Western Hemisphere mayors meet in Miami

Western Hemisphere mayors meet in Miami Seeking to build on their unique local perspectives, mayors from 18 cities from Latin America and the Caribbean concluded two days of meetings in Miami Tuesday, where they discussed issues from economic trends to fighting crime.
   The first-of-its-kind meeting was organized by City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, and included mayors from South America, Central America, and the Caribbean islands, as well as Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.
   Daley presided over a session entitled 'Local Challenges in the New Economies' along with Guayaquil, Ecuador Mayor Jaime Nebot.
   While national leaders and ministers from different countries meet on a regular basis, Diaz decided it would be constructive to have meetings between officials oriented to addressing common problems from a local perspective.
   Nebot was quoted in the Miami Herald as saying, 'Manny Diaz's initiative doesn't end here. It begins here.'