SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic. – At the invitation of the Batey Relief Alliance, a high level government delegation from the Republic of Haiti, headed by the country’s Health Minister, Dr. Robert Auguste will visit the Dominican Republic from March 27-29.

The purpose for the trip is to provide the officials with a close-up view of the successful humanitarian health intervention of the Batey Relief Alliance in the Dominican Republic, meet with the organization’s strategic partners, and continue the negotiation with the Haitian government to establish a permanent mission in Haiti by year 2009. “We are glad that the government has demonstrated such enthusiasm and interest in our proposed plan for Haiti,” said Ulrick Gaillard, CEO of the Batey Relief Alliance.

While in the Dominican Republic, the health officials will travel to the province of Monte Plata where the Batey Relief Alliance operates two modern healthcare facilities inside the bateyes and implements preventive health projects in HIV/AIDS, water/sanitation, blindness, nutrition, primary care and education. “A trip is also planned to Haiti’s border town of Anse-a-Pitres (with Pedernales) where basic medical services are seriously lacking,” added Gaillard.

Gaillard and senior board members of the Batey Relief Alliance have already taken several trips to Haiti meeting with various top Legislators and Ministers, and recently, the country’s Prime Minister, Jacques Edouard Alexis. “We are indeed one step closer to forming a bona fide partnership with the Haitian government for the betterment of those who are poor, hungry, sick and needy,” concluded Gaillard.