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Monday, September 27, 2004 Online Edition 37 |
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Conference on Honduras Evolves While Remaining Consistent to Core Themes of Education, Healthcare and Community Building By MARCO CÁCERES One of the critiques with which I've been wrestling is the idea that we should do a better job of screening speakers for the conference to ensure that the panel presentations are of a higher caliber. This is an excellent suggestion. After all, why wouldn't we want to have top notch speakers? The easiest response to that is… "Of course, we want great speakers and professionally-done presentations." The fact is that we do have a screening process in place, designed to weed out people who are either not in sync with the networking vision of projecthonduras.com or seem bent on focusing on themes that are not relevant to the conference. Almost every year, we receive proposals from individuals who wish to give presentations on corruption, human rights abuses, land reform, trade expansion, amnesty for illegal immigrants, etc. And each year, I must point out that the themes of the Conference on Honduras series are education, healthcare, and community building. When people insist on being allowed to speak and stress the importance of their issue, I am placed in a position of having to remind them that this is a private conference. I acknowledge that their issue should receive attention, and I proceed to encourage them to organize their own conference. Thus, our screening is designed more to guarantee consistency in the "content" of the program, rather than the "quality" of the individual presentations. That, in-and-of-itself is a huge accomplishment. I think that is the main reason the conference has been successful. We've always managed to stay on-theme, and this has allowed us to remain positive, constructive, civil, and united. As the Conference on Honduras grows and evolves, I have no doubt that the competition to fill the limited number of speaking slots in our program will increase. With more competition, the quality the presentations will improve naturally. For now, I should say that I am very pleased with both the range of the speaking topics on our program, as well as the experience and skill of our speakers. Each speaker will have 15 minutes to introduce themselves, their organization, and their project, and then proceed to talk about specific successes/failures, strengths/weaknesses, and plans/vision for the future. The hardest thing in any short presentation is to be concise and to the point. Some people are better at this exercise than others, but it is this diversity that gives the conference its grassroots character… and I'm not sure that I'm ready to alter this too much at the moment. The Conference on Honduras 2004 will run from October 21-24. It will feature a total of eight panels, including the Panel on HIV/AIDS, Panel on Community Building #1, Panel on Education, Panel on Healthcare, Panel on Community Building #2, Panel on Orphanages & Homes for Children, Panel on Youth Empowerment, and Panel on Missions. The conference will offer a full-day Workshop on Sustainable Programs, led by Kathy Tscheigg, RN, of the Central American Medical Outreach (CAMO) based in Orrville, Ohio and Santa Rosa de Copan. There will also be four stand-alone presentations. Dan Downing of Helps International Ministries of Asheville, North Carolina and Tegucigalpa will give a presentation on Networking. Tony Stone of the Adelante Foundation in La Ceiba will talk about Sustainability. Catherine Docter of the Copan Maya Foundation of Santa Barbara, California and Copan Ruinas will provide insights on Fundraising. And Chuck Newman of Schools for the Children of the World in Naperville, Illinois will present on Future Schools in Honduras. The HIV/AIDS panelists will include: Denise Main, MD of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Tiburon-Belvedere, California; Valerie Nelson of Familias Saludables, Roatan; Helmuth Castro, MD, MPH of the Peace Corps, Honduras; and Renata Lynn Dennis of Emory University's School of Public Health and North Avenue Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, Georgia. The Community Building #1 panelists will include: Kathleen March of the University of Maine, Orono, Maine; Melissa Wafer, RN, MSN of Southeastern Louisiana University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Anashay Murphy and Ron Lopes of the Lisa Lopes Foundation, Stone Mountain, Georgia. The Education panelists will include: Jerry Thompson of Special Missions Foundation, Inc., Georgetown, Texas; Danilo Levi, PhD of Southeastern Louisiana University, International Initiatives Office, Hammond, Louisiana; Carol Maria Penman of My Little Red House Bilingual School, Ocotepeque; and Ben Udy of Cofradia Bilingual School, Cofradia. The Healthcare panelists will include: Tom Brian, DDS of Send Hope, Allen, Texas and Elizabeth Madrid, MD of Clinica Médica Ruth Paz, San Pedro Sula. The Community
Building #2 panelists will include: Kim Walsh Stone of The Adelante
Foundation, La Ceiba; Yadira de Cruz of GreenWood/MaderaVerde, La
Ceiba; José Yeovany Munguia of Fundación Cosecha Sostenible
Honduras, San Pedro Sula; Sonnie Samuelson of St. Timothy Lutheran
Church, Bemus Point, New York; and Linda Johanna Stern of PROMESA,
Zamorano. The Missions panelists
will include: Gary Becks of Rescue Task Force, San Diego, California;
Richard Becton of Casa de Servicio International, Cleveland, Tennessee;
Jackie Makinson-Sanders of the Ruth Paz Foundation, San Pedro Sula;
and Andrea Jobe of RSF-EARTHSPEAK, Scott's Valley, California.
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Evangelists will Ask Maduro to Abolish "Gay Personality" The directives of the Honduran Evangelic Confraternity, lead by Oswaldo Canales, had an interview with the members of the National Congress and its president Porfirio Lobo Sosa, to explain their opposition to the juridical personality granted to the homosexual organizations. Canales clarified that the Legislative Power has no responsibility with that juridical acknowledgement; nonetheless, he argued that it is necessary that the members of that power of the State speak up, especially if it is an attempt against the family and its values. "The granting of a juridical personality to the homosexual organizations has a political cost to the members of the National Congress and that is why their opinion is necessary,: demanded Canales. The protestant leader précised that his last visit would be to Ricardo Maduro, president of the republic, to ask him to abolish the legal instrument that acknowledges the gay people as a constituted organization. On the contrary, he warned that the Honduran Evangelic Confraternity will go the Supreme Court of Justice to delete the juridical personality of the homosexuals. "We are not against homosexuals or their organizations, but against the authorities that granted the juridical personality because they are the ones who allow the rights of a lifestyle that damage the image of the family," he concluded. La Tribuna
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Monday, September 20, 2004 Online Edition 36 |
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A Catracho Party
to Honor our 183 Anniversary of Independence
By GLADYS ACOSTA Viva Honduras!!! Viva la Independencia!!! Viva la República!!! These were the words of Honduran civism and patriotism shouted out by all catrachos devoted to their motherland…our beloved Honduras. Inspired by the ideals of the French encyclopedists (John Jacob Rousseau being one of its greatest exponents), several Creoles or sons of Spaniards born in American lands, among them José Cecilio del Valle and Dionisio de Herrera, embraced the cause of independence of Central America declared on September 15, 1821 converting us into a free and independent republic.
183 years after, Hondurans are still celebrating our independence. Streets throughout all the country were filled with crowds of people cheering for the school bands and cheerleaders who marched in honor of the celebration of our independence anniversary. The patriotic event started early with the rising of the national flag in Cerro Juana Laínez and the seven fires of volley that made a call to join in the catracho party. Meanwhile, the representatives of the three powers of the state, headed by President Ricardo Maduro and his ministers, arrived early to the installations of the Central American Bank of Economic Integration to raise the National Pavilion and sing the National Anthem. These were joined by even the most humble Hondurans who, beneath the statue of Francisco Morazán, remembered great and glorious moments of the Honduran and Central American history. President Maduro was the one in charge of giving out the shout of independence: Viva la Independencia! Viva la República! Viva Honduras! He was responded immediately by all those who attended the civic act. Afterwards, seven salutes were detonated from Cerro Juana Laínez giving a head start to the independence party. Minutes after, the parade of the schools who congregated to salute the Nation started. Over ten thousand students marched with patriotic fervor demonstrating their love for their motherland, following the steps of the great men that, 183 years ago, with joy celebrated the nation's independence. With grace, hope, security and freedom, hundreds of students of over fifty schools left only one message: their love for Honduras, the blessed catracho land worth fighting for. One more anniversary of political emancipation and its most precious treasure was the Honduran youth who, adopting values of past heroes, ran the streets demonstrating that Honduras has a true National Identity. Congratulations Hondurans for loving our nation…..for being real CATRACHOS!!! The National Flag… Honduran Patriotism By GLADYS ACOSTA Two blue stripes bordering a white one with five blue stars in the middle. The Honduran National Flag has been representing our native soil since February 16, 1886. After 45 years of independence, Hondurans got a National Flag. During all this time, the flag that represented the Federal Confederate Republic was used. On account of decree No. 7, emitted by the National Congress of the Republic on February 16, 1886, our national flag was established. This had to be composed of three equal, horizontal bands; the top and bottom of turquoise blue and the middle one of color white, with five stars of the same turquoise blue in the middle. The National Flag is also described by the lyrics of the choir in the National Anthem: "Tu bandera es un lampo de cielo por un bloque de nieve cruzado, y se ven en su fondo sagrado cinco estrellas de pálido azul." The oath to the flag describes it as a symbol of unity, justice, liberty and peace which is why us Hondurans must promise to honor the land in which we live in and serve it and defend it. The National Flag is by excellence, the representation of the native Honduras and all Hondurans must respect and worship it according to a decree emitted by the National Congress of Honduras on January 18, 1949.
THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY MORE MONEY TO PARLACEN The government decided not to include the Lps. 30 million assigned to PARLACEN (Central American Parliament) in the Republican General Budget of Incomes and Outcomes of next year, until that institution is reformed or abolished. President Ricardo Maduro announced this yesterday, at a press conference, on which he proposed the National Congress assigns the members of parliament to any law fusion necessary at a Central American level. "That means there will be no additional cost for Honduras, and we would save up the entire amount assigned to PARLACEN", he indicated. "I'm not against Central American integration; on the contrary, I have been one of the standard bearers of integration". I want to send this message to developed countries that support integration: European Union, United States of America, telling them that President Maduro and the Hondurans will be at vanguard of the Central American integration", he declared. Congressional
Support Maduro recognized a complex situation coming our way, because there are elected people for Parliament and his decision must be accompanied by a series of legal reforms, for which he asked for support from National Congress. "I encounter budget problems every day, I need funds for the Supreme Board of Elections , for education, medicines, for more teachers, more policemen; so, to me it's unnecessary that an institution that has not produced any concrete result for Hondurans during so many years, continues receiving resources from the State", he emphasized. The State Mandatory, whom, when his period on the government concludes, has a curdle on the PARLACEN, quit to this prerogative. "I already made the decision of not taking that post, even though it existed at that time, because I think of it as inconsequential, unnecessary, and improper to obtain $4,000.00 or more on an institution that doesn't produce any results", he pointed out. Effective Coordination At work for integration done at a presidential level and secretaries of state, Maduro said they will continue working "very compromised on this issue". In the meantime, if there isn't a legislative Central American body that produces concrete results, "I as President will not support the spending of a single cent on them, and furthermore, I restate that in the budget I will remit to National Congress during the next ten days, there will be no assignations for the Central American Parliament", he recapitulated. La Tribuna THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY MORE MONEY TO PARLACEN The government decided not to include the Lps. 30 million assigned to PARLACEN (Central American Parliament) in the Republican General Budget of Incomes and Outcomes of next year, until that institution is reformed or abolished. President Ricardo Maduro announced this yesterday, at a press conference, on which he proposed the National Congress assigns the members of parliament to any law fusion necessary at a Central American level. "That means there will be no additional cost for Honduras, and we would save up the entire amount assigned to PARLACEN", he indicated. "I'm not against Central American integration; on the contrary, I have been one of the standard bearers of integration". I want to send this message to developed countries that support integration: European Union, United States of America, telling them that President Maduro and the Hondurans will be at vanguard of the Central American integration", he declared. Congressional
Support "I encounter budget problems every day, I need funds for the Supreme Board of Elections , for education, medicines, for more teachers, more policemen; so, to me it's unnecessary that an institution that has not produced any concrete result for Hondurans during so many years, continues receiving resources from the State", he emphasized. The State Mandatory, whom, when his period on the government concludes, has a curdle on the PARLACEN, quit to this prerogative. "I already made the decision of not taking that post, even though it existed at that time, because I think of it as inconsequential, unnecessary, and improper to obtain $4,000.00 or more on an institution that doesn't produce any results", he pointed out. Effective Coordination At work for integration done at a presidential level and secretaries of state, Maduro said they will continue working "very compromised on this issue". In the meantime,
if there isn't a legislative Central American body that produces concrete
results, "I as President will not support the spending of a single
cent on them, and furthermore, I restate that in the budget I will
remit to National Congress during the next ten days, there will be
no assignations for the Central American Parliament", he recapitulated.
La Tribuna
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Tegucigalpa:
12th September
By JAMES STEVENSON
Olympia should have made it two nill when Luciano broke forward from a ... pass to go one on one with the keeper. His shit however was poorly timed and Valladares was relieved to watch it go harmlessly out past his left post for a goal kick. The half time break did little to improve the tempo of the game as both sets of players returned to the pitch in the same laclustre frame of mind as they had ended the first half. Olympia seemed content to control the game, keep their lead and not push for a second goal to seal the tie. The Motagua players were willing to let them and rarely pursued an equaliser. After sixty fifth minute Olympia braught on two defensive players to replace two attack minded players. This secured Olympias allready tight defence and the Motagua forwards struggled to make a dent. The fustration was building in the fans and within the players too when Palacios and Garcia scuffled after a miss timed challange. Referree José Benigno Pineda had no hesitation in showing the red card to both players. While Palacops of Olympia didn't argue and left the pitch very quickly for an early bath. Garcia stayed on the pitch for a couple of minutes to argue against what was a very harsh decision by the referee. The game ended with Olympia winning by the single goal. It was a dissapointing derby tie, the undieing passion of both sets of fans deserved a much better reward With Olympia back at their rightful place at the top of the table, and their local rivals finding it hard to break past their defence, it is very difficult to see if any team will be able to topple Olympia from their position riding high at the top of the league.
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Monday, September 13, 2004 Online Edition 35 |
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Honduras vs Guatemala:
San Pedro Sulas "Water" Exciting Game of Football
With the match due to start and the rain pouring down, some very worried looking officials watched as firemen using large advertising boards tried desperately to scrape the water off the pitch at the Metro Olympic Stadium and give the fans some hope of seeing a game. Ten minutes before the match was due to kick off the rain eventually stopped and the the officials decided the pitch was good enough to play on, despite the fact that in places the ball would float rather than roll along the field. Guatemala coach Ramon Maradiaga could be forgiven for feeling slightly under the weather as the former coach of Honduras and as one of the Honduras team that made it to the 1982 world cup finals, this is his first match in Honduras against his former team. Guatemala were
the first to adapt to the slippery conditions as they splashed their
way into an early lead in the 18th minute from a corner. They continued
to rule the waves as Dwight Pezzanosi hit home from close range just
three minutes from half time sinking the home fans hopes even further.
After a half time team talk by coach Bora Milutinovic, Honduras quickly
found their sea legs and the back of the net when in the 51st minute
midfielder Guevara halfed the deficit. The tempo of the game increased
and Honduran spirits seemed to brighten with the weather. In the 63rd
minute David Suazo leveled the game at 2-2 which is where it stayed
giving both sides a share of the spoils. With Canada and Costa Rica making up the numbers at the bottom of the group. Honduras having drawn their last two games need a win from their next match against Canada on the 9th of October to confirm their position in the top two of the group and go through to the final stage of the North America, Central America and Carribean zone qualifiers for Germany 2006.
Canada Vs Honduras:
Edmondton Like a slow moving train this match didn't really become alive until the second half. Both teams seemed sluggish in the first twenty minutes. Despite poor passing and players seemingly reluctant to move with the ball, Honduras dominated the half thanks to their tight defense who closed down the few weak attacks that Canada produced. Honduras looked the more threatening having five attempts on goal with a couple hitting the side netting or pounding off the wood work. These occasional sparks of life brought hope of a good match to the few traveling Honduras fans who had made the long journey. The second half produced a far more exciting spectical. The half time team talks given by the respective managers seemed to energise both teams. The players woke up to the fact they were playing for the chance to go to Germany in 2006 and challange the worlds best players on the highest stage. In the energised second half both teams left it late in the game to find the back of the net, producing a dramatic finish to the game. Canadian defender Jason de Cos, who plays his club football for the English club Ipswich Town, headed the ball past the Honduran keeper Valladares, to seal what looked like a narrow win for the home side. However only six minutes later Honduras midfielder Guevara, fell in the Canadian penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot. Guevara duely slotted home the equaliser. Just as both sets of fans had resigned to an equal share of the points a last second scramble in front of the Honduran goal saw Olivier Occean sweep the ball over the goal line. Again the referee came to the rescue of the away side by disallowing the goal due to a foul committed in the build up.
EUROPEAN UNION WILL SUPPORT IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION CENTERS OF HONDURAS Comayagua. Representatives of the Secretary of Education got together with the teaching staff, administrative staff, and parents of Institute León Alvarado to inform them about a project of economical support from the European Union to 19 institutes of media education of the country. The project includes support from an institute of second learning for each department, with an exception from La Paz, where two schools were selected. The Graduate Ana Elena Cruz, from the Secretary of Education, explained that the program of support on media teaching on Honduras comes to strengthen education in Honduras towards what refers to techniques, education for work. The project has various components; one of them is formation and teaching capacitating where superior education institutions are going to be responsible for that education on hiring of services. Also, the project will support improvement of educative infrastructure, of installations so they can operate workshops under the best conditions and that teaching is the best as well, cleared up the functionary. "That's why
there's a technical commission integrated by architects and engineers,
who will make an evaluation of the institutions to value what every
institution needs". "Investments from the European community will de of 28 million euros and there still isn't a clear specification about how much goes to each institution, which will be according to each evaluation done by the technique commission", expressed Cruz when she pointed out that the program will have a duration of approximately five years. La Tribuna
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North OMP: By VANESSA MOYA The closure of the peace maintenance exercises of the Northern OMP was successfully celebrated in the convention hall of Hotel Honduras Maya. Approximately 400 representatives of 28 American countries participated in the event. The purpose of these exercises in Honduras was to train the armed forces in the improvement of the measures of peace cooperation in regional, national and multinational levels. The participants
also shared experiences with representatives of international organizations,
United Nations and military personnel from Central, North, and South
America and the Caribbean. Among the personalities that attended the event was the Federico Brevé Travieso, Secretary of Defence, the chief of the armed forces of Honduras, general of division Jose Isais Barahona Herrera, and Richard Mentemeyer, sub commander of the South Command of the United States.
Locked And Loaded In Roatan BY DON PEARLY A formidable group of citizens representing many of the local businesses, part-time and full time residents, members of the fishing industry, real estate companies, developers, property owners, local politicians, building contractors and material supply houses met today. Their main focus was to agree to do anything necessary to stop the newly proposed, super fast moving zoning laws. This proposed document was dubbed " The LEGISLATIVE LOCOMOTIVE" by the group, as it is believed to be going on a Fast Track to approval. This particular document has gone from zero to 98 percent "passed" without public consent, let alone public awareness. Until most recently there has been no written paper circulated outlining its contents, and the private sector and the people on the street are outraged. It was only through rumors it was even known to exist, and when the rumors pointed to a Presidential presentation with a signature to follow shortly, this group was quickly organized. Those in the know were told it was just a preliminary study and that everyone would have a chance to make their comments and suggestions concerning the final draft. Even people attending the meetings that formed this document were told it was just a preliminary exercise and were allowed to review only 25% of the contents as they were divided into four separate groups, and given only their part of the package to study. When the Ministry of Tourism was questioned they stated something like, this has already "passed," and with the exception of some small items concerning dredging and Mangrove protection, the rules are un-flexible at this time. The Ministry said they would not support any further discussion on the matters, and that was that. After repeated requests for a copy of the rumored document, one was passed down dated August 25th and not received until September 6th, four days prior to the supposed Presidential presentation. The document was in Spanish but was quickly translated into English just in time for this meeting. After hearing each and every word, it was agreed by the vast majority of attendees it was not properly designed, and would have an adverse effect on the entire economy of Roatan should it be put in place without serious modification. It dealt with, among many other things, increasing set back regulations, building above the 500-foot elevation, types of improvements that would be allowed in certain zones, which would drastically impact hundreds of properties already purchased, and severely slow down or even stop the purchase of other properties in the future. Some said it would adversely affect over 10,000 jobs should it become law. The group agreed unanimously there was indeed a need for zoning laws and more importantly enforcement of the laws in existence. Permits are given for one particular set of plans, and without periodic inspections and final inspections, some people are deviating from the original plan, and building other things. In other areas building goes on daily without any permit process and nothing is done to halt it. It was further agreed that given all of the circumstances and environmental issues, the set back laws in effect are perfectly adequate as they stand, if they are effectively enforced. Roatan's Mayoral candidate Mr. Julio Galindo stated it was not the hotels and tourist facilities causing the damage to the ecology, but rather the areas such as Coxen Hole, French Harbor, Las Fuertes and others that have on-going uncontrolled new construction projects underway daily, with no regard to codes, no water, no garbage removal, no sanitation, regard for density or the overall protection of the environment. He stated these are the areas most in need of attention and that they were not addressed in this proposed legislation. As the meeting came to an end, several phone calls came in, and several influential politicians assured the audience this "LOCOMOTIVE" would be slowed down. On Thursday the 9th, Mr. Ricardo Martinez, President of the CANATURH organization will arrive on Roatan for a meeting. This meeting will set the agenda for the newly formed alliance. Also announced was a visit from Minister Terrie P________ on Saturday morning also on Roatan. The big question everyone left with was, will the Minister arrive with a proposal under his arm, willing to discuss the issues, or will he arrive with a signed Presidential Decree, making it very difficult to modify.
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Monday, September 6, 2004 Online Edition 34 |
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For The Love Of The Game
By ARMANDO MARTINEZ Hondurans, as it might be said of other countries about their passion for their national pas-time, find themselves subdued by an overwhelming feeling every 4 years. This feeling is brought about by the FIFA World Cup Championship. Although our national team has not qualified for this competition in the last two decades, the passion, joy, enthusiasm and despair are lively felt in the air surrounding the team's matches. Everyone becomes a critic, an analyst and even a coach. Opinions pour in through the media; chants of support or condemning from the sports media as well as the common citizen are all but a heartbeat away. Coaches and players stand center stage to all the criticism, but in the end we all wish only the best for our team and support it 110%. This year, after a bumpy start and the resigning of Bora Milutinovic as head coach of our national team, we found ourselves plunged into what seemed the road to a certain and quick elimination. As the day of our match against Costa Rica's national team drew closer, very few Hondurans believed our team could avoid a catastrophic defeat, let alone achieve what seemed impossible, VICTORY! Nevertheless on that magical night one found that shopping malls, supermarkets, movie theaters and any other place without live feed from Costa Rica was deserted. As if, even though our logic sensed defeat our hearts thrived within us with a patriotic flame. As a reward, one might say, our team gave a display of soccer as very few times we have seen. Every player performed to his best and they achieved an overwhelming victory. The streets immediately crowded, chants and screams deafened those of us who where there and could be heard for almost a mile. Hearts pounded, throats knotted and tears filled the eyes every time a Honduran goal was replayed on screen. 90 minutes of agonizing pain and glory is all it took for the people to explode around a jubilee that starts now, on our road to Germany 2006. As the match against Canada comes nearer and nearer, we have once more been deemed worthy adversaries and our expectations grow with every second. When all things come to bear in a country plagued with a poor economy, social injustice and an increasing debt just to mention a few, Hondurans will find comfort 90 minutes at a time all For The Love Of The Game!!!!
16 Cases of Hemorrhagic Dengue Confirmed in Hospital Hemorrhagic dengue continues damaging the locals of Tegucigalpa and last weekend, six new cases were reported in Hospital Escuela. Three children and three adults attended the hospital between Friday, August 27 and Monday, August 30. During these last weeks, a significant amount of dengue cases, hemorrhagic and classic, have been reported in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. This situation keep the sanitary authorities on alarm. They have introduced fumigation operatives in barrios and residential neighborhoods with the purpose of decreasing the infestation levels. Merlin Fernández said that this situation demonstrates that the transmission of this disease is increasing and we do not think a yellow emergency alert will be declared, as was announced if the reported cases kept the same tendency it has been having the last few weeks. La Tribuna In 2004… "With social justice and peace there is no forced migration." This was the motto of the Week of the Migrant 2004 celebrated by the authorities of the Ministry of Exterior Relations and the National Forum for the Honduran Migrations. Francisco Martínez, director of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Exterior Relations, expressed that the celebration was made to make the Honduran society aware of the problematic of the migrants and their rights. "The majority of countries of the third world suffer migration problems due to the socioeconomic difficulties that we encounter," said Martínez. He said that the only way out of this problem was to improve the life levels of the citizens and create new jobs to expand the opportunities of those who look for a solution in foreign lands. "In Honduras, we have programs that combat poverty and communal development, but this is never enough and only one percent of those undocumented arrive successfully to the United States," he declared. According to reports of the Ministry of Exterior Relations, from January to June of 2004, 66 Hondurans have died, 74 have been wounded and 25 have been amputated in their effort to achieve the "American Dream." "We are prepared to develop measures with the United States to try to expand the Status of Temporary Protection. It is not an easy task, but I think the good relations between both countries can be favorable," declared Martínez. He also explained that, far from thinking about shutting down the consulates, the opening of new offices in Mexico and the United States is being considered. "We have limitations over the staff and resources, a consulate was opened in Veracruz and another one in Tamaulipas, border of the US and Mexico, is being considered especially in Nuevo Laredo." Patriotic Month is Inaugurated Carlos Avila, minister of Education, announced the inauguration of the activities of the patriotic month with a ceremony in honor of the National Flag. The event was celebrated in Plaza La Merced with two particularities: it was not celebrated in Central Park, because it is being remodeled, and President Ricardo Maduro was not present because he was out of the country to participate in the "toma de posesion" of the new president of Panama, Martin Torrijos. The national flag was raised and afterwards turned in to each secretary of state, symbolizing a new year for the flag.
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First Educational Scientific and Cultural Fair in Guinope
High in the mountains of the beautiful Guinope Municipality, in the department of El Paraiso, life is peaceful and quiet. Not much happens in this secluded but gorgeous area of the Honduran rural landscape. Yet last week the atmosphere in town was vibrant, as the Juan Raudales Portillo School opened its doors to children from eighteen schools from this picturesque part of Honduras. The occasion, the very first Educational fair ever celebrated in Guinope, an event full of activities that delighted and motivated the little ones, their parents and the teachers who attended. It was a fresh and sunny morning, when the assistants began to arrive, ready to compete in the different educational, creative and cultural activities. The event was organized and coordinated by the Guinope Municipal Office, the Model Program for Strengthening Basic Education from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the directors´ council from the schools of the Municipality. One of the goals of the project was to raise the self esteem of teachers, students and parents, discovering the talents and abilities of the students through contests on the different subjects of the studies plan. There were math, drawing, painting, poetry and short story contests. There were also exhibitions and raffles of Japanese folk art, the exhibition of two Japanese movies and a main talk about Japan given by officials from the Japanese Embassy, who traveled to Guinope for the occasion. The organizers included Zoila Herrera, counterpart for the Japanese volunteers working in Guinope, Masumi Kawase, volunteer coordinator in Guinope and Junko Funaki, volunteer coordinator from Oropoli, a neighboring municipality, as well as Japanese volunteers, many f them wearing the Yukata, a summer version of the well known Kimono, giving the environment a distinctly Japanese air. Omar Calderón, Departmental Educational Secretary from El Paraiso, summarized the gratitude from the communities expressing that "I know our Japanese friends do this with much love towards our country, and this feeling is thanked with the smiles of the boys and girls from Guinope". Sent by Alejandra Paredes, Public Relations Representative, JICA-HONDURAS.
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Over
ten thousand students marched with patriotic fervor demonstrating
their love for their motherland
Bless
the Catracho land!!!
In
a match where the players would have been better equipped with flippers
and life jackets rather than football boots and shirts, both teams
played an energetic game of football despite the conditions.
The
H-Team...our pride and joy!!
