--------Start of Trip Log---------
Wednesday September 16 , 2009
1:30PM Drove to Atlanta Holiday Inn. Rained from Montgomery to Opelika. In Holiday Inn by 3:30PM.
10:00PM Watched an interview of Micheletti in Honduras on Fox News. No new news. Actually, not a very good interview.
Thursday September 17, 2009
7:15AM At Airport. Actually, kiosk and baggage check-in was fairly organized, very unusual.
12:30PM In my room at Hotel General. Had lunch at the Italian restaurant. Walked around the corner, arranged for a rental car to be available tomorrow early afternoon.
Friday September 18, 2009
9:00AM World Bank in a meeting with Dr. Mossi. He asked two of his assistants to sit in with us:
· Lidia Fromm Cea, Human Development Operations Officer (liaison with PRAFF). Office 239-4551 ex 232.
· Eva M. Caballero, Junior Professional Associate-Operations (works with grant applications).
Dr. Mossi thanked me for taking the time to stop by and talk with them. He is a little surprised that we are still around considering all the negative developments (both national and international) and very surprised that we are not shrinking. He was clear that he sees us as survivors and wants us in on some projects once the dust settles after the November elections.
Right now, all World Bank Honduran projects are on hold (I think he is pleased that we will take the time to stop by even though they are on hold) and Dr. Mossi took a minute to explain the status so that there are no false expectations from our conversation.
Dr. Mossi and I took some time to fill the two assistants on what/where/why L4L does. During the course of this conversation I explained that Dr. Mossi got L4L into the office of PRAFF, and, as a result of a tour of our project, the Director of PRAFF communicated to the UN officials that L4L schools should stay on the food distribution list even during times of shortages. Dr. Mossi was clearly pleased that we recognize his behind-the-scene activities. I explained that the Director of PRAFF had been changed and I would appreciate another introduction. Actually, since the present Director will be gone in 4 months, none of them took the time to know who it is. Dr. Mossi turned to Ms. Cea and asked her to find out who the Director is and get me in to talk with him/her next week. We’ll see.
Dr. Mossi joked about the Kafe family’s lack of assistance with powdered milk but named three other family foundations he will contact: Alala Foundation, Hassar Foundation, and Ferema Foundation.
Dr. Mossi then explained the origin and funding of Poverty Reduction Funds. Like PRAFF, they collect taxes per World Bank directives for school infrastructure and they channel some money through NGO’s (Non-Government Organizations). Dr. Mossi wants L4L to participate in the program and asked Ms. Caballero to help us in that effort.
Dr. Mossi explained that there are several entities that channel grant money through World Bank (for example, Japan channels grant money through World Bank) and several of the money/project managers are NGO’s. He gave me an information flyer and instructed Ms. Caballero to work with us.Dr. Mossi wants me to put our long term “vision” of 6,000 elementary students, then add assistance for high school, then involve the Honduras Government/United Nations in a trade school in Valle District on paper so we can carry our end-game with us as we work through some of the above mentioned situations.
I explained that PRAFF cannot, by federal directive, expend management time on schools of 40 students or less (translated to small rural schools) and indicated that L4L would like to develop a management arrangement with PRAFF where L4L groups rural school into 1,200 student units and receives a management fee from PRAFF. This gives PRAFF large numbers of students per manager and it would provide financial assistance to L4L toward expansion. Dr. Mossi thinks this is an excellent idea and I believe his office will champion our cause once things settle down next year.I believe we are positioning ourselves for growth and involvement as the political climate quiets down during the first half of 2010. I believe that between Fernando, Jessica, Kristi, and me, we can make some of this work.Dr. Mossi has to remain apolitical but he hopes things stumble along till elections in November; he believes the country would see huge and destructive developments if Zalaya came back.
10:30AM I called Dr Avilar. He gave his apologies and asked if we could meet for lunch next Wednesday. He is in a fairly intense meeting with other financial/political types “discussing options to the coup”. This is the first time I have heard any Honduran refer to this as a “coup”; I believe I will get an earful of the other side of the issue next Wednesday! Remember, there are no good guys in Central American politics; only rich people with power and rich people who want power.
11:00AM Walked around the corner to get my rental car. It is a piece of junk! All tires were substantially more than 50% worn, none matched and the right rear was actually a smaller size. The owner said he would send someone to pick me up and take me to their lot where I could take my choice. A driver picked me up 20 minutes later and took way over into Comayaguela, an area where no sane Gringo would go. I was livid. When he met me I came right to the point that he had sent junk and then brought me to a place I shouldn’t be and that, regardless of the car rental outcome, he would get me back to a safe area. This is not a normal way to start business discussions in Honduras but I was not in a normal business situation. What a bunch of junk he had in his lot! It was not a pleasant 20 minutes for any of us. Long-story-short; I ended up with a low mileage car with good tires (well, not quite a short-story because I get agitated just thinking about it). At one point I found an acceptable vehicle and he said that would cost more. I told him to get me back to the Hotel General, now and I’ll make other arrangements. He allowed that he could give me a deal. Then he wanted my passport, license, credit card. I said the girl at the other office already copied everything and I’m not giving him the same information twice. Ended up with a car with 23,000 miles and decent tires. An employee used another car and guided me to the highway that goes south to Nacaomi. We were both glad to be rid of the other.
3:00PM In Hotel Real Vista Hermosa in Nacaomi. Taking notes and waiting on Fernando.
5:00PM Fernando and I went out for a beer and dinner in a small restaurant in el Centro.
7:30PM In the compound. End of day
Saturday September 19, 2009
8:00AM Meeting with Fernando and Juan Rosa to discuss collecting data about PRAFF food deliveries. Since Honduras does not have many non-profit groups that collect money to send overseas, Fernando is not familiar with what might be considered quirks in our IRS system. I spent considerable time explaining why L4L wants a lower percentage in the Overhead/Advertising area, how we ended up with a high number and how we can lower it through equating food deliveries by PRAFF/UN to a dollar value. Fernando is a licensed accountant; once we discussed the origin and results of the facets involved, Fernando understood what we must do.
I suggested that since we have:
· Monthly Principal’s Reports with a list of kids fed
· UN formula for deciding quantity of each item per child
We must simply go to vendors in the area and get the price they would have charged, had we purchased the item from them. I explained that it would be nice if someone other than us signed the various lists of costs. Fernando understood completely but told me that vendors will assume that Fernando is working an angle and will want something for the signature/list. They will believe that Fernando is working an angle from now on (something that they only suspect - and cannot benefit from - right now). Jose Rosa quoted an old Spanish proverb “small town, big hell” and agreed that Fernando is correct. I asked if it lifts the cloud if I go with Fernando. Both just smiled; it would simply appear that we are both in cahoots. We all recognized that this is a legitimate concern and we had to figure a way around it. Some more coffee and discussion; Mr. Rosa, our translator, runs his own business as an English instructor, translator, and business liaison. I suggested (but I think we were all coming to the same place) that Mr. Rosa contact food warehouses, explain that he is doing a survey for a client and wants some historical information from through beginning of ’08. Required signatures: I explained that it would be nice to have vendor signatures but we are not trying to hide anything. If necessary, we will move forward with Mr. Rosa’s signature; after all, if anyone wants to check, they will simply verify Mr. Rosa’s data. Mr. Rosa asked if he could get prices from Choluteca. I said he certainly could, in fact that might be a better idea than getting them right here in Nacaomi. We have purchased supplies from shops in Choluteca many times and would have gone there during normal business over the last 5 years.We will use a similar procedure to determine the value of kitchen assistance. I explained that I want to hand-carry the finished package back with me at the end of the week. The power is off in all of Valle District today. All of the foundation data is on Fernando’s home computer. He and Juan Rosa will start work on the project tomorrow (Sunday) so Juan can start his inquiries Monday. I anticipate this project may not go quite as smoothly as one would hope so I’ll stay close to it for a few days. Meeting ended at 10:30AM.
12:00PM Fernando and I went to San Lorenz for pan fried fish. Stopped to see a friend of Fernando’s who is back from the US for a 2 week vacation. Observation: So far, I have found nobody that thinks Zalaya’s return, at this point, is a good idea. One of the fears is that, even after the election, the US government won’t recognize the elected government. Even the rather liberal minded feel that, while the expulsion was handled poorly, it was probably necessary and his return would be disruptive. The country is paying a toll for going against the will of the US and everyone knows this but seems resigned to seeing this through. It seems that this expulsion has deeply divided the Liberal Party so Mr. Santos will probably lose his bid for President this time.
5:00PM In the compound. End of day.
Sunday September 20, 2009
Spent the morning taking notes, working on expense account, etc.
1:00PM Called Judith Bahamon, our US Navy connection to catch up on events. Her group continues to be on very stringent travel restrictions and she still cannot travel as far as Nacaomi on official (or unofficial) business. She will try to set up a meeting with her boss (whose name I didn’t get) during this coming week. Her concern is that she may be transferred (SOP) before project funds are released and she wants to be sure I have a personal connection with her boss. Am hoping she can set it up for Wednesday morning or afternoon, the day I will have lunch with Dr. Avila.
This is one of those days that drag on forever. Fernando has his family to attend to and there is simply nothing to do in the area on Sunday.
2:30PM Walked across the street to a little out-door bar for a beer. Drove to San Lorenz for pan fried fish.
7:00PM In the compound watching football (NY & Dallas, NY won in the last 4 seconds-most excitement I’ve had all day. End of day.
Monday September 21, 2009
7:30AM At Fernando’s house. One leftist Honduras radio station, one Nicaragua radio station and one Nicaragua TV station were declairing that Zalaya was in the country and would make an announcement at 2:00PM. All Honduras TV stations were showing and reporting complete calm. The interim president was shown on TV doing daily work as scheduled. Fernando had no explanation. It appeared that this was rabble raising with no bases. Fernando is working on numbers for food delivered in ’08.
12:00PM Just to give Fernando some breathing room, I went to Playa del Burro on Tiger Island for an early dinner. I inadvertently left my cell phone in the car.
4:00PM In the car driving to Nacaomi when Fernando called. It seems that he has been trying to catch up with me for two hours. Zalaya has returned and is in the Brazilian embassy.
5:00PM In the compound having a beer with Fernando and a friend of his.
Tuesday September 22, 2009
6:30AM Drove toward the Oases Motel to buy a ticket to Nicaragua, in an effort to get out of Honduras in case the borders are closed. Too late, the borders are closed.
Email:
To All,
First of all, I am perfectly safe!
I am not as far out of the loop as it may appear. Let me explain:
The day before Zalaya’s ouster I had talked to Fernando, Jorge, the Hotel Giuajerros owner, and US military officers. No one saw the ouster coming. Yesterday I worked with Fernando, talked with US military officers, and other connected locals. No one predicted that Zalaya would snow up in the Brazilian embassy and throw the country into turmoil. I guess my point is that I didn’t see this coming but neither did well informed and connected people.
At 4:00PM Fernando called to tell me all traffic into and out of Teguci had been suspended. At 6:00AM this morning I attempted to drive to the Oases Motel to catch a King Quality Autobus to Nicaragua so that, if the borders were closed, I would be closed out; not in. Too late; the borders are closed. I am back at the motel.
It is evident that this turmoil will continue until a month or two after the November elections. Turmoil is not the correct word; turmoil implies conflict. Except for those few in Tegucigalpa who want conflict, there is none. My personal safety is no more or less secure than it was yesterday. This turmoil simply means that free movement within the country and from/to the country is disrupted. This turmoil requires a little better sense of timing than one can reasonably expect to know intuitively (that’s why I’m stuck in Nacaomi right now).
I believe there will continue to be enough uncertainty that it is unreasonable to expect planned travel for school graduation trips to happen according to plan during this November.
My apologies to those of you who planned to come to Honduras in late November for school graduations, but I believe it is prudent to postpone these trips till early next year. Believe me, I want you to come and see what we are doing and the children/families want to show their appreciation, but now probably is not a good time.
Siempre su amigo,
Ron
PS There has to be a paperback novel in all of this someplace.
8:00AM At Fernando’s house. All are watching TV as events unfold. This concern is understandable; this is their country and it is getting poorer by the day. Fernando and I worked a little but rather inefficiently. I didn’t push the issue; we’ll work harder tomorrow.
10:30AN Called Judith Bahamos to cancel tomorrow’s meeting.
12:00PM In the compound trying to get on the internet with no success.
2:00PM Called Rosabel Rodrigas, Mrs. Santo’s private secretary. A very pleasant discussion. We both agree that the only positive outcome is to hold on till the November elections. We both promised to stay in touch.
6:00PM Drove across the street to a local open air bar owned by a friend of Fernando. He said the curfew is being strictly enforced, that he cannot sell anything and that I should get my car where I intend to leave it for the night because the police will arrest you and take your car. Came back to the compound.
6:00PM End of day.
Wednesday September 23, 2009
6:00AM Under the patio by the pool eating my usual morning bowl of oat germ (gruel). There are two small circular conference rooms with large windows. I can see CA-1 from where I sit and notice the absence of traffic so ask if the roads are open. They are not. One can only travel within one’s own community. Obviously the borders are closed also, though it wouldn’t matter since one cannot get to the border. TV news is very closely regulated but radio stations still say what they please. The problem is that they are so polarized and one-sided it’s hard to know who is closer to the truth. Anyway my Spanish is not good enough to follow a radio dialogue. Fernando will be here in an hour and I will know better the status of things.
A couple of notes:
· The local police operate all checkpoints (and there are many!) while army personnel stay to the side. Both police and army personnel are professional and calm. It is clear that they are working together. From street level, it is also clear that the army is strongly aligned with the present government. It is oddly interesting traveling around a country on lock-down when your sympathies are on the side of the seeming heavy handed authorities.
· It appears that Zalaya and Chavez knew they were losing the initiative and had to do something to recapture headlines. Don’t ever make the mistake of thinking either of them is crazy; crazy people don’t sneak into the embassy of arguably the most important Latino country.
· The other day I went to the bank to withdraw some spending cash (I wire personal money into an account in my name so I don’t have to carry much cash). There was a long line so I took a number and sat to wait. Each bank (and most other businesses) have an armed guard outside. The doors are locked and can only be opened by the guard inside. The outside guard carries a pistol. The inside guard carries what looks like a 16 gauge pump operated shotgun with a pistol grip (the preferred weapon of property guards). The door section of the bank has store-front windows. The inside guard controls the electric switch that locks/unlocks the door. I am watching people through the glass windows as they come and go. The outside guard screens people with a lack of enthusiasm. He halfheartedly waves his wand over most. As a diversion, he stops all the pretty girls and tells them to turn off their cell phones. When I come in, they simply open the door. There is a group of 12 square metal lockers, 4 high, like those you see in a gym. Each has a key that the user takes with them. I thought they were for show because ladies leave shopping bags on the window ledge and, after a casual wave of the wand, men carry their bags in with them. I noticed a man go over to the lockers, discretely slip what looked like a steel object (pistol?) into a locker, take the key and come in to do business. I started watching a little closer. Every now and then, a man would walk over to a locker, slip a pistol (dirty Harry size pistols) into a locker, take the key and come in. This discretion is like handing a waiter a tip; something you can see if you are watching but not waving it in front of people. Interestingly, most of the carriers are middle age to older men in the clothes of a not-so-prosperous farmer (soiled, ill-fitting kakis or genes, un-ironed long-sleeve shirt and well worn straw hat). The take away is: if you see a laborer/farmer toting a bag down a lonely country road, don’t try to take the bag.
3:00PM Zalaya is settled in at the Brazilian embassy (this really is a high stakes poker game with Honduras as only one of many chips). I am told by some friends in Teguci that, due to the curfews, there is scattered night time looting. Not efficient by US city standards but it lays another level of uncertainty on the situation. Also that each day certain roads are blocked by demonstrators but this is in the downtown area and more for TV cameras than to effectively block anything. Fernando is finishing our accounting project and we can’t schedule meetings, not knowing when to set a meeting for. I’ve called Enrique, my taxista, and arranged for him to meet me on the south side of Teguci and guide me to the Hotel General (the Guijerros is filled till the airport opens and the people can leave). I will turn the rental car in and stay in the Hotel General until the airport opens and I can fly out.
5:00PM Fernando stopped by. He has all the numbers together, he simply needs a few signatures that he will get in the morning. Had a few beers.
7:00PM End of day.
Thursday September 24, 2009
8:00AM Taking notes, checking out of room, etc.
9:00AM Fernando couldn’t put the final touches on his work because the power was off all night. It’s still off today. Since the motel has a generator, I lose sight of inefficiencies of long power outages. Fernando will finish when power comes on and fax us a copy then send the original with our monthly report.
10:00AM On my way to Teguci. to return rental car, then to the airport. All car rentals give you a car with almost no gas then give no allowance for extra gas when it’s returned. Last time I decided to put in just enough gas to get back with the amount or less than I started with. Dumb idea. About 35 miles south of Tegci was a mega-traffic jam, I was really low on fuel and there are no gas stations along this stretch of road. How much of a car do you think would be left if it is left along the road to go for gas? I made it to a gas station but it broke me of trying to get one up on rental companies. Back to this trip: The first two gas stations I stopped at were out of gas. This on-again-off-again lockdown is causing an uneven supply of essentials. Not knowing what was ahead, I filled the tank at the third station, knowing that I would be giving the rental company 2/3 of a tank for free.
11:30, I met Enrique at the Texaco station south of the golden circle (south loop). Enrique said we should not go to the Hotel General; there are some demonstrations in that plaza. I asked about the Guijjarros. Enrique says that is an easy run so off we go. Along the way we passed several places where tires had been put in the road and burned the day before. Clean-up crews were busy making everything look normal. At several places only the tell tale line of dark black circles in the road where a tires had burned remained. With a couple of u-turns to avoid whatever was stopping traffic, we ended up right in front of the Guijarros and they have rooms!
12:30PM Called the rental car people and told them that they would have to make arrangements to pick the car up. They said they would be here between 3:00 and 4:00 so I went to Ruby Tuesdays for Lunch.
3:15PM Molinari Rental Car personnel arriver. The paperwork is at the office; they had just come for the car. I explained that I need a receipt but understand the plaza at the Hotel General is closed due to demonstrations. The woman who brought the driver said the plaza is opened, she just came from there. She will take me to get a receipt and bring me back. I apologized for the bother but said we better get the receipt. We drove to the rental office from the back side of the Plaza and I got the paperwork.
3:45PM The driver drove through the plaza that is surrounded by three up-scale hotels, Leslie’s B&B, and 3 nice restaurants. The street level windows in all three had been broken out by rioters and the hotels are shut down and boarded up! The mischief had been so recent that many of the plywood sheets had not yet been fastened in place. It should be noted that one particular family owns all three hotels and they are closely aligned with the Santos campaign. I don’t think this location was randomly chosen. I’m glad I have my taxista, Enrique, to take care of me.
7:00PM Teguci is under curfew. End of day
Friday September 25, 2009
Sitting in the dinette area where there is good internet access and the owner comes by. She says that the airport was crowded with people who couldn’t get out for the last 4 days. She said they took Monday’s reservations first and worked forward so people holding reservations for Thursday were displaced by people from Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. Since planes have not been full for the last two months, I expect this backwater effect will subside by Saturday or Sunday.
Saturday September 26, 2009
8:00AM Breakfast in Giejarros kitchenette with military types. One said that Zalaya came into the country but other embassies wouldn’t accept him so he used a story about being threatened and the Brazilian embassy naively let him with his entourage in. I looked around with astonishment and asked “Is there anyone here so naive that you believe that crap?” I got a blank stare and a response that this is Brazil’s statement. All agree that the Michalette government should stay in place till after elections; Zalaya’s return to power under any arrangement would be a bad thing. One noted that the Obama administration concluded that the removal of Zalaya was not a coupe. Since this was not a coupe, than the Obama Administration sees this as an internal matter that will take care of itself. This is a huge departure from the direction the US was moving.
8:35AM My taxista is here to take me to the airport. We saw one group of about 30 people with red baseball caps and/or red shirts walking behind a banner taking up the right lane of a four lane road. A pretty unimpressive and unintimidating group. I’m guessing, teachers. But it’s early on a Saturday morning; what self respecting demonstrator is going to waste their Saturday morning in a parade?
9:00AM At the airport, there is already a really long line leading to the Delta ticket agents for the daily 12:15 flight. Am really glad I changed my ticket by phone last night. A runner not associated with the airport and who speaks no English asked me if I was traveling alone. I nodded in the affirmative and he told me to follow him. This reminds me of using runners to get in front of lines when crossing land borders but have not seen this in airports but I am so far back in the line and have my assigned seat so decide to follow along and see what happens. Over the last year, the airport has started using kiosks at the ticket counter with a ticket agent running each terminal. There is no way this traveling community will successfully navigate a kiosk unassisted. I was led to a kiosk with two terminals and a ticket agent at each terminal. My runner pushed through the throngs till we were at a terminal. The uniformed agent (all of whom speak fluent English) let me through the ribbon barrier and processed me in. My runner then forced our way to the baggage station where he pushed my bag on the scale in front of others; again, the Delta agent worked with my runner to get my bags handled. Of course I tipped my runner rather well (about $7 as I recall). I am guessing that Delta set up the two kiosks so that people traveling alone don’t have to wait for several religious groups of 15 to 25 traveling as a unit. Good idea, poor execution. But, hey, it works for me.
10:00AM Through security waiting for the flight.
5:00PM Working my way through the disjointed in-processing that is the Atlanta Airport. Since this was not my first time, the process was not quite so tedious for me; I really hate going through the Atlanta Airport.
One last note:
Lula of Brazil and Chavez of Venezuela have really put their reputations on the line. Lula has felt, for years, that Brazil should be the central power broker in the Latin world. Lula is more patient and reserved than Chavez but wants the same end result; client states from the US border, south. Chavez is the brash aggressive “king”; Lula, the quiet reflective “king maker”. Zalaya is simply the puppet designated to run Honduras for them. This whole Zalaya/Honduras thing was fading into oblivion. Lula and Chavez knew they had to recapture the headlines before the Honduras opportunity passed; the embassy plot was hatched and executed. Lula/Chavez cannot permit this installation of Zalaya to fail; they will lose face in the world community but more importantly, other small countries will see the way to blunt their advance. Right now, Zalaya cannot rally enough supporters to shut down and hold even the smallest part of Teguci; the best they can do is shut down occasional street intersections for a few hours. Hondurans do not have a history of political mob violence and are really not very good at it. The only hope left for Lula/Chavez/Zalaya is to cause enough aggression at some small pressure point that Honduran troops must kill scores of Hondurans out of self defense (if you note, Honduras troops have killed just about nobody; only 2 or 3 of the most aggressive protestors. Lula/Chavez/Zalaya know they must do more, they cannot afford to fail. All informed people I know believe there are outside agents presently instructing Hondurans in how to cause mob violence, make and use Molotov cocktails, and other riot type activities. Between now and the November 29 elections, larger and larger confrontations will be caused until the Honduras troops must kill scores out of self protection. This is the only option left to topple the present government. Expect pin-pointed acts of increased violence to occur more frequently and more violently as the November 29 elections draw near.
End of Trip