The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce gave city and state leaders a chance Wednesday to pat themselves on the back for their handling of the recent Miami meeting of hemispheric trade ministers.

The first saluted was Miami Police Chief John Timoney, who received a plaque from chamber President Peter Roulhac ``for the amazingly professional work you did during the week of the Americas Business Forum and the ministerial.''

Both keynote speakers, Miami Mayor Manuel A. Diaz and Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood, also hailed the work of the police chief on Nov. 17-21, when trade ministers, business people, social activists and academics discussed the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas.

Gov. Jeb Bush wanted to ''make sure law enforcement [was] the best'' for the meeting to discuss the proposed trade accord, Hood said, ``and, Chief, you delivered in a grand style.''

Not everyone, however, has been praising Miami's performance. Since the meeting, labor groups, retirees and other activists have been critical, claiming that security forces used excessive force.

On Wednesday, Timoney thanked the chamber for its support and dismissed the press reports, drawing a laugh from the audience.

Diaz, meanwhile, went down the list of the improved financial status, budget savings, capital-improvement projects and education benefits underway in the city under his watch.

''To those of you who say paradise has been lost,'' he said, ``I would say paradise has been regained.''

Hood listed potential job benefits of having a permanent FTAA secretariat in Miami, repeatedly citing the example of Brussels, the headquarters for all the political, financial and commercial bureaucracy of the European Union. The FTAA secretariat would oversee trade and investment issues and disputes.

Miami is competing against 10 other cities for the offices, and Hood said securing the headquarters for the city ``would change the face of Florida forever.''

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