MIAMI -- On Friday, Local 10's Calvin Hughes spoke with Haitian President Rene Preval about Haiti's recovery plans and struggles after it was ravaged by four storms.

Preval began by saying that Local 10 News' special that aired in April highlighted Haiti's hope for a better future.

But that hope took a backseat to a food crisis, riots that followed and four back-to-back storms in two months that nearly that wiped out the northwest city of Gonaieves.

"Yesterday before I came here I visited Gonaieves and it has 3 million cubic meters of mud throughout the entire town," Preval said. "I was in Haiti for the storms and if I would not have gone to see it, I would never have understood what happened."

At a speech at the Americas Conference in Coral Gables Friday, Preval called on the Bush administration to completely stop Haitian deportations from the United States while Haiti struggles to recover.

"Haiti will no longer be able to receive the deported individuals the United States sends us on a regular basis," he said.

Preval told Local 10 what they need most is money to help rebuild. He's very thankful for all the gifts and donations that have been coming from South Florida. But recovery requires political stability and patience, he said.

Preval said the storms washed away not only that nation's infrastructure -- including seven bridges -- but more than $100 million in crops, the backbone of his country's economy.

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To send donations to Haiti:

All packages of aid should be addressed to: Haiti's Civil Protection Department. Send an e-mail to mefcyclone@mefhaiti.gouv.ht ahead of mail or aid to communicate the contents of the supplies.

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