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By Governor Haley Barbour
October 11, 2005 -- Just over six weeks ago, Hurricane Katrina, the worst natural disaster in American history, struck our Gulf Coast and South Mississippi a grievous blow. Our state and our citizens bore the brunt of a hurricane more devastating than Camille, and the miles upon miles of utter destruction is unimaginable, except to those who have witnessed it with their own eyes, on the ground.
In her wake, Katrina left literally tens of thousands of uninhabitable, often obliterated homes; thousands of small businesses in shambles; dozens of schools and public buildings ruined and unusable; highways and ports and railroads, water and sewer systems, all destroyed.
But in the last month I've learned that an awful disaster, with its myriad of tragedies for individuals and families, also brings out the best in most people. And that has surely been the case in our state. I am so proud of all of you - it is an honor to serve as your governor.
Out of this terrible tragedy, beyond all imagination, comes our opportunity, and I beg you not to let Mississippi miss it. All of us are responsible. I'm determined we will not fail to seize this opportunity.
I've appointed a Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding and Renewal. Jim Barksdale chairs it. It is composed of capable people who love Mississippi.
The Commission will lead, but local governments and the private sector will decide. The Coast and South Mississippi will decide their own destiny, but with strong support from the Commission, our Congressional delegation, state officials and many others.
The Commission has organized an important weeklong workshop we are calling the "Mississippi Renewal Forum" that will be held in Biloxi on Oct. 12-17. Teams of highly qualified local and out-of-state professionals will work with community leaders to design and plan for the Gulf Coast.
These teams will work with county officials, municipal officials and others with the intention to create a bigger and better Mississippi Gulf Coast that we all love so dearly. It is important to emphasize that these tools and designs will be made available to the citizens of the Coast, but not forced upon you. The people of the Coast will make the decisions - we only want to provide good ideas and resources that can help us move together beyond the rubble to a bright new future that's in our grasp.
In the coming weeks the Commission will address the needs of the entire affected area with a series of public, town hall-type meetings to encourage broad participation in our planning efforts. These meetings will begin in late October and help set the tone of our renewal plans.
All of these meetings are a critical piece in our effort to assist you in planning the rebuilding of a better Gulf Coast and South Mississippi. The Commission will present this plan to me by the end of 2005, and I hope that people of the Coast will feel that it is their plan because they were so thoroughly involved in crafting it.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rebuild the right way and make the Coast bigger and better than ever. What we do now will decide what the Coast will look like in 10 years, 20 years and beyond. We are committed to doing everything we can to support you in this most important effort. You have my full commitment and dedication.
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