHER, THEY DO THE STRATEGY,
THEY DO THE WORK AND ALL WE DO IS BECOME THE CONDUIT.
WE HAVE, VERY IMPORTANT, YOU SEE HOW THE MARKET CHANGING, A LOT
OF SMALL BUSINESS REALIZE, THE SOCIAL MEDIA BEING UTILIZED, THE
INFLUENCE TECHNIQUES, TECHNOLOGIES THAT EXISTED FOR
PORTIONS TO BUY AND TO SELL, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN
THESE SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE FIRMS IN THE NEW DEVELOPMENT
THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE.
SO THIS EVENTS IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
IT'S TAKING PLACE THE AT THE BILTMORE HOTEL OVER FOUR DAYS.
ANYBODY WHO HASN'T REGISTERED, CAN YOU STILT GET INVOLVED
CORRECT?
IT'S GOING TO BE FROM JUNE 4 JUNE 7.
DIFFERENT PARTS DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES, EXHIBITING THE
PRODUCTS IN THERE SO PEOPLE GET AN TUBILITIES TO SEE IT AND
TO -- AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IT AND TO EXCHANGE.
YOU HAVE THIS EVENT COMING UP IN JUNE.
YOU ARE DONE IN NOVEMBER AS COMMISSIONER.
WHAT'S HAPPENING FOR YOU AFTER THAT?
I'M STILL GOING TO BE KEEPING THIS, MY DAD PASSED AWAY UNTIL
HE WAS 92.
-- IN '94.
IT'S A NEW PROFESSION, SOMETHING BEING USED QUITE A BIT TODAY.
ABSOLUTELY.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T EXPLAIN THE LATEST INFORMATION
THAT CAME OUT REGARDING THE DAVID BECKHAM MLS STADIUM DEAL
THAT WE KNOW HE WANTED TO PUT A STADIUM AND RETAIL AND SO FORTH
AT MELREESE, YOU HAVE BEEN OPPOSED TO IT, BEEN VOCAL ABOUT
YOUR OPPOSITION.
IT CAME OUT LATELY THEY WERE GOING TO DONATE $3 MILLION TO
THE FIRST TEE PROGRAM.
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE CHILDREN'S
PROGRAM THAT TOOK PLACE AT MELREESE, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT
THAT?
ARE YOU SUPPORTIVE NOW THAT FIRST TEE MIGHT BE SAVED?
FIRST TEE IS ONE OF THE INGREDIENTS.
THE PEOPLE, THEY VOTED TO CHANGE THE AMENDMENT, MAKING AN
AMENDMENT TO CHANGE THE CITY OF MIAMI CONSTITUTION TO ALLOW A
FIRM TO DEAL WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND COME UP WITH
A LEASE AGREEMENT, THEY HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONERS
LATER ON.
THEY USE THE STADIUM, ANYBODY WANTS THE STADIUM, I WANTS THE
STADIUM, IT'S A WORLDWIDE THING, ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SPORTS
IN THE WORLD.
BUT TO ME SOCCER'S NO PROBLEM.
THE PROBLEM IS THE WAY THE TRANSACTION IS BEING DONE.
THAT IS, THE ABSORBINGER IS 13 ACRES, THEN YOU GOT ONE BUILDING
WHICH WAS 1 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE, THEN YOU HAVE A HOTEL
WITH 720 UNITS AND THEN YOU HAVE A SHOPPING CENTER AND YOU HAVE
THE STADIUM.
SO IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOMEBODY WITH A BETTER DEAL, WITH MORE
BENEFITS TO THE CITY OF MIAMI.
WE STILL HAVE TO SEE THE CONTRACTS, WHAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN, WHAT'S GOING TO BE OFFERED, WHAT'S GOING TO BE
BENEFIT OF THE CITY OF MIAMI.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE FIGHTING FOR.
THAT'S WHAT I'M FIGHTING FOR.
COMMISSIONER THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
BEST OF LUCK FOR THE HEMISPHERIC CONGRESS.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CAMACOL AND NEXT WEEK'S CONGRESS, VISIT -
CAMACOL.ORG.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE THIS INFO ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE,
@YOURSOUTHFL.