OPINIONS & EDITORIAL

Monday, December 31,  2001 Online Edition 52

Better profiles for new magistrates

This is the statement made by the Institute of Legal Investigations of the Faculty of Juridical Sciences of the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH). Coordinated by Dr. Roberto Herrera Caceres, an important seminar and workshop on this issue took place last December 17 at the Hotel Honduras Maya in Tegucigalpa. Representatives of several entities involved attended to hear new ideas on how to create the legal Honduras of tomorrow.

The most important part of the seminar was not only the document presented at the beginning, but also the sharp speeches offered by two outstanding professors: Dr. Jose Maria Diaz Castellanos, and Dr. Roberto Herrera Caceres. Their talent turned the event into an unquestionable success.

Some of the assistants belong to entities that have been advocating a better juridical organization: FIDE, the UNAH's Law School, the Honduran Municipal Association (AMHON), members of the national press, university intellectuals, national analysts, businessmen and others.

From the seminar's final document, we can conclude the following: moral, ethical, intellectual and general principles. Here is where the basis of the future magistrate profile lies. This summary derives from the legal school IN ESTRICTO SENSUS, and does not require assistance from any other discipline. Castellanos assured us that returning legal science to its niche obeys to the fact that, in recent analysis, this field has been influenced by administrative activities.

Even though we found such comment valid, we have also noticed that the administrative work is in fact the necessary PRAXIS.

And here we are, full of semantics and enthusiasm for a topic as interesting as the profile of new magistrates. If the decision was ours, the Diaz-Herrera duet would be enough as first and last candidates, but this would be terrifying to the main opponents of this regime of decency.

Although there was no mention on where the resources of the future members of the Supreme Court of Justice come from, let's remember that they actually come from different sources including: the court's personnel, those who are recommended by the UNAH, human rights organisms, law intellectuals, long experienced professionals and former magistrates (who are not precisely lawyers but are outstanding professionals in other areas).

One of the speakers mentioned that the most valuable element of all material is man himself. He said that the most important thing that was happening in regards to the topic was man himself, with some formalities.

The event concluded and consequently all the information was compiled by coordinator Roberto Herrera Caceres. We condensate this information by saying: the magistrates' independence and impartiality coincides with the fact their harmony attracts national and foreign investment.

It is essential to establish curriculm reforms and to introduce ethics as a basic class at the university. When proposing new candidates for magistrates, it is necessary to join experience and demand. The National Congress has to observe scrupulously the existing norms of these positions. The media is asked to cooperate by divulging information concerning the organization and the participation of civil society. In this way, it is hoped that Juridical Power's constitutional reforms are obeyed. It is also imperative this power be separate and independent from the Congress.

Finding the most precise measures to nominate and recruit the 15 new magistrates, requires all the patience of the world.

It is important to remember that the lack of internal rules and a scale-based organization are part of the weaknesses of the current Supreme Court of Justice. 

An internal organizing manual and an punctual evaluation are also part of the technical resources. In recent days, we have known of law professionals that fail tests related to their career, we are more worried to hear the allegation that the questions of these tests were inadmissible. In order to define what is happening, let's not forget the constitutional norm that says that nobody can argue ignorance of the law.

Finally, it is imperative to review the country's juridical career, in the search for specialization through stratification. Well, choosing magistrates is not a piece of cake. The country urgently requires of a true, cheap, preventive, non-conditional, and fast justice system in which innocents are not sacrificed. 

Monday, December 24,  2001 Online Edition 51

Images of Christmas

Without saying a word, he got out of the box and asked for bread. Accustomed to the wealth of alms and glue, he succumbed to his instinct every day and night, with nothing but his patience to keep him from death.

The poor man who lives in our country like a stranger represents 70 percent of the national population, and nobody is afraid of him. We know the poor is disorganized, he doesn’t arrange his home in the morning, he simply stores his box of misery away.
Just as miserable was the time when politicians and other known forms of evil took away his right to eat, raped him, took his family away and imposed populist organizations on him: labor unions, left wing entities, Ortega, Fidel, Che, Mao. They told him he could eat with that. As a matter of fact, words were all he ate, until he got fed up with them.

Elections came along, and politicians told the poor that with his vote, he would earn his daily pile of tortillas, with beans, salt, pepper and a good cup of coffee. Than he thought: “Things are pretty easy here, even crazy people vote...” He uncovered the cloth, there was nothing there.

Then he remembered Daniel Ortega, who made Nicaraguan children pray to God for food, but God did not bring them food. So Ortega would jump out of the darkness and say: “God did not bring you any food, but I did. There you go, eat!”

So the Honduran thought: “I asked God and he did not give me any. Now Satan is tempting me.

The song played again and again, and the sun burns. Disorder is healthy after all: not paying any utilities, food bills, labor union fees and taxes, is actually a relief.

If the day goes well, he could even have a few bottles of guaro with drunkard friends from Barrio Lempira.

Drunks look better during the Christmas season. They get fatter because snacks are bigger, bottles look fuller and with their Christmas bonus in their pockets, there are more tips and more idiots.

One night, the girls from the corner of the La Merced Park were raped by some gang members in an alley. That day, they didn’t move, and with two prayers to the baby Jesus and the noise of the cars in the street, nothing was felt. Nobody shouted, nobody said anything. Nothing happened.

On the other side of the world, everybody heard when a car ran over a rat.

“Move out of the way girl!” the drunk shouted. When the first rays of light appeared, they looked for water and started to beg again, without caring at all about the drunkard who wouldn’t wake up anymore.

The shadow of pain, which forgives everything, passed by the street of desolation, the first avenue of moral disorder. Everything is temporary, and in the land of poetry, Christmas is just a sound where poor people are born.

At 5 p.m. on December 15 courts were closed in Honduras, and will not open again until January 3.

This time, their ignorance was evident, they weren’t able to pass the lawyers’ test. The good thing was that no one resigned. Well...
A 5:05 p.m. a group of girls walked by the main court house door to beg. They laughed with the guards, and left in the same hurry with which they arrived! Run, Christmas is coming! 

Bryan needs your help

Dear HTW:

Bryan Antonio Medina is an 8 year old boy who lives here in Copan Ruinas, Honduras. Two years ago while playing with some of his friends he was struck in the left eye by a rock. Because of the lack of medical care in the community the eye soon became infected which resulted in a abscess of the cornea. Soon after that a solid cataract formed resulting in total loss of sight in his left eye. It was arranged for him to see a specialist who told us that the only hope for restoring his sight was a total cornea transplant, and this could only be done in Mexico or the United States.

With this in mind we are calling on all of our volunteers, contributors, and medical support personal to help us find a way to get this child to the USA to have this operation. He will need a visa for both himself and his mother, airline tickets, a hospital stateside that will do the operation, a sponsor family to house him, money for airline tickets, and food. For more information and pictures, go to this web address: www.paramedicsforchildren.com
/bryan.htm.

Time is running out for Bryan. The doctor tells us that if the operation is not done soon what ability he has to see will soon fail, and no operation will help him. I am asking all of you on the list who have helped us in the past to help us once again by offering support to save this little boy’s eyesight. I can’t think of a better Christmas present for Bryan than for us to arrange for him to have his operation in the United States. Please help us to help this child. For more information contact me at rodger@paramedicsforchildren.com or call me in Honduras at 504.651.4477.

Sincerely,
Rodger Harrison
Paramedics For Children
www.paramedicsforchildren.com

Monday, December 17,  2001 Online Edition 50

New construction ideas for housing in Honduras

Los Cerditos y las Covachas or The three little pigs, a beautiful tale we read during childhood, reminds us that the little pigs built their houses according to their self-esteem and, what happened? The wolf destroyed the two lesser constructions, until he came upon one made of brick, secured windows, an iron door, and bullet-proof walls, etc., that finished its career as destroyer of homes. "A cautious little pig is worth two little pigs...," they say. 

I have tried to explain this anecdote to Honduran children, but it is hard to understand, since it implies reasoning the following facts: 50.9 percent of the homes in Honduras are provided with potable water service; only 34.9 percent of them have toilets, while 15.9 percent have latrines; 71.4 percent of all homes have electricity; 1.2 families live in each house, that consist of only 1.5 rooms on the average.

Then, the houses of Honduras are constructed from wood of poor will. What is difficult about this, is for children to accept something they have never had and therefore don't lack of. And if they don't miss it, they don't need it... Human beings have found many ways to live, but inside the home, which is a basic one, we find many other difficulties: the neighbors' economic status, the neighbors' professionalism, the neighborhood's community interest, the low or high tax rate to pay, the availability or not of additional land, the parking space available for one's own cars or visitors' cars, the security service, the community service in general, the community's sanitary assistance, the availability of basic services such as electricity, water, gas, sewage, garbage service, irrigating water, as well as closeness of commercial centers and the beach.

Well, we are talking about a neighborhood where people do not cooperate with their community just because such a neighborhood does increase in value, making investment a hard sale. It is important to observe national behavior, and then we will be able to realize that the ideal home in our country is the one that is seen in extension and not from a community point of view: an apartment or condominium. Availability of new living options will improve the behavior of our society.

Additionally, it is necessary to stimulate smaller family, as well as offering stability and solidity to the future society. In fact, there are many advantages to apartments or condominiums. These include cultural advantages, such as the apartment-children effect, where children grow more culturally than physically. We think it is unbearable to keep on looking at low quality remedies in the national planning proposal. The current statements throw away human expectations.

The present and future of our country becomes evident the task of keeping out of the social context irresponsible people who express their opinion of the future of life. It is indeed valid to say that given the shortage of land and the high cost of construction, the option of condominiums in our country is completely beneficial.

We must study new ways of living. Our country has grown in an horizontal way, and this explains in great part it's human behavior. These schemes must be considered today. For our current analysis we have estimated that every house is inhabited by five people, while 70 percent of all Hondurans live under the line of poverty. The terms that should be used to satisfy this need must be strict and benefit those who care about the future of our country, and live in a small family nucleus. The rest must pray to God and their church for their future.

Letter from Honduras: A simple life in the countryside

By NIGEL J. POTTER
Special to HTW

"Want some apples, Nayo?" I looked up from under the sack of fruit and vegetables I was carrying through the market and saw a small man with a teenage lassie with him smiling at me. I dropped the sack and shook hands with one of the health promoters who I used to work with and helped train up, Juan Manuel. I didn't recognize his oldest daughter who seemed to have leapt from being a little girl to young womanhood in two years. At their feet was a nearly empty sack but with some apples still at the bottom. "These are the last," he said, "can't sell them, too bruised so you're welcome to them if you want them." Battered or not, I certainly did want them as his apples are absolutely delicious, crunchy and juicy, a thousand times better than the huge, perfectly unblemished, expensive soft and tasteless imports from the U.S. I offered to pay for them which he immediately refused reminding me of the photos I had taken of him and his family when I was working on our development project. "Let's take some more," I suggested, "always interesting now the children are older and bigger," plus one recent arrival. We named a day and I returned home to delighted kids ecstatic in an orgy of apple-eating.

When I set off the visit Juan Manuel about three or four walk away I went along paths and byways I had been along a hundred times before but not over the last couple years. It was all very familiar yet somehow strange: a dirt road where once there had only been a narrow path, a path where there had once been a gash of newly-made dirt track now largely overgrown again, wire fences where there had been an open space, an open space where there used to a barbed-wire fence, corn patches where there were, once woods and tangly undergrowth, burnt and stunted stumps of trees like some no-man's land, product of 'slash and burn". The whole walk was some how unreal, from another life, before the children were born, when I was a "development worker" fully expecting to return to the U.K. to do only god alone knew what. "Still in the same house?" I had asked Juan Manuel. Yes, he had answered, but not quite true. As I walked round the curve I fully expected to see his old shack, walls of stripling trees banged close together supporting a roof of Spanish-Style tiles and a neighbor's house, similarly built, nearby. As I rounded the bend, I was astounded to see a small village of about twenty large whitewashed adobe houses with asbestos or tin roofs. Flowers were planted in front of Juan Manuel's house which I only knew to be his because his wife was in the garden. She gave me hot, sweet coffee while I expressed my amazement and pleasure at her new home and then she sent a younger daughter with me to show me the way to where her husband was working, hoeing the maize. Every where as we went along I saw fields of thriving corn, irrigated by spinning jets of water. The well-kept fields, the green woods, the new houses shining brightly white in the sun made it all look something out of a story book or the ideal rural living home exhibition.

Juan Manuel and I talked about these huge housing and water projects. I congratulated him on his and his neighbors' healthy-looking corn where every where else there is consternation as it has not rained for a month and everything that, was planted when the rains came is now likely to be lost, something of a catastrophe following an equally disastrous coffee harvest, a great crop, but terrible prices as the bottom dropped out of the world market. He told me that Caritas, a Catholic Agency, based in Valencia in Spain, had funded the projects while he and his neighbors had made the adobes, out the wood and provided labor to build their new houses. I thought back to when I had worked with this group, a local branch of the largest peasant organization in Honduras. I worked with these groups all over the country and this one had certainly impressed me as being one of the most together and best organized, managing to avoid or at least contain the dissension and disputes that lead to the break-up of so many groups and the collapse of projects.

These new houses had replaced what were basically wooden shacks but they had been quite large and sturdy, certainly much better than the hovels of other nearby villages. I thought of one I know well, only an hour's walk away where the poverty is far worse, the soil much poorer, practically deforested and hovels for houses. Juan Manuel and his companions are almost the bourgeoisie of the peasant world: they are fighters, have the persistence and patience to keep going on, the formalities to get the funding for this project had taken years. They also had sufficient education very basic though it might be, enough self-confidence and group solidarity to push themselves, to make visits to the posh agency offices in the capital, and write out presentations of projects and applications for funds and do simple book-keeping or get someone to do it for them. They needed and deserve everything that has come their way and for which they have struggled so hard for. There are people much worse off than they, who need help much more than they do, but who are unlikely to get and take advantage of opportunities, even if they should ever arrive. They are just too poor. They are great survivors, getting by on next to nothing, making my pretty basic lifestyle look like decadent luxury.

But they can't get anything together, they fall out amongst themselves the whole time, are too tired, perhaps even too hungry, too hopeless and despairing to grab for themselves a bit of the action, even a little tiny piece off the cake.

This pattern is reflected throughout Honduras society. Once a poor man could go to the U.S. an illegal immigrant, a "wetback." He still can but the journey is more dangerous than ever with a much greater chance than before of being picked up at the border.
To have some chance of getting through to earn the dollars you have to pay a "coyote" (the middleman) between US$2,600 -4,000, in other words it is a middle-class activity. What peasant can afford that kind of money?

I had a good day with Juan Manuel and his family. They gave me a delicious soup, filled my rucksack with apples and we talked about old times and present work. I took photos and then went on my way. He had asked me if I would ever consider returning to my old job as "development worker" with the health project we had worked together in. 

As I walked through this wild and beautiful countryside back home I reflected that I didn't think so. I have done it; for all my experience (or because of it) would be bored, my heart wouldn't be in it and for me if there's no enthusiasm, there's nothing. Besides which I hated all the politicking, the corruption. I often used to ask myself that if I had been born a Lenca Indian peasant whether I would have been one of the fighters, one of the organized ones like Juan Manuel, or one of the passive losers. Sometimes I suspect the latter, the struggle is so often do great, so unequal. Besides which I have, no desire to be a development worker again. It is an unreal, artificial position. My teachery-preachery instincts, however are still fairly strong so no doubt someday in one form or another, Juan Manuel and I will once more fight the good fight together. 

At present I am enjoying my loss of prestige, the decline in my social position. I'm poorer but freer. The work I do now doesn't bore me , it interests me so I therefore have enthusiasm and that may well, one day, bring me round full circle again to Juan Manuel's group. Last week because of my work as pay, I brought home a Lps.30, a tin of cooking oil, a sack of corn and a large dog. I consider myself a lucky man, a free man. This is, I sometimes think, as good as it gets.

Nigel Potter is an expatriate living in Marcala, La Paz.
   

Is MADTV comedy insensitive ?

By LAURA FACUSSE

Special to HTW

MAD TV, www.madtv.com , a comedy show, opened the doors for discussion, knowledge, and mockery on Honduras in one of their shows on Thursday night, November 29 at 12:30 p.m. It said "Honduras, people instead of working chew a burrito," ignorant that Hondurans typically don't eat burritos, alluding to unemployment, and implying sexual abuse in maquilas, an industry where production can range from simple assembly of imported parts such as sleeves, necklines for shirts or other materials from various countries. 

The first scene showed rats running around on a floor, and then it moved into a scene where weary women in tattered garments were sowing clothes. A man entered a scene and yelled, "work faster, work faster." He then grabbed one of the women from behind and she said, "No, please senor, no. The next scene appears with little boys working in the maquila and the man says, "Let all the children be happy, even though sowing little dresses for me." Afterwards he tells the somber boys, "Smile, you cute little Hondurans, smile," and they remained unsmiling. 

Maquilas are more prevalent in developing countries like Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua and many other countries were there is cheap labor due to massive unemployment, illiteracy, and poverty. "Maquila workers normally work 80-90 hours a seven day week with a monthly salary of approximately $75 plus overtime. Ninety percent of maquila workers are women ranging ages 18-25 and many are single mothers. The number of maquilas in Central America has doubled in the past two years, and is open to foreign investment. Presently, 100% of the exports are destined to the US market, totaling approximately $300 million in the free trade zones," according to the IDRC (International Development Research Center). 

Most of the developing countries have no other choice than to rely on the USA and create free trade zones to increase the GNP. Abuse on the workers is quite obvious with the extensive working hours and poor salaries. Also the employment of children in these appalling work places is horrific, and the treatment that they and the single mothers receive in inconceivable. Sexual abuse is not certain, but these working conditions violate human rights. However, what other choices do these countries have other than agreeing to foreign and local investment on these work places to decrease massive unemployment that ranks up to 70%? Since all the exports are destined to the US market, indirectly the US is supporting this abuse and quietly avoiding responsibility. Ironically, is MADTV sarcastically alerting the American public of their abuse? Or jousting Honduran poverty about their disgrace?

Monday, December 10,  2001 Online Edition 49

Christmas in Tegucigalpa 
Santa Clause has uniform problems

It can't be the same old Christmas. In past times, it was said that the best place in Central America to celebrate Christmas was Honduras. 

In spite of this city's particularities, we remember an immense enthusiasm for the festivities during healthier Christmas' gone by.

Some businesses only worry about taking advantage of the holidays. However, for most of us, Christmas is associated with good food such as nacatamales and eggnog. My favorite, torrejas, always make me ask, "Where did God find these wonderful delicacies that can be found on the tables of rich and poor alike and always taste good." But that was before the present crisis.

Now, to touch base with Christmas we are turning into grinches. We are putting less pork ribs in the tamales and nothing saves the yard chicken from it's fate.

In Tegucigalpa the stores are gaily decorated and new stores open just for the occasion. The thieves are alive and well. Some are pulling out their wallets to pay as others are pulling out someone else's wallet to take home. But most Hondurans, a now bitter society, just go shopping.

Christmas in Honduras as described in a book by Williams Wells from the 19th century, was spectacular and very special. The young, innocent society of Tegucigalpa would light firecrackers, nativity sounds abounded and horse races as well as other enjoyable things made the city famous.

We can still remember during the 1960's the fair in Comayaguela, where the Chinese immigrants would sell food and firecrackers and also another fair when the Minister of Culture, Herman Allan Padget participated.

But now, aside from the fact that the municipal government doesn't have one cent to spend on the holidays, Christmas is not important. 

But for our lives its essential. There is nothing like sharing the holiday spirit with a neighbor.

We insist however, that with a little money many things can be done. For Example: ask the church choirs to sing in the parks. Have a musician program a bell concert in Tegucigalpa. Have private organizations and private business make donations, instead of working separately. Organize other cultural events in parks, a parade and at least one night of fireworks. In the Navona Plaza in Rome and the Plaza Mayor in Madrid, witches are allowed to read tarot cards and crystal balls for one night, forming part of the folklore.
With that kind of Christmas no one is going to worry about the color of Monsignor's clothing or Santa's uniform.

It is not so expensive to give our broken city some importance.
With a little love, enthusiasm, and good will, we can make this a festive Christmas.

AIDS ARTICLE APPRECIATED

Dear HTW

This is in response to Marco Caceres excellent analysis regarding the AIDS explosion in Honduras (Dec.1,01) It is estimated by the World Trade Organization more than 60.000 people in Honduras are affected with AIDS, he writes.

This is indeed a crisis! I was gratified to read that so many organizations, the Emy Reyers of Planet Aid, the Janssen Research Foundation (part of Jansen and Janson) and others have already taken some steps to both actively help HIV and AIDS victims and also to provide information, what we know and what we don't know,! Thoughtfully, Caceres points out that at this point we don't have, "a clear understanding of the most basic questions with regard to AIDS in Honduras," He conjectures: is it prostitution, the growing illegal drug trade, the large number of merchant marines, or "is it primarily caused by a lack of basic education and awareness?" 

Clearly it may take many years to find some answers to each of these questions. Meanwhile many more people and especially youngsters might became affected or infected. 
I believe advocating prevention is surely one step in the right direction. Everyone and particular Honduran's young people must be quickly informed and learn what terrible consequences may result from reckless, or promiscuous sexual behavior. To be brief here: prevention means either abstinence or "safe sex", that is protected encounters.

Getting the message out is surely not an insurmountable task. To at least minimize the occurrence of further infections should become our goal. But such an advocacy approach implies the creation of a clear and organized plan that must involve and be supported by all sections of the governments: municipal, departmental and especially the Federal Government. 

It should be a coordinated approach. People from all walks of life, teachers, parents, community workers, social workers, volunteers, paid and or unpaid workers from every background of civil society should make themselves available to each and every educational institution, ideally twice each week, and spread the word: how to use protection, the importance of using it, if abstinence is not an option, how to recognize early symptoms, where to get help and further information, etc. Teach-Ins, workshops, assemblies should be part of such an advocacy approach. Ideally our religious institutions should participate, teaching how to use protection and better even abstinence.

Honduras just elected a new president, Ricardo Maduro Joest who will take office next month. Maduro is a great human being and he might very well make this a prime issue of his new administration. Surely, it is possible that some of the individuals who covered AIDS in Honduras, as pointed out by Caceres, Emy Ryes of Planet Aids, or Dr. Enoc Padilla Oliva who runs Solidaridad y Vida, for example and others could approach Maduro and offer a plan based on ADVOCACY for PREVENTION of HIV/AIDS. 

Moreover the Honduran Media both the print and electronic must do their part to alert people and institutions of the great danger and horrible suffering caused by HIV/AIDS. 

Let's hope such an approach can be implemented. Will these so briefly outlined measures curtail the scourge of AIDS?. We can't know at this point, but it may promise of be at least a partial solution to this devastating problem. It surely is one step in the right direction.

Eva L. Brooks
Senior Editor, Bahia Magazine
Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

AIDS STATS INACCURATE

Dear HTW:

I believe that the author of the article on AIDS in Honduras is somewhat misinformed about what's been going on in the rest of the world for the past decade.

First of all, Honduras is not unique among its neighbors in what Marco Caceres call an AIDS epidemic. According to a report published by UNAIDS, the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization, Guatemala, Panama and Belize also have a high percentage of adults with AIDS (Belize actually has a higher percentage of adults with AIDS than does Honduras). Obtaining health statistics from the World Trade Organization might not be a good idea, Belize's 98% death rate (194 cases of AIDS; 190 deaths as quoted by Marco) would clue most people that the data might not be totally reliable.

Second, the article neglects to mention that low cost AIDS medicines are becoming available.

The ability of developing countries to take advantage of the flexibility in current intellectual property agreements was reaffirmed at the World Trade Organization conference last month.

Finally, a lot of AIDS prevention and treatment strategies have already been developed. UNAID has launched effective prevention campaigns in a number of countries. The United Nations has already developed a road map, the tools and the knowledge to fight AIDS, wrote UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in the Washington Post two weeks ago. "Last June," he continued, "the membership of the United Nations.. adopted a powerful declaration of commitments, calling for a fundamental shift in our response to HIV/AIDS as a global economic, social and development challenge of the highest priority."

Health services for people at risk of HIV are being designed by the World Health Organization.

According to Dr. Brundtland, Director-General of the WHO, "health care regimes for people at risk of HIV, within resource-poor settings, are being studied. This includes wider access to reliable diagnosis, health systems that can offer effective care, and appropriate treatment regimes are being devised and tested. Health staff are being trained in the management of care for people at risk of HIV infection and AIDS."

I realize that some people may be against globalization on principle. That's ok, but one of the benefits of globalization is the sharing of ideas. It shouldn't be necessary for Honduras to reinvent a wheel that has already been tried and tested in other parts of the world.

Silencia Cruz
Via Internet

AIDS clinic needs volunteers

Dear HTW:

Peter Climo (peter.climo@webmail.une.edu) will be travelling to Honduras to work at the Clinica Solidaridad y Vida in Tegucigalpa during the month of February 2002. If there is anyone interested in joining Peter (either to work or to observe), please feel free to e-mail him. Peter was one of our guest speakers on the Panel on AIDS in Honduras at the Conference on Honduras 2001.

Solidaridad y Vida is run by Dr. Enoc Padilla Oliva. It is one of the few clinics actively treating HIV/AIDS patients in Honduras. It is trying to grow. I understand that Dr. Padilla would like to add a clinical microbiologist, a social worker, a psychiatrist or psychologist and another doctor. He would also like to start peer education groups to help stem the spread of HIV/AIDS among the prostitutes and other high risk groups. All this takes money. Dr. Padilla feels he can grow significantly if he could raise $30,000 to $50,000 in the next year.

The clinic's phone number 504-223-8972 and fax is 504-239-1204.

Marco Caceres
Washington, D.C.

Monday, December 3,  2001 Online Edition 48

Neither losers, nor winners 

Last November 25, our compatriots went to the polls to keep on expressing themselves by electing the country's main authorities. The general elections were held in a peaceful and orderly fashion. The national press accepted immediately and calmly the will of the Honduran people. In Honduras, Hondurans are the boss, and they make the decisions.

It will be hard for those who did not win to find consolation, but we all know that this is a time to reflect and respect the collective will.
With a different party in power, things will be stated differently. A change of scenery within the main governmental structure is a change in strategy, and an opportunity for new public officers to reorient the working style in the country.

From a juridical point of view, the governed mass remains the same, for no violent changes are foreseen since the democratic philosophy is indeed the same. 

We will not start guessing what the Honduran people want, since they already voted for a change of the party in power, and they did it to the sound of the political bells that stated their need better.

The magnitude that the National Party won the general elections Honduras 2001 by is overwhelming. We hope that Ricardo Maduro includes people from all political parties on his staff. In this way, he will send our nation a message, that every person, whatever his or her political tendencies, is equally valuable.

It is also part of the tasks of the new government to establish an accurate, short and long-term working plan. Overall, no government in the world should forget that only a good job done lends itself to continuity.

Honduran dies in Washington, D.C.

Dear HTW:

A 20 year-old Honduran man named Neimias Amaya-Portillo died Thanksgiving Night in Prince George's Hospital after he was involved in a automobile accident on Route 50, a major highway outside of Washington D.C. Neimias was living and working in Annapolis, Maryland before the accident. He was a passenger in a car that was involved in an accident about 3:00 am, the morning of Thanksgiving Day. 

He was on his way back to Annapolis when the vehicle he was riding in was hit by another car. Neimias was born in Magdalena, Intibuca. He is survived by his mother, father and siblings in Honduras. He died in the hospital due to extreme head injuries and blood loss. He was a beautiful person and a hard worker. We will miss him. 

Christine Posey
Annapolis, Maryland U.S.A.
Medical mission to Hospital Evangelico in Siguatepeque

Dear HTW:

The Friends of Barnabas Foundation (www.fobf.org) is presently tracking 19 children in Honduras who need surgery at the Hospital Evangelico in Siguatepeque and also in La Lima. The Foundation, jointly with the International Hospital for Children (www.surgery.vcu.edu/
news/International.htm) in Richmond, Virginia, will fund this care. 

The surgeries will occur in December 2001 and January 2002.
Dr. John Ward (www.surgery.vcu.edu/
neur-jdw.htm) of the Medical College of Virginia (www.vcuhealth.org) will be visiting the Hospital Evangelico in January to perform some of the surgeries. For further information, please contact Rev. Linwood Cook at friendsofbarnabas@hotmail.com.