Gov. Scott readies first trade mission

Posted on Tuesday, 03.15.11
Gov. Scott readies first trade mission

For his first foreign trade mission, Gov. Rick Scott is headed to Panama.
BY MICHAEL C. BENDER
Herald/Times Tallahasee Bureau

Gov. Rick Scott will leave Thursday for his first foreign trade mission since being elected, a two-day trip to Panama.

A delegation of port officials, businessmen and Florida Chamber of Commerce representatives will head to Panama on Wednesday and Scott will join them a day later.

The trip is expected to cost about $27,000, Scott’s spokesman Brian Hughes said. Taxpayers will pay for about $5,000 while the remaining expenses will be covered by private donations to Enterprise Florida, the spokesman said.

The two-day trip comes as Scott attempts to focus the state’s attention on ports as a major jobs creator. When he derailed the $3 billion, shovel-ready high-speed rail project, Scott asked the federal government to instead spend the money on digging deeper ports.

More:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/15/2116712/gov-scott-readies-first-trade.html