August 21, 2000

OHIO LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS ARRIVES IN

SOUTH AFRICA

By Patricia A. Kennard

Cape Town, South Africa

The 19 member delegation from the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus arrived in Cape Town, Monday, August 20, to embark on an historic trade mission. “It is the first delegation from Ohio to visit the Ohio Southern Africa Trade office,” management director, W. Louis Kasuyi, said.

OLBC president, C. J. Prentiss of the 21^st Senate District in Cleveland said this mission has been a work in progress for 18 months. During its stay in South Africa, the Ohio Trade mission delegation will tour several schools and distribute 2800 books donated from Barnes and Noble Booksellers, Highlight for Children Magazine, Half Price Book Store and faculty at the University of Akron.

Two of the delegates represent small business; Robert Browne, President and Robert Fort, Treasurer of ZBF Holdings, Incorporated of Akron. ZBF is a for-profit construction/development company that builds low income housing using a new technique.

Others on the nine day junket include: Akron State Representative Vernon Sykes of the 44^th House District, State Representative John Barnes, Jr. of the 12th House District in Cleveland, Cincinnati State Representative, Catherine Barrett of the 31^st District, Marco Sommerville, President of Akron City Council, Akron City Planning Director, Warren Woolford, Malcolm Costa, Director, Akron Summit Community Action Agency and Dr. Rick Farmer, Fellow in The Ray C. Bliss Institute.

The OLBC has been fortunate to have the assistance of Dr. Fran Buntman, also an assistant Political Science Professor at the University of Akron who is a native of South Africa. Buntman did much of the legwork prior to the delegation’s arrival.

Ohioans can daily updates on the OLBC mission at the following website: www.uakron.edu/southafrica.