Posted on Wed, Sep. 10, 2008
Miami Herald staff report
Cuban Americans who wish to help extended family or friends on the
island hard-hit by hurricanes Ike and Gustav -- or anyone else who wants
to help storm victims -- can send money through a new license granted by
the federal government to the Cuban American National Foundation.
CANF already holds a license to spend up to $100,000 to help civil
society groups and dissidents in Cuba. The new license allows up to
$250,000 in aid to hurricane victims without restriction to family
connections.
The new license waives limits now in place under a Bush administration
rule that restricts remittances to only close family members, such as
parents, spouses or children living on the island. CANF's new license
allows aid to any Cuban on the island -- except government officials.
''People are hurting, and obviously every circumstance for every family
is different,'' CANF Chairman Jorge Mas Santos said during a Wednesday
news conference. ``This is meant to reduce their suffering, but this is
not a solution. . . . It will take tens of millions of dollars of aid to
help victims of Cuba, as well as Haiti.''
Gloria and Emilio Estefan's foundation has pledged $25,000 toward the
CANF fund, Mas Santos said, adding that the Mas family also also put up
$25,000. Two other CANF board members -- one from New Jersey gave
$10,000 and the other from New Orleans gave $5,000 -- added to the
start-up cash. The goal is to send at least $100,000 in direct aid to
1,000 families in Cuba within the next day or two, Mas Santos said.
CANF already has identified 200 families in need of help through its
contacts with independent civil society groups, Mas Santos said, noting
that people also can donate money for a town or province in Cuba without
specific individuals in mind. ``We already have a list of needy families
and we'll continue to get more names and help them as much as possible.''
''We have experience sending remittances and aid to Cuba,'' said CANF
President Francisco ''Pepe'' Hernandez, who noted that CANF will cover
Western Union fees to get the money to Cubans.
The Cuban government charges about 20 percent to convert U.S. dollars
into Cuba's convertible peso currency, known as CUC.
''We call on the Cuban government to do something for the people and not
charge that extra tax on the people of Cuba,'' Hernandez said. ``We are
not very optimistic Cuba will do it.''
All tax-deductible donations to CANF's hurricane relief Cuba project
should be made out to the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba, with a
notation on the check for ''hurricane relief for Cuba,'' CANF officials
said.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/cuba/story/680618.html
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