Tele Radio Marathon in pro of the “Merienda Escolar”

By GLADYS ACOSTA

A press conference was held on Tuesday, July 20 in Hotel Clarion, to convoke all the radio and TV stations to join in the Tele Radio Marathon in pro of the program “Merienda Escolar.”
“Merienda Escolar” is a program whose purpose is to provide a meal per day to over 800,000 poor and needy children throughout 275 municipalities of Honduras. Each meal consists of rice, corn, beans, and a mixture of corn, soy and oil for a total of 165 grams a day per child.

The girls and boys helped by this program vary in their ages, from preschool to primary school and their average malnutrition is of 43%. In the future it is expected for the “Merienda Escolar” to reach 100,000 more girls and boys.

This food program was created to reduce the chronic malnutrition of approximately 30% in our country. “It is not just food, it is the development of the mind of these children,” said Tony Sierra, president of the committee in pro of the “Merienda Escolar.”
The United Nations has joined this program through the World Food Program (WFP), an organization created for providing alimentary help throughout the world.

Approximately two months ago, monitors of the WFP of the United Nations, were distributed through the 18 departments of Honduras. With the assistance of community helpers they developed activities such as concerts and charity fairs with the purpose of recollecting funds that will be turned in during the Tele Radio Marathon to be held on Saturday, July 24.

Several national and international artists have been summoned to help this charity, over 50 of them have confirmed their assistance. Among the artistic guests are Grupo Jaleo, Latin Fresh, Diana Lara, Leo Almenjor, J-MMIO, Guillermo Anderson, Ninoska and other important artists that will amuse the assistants during the ten hours of duration of the event.

Ninoska, a Honduran artist was present at this conference in representation of all the Honduran artists that will gladly support this fund raising program. She has been working as an artist for seventeen years and will soon release her new record “Ninoska Canta a los Niños,” Ninoska Sings to the Children.

During the press conference, Hector Mendez, representative of CELTEL, the first cell phone company of Honduras, presented a written agreement to the committee. This agreement stated that the phone company was going to provide help to the World Food Program by donating a percentage of their income from the text messaging system via cell phone.

The event that will be simultaneously held in the Municipal Gymnasium in San Pedro Sula and in the lower area of the National Congress in Tegucigalpa, is hoping to recollect five million Lempiras from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm in Teguz and from 9:00 am to 10:00 PM In San Pedro.

The Tele Radio Marathon will be fully transmitted to the Honduran people through the two biggest radio stations, Circuito Audiovideo and Emisoras Unidas. These will be the pilot radio stations for all the other that want to join the transmission of this important event.

If you want to make donations make your deposits in the following bank accounts:
Banco de Occidente
# 21-401-122959-7
Banco Atlántida
# 1201787312
BANPAIS
# 02-10-010624

 

Week in Review

Death Races

The Honduran Motoring Federation admitted that they are aware of illegal car races going on in the city. They explained that they were working towards eradicating these illegal races in order to make the streets safer and to promote the sport.

The federation directors said that they are trying to come up with a way to reinstate those who practice this sport in these illegal competitions.

Jose Jorge de Rogas, the federation’s president, who runs several clubs of different motoring branches, said that in the last 3 months there had been testing going on not only to promote this activity, but also for competitors to understand the rules of the game.

The Honduran Sport Confederation has strengthened this discipline by investing in resources by purchasing equipment, which will gain acceptance from the country. This equipment is costly, a electronic stoplights costing almost $11,000 from the U.S.A. It will be used to train for test drivers that will be planned with the authorities.

Jose Jorge de Rogas and Roberto Garcia, members of the motoring Federation, explained that during the last three months test drives have been taking place in the Anillo Preiferico. For this testing to happen, they work together with the Alcaldia Municipal authorities and Transit Police. They practiced on May 29th, June 19th and July 10th in order for the racers to familiarise themselves with the equipment used in these activities.

Directors have explained that due to no encouragement from the Central Government or any other entity, the auto sport is not very popular. Roberto Garcia spoke of the situation, “We have no race tracks, no autodrome...the federation has fought with Alcaldia so we can get a piece of land where we might invest and do this, but nobody listens. The only sport that matters here is soccer”
Because of this racers are forced to the streets and even though they know it is not appropriate, they abide safety measures and obtain permits from local authorities.

“I am not denying that there are no illegal races, I can’t say if there are drug dealers involved or not” said the Federation’s directive. “The Federation’s idea was to stop the illegal racing, apprehend these young people and legalize and train them to race as it should be, that is what we’re intending to do”. El Heraldo

40 new Japanese volunteers to Honduras

The new young volunteers from Japan were welcomed by their ambassador to Honduras, Masami Takemoto

BY TONJE ROBERTSEN

Monday July 12th, 40 new volunteers from Japan arrived in Honduras. They were complimented the following day at the residence of the Japanese ambassador for their aims of transferring skills to Hondurans.

Amongst the younger volunteers , aged 20 to 40, 13 will be teaching, nine of them mathematics. Five volunteers will be working with health care; one as a carpenter in Intibuca; one at the Bellas Artes center at the Cultural House in Santa Rosa de Copan; and one with music in El Paraiso. The senior volunteers (aged 40 to 69) will be providing expertise in areas as diverse as cultivation of vegetables and industrial metal mechanics.

Masami Takemoto, the Japanese ambassador, hosted an official welcome at his residency, where he talked to the volunteers about their functions at their various placements and introduced them to Honduran state officials.

President Maduro’s two daughters, Lorena and Carolina, the vise minister of education, Lic. Elia del Cid and the minister of SETCO (Secretary of Transport and Communication), Lic Brenie Matute were present.

Sahoko Oka, 25, a student working on her master in international co operations, will be working with health care in Tela. She wanted to offer her skills to Honduras because there is a need for voluntary help, and to learn how Hondurans view their own situation. “I want to know what they [Hondurans] think of their own development,” she said.

Oka also mentioned Honduran culture and language, as well as work experience in a developing country, as reasons for committing to the two year long placement. Having been a student of Spanish for four years already, she’s not likely to get lost in translation.

“The number of people in Japan who are interested in international organizations is increasing in Japan,” she said, and added that because the Japanese economy is in recession, it is difficult for young people to get good jobs. An experience like this, you can use to “build on a career back in Japan”, she said.

Takeshi Takano, director of JICA, earlier that morning gave the volunteers advice about how they could get the most out of their placements. He urged them not to be discouraged by possible unfortunate experiences, and talked about the different ways of life in the Honduran and Japanese paradigm.

“I advised them to meet the challenges by probably shifting a little bit of their paradigm, so that they can see things as Hondurans do,” he said.

JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), sends experts and younger volunteers to developing countries for a period of two years, in order to contribute to the human and socio-economic development of these countries. Since 1976, the organization has sent more than 870 young volunteers to Honduras, the highest number in all of Latin-America.

Six years after Hurricane Mitch, a resourceful Honduran farmer is doing better than ever
Turning disaster into opportunity

By Roger Hamilton, with reporting by Willie Heinz, Comayagua, Honduras

Six years ago, Manuel Hernández surveyed the remains of his farm, and despaired at what he saw. Hurricane Mitch had flattened his tobacco crops, carried off his poultry and hog pens, even stripped the soil down to bare rocks (See link at right, Farmers without It was the same story throughout Honduras’ department of Comayagua, and much of the rest of the country as well. Despite an outpouring of international assistance, including millions of dollars from the IDB, area farmers wondered if they could ever get back on their feet. When the tobacco company that formerly bought the local crop closed down, it seemed like the last straw.

But in the midst of the gloom, Hernández saw opportunity. Within a few years, he would turn the family farm, Finca El Carmen, into a generator of new crops, new jobs, and even technical assistance for his neighbors. With tobacco no longer an option, Hernández diversified into other crops, such as Jalapeño chiles and tomatoes, and opened up a store and a restaurant. Along with a reestablished poultry business, he began a dairy operation that produces 200 liters daily and buys an additional 200–300 liters from local producers, which he turns into cheese.

“We and the other farmers are working together so that we have a market for our products,” Hernández said.

Hernández also sells fertilizers and feed concentrates to many of these same farmers, and most importantly, provides them with free technical advice on how to boost their production of chickens, pigs and cattle without raising costs.

These agricultural inputs are provided to Hernández by the international firm Alcon, a producer of feed concentrates for cattle, pigs, poultry, rabbits, tilapia fish and even dogs. Hernández provides these products to some 290 clients on credit, and uses the repayments to reimburse Alcon.

The system is working out well, he said. “We have never had any problems with repayments,” Hernández says. “The small producer never forgets to pay.” In addition, financing from Banco de Occidente and Banco Atlántida provided Hernández with working capital.

Meanwhile, the restaurant Hernández built on his farm draws customers from all around, particularly to sample the chicharrón, a rural delicacy consisting of deep fried pigskin. While they’re visiting, customers stop at Hernández’s store to stock up on farm inputs, food—including products produced at El Carmen—and other household necessities. Both the store and the restaurant are run by Hernández’s mother.

All in all, it’s a big operation. Hernández employs 63 workers, many more than before Mitch, and better qualified as well. Hernández would like to expand his businesses further, but he is stuck in a credit crunch. He cannot take on more clients because he doesn’t have the resources to purchase more fertilizer and feed supplement from Alcon. “We have gone as far as we can without more financing,” he said. For now, he will limit credit to the producers currently in his portfolio. But it is hard to imagine that he won’t find a way to overcome this obstacle as well.

Ministry of Culture, Arts and Sports: Defending the Honduran Spirit

Honduran artists will suffer a “slow death” if the Secretary of Culture is shut down

By GLADYS ACOSTA

“Culture is education…it is what we eat, talk, and dance. Culture is our environment.” Diana Gonzalez

The magisterial revolution over the past few months has brought chaos and disorganization to the Honduran structure. While some are defending their rights, others are losing theirs.

The Honduran government has managed to find a solution to the problem with the revolting teachers: close down other ministries and important institutions.

One of these institutions is the Secretary of Culture, Arts and Sports. This entity is responsible of rectoring the cultural politics of the Honduran state, establishing the guides and strategies that lead to actions of preservation and social use of the cultural patrimony in all its manifestations, acknowledging culture as a fundamental human right and a constitutional mandate. It provides the conditions to preserve and increment the cultural and artistic patrimony of Honduras, including the fomentation of sports as a part of the integral formation of Hondurans that contribute to the fortifying of the national identity, its national and international projection.

Approximately three weeks ago, president Ricardo Maduro declared that to government needed to reduce its costs and would consequently close the secretary of Culture, Arts and Sports and the Secretary of Technical Support. These news were shocking, not only to the employees of the institutions, but also to some Hondurans and even foreigners interested in our beloved country.

In a recent interview with Diana Gonzalez, spokesperson for the secretary of Culture, Arts and Sports, she stated that neither the members of the secretary or the Independent Cultural Movement, knew the president’s reasons for closing down such an important representative of the Honduran culture. “We do not know the how or why we are being closed down, given the educational demand of the Honduran population,” she said.

This is not the first time this entity has been in danger of being closed down. “There was once a petition, made by the International Monetary Fund, to shut down the secretary, in order to reduce public expenses,” said Gonzalez. “But, now, with the teachers demanding the respect for their statute, we go back to the same point we were with the International Monetary Fund.”

“It is understandable that the IMF wants to reduce public expenses to improve other areas such as education,” declared Gonzalez. “ That is understandable, but education is culture. They are twin sisters and can not be torn apart.”

The employees organized themselves with the National Association of Public Employees, with the help of their president Dulce María. This organization was joined by other syndicates linked to the cultural and artistic movements of Honduras, the Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History and international support of institutions such as UNESCO and countries such as Sweden, Spain, Japan, Colombia, and Chile.

“This movement does not seek to defend a labor policy, or a work placement,” she said. “We are standing up for the cultural concept, which includes the spiritual and educational necessities that merit the decadent human values.”

On Tuesday, July 6, the committee of Secretary of Culture, Arts and Sports had a meeting with a representative of the republic’s presidency, Ramon Medina Luna. During this meeting it was stated that the secretary would not be shut down, but merged with another institution. “A merge would be a slow death for us,” said Gonzalez. “Several areas linked to us, such as the houses of culture, museums, and galleries, would be left unprotected.”

Last week, members of this institution and several artists around Honduras came together for three days to protest against their closing down or merging. This cultural artistic journey was used to demonstrate to the Honduran people and government that they were not holding an anarchic position. “We are the ones to set an example for the Honduran people. That is why our movement is an intelligent, cult and pacific one that allows dialogue.”

Diana Gonzalez said that they are worried about the government giving more importance to things such as the school meals. “Feeding the poor children is important, but it is also important to feed the spirit and that can only be done with art,” she said.

Access to culture is a human right and duty that has been seen as a spectacle and a social entertainment. “Culture is an economic source, it has to be seen as an industry or an investment.”

The Secretary of Culture is definitely linked to the cultural and artistic patrimony of Honduras. Future plans include a gastronomic festival, the presentation of autochthonous instruments, sports championships and expositions of paint, literature and photography.

Journalism in the time of terrorism

Olga Viza, director of ‘No es lo mismo’, talked about ‘The television in Spain. The current situation and prospects for the future.

BY TONJE ROBERTSEN

From Monday July 5th to Wednesday July 7th, media personalities from Spain and Honduras gathered in Tegucigalpa for lectures and discussions on the current state of Hispanic-Honduran journalism.

Pilar Cernuda, director of the Spanish Agencia Fax Press, spoke of ‘The press before the threat of terrorism: The limits of information’. “We have a problem with terrorism in Spain,” she said. The limits to the dissemination of information included obligations not to publish material that could justify or be in favor of a terrorist act, write with respect for the families of victims, and always delay information that could interfere with an ongoing police investigation.

The minister of security, Oscar Alvarez, rounded of the seminar on Hispanic-Honduran journalism.

Other topics discussed were: ‘The communications media as vehicles for cultural formation and dissemination’, ‘Freedom of expression in Honduras’, ‘The limits of the right to information. Habeas data and law of information access’.

The seminar was concluded on Wednesday with, first, a lecture by Olga Viza, director of information at the Spanish ‘No es lo mismo’ (‘It is not the same’); talking about ‘The television in Spain. The current situation and prospects for the future.’ She argued that television news have changed due to increased demands of a media savvy audience, resulting in a trend of a myriad of small news pyramids at the expense of subject depth and follow-ups.

After a more extensive debate on the specialization of journalism, including contributions from Rossana Guevara, director of Telenoticias and Juan Ramón Mairena, president of the Honduran School of Journalism, the minister of security, Oscar Alvarez, was given the last word at the conference.

He too spoke about the press’ responsibilities in terms of glorification of crime, claiming that its coverage at times encourage new criminal acts. He said that the press must beware not to give criminals the message that they are important in our society, and asked for restrictions and professionalism in journalists to guarantee both the right to freedom of expression, but also to the right of life. Journalists must focus on transparency, he said, but also on ethical demands.

March for Life not Just Local

The March for Life was attended by people from all over the country and several foreigner

BY SHAINA LEVEE

International delegates from human and environmental rights groups offered support and encouragement Wednesday June 30 during Honduras’ March for Life.

The delegates, who are with the Center for International Policy, spoke at the Marriott hotel about the current situation in Honduras as well as global trends.

Kathleen Kennedy speaks at the Marriott

The March for Life is primarily concerned with the issue of deforestation in Honduras, and the protection of the natural resources of the country.

“Without nature, nobody can live, not even those who convert it to dollars every day,” said Father Tamayo during his inaugural speech in the March for Life. Father Tamayo is the primary leader of the march.

“While the powerful take forceful possession of the natural resources to maintain their luxury cars and their children abroad, they condemn us, the majority, to misery and to starvation,” he said.

Delegates discussed the impact of illegal logging on the environment and their lives.

“I believe very strongly that any help and support that we can give to those who are fighting so hard for their land, for their families and for their future deserves the support,” said Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, former lieutenant governor of Maryland.

“…[we] will take our experiences back to the United States and hope to publicize the courage of the people here and will be able to work with the government to enforce the laws and to protect the rights of their citizens.”

Townsend said that one way to enforce the laws is to bring the matter into the eye of the public. This way citizens will be aware and will make sure that the Ambassador and the State Departments are helping them.

“I think the Embassy has been terrific on this matter,” she said.

Honduras currently has a central government that, according to Fernando Garcia of the Municipal Association of Honduras, is very far from the people. He has proposed to bring the mayors together for discussion of policies since they are closer to the people and on more of a personal level. This would provide better environmental and economic benefits for the people, he said.

According to Townsend, the wealth of the country must be created and distributed so that everyone can share in economic growth. “A democracy is not going to survive if there’s a sense of a great unfairness.”

She believes that resources should be invested in education “because it’s the 21st century; education is crucial,” she said.

Militaries and police officers surrounded participants throughout the march, which remained non-violent.

Townsend said that it was a march in peace. “There were many soldiers around in riot gear, but they’re going to win not through force of arms, but through force of ideas.”

Bora Quits the H-Team

Sambula and Espinoza are the temporal trainers of the Honduran Soccer Team

BY GLADYS ACOSTA

The rumors that head coach and technician of the Honduran soccer team and five time World Champion, Velibor “Bora” Milutinovic had quit the team started Sunday, June 27. These rumors said that the reasons leading to Bora stepping away from the soccer team were the lack of support from teams belonging to the National League, the National Federation of Football of Honduras (FENAFUTH) and the Honduran population and his salary.

Antonio Rivera Callejas, a member of the Executive Committee of the FENAFUTH, in communication with the television program “Los Intocables” stated that Bora did not talk to Rafael Leonardo Callejas, president of the federation, about his resign. The reason to why Milutinovic spoke to another member of the federation and not the president is still unanswered.

The H Team, now training for its third eliminatory round in the World Cup Germany 2006, has recently won two consecutive games against the Dutch Antilles under Bora’s command. “Even so, Bora felt disappointed because the negativism of the team and the crowd did not change,” said Oscar Salgado, assistant of the Honduran team. “This minimized the triumph and that made him sad.”

Ex-president of Honduras, now president of the FENAFUTH, Rafael Leonardo Callejas, traveled to Mexico on Tuesday, June 29, where Bora is resting in his residence, to try to convince him to take charge of the team once again. Callejas stated that Bora has been uncomfortable with the prevalent situation that has been going on even after the triumph against the Antilleans. “He wonders if the process to go to the World Cup is being built or destroyed, because he said that the classifying teams are those who work together and that is why the negative atmosphere has to change.”

Later on, it was publicly known that Bora Milutinovic had traveled from Mexico to Miami, Florida to meet with Callejas in his private apartment. This was the first time, during all the controversy, they spoke face to face. All of their other talks were via telephone.

In Miami, Bora and Callejas had a long talk in which Bora explained his reasons for quitting the H Team: groundless critics from the media, excessive talk about his salary, and little support on behalf of the Honduran population.

Rafael Leonardo Callejas, returned to the Honduran land on Wednesday, confirming Bora’s renunciation.

During a press conference he gave to the sports media, Callejas practically blamed them for the quitting of the five time World Champion’s quitting. He also stated that he was going to continue his efforts in taking the Honduran Soccer team to Germany 2006. “It is a great loss for the national football; but, taking into consideration the compromise, we will continue making our best effort to achieve the goal of classifying for the World Cup.”

The head leader of the FENAFUTH was exalted and preoccupied, because he was one hundred percent sure Bora would lead Honduras to the World Cup. “I want to triumph, and I wish all of you think that way.”

It is a fact that Bora quit the H Team. His substitutes, Raul Martinez Sambula and Juan Carlos Espinoza, are going to be in charge of the technical direction of the football team.

The Honduran couple will be in charge for an indefinite period of time until the problematic regarding the national team’s trainer is solved. “This is not the time to debate technicians. The road Bora assumed is the right one for national football, and both of them have been closely linked to it,” said Callejas.

While the two substitutes, ex-players of the National League Champion team Olimpia, accomplish their work, Callejas explained that if the second step is favorably solved, an international trainer would be recruited.

Bora lead the H Team to the semifinals of the World Cup in Germany 2006, Hondurans hope that with the new trainers they can classify for this claimed championship for the second time in Honduran soccer history.