HONDURAS THIS WEEK, SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2007

YOUR CENTRAL AMERICAN WEEKLY REVIEW

SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2007

VOL. 20, No. 15 (935) Tegucigalpa www.hondurasthisweek.com Lps 6.00

Honduras’ ‘drought corridor’ creating malnutrition this summer

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GENERIC continued on page 3Alex Jones/Honduras This Week

Generic drugs such as these flu medicines are used in public hospitals in Honduras.

Alex JonesHonduras This Week

Narcotics in Honduras are too expensive for many, including the government. As a result the state cannot fulfill its constitutional duty to Honduran citizens to provide enough free or adequate healthcare. In an attempt to approach this problem and decrease the cost of drugs, some companies make generic copies of patented original molecules. As they don’t have to fund research, they are able to sell at lower prices. generic drugs thus play an absolutely crucial role in Honduran health. “Currently the government buys mostly generics for the public hospitals, because by doing so they can afford to buy significantly more drugs,” says Dr. Jacobo Andonie, technical director at Andifar Laboratories, a manufacturer of generic drugs. Similarly, “at a private pharmacy the difference between a patented and generic drug might be the difference between L.1000 and L.100.” With 60% of the popula-tion living below the poverty line, this may mean the differ-ence between life and death in the case of an easily treatable disease. However the generics trade is riddled with complications ranging from quality control right through to corruption.

You can’t make generics of original drugs unless they have run out off their patent or your company buys patent rights, “in theory,” says Andonie, “but the world is not working that way. There are two big players in the east – China and India – and as soon as a new US or European drug comes out they have their chemists study the molecule and make the raw material.” This may take up to a year, but sometimes takes less than three months. “This raw material is then avail-able to the manufacturer who has the guts to make the drug.”

“The big companies don’t turn a blind eye towards generic companies when they break the patent laws, but for them it is

Generic drugs providing second-rate solution to Honduran health

Good insurance coverage vital for mission groups

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Honduran Emerald and Harpy Eagle attracting international birders

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Saturday, April 21 , 2007 HONDURAS THIS WEEK2

O P I N I O NYOUR CENTRAL AMERICAN WEEKLY REVIEW

L E T T E R S

Letters to the Editor PolicyAll letters should be no more than 300 words in length, and should include the writer’s name, address and phone number. We will not publish street address, e-mail address or phone number unless specifically requested. All letters become property of Honduras This Week and are subject to editing for length, content, grammar, punctuation, etc. You can send us letters to the editor via email: [email protected] or mail your letter to:

Honduras This WeekPO Box 1312 Tegucigalpa, Honduras

April 22 is designated as Earth Day to commemorate the relation-ship between humans and the envi-ronment on the Blue Planet. The United States Senator gaylord Nelson designated the holiday to create consciousness to protect the Earth.

The Earth Declaration says: “Earth is our home and that of every living being. Earth itself is alive. We are part of a universe in evolution; we are members of a community of inter-dependent life with a magnificent diver-sity of life forms and cultures. We should feel humble in front of the Earth’s beauty and share a rever-ence for life and the sources of our being.”

Honduras is no different. The country has suffered dramatic changes in geography, from a green to a beige colored land. Drought is taking over, and water is disappearing from the rivers, but the main problem is the raise in tempera-ture, for example in Tegucigalpa, the average yearly temperature has gone up.

Ecologists use this day of celebration to evaluate the prob-lems of air, water and ground contamination, and the destruction

of ecosystems. The solutions they suggest include recycling manu-factured materials, preserving natural resources like energy and petroleum, and forbidding the use of chemicals that harm and destroy fundamental habitats, like rain forest, and protecting of animals in danger of extinction.

The Bible book of genesis says that according Jeremiah it

will be lonely and empty again if we treat the planet Earth in a criminal way. Hondurans have much to learn from our Lencan past. They asked for the permission of the spirits of the forest to cut a tree, living with the concept that all of the live species and natural resources

are interconnected. We know that some Pre-Colombian ethnicities had similar cosmologies - that the human does not have the right to rule the land but to obey it.

Humanity has violated natural codes; it has jumped through barriers and started pull the strings that were supporting the structure of perfect design. Planet Earth is our heritage. Simply preserving a forest or saving a white rhino makes the difference.

Earth Day celebration in Honduras

Founding Editor 1949-2006Mario Gutiérrez Minera

Publisher/General ManagerMario Gutiérrez Pacheco [email protected]

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Subscriptions & Maya Calendar EditorRosibel Pacheco de Gutié[email protected]

OfficeAngela Molina

Managing Editor

Alvaro Morales Molina

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Staff and Contributors

Anette Emanuelsson, James Bodden, Alex

Jones, Bruce Starr, Louise Wallace

Bay Island Correspondant

Don Pearly

Copan Correspondant

Howard Rosenzwieg

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All original articles and photographs published in Honduras This Week are protected by interna-tional copyright law. Reproduction, in whole or in part, without prior written permission,

is strictly prohibited.Col Payaqui Frente al Instituto San Miguel #7 Casa 3644 P.O. Box 1323, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Telephones (504) 239-3654, 239-0285 - Fax (504) 232-2300 [email protected] by Talleres de Impresión de PUBLYNSA, Honduras

Honduras This Week is planning to add a new section to the newspaper and is therefore asking its readers what kind of section you would like to see. It could be sports, humor, society, history or anything else you find interesting. Please send your suggestions and comments to Andrea gutierrez at [email protected]

Dear Readers and Subscribers

Dear Editor,

This note came into my posses-sion several months ago. I was wondering if anyone on your staff or a reader of Honduras This Week might know what it is. I have asked many people about it, but I have learned nothing.

Thank you for your assistance,

Jesse W. JamisonCopan [email protected]

The country has suffered dramatic changes in geogra-phy, from a green to a beige colored land.

Saturday, April 21, 2007HONDURAS THIS WEEKYOUR CENTRAL AMERICAN WEEKLY REVIEW 3

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such a small market that some times to fight it is not really worth it. The (Honduran) pharmaceutical market is between $110 and $130 million per year. But then you have so many drugs in that market. To fight that little bit of it doesn’t really make sense. If you were in Mexico I am sure they would fight it, they have 90 million people there. In Brazil they fight it for sure.”

The down side of being a small company in a small market, however, is that you hold very little power in the international arena, especially compared with the major research based pharmaceuticals. It is thought that these big phar-maceuticals use their strength to suggest international regulations in such a way that makes it hard to produce cheap equivalents of what they do. A lot of the time it appears that these pressures are exerted in the form of new standards, proce-dures and laws demanded through the World Health Organization (WHO). “For example, since 2000, WHO – through each government in Central America – has required that every manufacturer complies with the good Manufacturing Practice (gMP).” This is a series of criteria that regulate the quality of the equipment and methods used

to make the drugs. “It is a great tool, and it definitely helps us to improve our service, but I am sure a lot of the smaller generic compa-nies went bankrupt over it.”

Similarly, “you can no longer use published data to register new molecules…but that is exactly what you have to do if you are a generic company. The US doesn’t want us to use their data. They want us to do our own clinical trial. That both raises our cost and delays our launch into the market.”

Many standards are put into place and advised upon, but are incompatible with a need to produce affordable drugs. For this reason, in Honduras, generics often fall short of qualities desired in the developed world, and are not neces-sarily the same quality as the orig-inal drug. “In developed countries a generic has to be bioequivalent with the original. In Honduras this topic of bioequivalence is gaining force, but it is still not the same.” For two things to be bioequivalent means that they act the same in a test tube. It is an analysis that should be carried out with tablets to test the rate at which they dissolve, for example, or quantity of medicine that will end up in the right place after being filtered through the liver. Syrups and

vaccines however don’t need to be tested for bioequivalence.

The status of bioavailability is generally considered to be the same, but, because of its high price, less practiced even than bioequiva-lence in developing countries. Bioavailability signifies the extent to which two medicines act the same in humans, and so needs live human testing. “However bioavail-ability and bioequivalence are hard and expensive to do so the industry has focused on gMP instead.” For this reason, according to Andonie, you will here stories of drugs which didn’t have the full affect, or had to be taken in double doses etc... “Once you comply with the gMP, if you have the time and the money, you comply with bioequivalence. Then you are providing a 95% similar drug. Once you have done that you may do bioavailability, and that is perfect, but then you are way off the charts…nobody would be able to afford your prod-ucts…the whole point of generics in Honduras is to have low prices.”

After all this, “generics do provide a better option, particu-larly for poor countries,” but “in a fairer world these companies (research based pharmaceuticals) should offer a different price for poorer nations.”

GENERIC: Drugs in Honduras not bioequivalent with the original con’t from page 3

Saturday, April 21 , 2007 HONDURAS THIS WEEK YOUR CENTRAL AMERICAN WEEKLY REVIEW

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Louise WallaceHonduras This Week

The failure of crops this summer in south western Honduras would be classified by the United Nations World Food Program as a ‘silent emergency’. It is unlikely that the disaster will attract international attention; nor will it irreparably damage Honduras’ agricultural industry. The area is unimportant – though it has strengths in coffee, its basic grain production is dwarfed by the agricultural power belt that runs through Comayagua, Olancho and Colón. However, for the communities affected, the collapse of this food source is insup-portable. Shortages will hit families already categorized as chronically malnourished. It is among these communities that the emergency will take lives: victims of Honduras’ food problem.

It is estimated that 30% of Honduras’ children are malnour-ished – a greater percentage than in either Nicaragua or El Salvador. Malnutrition is a key contributor to the country’s 25.21/1000 child mortality rate. The condition is severe, particularly in children, causing stunted growth and mental development, deficiency diseases such as scurvy and death. It is a problem common to almost every third world country, augmented by the paradox of necessity – the need to have many children to ensure the family’s survival, yet the inability to feed such large family numbers.

Honduras is an agricultural nation. Though its dry, imposing mountains and mere 9.3% of arable land may distinguish it from Eden, 34% of its population is employed in the industry. Bananas, shrimp, coffee and palm oil are all key agricultural exports. Maize and beans, which form the basis of the Honduran diet, are produced in sufficient quantities to feed its population. “There isn’t a problem

with a shortage of food,” Jaime Vallaure, representative of the World Food Program in Honduras, explained. The problem is one of distribution.

The list of affected provinces in south western Honduras is unsur-prising: Intibucá, Lempira, Valle, La Paz, the north of Choluteca and the south of Francisco Morazan and El Paraiso. They are Honduras’ least developed areas, many of them fitting into what Vallaure defines as the ‘drought corridor’. They are areas that are shown what Rodrigo Castillo Aguilar of the Liberal Party classifies as an “attitude of indifference” by

the government, as quoted in El Heraldo. They are areas plagued by poor education and poverty - the two basic ingredients for malnutri-tion.

“The World Food Program only works in countries that are not equal,” Vallaure continued. “It is this inequality that is the root of the problem.” Palm oil is given as an example. “One of the most important food substances needed to treat a child with malnutrition is vegetable oil. Honduras produces this in great amounts. Yet those who own the palm oil in Honduras are not those that are suffering malnutrition. Almost all Honduras’

palm oil is exported to the US.” Honduran families do not have economic access to the right food at the right time. The problem is such that the World Food Program in Honduras is forced to import palm oil from Canada.

The second factor, poor educa-tion, is equally frustrating. “Mothers don’t know what or how to feed their children. They have no idea about diet, quantities or frequencies. Perhaps worse, mothers who cannot provide for their children are pressurized into buying fast food. While on one side we have children dying because they aren’t receiving the right nutrients, on the other we have a growing rate of child obesity,” Vallaure lamented.

Though already the World Food Program is working to consolidate two main projects, the challenges it faces are inexorable. The first project, a program of school nutri-tion, in which food is distributed free of charge at state schools, has had great success, yet is limited by lack of donations and financial support. The second, a program that aims to enter communities in order to identify, educate and treat malnourished pregnant mothers and children has been astonishingly difficult to set up. Whereas for the school project the basic system of infrastructure – the schools - is already available, in estab-lishing the mothers and babies program the lack of community health centers forces World Food Program representatives and the NgOs with which they work to move from community to commu-nity, building trust and treating individual cases. Of the alleged 300,000 cases of chronic malnutri-tion in Honduras, the World Food Program is currently able to help only 5,000.

So too is the Honduran govern-ment entirely unequipped to deal with the situation. Malnutrition is

not considered the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and very few funds are available for the treatment of malnourished children and the bulk of recovery work is undertaken by NgOs. Valluare also points to the Honduran constitu-tion which allows political parties to entirely replace civil servant staff every election, ensuring a rotation of representatives that interrupts and damages the construction of any clear, effective anti-malnutri-tion policy.

However, the World Food Program has also had success. In response to critics who point to the distorting effect on local economies of food aid, it has devel-oped two programs - one which provides food in return for partici-pation in community projects, the other that provides food in return for participation training. In the case of the former, family members receive food in return for helping to complete a project in their communities that will help them grow their own food in the future, whether a well, an irriga-tion system or a wind wall. In the case of the latter, family members receive food in return for attending a training program, whether nutri-tional or vocational. The onus is very much on sustainability. Also, the recent development of nutri-tional policies in Honduras and in Central America as a whole, built on partnerships between these governments and the World Food Program, mean that Vallaure hopes to see malnutrition eradicated in Honduras by 2020.

“Everything I do here; every time I yell; every time I meet someone; every time I fundraise, I do it because I desperately want to leave this country,” Valluare said. “Because leaving this country will mean that there is no malnutrition and that every child in Honduras has the opportunity to grow, to be healthy and to live his or her life.”

Honduras’ ‘drought corridor’ creating malnutrition this summer

Louise Wallace/Honduras This Week Honduran child suffering from malnutrition.


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James W. BoddenSpecial to Honduras This Week

After a landmine has been trig-gered the subsequent detonation causes a harsh shockwave that propagates a projectile-like assault of soil, debris, and shrapnel.

Director of the Office for Humanitarian Action of the Organization of American States, William McDonough, announced this week his commitment to, “Deal with the Honduran complaints” about the existence of anti-personal landmines throughout its border with Nicaragua.

Tegucigalpa had submitted seven protestations to the Pan-American body, all of them remained pending and unresolved. Mr. McDonough has vowed to change his office’s oversight over the issue and has offered to give the complaints their due attention in collaboration with Honduran authorities and the International Community. The Director added that he would, “Support Honduras’ efforts to attend to the survivors of mines…”

The majority of areas satu-rated by landmines are positioned in the vicinity of the localities of Aniwas and San Andres, in the Honduran departments of Olancho and El Paraiso. The Humanitarian Action Office claims that many of these rural border communities are reported to live just five miles from the mined territory. Honduras cleared its mines back in 2004.

These anti-personal mines and other buried active bombs and mortars are spread out throughout the terrain. According to the inter-national campaign group to ban landmines, the Landmine Monitor, Nicaragua has unreliable records about the mines present around its borders. Managua has reported that 27, 318 mines remain to be cleared, but they readily admit that only 14,052 landmines were in their military records, 13,266 were completely unaccounted for.

The landmine Monitor accuses

the Nicaraguan government of being “contaminated with a substantial amount of UXO [unexploded ordnances (bombs, mines)]. According to government military records the number of mines emplaced in the country in the 1980s, mainly by the Sandinista Popular Army (Ejército Popular Sandinista), amounted to 135,643. In addition, mined areas not regis-tered in military records continue to be discovered as a result both of information provided by the public and of the occurrence of incidents in areas not previously suspected to be mine-affected.”

In Managua the mine issue does not appear to be on the media’s radar; it is energy that seems to be taking hold of the headlines. Daniel Ortega’s government and its close ties with the Venezuelan Hugo Chavez administration have paid off with the activation of an estimated forty-eight electric power plants donated by the South American regime. It is thought that the donation to Nicaragua will generate a total of sixty mega-volts, which will cover half of the country’s energy deficit. A further thirty-two electric plants from Venezuela are expected to arrive later this year.

But now the Ortega govern-ment will have to explain to the Fiscal attorney’s Bureau (Fiscalia de Cuentas) the manner of the arrival and the conditions of the agreement that lead to the dona-tion of the Venezuelan electric power plants. In addition the Vice-president of the general Accounting Comptroller Office, Lino Hernandez, stated to the press that his organization had decided by unanimity to ask the Ortega government for a full trans-parent report on the issue. He fears that the administration has acted with an undue amount of discre-tion, even after various interests demanded more information on how the power plants arrived into Nicaragua. The Vice-president is expecting a full report from the

Ministry of Energy and Mines before deciding whether to audit the government.

It has been disseminated by local Nicaraguan press that each megawatt generated by these power plants per hour will be sold for the price of $150. In comparison, the former president Enrique Bolaños, had favored the importa-tion of electric power plants that would produce energy at the price of $120.

Ortega officially named, chris-

tened the power plants like his energy benefactor, “Hugo Chavez”. The Venezuelan president’s continual initiative of petrol-carbon-diplomacy has achieved strong ties with Nicaragua, which has become a strong satellite state for Venezuelan influence in Central-America. The bonds will only tighten as the Bolivarian Republic of Chavez plans to build a 1.9 billion dollar refinery, with a capacity to process 150,000 barrels of crude petroleum daily.

The current state of affairs between Honduras and Nicaragua is surprisingly cordial when taking into account the many disputes that have sprung throughout this year and are as of yet unresolved. A maritime border dispute in The Hague, rows over military arma-ments, the concern over active land mines, and Managua’s alliance with the Chavez administration do not seem to have significantly hampered regional cooperation or commerce.

Honduras and Nicaragua debate of landmines and energy

Saturday, April 21 , 2007 HONDURAS THIS WEEK YOUR CENTRAL AMERICAN WEEKLY REVIEW6

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Anette EmanuelssonHonduras This Week

Travel insurance, medivac insur-ance and registration at the United States Embassy in Honduras are three essentials for organiza-tions bringing mission groups to Honduras. That was agreed at a meeting organized by the consular section of the Embassy as a direct result of the tragic car accident in February this year where three missionaries from georgia were killed, to discuss how mission orga-nizers can prepare for their next group.

Naomi Walcott from the embassy emphasized the need to inform mission group participants about the medical situation in Honduras. “Since there is no 911, you need a plan for any medical situation,” she said. The embassy recommends that organizers visit the medical clinics in the area they operate personally to become familiar with the facilities and get

to know the medical personnel. Especially those with pre-existing conditions should be aware that there are a limited number of ER-physicians in the country. “If someone has a stroke, you should already have a plan. Who do we call, how do we pay?”

In other words, equally impor-tant is knowing how to pay for medical treatment. Private hospi-tals rarely accept insurance but patients have to pay upfront for treatment or leave a guarantee of payment.

A representative from the georgia-based Honduras Outreach, the organization involved in the recent accident in Olancho, was present at the meeting. “We had the insurance, we had the money to pay, but we didn’t realize that we had to pay up front. Our insurance company didn’t pay up front. It is paying now, put the persons that were injured had to pay for the treatment first,” she said.

The embassy personnel empha-

sized the necessity of making sure that all travelers have inter-national medical and evacuation insurance, preferable a company with local offices. Although the embassy couldn’t recommend any specific companies, participants in the meeting were free to do so. “I highly, highly recommend Adam’s and Associates Insurance,” said a representative from World Baptist Missions, an organization that was involved in a serious car accident two years ago. “It costs about 2.75 dollars per day and visitor and that includes medivac. When we had our accident, they were here about 14 hours later with the airplane and had we not had our insurance, some of those injured people wouldn’t have been here today.”

Next on the agenda was crime and security. Apart from the standard recommendations of not displaying jewelry, not resisting a robbery and walking confidently, Jill Foster from the embassy also recommended those living in Honduras to be “systematically unsystematic” by changing their daily routine from time to time to throw off anyone observing them.

A participant at the meeting told the audience of his organiza-tion’s policy of not letting mission groups wear matching t-shirts. “It identifies them as a group with a lot of money.” Another participant spoke against changing large sums money at the airport or on the street, since travelers’ then display their cash.

Foster also stressed the impor-tance of road safety. Not everyone at the meeting was aware that third party liability insurance is required by Honduran law. If you are in a car accident, don’t move the car, call Transito (the Honduran traffic police) and your insurance company. “You should never accept

a direct personnel agreement with anyone regarding the accident.”

given the high accident rates on Honduran roads, seatbelt is a must. The very common Honduran prac-tice of transporting large groups of people in the back of a pickup truck can have fatal consequences. After serious accidents, both Honduras Outreach and World Baptist Mission testified that they have abandoned their previous practice of transporting people in the back of pickup trucks. Now they are in the process of buying vans instead.

It is also recommended to have Hondurans drive since they are familiar with local traffic rules and practices.

Todd Miyahira from the embassy spoke of which the powers of the consular section are. Their main tasks are providing infor-mation about Honduras and the current situation in the country,

providing legal and health infor-mation and replace or update passports. During emergencies, the section can help contact family members and insurance compa-nies, assist in finding medical care and visit U.S. citizens that are receiving hospital care or that have been detained. In an emergency, the embassy can facilitate money transfers from the U.S. Only in rare cases – matters of life or death – can the embassy loan money to a sick or injured U.S. citizen to cover treatment or transportation costs. “But we have to ask the State Department which takes time so you shouldn’t count on that,” said Consul general Ian Brownlee.

It was also emphasized that the embassy cannot act as a financial or legal representation. Although they can visit persons in jail, they cannot get anyone out of jail or pressure anyone to do so.

Good insurance coverage vital for mission groups

Courtesy of the United States Embassy Todd Miyahira, Naomi Walcott, Ian Brownlee and Jill Foster from the embassy’s consular section.


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Marco Caceresprojecthonduras.com

When I visited Copan Ruinas for the first time in March 2003, I knew that that town would be a perfect location for the 4th Conference on Honduras (http://www.projecthonduras.com/ confer-ence). Little did I know then that the town would become the “home” of the Conference. The 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th

Conferences on Honduras have been successfully held in Copan Ruinas, and now we are in the midst of planning the 8th one... again in Copan Ruinas.

given that the Copan area is one of the homes of the ancient Maya, I thought it extremely appropriate that Copan Ruinas be designated as the home of projec-thonduras.com’s “unconventional movement” to change Honduras for the better... and perhaps fuel the revival of another Mayan “golden Age”.

While technically our move-ment’s true home is cyberspace, it is Copan Ruinas where the people of our network gather annually to meet face to face and catch up with each other and compare notes on the work they are doing to help empower the people of

Honduras. It is in Copan Ruinas where we become re-energized and re-inspired to continue. As I’ve written before, I see our annual visit to Copan Ruinas as a kind of “pilgrimage”.

As my family and I have devel-oped an affection for Copan Ruinas and close personal ties with many Copanecos, my view of the rela-tionship between the town and projecthonduras.com/Conference on Honduras has evolved. While I initially saw Copan Ruinas as just a “place” to stage the conference for a few days, and then leave, I now see it as a dynamic relation-ship that must grow and thus be nurtured. We are helping each other, and judging by several meetings that I had with business leaders in town... there is a mutual interest to continue and expand this process.

I have come to the full realiza-tion that “what is good for Copan Ruinas is probably good for our movement”, and thus ultimately for Honduras. The town is our spiritual home base in Honduras. Thus, I encourage everyone who has a chance to visit the town to do so, even if it’s only for a day or two... at the beginning or at the end of a mission trip. If you need information on things to do and

places to stay or eat, e-mail me at [email protected] or pay a visit to our physical home base in Copan Ruinas... Casa de Todo (http://www.casadeto do.com). See also http://copanruinas. blogspot.com, http://www.copanruinas.com and http://www.copanhonduras.org.

During the next few months, as I provide updates on planning for the Conference on Honduras 2007, I will also include information on news from and activities in Copan Ruinas. This should help give you a feel for the beauty, diversity, and special energy of the town and its people. In turn, this may convince that you need to join us in this year’s pilgrimage.

One of the defining features of Copan Ruinas is the nearby ruins of the Maya civilization. These alone are worth a visit to the area. There will soon be an international archeological congress in town. The 3rd International Copan Congress (http://www.copancongress.com) will be held on June 14-16, 2007. The Congress seeks to continue unlocking the secrets of Honduras area’s great past. The Conference on Honduras intends to help plot the course to unlock the formula to the country’s great future.

Fueling the next Mayan golden age


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Alex JonesHonduras This Week

“It is the way they sing, like a flute, so melodious it is just to die for. The calming effect it has on you. Those colors, they look like little pieces of rainbow floating through the air. And they are diurnal as well.” And that is, according to Pilar Thorne, a member of the biology depart-ment at the National Autonomous University of Honduras, what people see in birds. With 100 national parks, protected areas ranging from rainforest to cloud forest, tropical climate, no extreme weather (other than the odd hurricane), many insects, fruits and flowers all year round and a large land mass considering there are only 7.2 million people, the Honduran territory is perfect for birds. Thus, it is understand-able that 8 percent of the world’s species of bird inhabit somewhere in Honduras at some point in the year, indeed there is one species unique to Honduras in the entire world.

“More and more people are coming to Honduras to see our birds,” said Thorne, “ever since ‘Birding in Honduras’ was written by a couple of peace corp volun-teers.” With much more internal tourism, new compulsory envi-ronmental education in Honduran universities and the emergence of the Honduran Emerald (the species that has chosen Honduras as its sole home), Hondurans are also becoming aware of the rare gift they have of some of the most beautiful birds in the world.

The Honduran Emerald is a small dark blue thing with a huge beak. It is renowned for being incredibly protective of its fruit bush, maybe with reason considering it is pretty much only found in Olancho, the wild west of Honduras. Particularly avid birders, who are proud to call themselves ‘life listers’, come on birding exhibitions just to see this one endemic article and tick

it off their list. These ‘life listers’ are usually on a mission to see every bird on the continent, which amounts to about 3,000. Thorne laughed when describing people who didn’t even stay a night in the country. They would ring her up, arrange a meeting in the apt place, meet see and go…off to guatemala to catch a quetzal.

Honduras also boasts the Harpy Eagle. This is the biggest eagle in the world, with a wing span of up to seven meters. “It has feet as big as a hand, and can pick up a monkey and break his back,” Thorne said. These beasts can be found mainly in La Mosquitia, where there is still enough prey to feed on. The more eagles and hawks you have is a sign of how healthy your ecosystem is. So their presence in La Mosquitia is a good testament of the area’s jungle wealth.

However, like all these stories, there is a gloomy twist. The bird haven is diminishing as the country develops. Even development around the industry of bird tourism is hindering the quality of their habitats. For example, imminent and massive developments around the “supposedly protected areas” of Tela and the Swan Islands reveal a “tendency to modify the laws when there is an economic advantage.” A hotel on the Swan Islands will

bring in a little money at the start, but, claims Thorne, it will eventu-ally damage the very reason people want to go there in the first place, leaving an empty hotel. “Of the 700 plus species of bird in Honduras, around 200 are migratory, and most use the Swan Islands. Now Mel Zelaya is pushing to forget that it is a protected area.”

“It is like what happened on the Bay Islands. Roatan’s coral is pretty mush dead because of the chemicals being pumped out into the sea. Utila barley has any trees left, other than on Pumpkin Hill. But at least there is still guanaja. guanaja has all these lovely waterfalls, reptiles, lizards only found there in the world. You can just be for hours without seeing a soul. It is fine if they take Roatan and Utila, so long as they leave guanaja alone.”

The 100 national protected parks are also in need of a little more care, according to Thorne. “Most are only paper parks; they have no government infrastruc-ture like paths or tourist centers.” There are also high levels of illegal hunting, deforestation and burning in these protected areas, according to Thorne. In particular deer, tapers, the great currasow, wild cats and hawks are, apparently, being poached. “There doesn’t appear to be money to put people in the woods. They tried with the army, but people weren’t fond of that. Then it was down to the families…and that just leads to nepotism. There is a saying here in Honduras; hoy por mi, mañana por ti. The families were watching each others’ backs instead of making sure others followed the rules.”

But, in amongst a little pessi-mism, it remains true that in a whole day of birding it is possible to see anywhere between 50 and 100 species of bird. Around Lake Yojoa alone there are 80 species, and there is one tree in particular where it is possible to find 30 different species of bird over the course of one day.

Honduran Emerald and Harpy Eagle attracting international birders

Archive/Honduras This Week The Harpy Eagle is the biggest eagle in the world, with a wing span of up to seven feet.

Archive/Honduras This Week The Honduran Emerald is endemic to Honduras and normally found in areas around Olancho.


N A T I O N A L

José Adalid gutiérrezSpecial for Honduras This Week

On April 15, 2007 the mathe-matical world celebrated the 300th anniversary of the birth of one of the greatest mathematicians. The event was also celebrated at the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) on April 20.

The history of mathematics during the modern period is unlike that of antiquity or the medieval world in at least one respect: No national group remained the leader for any prolonged period. In ancient times, greece stood head and shoulders over all other peoples in mathematical achieve-ment. During much of the Middle Ages, the level of mathematics in the Arabic world was higher than elsewhere. From the Renaissance to the eighteenth century the center of mathematical activity had shifted repeatedly from germany to Italy to France to Holland to England. Had religious persecution not driven the Bernouilli family from Antwerp, Belgium might have had its turn; but the family

immigrated to Basel, Switzerland, and as a result Switzerland was the birthplace of many of the leading figures in the mathematics of the early eighteenth century. But the most significant mathematician to come from this country during that time or any time was Leonhard Euler (1707 – 1783), who was born in Basel. That town recently was the site of many events, for example, a public celebration with guests from the countries where Euler lived and taught an interdis-

ciplinary lecture course on Euler’s life and works, and international symposium on the significance of Euler’s research for modern math-ematics, and several other events, including some aimed at high school students and at the general public.

From 1729 to 1783 Euler had been busy adding to knowledge in virtually every branch o pare and applied mathematics, from the most elementary to the most advanced. Moreover, in most respect Euler wrote in the language and notation we use today, for no other individual was so largely responsible for the form of college level mathematics today as was Euler, the most successful notation builder of all times; in fact, as an example, the three symbols: e, π and i for which Euler was in large measure responsible, can be combined with the most important integers, 0 and 1 in the celebrated equality:

eπi + 1 = 0, which contains the five most significant numbers, as well as the most important relation and the most important operations.

Leonhard Euler’s birth celebrated at the UNAH

Courtesy of José Adalid Gutiérrez Mathematician Leonhard Euler was born 300 years ago.


N A T I O N A L

Louise WallaceHonduras This Week

“Nice to see you” Santos Espinal Montoya laughed. It is a simple phrase, which would not seem out of the ordinary in most situations. Yet Santos is blind. It is a joke that epitomizes his character. Though he is modest, his colleagues are aware of his qualities - his relentless opti-mism, talent with people and the openness and honesty with which he treats his impairment. It is because of these skills that Santos has achieved what some considered impossible – he has become the first blind television presenter in Honduras’ history.

“I want to spread the message that nothing is impossible” Santos said, when asked about his career in journalism. As producer and presenter of channel 13’s popular ‘Delia y tu’ show, his job places him directly in the public eye. “A real problem for blind people in Honduras is fear – fear amongst employers of taking on employees with this kind of disability and fear amongst blind people of involving themselves in the community and striving for everything that they can achieve.” As presenter, he proves by example what a person can accomplish, regardless of disability. He aims to give confi-dence both to employers and the blind community.

Since childhood, Santos has

always been ambitious. Though his siblings didn’t continue their education past sixth grade, Santos’ love for learning and desire for self improvement drove him through secondary school and to complete a university education. Though his social aptitudes have always enabled him to fit into his surround-ings, he encountered many difficul-ties throughout his education. Aged ten, he had to move away from his family and home town of Orocuina, Choluteca, in order to receive a specialist education. “At first I couldn’t stop crying” he said. He has had to struggle due to lack of resources, such as texts in Braille, and fight teachers at the university whose attempts to give him notes were rebuffed by Santos’ desire to earn his own education.

Throughout Santos’ life he has stayed true to his message. Not only has his role in television been a breakthrough for the blind commu-nity, Santos was also the first blind museum guide in Honduras’ history. “There was something nice about a blind person leading a group of people who can see” Santos remarked. The statement has more truth than he realizes – as president and founder of the Honduran National Union of Blind People, he has done much to lead and educate the seeing community in understanding the impairment.

Sharing information is evidently of great importance in Santos’ life.

As composer and musician, he is equally keen to spread the word of god and has had opportunity to do so in the United States. His CD, called ‘Light Between the Shadows’, bears reference to his inability to see, highlighting his desire to present both parts of his life together. He is keen to thank god for allowing him to achieve

everything he has in his life and to utilize both in giving people hope, with his own story, and with the words of the Bible.

When asked what he wants to achieve in the future, Santos declared: “I want more!” Yet he did so with a laugh. He is grateful for what he has – for his wife and five children with whom he is very

close; for his career and for his talents. However, he intends to make the most of his life. “I would like to involve myself in the inter-national media.” Everything for Santos is an opportunity to share. “From there I would be able to pass on my message of hope to more people.”

Santos Espinal Montoya: “I want to spread the message that nothing is impossible”

Louise Wallace/Honduras This Week Santos: first ever blind TV presenter and museum guide.


T O U R I S M

As the village of Copan Ruinas continues to grow and expand, the town is beginning to push out from its physical borders, stretching out from what has traditionally been the town limits. The town is expanding primarily to the North, South and West, taking advantage of the fact that lands near to town on those three sides are for the most part unused and undeveloped private property.

The reasons for the push to expand the physical limits of the town are multiple. First off, the village of Copan has little available in the way of undeveloped parcels of land which can be developed. There are small lots here and there which are available for purchase from private owners, but there are not many of them. In recent years, there has been somewhat of a mini-boom in residential and commercial construction in the village, which has placed even more pressure on the limited supply of undeveloped private land in town. It is getting to the point where private landowners are now building in areas of town that were never considered apt for construction previously such as

steep hillsides and areas of town with difficult access. But because the population of Copan is growing exponentially and there has been a huge influx in recent years of remittances, which are funds sent back to Honduras by family members who for the most part are working illegally in the US, there are available resources for people in town to renovate existing housing and build new residential and commercial structures. Due to scarcity of undeveloped land and the lack of housing stock for sale, prices have skyrocketed in recent years. Speculation has also fueled the prices being asked for, as residents seek to sell undeveloped property and housing for as much as they think they can get, with the prices often being rather exorbi-tant and not based on the realities of the market.

As well in recent years there has been a marked trend of outside buyers, both foreign and Honduran who have purchased properties in and around Copan. Although this segment of the real estate market in Copan is still just a trickle, it will play an ever more important

role in the future as additional non Copanecos buy real estate in and around the village. Obviously, the entry in the market of such outside buyers tends to fuel the trend of rising real estate prices, as outsiders tend to be charged a premium and are often willing to pay a higher price for real estate than locals would be willing to pay.

The areas around the town have been an area of special concern as the boundaries of town are pushed ever further. As the town grows outwards, infrastructure or the lack there of, becomes an important issue as big ticket infrastructure such as water, sewer, electricity and road access become important considerations.

The urban planning component also comes into play as an impor-tant factor to be considered. As the town grows, a wide range of urban planning issues will manifest them-selves; everything from the lack of open areas for children to play, to the lack of basic infrastructure, to security issues, traffic, parking, education, to its effect on the important tourism sector in Copan. The effects of development on the all important tourism sector cannot be stressed enough. If Copan is to retain its small town, charming, countryside, village ambiance, then steps must be taken to insure that development in and around Copan takes place in an organized,

orderly and planned manner. If not, Copan will be speeding down that long lonesome highway towards unplanned, haphazard growth which will at the end of the day potentially kill the goose that laid the golden egg.

As Easter ‘07 is now just a hot, humid memory, Copan hunkers down for its annual low n’slow season which lasts from mid April till the start of the summer tourist season sometime in June/July. As the dog days of early spring hit big

time, daytime temperatures often top at a toasty 100F in the shade of the midday sun and humidity levels reach the intolerable point. The sky also turns a musty, hazy shade of yellow as the burning of fields near and far adds a large quantity of smoke into the air. As the rains begin sometime in May, however, temperatures will moderate, the hills will turn green again and Copan will take on a more temperate attitude more appro-priate to springtime.


RECOWe shall start with the RECO report because it is the most asked

about topic on Roatan. On the West End, we have experienced almost perfect continuity with a very few exceptions. Almost everyone we speak with has lost some small appliance or especially computer equipment such as UPSs the continuous power supplies with surge protection. When you drive by RECO you see smoke coming out of the main building chimneys as well as a couple of portable generator units. So far so good so all you retirees and investors that are concerned, fear not, RECO is on the mend.

For those paying their bill at the RECO office, surprise, yet another inconvenience. No personal or business checks accepted. Cash or certified checks only.

NEW RADIO SERVICEOur own landmark Roatan Bruce is about to announce something

fabulous. It has to do with a powerful radio station with strong island coverage. There will soon be no place you can hide from the velvet voice of Bruce. He has many special announcements we will be bringing you as soon as they are firmed up, but in the meantime get those commercials on paper and be one of the first new sponsors, as radio is a great advertising tool for our little community. HTW might well be the first new sponsor shortly, stay tuned.

POLICE BLOTTERHappy to report nothing major to report.The investigation continues on the incident at a popular restaurant/

hotel on the island but no announcements were available from the police department.

The bottom line to the Semana Santa week is extremely good. The concentrated efforts of all of the police and other service organizations paid off and we had a safe and sane Holy Week.

This brings to mind an article in last week’s edition of HTW regarding the restraints the President was trying to put on the press. The article states that both Liberal and National Congressmen rejected the idea of legislating controls on the media.

One of the main issues that President Zelaya took with the news-papers in particular was their publishing of gruesome crime scenes or captures on the front page of their periodicals. It has been a long standing policy of this newspaper not to publish that type of sensationalism, but keep in mind it is entirely our choice and not due to legislation or pres-sure from central government. We believe whole-heartedly in freedom of the press and applaud the congressmen’s stand.

QUICK FOOD REVIEWBuried between two other businesses in West End there is a long and

thin restaurant. It is called Le Bistro and it features Taiwanese cuisine. With only a few tables and plenty of service the eatery will amaze and satisfy you.

Start with the sampler appetizer platter and try all the sauces. Tempura shrimp, fish, chicken, spring rolls and crispy wan-ton make up one approach.

Blau Blau, or something similar, is a tasty pot of unknown ingredients that are brought to your table in flames. A big bird nest cradling delica-cies such as shrimp and chicken and beef and fish is available and a long list of other treats.

Desert our night was flan with banana ice cream. A great way to end a terrific meal.

T O U R I S M

Little League Baseball comes to Roatan

On Tuesday April 17th, a group of islanders and foreigners met to discuss how they could use their talents, contacts, skills and abilities to finally organize the first island wide Roatan Little League Baseball for 8 to 12 year olds.

I was a baseball fan from as far back as I can remember. My dad took me to Yankee games at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. What made it even more special was that my dad worked for Rupert Knickerbocker Beer, the sponsor at the time of the New York Yankees. That meant that not only did we get to go to games, but we sat right on top of the Yankee dugout. I don’t usually like to date myself, but I was very privileged to watch Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Whitey Ford and many others playing ball in the prime of their baseball careers.

When I came of age to be in the little league, I jumped at the chance. The area I grew up until I turned nine years old did not have fields or leagues, so played in a parking lot with black gravel. Little League was a wonderful experience for me. Being compara-tively small up until my senior year in high school, I remember how disappointed I was to usually not be chosen to play in the more competitive league. The way I remember showing them they made a mistake was by being picked as an all-star in the league I played in.

Little League gave me the first and only chance to play orga-

nized, competitive baseball against friends from school. I liked every-thing about it, especially being a part of a team, learning from coaches and wearing a uniform even with the name “Centuck Kosher Meat Market” on it one year.

Even though I wasn’t overly talented or skilled at any one sport, I did play many sports from ice hockey to football and basket-ball. This is the way I remember spending each and everyday after school. Sports kept me off the streets and out of trouble when I was growing up.

When living just outside the Boston area for several years, I used to stop and watch the little league kids play on my way home. One afternoon, I saw a kid strug-gling while trying to hit the ball. Since the answer to his problem was obvious to me, I asked the coach if I could take the child aside to coach him for a few minutes. As it usually is with kids, with just a little direction, the next time the child was up to bat, he blasted the ball. After I did this a few more times with different kids, the manager asked me to be his coach. I said sure!

I went on to coach three years. We usually did very well each year, usually with a group of three or four girls on the team instead of the standard one. The girls were open to learning and usually became the best or most improved players. That was a lot of fun and very rewarding.

I talked with several people over the years on Roatan such as Luey Mcglothlin, Stephen

Wesley, Clive Ebanks and others about what it would take to get organized sports going on the island. It all came together when I very recently visited the Sandy Bay Orphanage administered by Brad Warren. When he showed me a room filled to the top with boxes and suitcases full of donated uniforms, bats, balls, cleats, hats for eight teams and 120 kids, I could not believe my eyes.

Brad next showed me an incredible baseball field that with a few days of work, any child would be proud to play on. With the assembly of responsible and community minded men to be coaches, more pieces of the puzzle came into place. With my ability to eventually broadcast the games on radio and television, the final factors where there to meet the needs of any child that wanted to play organized baseball. The very last necessity was for very talented kids to travel and play other areas and be noticed on an international level. This was now possible. Could a talented Roatan team someday play in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania?

Little League try-outs will be in May. The first games will take place during a short season starting in June. It will be a very exciting time for Roatan and The Bay Islands.

Bruce Starr is the host of The Roatan Bruce Show now heard on 106.5 FM weekdays from 10 am to 1 pm across the Bay Islands and Northern Honduras. He will soon be heard on Heat 101.1 FM, a new all English station playing classic hits 24 hours a day starting in May. Please visit his website at roatanbruce.com or contact him at [email protected] with your comments and suggestions.


B U S I N E S S

IADB and government meeting over purchases

Representatives of the Interamerican Development Bank and the state of Honduras have met in order to refine a proposed system of acquisition for governmental material needs. The system is designed to save money and time, which can then be utilized by needy projects such as the Strategy for the Elimination of Poverty. The proposal will ensure greater transparency in the governmental purchase of goods. El Heraldo

European Union to donate 840 million dollars

It was announced on Tuesday that the European Union will donate 840 million dollars to Central America between 2007 and 2013. Of this money, 214 million euros will be destined for Nicaragua in order to ´strengthen democ-racy and apply the rule of law.´ 34 million dol-lars are destined for Costa Rica, 121 million for El Salvador, 135 million for Guatemala and 38 million for Panama. Honduras will receive 223 million euros, while 75 million will be donated

to promote regional cooperation. El Heraldo

ENEE recovers 168 million

The National Energy and Electricity Company has recuperated an approximate 168 million lempiras worth of debt. The money was saved due to ´Operation Tijera´ which was put into effect two months ago. Despite this advance, the state reports an additional 2000 million lempiras of debt, most of which is concentrated in the residential sector and the government. El Heraldo

Approval of Consumer Protection Law demanded

Authorities in the Secretary of Industry and Commerce have demanded from the National Congress the approval of the new Consumer Protection Law. The law is designed to give consumers greater protection and to encour-age competition in the Honduran economy. “We hope that National Congress will have a permanent commission for the protection of the consumer” Fredys Cerrato, vice minister of National Business. El Heraldo

BUSINESSWEEK IN REVIEW

Saturday, April 21 , 2007 HONDURAS THIS WEEK YOUR CENTRAL AMERICAN WEEKLY REVIEW

CASA DEL VIAJEROLOMAS DEL GUIJARRO AND LA HACIENDARooms with A/C, TV, Internet Wi-Fi, Laundry, Breakfast, Free Shuttle and Parking.Daily, weekly and monthly rates available.Tel. 263-0418 / Cel. 99902-2706

[email protected]

Copan ApartmentsTegucigalpa

The Best Completely furnished apts. in Tegucigalpa. Full service: daily maid, swimming pool, laundry/ironing, hot water, telephone(direct, private lines) T.V. cable, microwave, A.C.,V.C.R.(video), fax, barbecue area, garden, individual garages, security. 1,2,3 bedroom /2 bathrooms, studio room (optional), free internet, a country house for week-ends at Zamorano Valley(4 manzanas of land), fruit trees, walking roads, 45 minutes from Tegucigalpa Col. Palmira, Las Acacias St. 2 blocks west from the former United Nations Bldg. Tegucigalpa MDC Tel (504) 238-1751, FAX:(504) 238-3752

Apartment For RentFor an executive located in Col. Florencia del Norte, private security, garage. Hot water, telephone line, furnished or unfur-nished. Electricity, water and private security included in price. Price $350.00/month.

Office For RentLocated in Florencia del Norte, private security, area: 50 mts. 2, bathroom, tele-phone line, parking space, Price $350.00

If you are interested please contact:Mr. Ochoa Phones: (504) 3358-5432,

232-4594, or e-mail: [email protected]

Guest Rooms & Apartments

For both short and extended stays at affordable prices. All of our rooms incluide air conditioning, wireless internet, cable television, direct dial-telephones, daily maid service. Large family room and full service kitchen 24-7 security. Please see our website to fully appreciate our establishment at www.humuyainn.com American owned and managed. Information

(504) 239-8962, 235-7276, 239-2206, 235-7275 Fax: 239-5099 or

[email protected]

San Pedro Sula For RentTwo bedrooms , clean, secure, convenient location. Lps. 3,500. Contact: 984-3217 or send mail to : Chieko Cano, P.O.Box 5, Siguatepeque, Honduras.

For SaleCopan Ruinas, Property for Sale, apprx 2 acres, one of few large properties available within village boundaries, view of village and valley, mature trees, water, elect, tele-phone access, street access, located on road to Macaw Mtn Tropical Bird Park, 5 minutes to center of village,

[email protected] [email protected]

R E N T A L SCentral AmericaSPANISH SCHOOL

A SCHOOL WITH UNIQUE TEACHING TECHNIQUES!

OUR PROGRAMS:* Intensive Spanish Language program in:

* La Ceiba * Utila Bay Island * Roatan Bay Island

* Eco-Spanish, Biological and Scientific Program

* In Cayos Cochinos marine protected area.

* Ecological Intensive Spanish Language Program

* In the National Park Pico Bonito.* Mayan and Beach Intensive Language Program

* Available in La Ceiba, Utila and Copan Ruinas.

* Transfer Credits available from US Universities. Call: 440-1707E-mail: [email protected]

www.ca-spanish.com

Alcoholics Anonymous RoatanFor meeting schedules and times,

call 445-1334, 9967-0934, 9991-3215.

Wash & WetChat while you do your laundryOpen from Monday through Friday , from 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Saturdays trough Sunday, from 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., We are located in Col. Palmira 1era calle, Ave. Panama.

Phone:265-2037. Come and visit us!!

General Contractor AvailableFlorida Certified General Contractor recently relocated to Tegucigalpa. Over thirty years of experience in commer-cial, institutional, industrial (heavy), underground, marine and high end residential construction. Expertise in administrative and field management. Also available to oversee and inspect the construction of your new office or home.

Call Mike at 504-230-7207, or e-mail: [email protected]

Searching for the best profiles? Searching

for the best job?

Don´t search for more, just visit: SM COMPANY, Honduras and Latin America,www.smcompany.net, www.honduem-pleos.com, [email protected]

We guarantee the best.Ph. (504)221-0874, 553-3386

Bellas Properties• Lake Yojoa, 100 acres, canal with access to the Lake, plane. Price$8,000 per acre.• Property near the Lake and Peñas Blancas, 123 acres to grow coffee, cacao and others. Price: $1,600 per acre.• I front of Lake Yojoa, spectacular view, 940 mts2. Price $250,000/350 mts. $8,000.• TELA 175 acres , with 6500 feet of Caribbean beach front. Price: $17,000 per acre.• ZAMBRANO, terrains from 1,500 mts2, natural environment, private, stoned, water, electricity, 30 minutes from the city. $7.00 per mt2.• CHOLOMA near San Pedro Sula and Puerto Cortes, beautiful property, water, perfect for Agro projects. 350 acres. Price $8,500 per acre.

GUANAJA, 190 acres, beach front.More information and photos

Phone: (504) 9990-7183E-mail: [email protected]

F O R S A L E

For SaleSiguatepeque, Spring like all year, two places on 2+ acres each, both with a large house and small house for employee, fruit trees. water, electric, all weather road just off major hwy. short distances from town. $65,000 each If interested contact:

[email protected]

For Rent

Main Street, Colonia Palmira, #2036 ½ block from United Nations Building and La Salsa Restaurant :

• Perfect for Office with more than 10 Units

• Meeting/Board Room • Air Conditioning

• Electric Generator • Available Computer Network

• 3 Phone Lines • Water Cistern • Lush Gardens

• Social/Break room Areas • 4 Car Garage

• 3 ½ Restrooms

Information: Tel. 232-6263,

Sr. Enrique Moncada

Apartment For RentGood Location in Col. La Reforma, close to the US Embassy. Apartment has two bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living room, din-ing room, kitchen, storage room, service bedroom (bathroom included), interior patio, telephone line Price: $375.00 If you are interested please contact:

[email protected] call Tel: (504) 236-5526 at night.

14

O T H E R S

Bar and Restaurant for SaleFor sale by not being able to care of. Restaurant now open for public, well loca-tion near the Valle de Angeles Park. If you are interested please contact us!!

Tel: (504)766-2124 and out of the area(718) 4922338. Price: $10,500.

Help Wanted Experience license real estate agent, call dreams of paradise real estate and devel-opment. You can contact us at: (504) 445-4331

or (504) 445-4332or e-mail: [email protected], ask for

Jeff Kukene.

American man learning to speak Spanish is seeking Spanish*speaking Hondureñas to correspond with by mail. I’m 45; I’m an artist, musician and lover of mountains and trees. Please send me a letter and I will write back soon. Jeff Hacking W.S.R. No. 9971742, P.O.Box 777, Monroe, WA 98272 USA________________________

Hombre Americano aprendiendo a hablar español, en busca de Hondureñas para intercambiar correspondencia. Tengo 45 años de edad, soy un artista, músico y me encantan as montañas y árboles. Por favor envíame una carta y les escribiré rápidamente. Mi dirección es: Jeff Hacking W.S.R. No. 9971742, P.O.Box 777, Monroe WA, 98272 USA.

In Search of Bilingual Teachers

Teachers needed for Math, Science and English courses, for elementary and high school. School is located in a small town, 3 hours from Tegucigalpa, Good Salary.

Teachers interested please contact us to: [email protected] or call:

(504) 9883-1932.

For Rent2 bedroom apartment (semi-furnished) located at Fort Saphery Hotel and Restaurant in West End-Roatan. Complex is located on the beach and is available on April 15, 2007 for occupancy. Price: $650.00 per month (water and light included) Call Olin at Phones: (504) 445-4213, 445-

0256, for additional information.

FOR SALELots from $20-$30 thousand dollars. Beach front, located in the tourist community of Balfate, 40 minutes from La Ceiba.• 1 lot of 3000 meters in Rio María,with country house, 20 meters from the beach. Price: $60,000.00• 2 lots in Rio María, for $35,000.00 each one, 20 meters from the beach. • 2 acres, three beachfront houses in La Ceiba, Price: $165,000.00 • Beachfront house in El Porvenir, 10 min. from la Ceiba, price $75,000.00, furnished.• 1 lot of 66 feet, beachfront x 180 feet long, price $160,000.00. Located in El Porvenir, 10 min. from La Ceiba.• Property of 25 meters, beachfront x 50 meters long, house of three bedrooms in La Encenada, Tela. Price $135,000.00.• 51 acres in Rio Maria beautiful view of the ocean, price: $120,000.00 • 57 acres in Armenia, at the back of El Goloson Airport. Mahogany cultivated oranges, lichas and many fruit tress. Price: $125,000.00• 79 acres in Sambo Creek, spectacular view of the beach, natural swimming pools, light, water and house. Price: $280,000.00• Callo, located in Dixon Cove, between Coxen Hole and French Harbor Roatan, Bay Islands, with an extension of 12 acres.• 3 acres with access to the beach in Calabash Bigth, Roatan, Bay Islands. Price $50,000 each acre.• 20 acres of beachfront in Crawfish Rock, Roatan, Bay Islands. Price $60,000.00 per acre.• Lots in El Porvenir, beachfront. Big Properties of beach or mountain in Tela, La Ceiba, Balfate, Colon, Trujillo. and properties for palm growing..

Contact us!!!!

[email protected](504) 9998-8497, José Vallecillo

For SaleTired of warm weather? Beautiful prop-erty for sale. 3 bedrm, livingrm/kitchen house in 1000 square feet. It has a creek and approximately 300 trees. 2 ½ Km from a nationally declared historic town of Ojojona. 34 Km from the capital, Tegucigalpa. [email protected], Central

America (504) 3380 1069 & 767 0810.

HELP WANTED: CONCIERGE/SALES AGENT for new home development at Pico Bonito Lodge, La Ceiba, Honduras. Must speak excellent English and have proven sales experience. Salary + commission. Please send resume to [email protected] and refer-ence Honduras Week Job AD please.

Beautiful House for Sale in the Best Town of TegucigalpaLocated in Col. Lomas del Guijarro, excellent location. Six bedrooms, studio, living room dining room, big kitchen, terrace, garage for four cars, one apartment with living room, kitchen, dining room, ceramic floors in the entire house, it has everything you want!!! Perfect for a bed and breakfast or any business. If you are interested contact me to:

[email protected] or andrea_gutierrez@hotmail.

com. Phone(504) 232-2300.

EXTRAORDINARY Land acquisition opportunity on the leeward side of the highly desirable eastern end of Roatan. ±70 acres of exceptional white sand beach and roll-ing hills with protected harbour. ±400 meters of waterfront. Idea for mixed-use resort, marina, condo-hotel and residential development. Principals only.

For more information please contact:

Daniel “DOC” O´[email protected]

U.S. Toll Free 1.888.417.2660In Honduras 504.236.9200 office 504.9946.5220 cell

Terrain Located in El Hatillo 2.3 Km. ahead of Pinares School, 5,000 V2, completely square and plain. Beautiful view of Tegucigalpa. US $12.00 V2, If you are interested please call us at:

Tel: (504) 3364-7047 or e-mail: [email protected]

S E R V I C E S

Apartment For RentBeautiful apartment located in Col. Ruben Dario, good location. 2 bedrooms with bathroom in each, service room with bath-room included, dining room, living room kitchen and more. Contact us! Phones (504)236-8539, for English (504) 9998-2088

HONDURAS THIS WEEK, SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2007

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Transcript of HONDURAS THIS WEEK, SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2007