Bermuda is to hold a telethon to assist earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

Premier Ewart Brown announced the new fund-raising appeal at a press conference yesterday.

'To Haiti With Love' aims to raise $100,000 for three charities working in the Caribbean nation CARICOM, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, the Salvation Army and local philanthropist Phillip Rego's charity Feed My Lambs.

Dr. Brown labelled the telethon a non-partisan effort Opposition Leader Kim Swan and several representatives of the Bermuda Democratic Alliance were also in attendance as he announced the event.

"This is a Bermuda effort," he said. "That's why members of the United Bermuda Party and the Bermuda Democratic Alliance agreed to be here today at this launch."

Mr. Swan acknowledged that Bermudians have already given much to Haiti but asked that they continue to reach out.

The Red Cross alone has received nearly $1 million in donations from residents since Haiti was devastated by a magnitude seven quake that struck just outside Port-au-Prince last month.

"One cent given for the right reasons is worth more than a million dollars given for the wrong reasons," he said. "We encourage the Bermuda people to reach out in the name of love."

West Indian Association director Susan Moore-Williams will be responsible for organising the event. She credited members of the Jamaican Association and the Barbadian Association with coming up with the idea.

"We not only hope we know this telethon will be a total success," she said.

'To Haiti With Love' will air March 8 from 7.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. on VSB channel 11 and CITV channel 2.