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Home My WebLink About1989-05-10-LWSSC-rpt.pdf To: Lexington-Waspam Sister City Committee 5/10/89 { From: Eric Rehm and Bonnie Jones � Re : Chronological summary of trip to Managua, Waspam, and Puerto � Cabazas 4/29 - 5/9/89 � Managua � Sat. 4/29 Danilo Salamonca from CIDCA met us at Managua airport and � took us to Centro de los Amiqos where we stayed during � the Managua part of the trip. (Jose Mc.Intire met us there ! and was available as a translator during days in Managua. Danilo accompanied us to the Atlantic Coast and was our translator there. ) Sun. 4/30 Centro de los Amiqos: we attended Quaker meeting followed by discussions with those in attendance including MiGuel � Whalen, coordinator of a sawmill project for the center on f the east coas� south of Puerto Cabazas . Also spoke with I 2 unemployed mothers who frequent the Center, a nurse and I a secretary, both critical of the government. Trip to a market in Managua set up especially for workers as part of May Day ' ( Sun. 5/1 Our attempts to rent a plane to Puerto Cabazas fail as the pilot was sick. We went to Tipitalpa in search of another pilot, without success. Bike ride from the Center to the Plaza de la RevoluciSn for May Day. One of the 9 directors spoke. � Trip to Xila Lake recreation area - a crater lake near Managua � Puerto Cabazas � Tues . 5/2 Flight to Puerto Cabazas in a 6 seater Cessna. We were met by William Watler, Mayor of Waspam, who accompanied us for the next three days . Visit to Myrna Tavlor, Sec. of External Cooperation and 1 assistant to Mirna Cunningham, Administrator of the region. � We were given an agenda for the next 2 days in Waspam with � the understanding that it could be adjusted. Truck ride to Tronquera to Minerva Wilson' s home . She is mayor of Tronquera and ex mayor of Waspam. (we stayed here as there are no accomodations i� 49aspam� Truck tour of Tronquera Discussion with William Watler on development projects for the Waspam region. f I � I f . 2 Was am Wed. 5/3 One hour truck ride to Waspam (an ACNUR truck used by Myrna � Taylor ' s office Tour of Waspam with overview of reconstruction: � Stadium - in use for baseball for the region as well by the Institue students (needs lots of repair) Institute - 3 buildings now have rooves, 180 students in attendance including some in resident dorm Market - a 4 room market is being constructed including space for a bar, butcher shop, store for rice and beans, and a general tiende (wood for this structure took 1 mont to cut by hand) Municipal building and new mayor' s house, also under construction Lunch at a riverside restaurant and an encounter with some very poor women camped by the P.io Coco Health Center: Dr. Marilou Rod ri uez, one of the 2 doctors at the centexw gave us a tour and we learned about expansion plans, their needs for equipment, public health projects and women ' s health needs . Visit to the site of the old permanent sawmill: this mill was operated during the 70 ' s for about 9 years until the German owner 1eft. f I Visit to the food distribution center Return to Tronquera for the night where we had further discussion with William Watler re : the sawmill project, general e.conomic situation and political organization of the Waspam region. (Negotiations for transportation back to Waspam for the follow• ing day: the ACNUR truck was needed for a repatriation. William arranged for the use of Minerva Wilson' s truck and driver. There is no vehicle available to the mayor of Waspam) Thurs . 5/4 Sorting of baseball equipment into children, youth, adult followed by return trip to Waspam Meeting with Marcos Padia, Director of the Institute, the regional vocational school Meeting with 3 members of the Peace Commission: Honofre Suaze .Tessy, coordinator Aricio Suazo .Tessy, vice-coordinator Ceberiano Frances Perez, member Presentation of baseball equipment to students at the InstitutE A student music group played for us (presumably with the guitar strings we had given them earlier) . They played traditional Miskito music which Eric taped. d . ° 3 5/3 (cont. ) Visit to the primary school and presentation of the letters from Bowmen School and more baseball equipment. h Lunch at the riverside restaurant followed by a boat (pipante) trip up the Rio Coco to Quiselaya . We then drove to Puerto Cabezas and checked into Casa de Paz. Puerto Cabezas Fri. 5/5 Visit to Iqlesia de San Pedro where we talked to two Capucian priests, b ave Zywiec and Dave Belongea. We discussed the political and economic situation in the region. (Sister Maureen was unavailable as she was in Managua) Unscheduled visit to the Ministry of Interior' s Immigration office -(three hours) Sat. 5/6 Visit with Mirna Cunningham, administrator of the region: she shared her plans re: the autonomy program. ui�iL to the fish storaqe facilit . Visit to the newly compieted Women' s House ,� Computer worksho b Eric to the CIDCA staff (2'� hours, translated by Danila at the CIDCA office Visit with Hueqo Calderon, FSLN representative for the North Atlantic Coast region: discussion of political and military situation and the political importance of sister city projects . Sun. 5/7 Walking tour of warf area and beach. Spent time with Brian Higgens, a Fulbright scholar working in the mayor ' s office in Managua on urban planning analysis . (Brian is from the Burlington Vt. area) Shopping for crafts and visit to Clifford Blandford and his temporary ham. ra-dio� j�� a trip to a beach north of town. Manaqua Mon. 5/8 Return to Managua via Aeronica in a new Soviat passenger plane (troop type) Visit to CIDCA office, to Sandy' s for burgers, to Mercado Huebes to purchase more crafts . Return to Centro do los Amigos where we met .Tose and Soledad McIntire, Eric gave another computer consultation and we visited with more visiting Quakers . Tues . 5/9 Return to Boston via Mexico City and Chicago (Aeronica, Mexicana, and United)