Saturday - November 7, 1998.
Daily Report from Honduras.com Correspondent, O Ma R Orbison:
We went with the leader of the ALERT team (experts in catastrophe management) to meet with the top dogs of
COPECO (Honduran government organization that is managing aid) to procure supplies. Finally made it to the level of
commitment that the ALERT team will be provided supplies in El Progreso when they have their boat there. Turns
out that ALERT only has one outboard motor in serviceable condition. We have discovered that outboard motors are
the most critical item needed right now here in the northern coast of Honduras. Apparently of the few that were
functional, many of these have broken down. This includes the 15 hp one that took us down the river on
Thursday, it only made one more trip, then died. We remember that it was acting up on our trip, so thank God that
we did make it safely that time. Bottom line concerning ALERT is that the communication lines have been established
and red tape cut. The plan is for a few members of the team to be assigned with their boat to the El Progreso fire
department as backup - to provide the boat and assistance. One final kink remains, though, how they will be
transported...but it's now out of our hands...though we made it clear to all involved that
we are available for assistance and have provided our contact number.
More importantly, the cavalry has made it to help those river communities that we visited earlier this week!!! The
banana company has been using its four choppers to help its people, and the independent growers are being helped
by the local government. There has been some duplication of efforts in the confusion surrounding Mitch, but these
problems have been identified and the two sources (the banana company and the armed forces) have begun to
communicate with each other to optimize their relief efforts. Go teams!!
Later that morning, we made it to the provisional helicopter landing zone in El Progreso - a soccer field (turns out that
the traditional soccer field in just about every community has become the helicopter's preferred landing point when
delivering aid) - and shortly thereafter a rickety old chopper of the Honduran Air Force (appropriately painted with a
skull and crossbones in front) landed...was loaded...and I was added as an observer to take photos!!! Finally gracing
the sky like a buzzard - we hope this wasn't the chopper that we saw the other day on the riverbank outside of La
Lima (one of the choppers carrying CNN news personnel slid off the levee into the river after all were off it - just
damaged the back rotor - but still, not very reassuring for a virgin flight ;-]
Anyways, our first stop was to refuel at the airport, where we were able to observe firsthand cleanup in action.
There is one landing strip completely cleaned, and crews are diligently working on removing the mud from another.
The airport's passenger terminal is still a disaster area, an official source predicts reopening for service on Thurs, Nov
11th.
We were quite pleased to observe Auditors with note pads watching the supplies like hawks. Each time a load was
added to a helicopter, the auditors were there checking off the items and quantity. The auditors sport bright yellow
vests with "controloria" written on them in bold letters. President Flores obviously is quite aware of the delicateness of
the aid/corruption issue, and has implemented a control system completely independent of the aid's management!
KUDOS!!!
Another interesting item observed while waiting for our departure, the offloading of a large plane (possibly a C-130,
but we're not experts) clearly marked as ALASKA AIR GUARD. Wow!!! The gringos don't mess around, sending
supplies and support personnel all the way from the great white north!!! Thanks, guys.
Up in the air once again, and trying to take aerial shots through a scratched up chopper window - fortunately many
did turn out fairly well, and will be posted. They also help show how extensive the flood damage has been! The next
stop was to ask directions, all the darn banana plantation communities look the same...our soccer field landing
spooked some horses that started running like crazy, and attracted all of the local community to see what our
business was...got directions and left amidst cheers and waving (we had expected to be lynched when the locals
found out the supplies we were carrying weren't for them, but thank goodness our fears were completely
erroneous). Next landing we did make it to the right location, where our team helped unload the chopper quickly
rather than take many photographs - though we did get some (after all, we have continually expressed that we are
trying to help the country first, and report second). A short hop back to the El Progreso soccer field - piece of cake!!!
This flying stuff isn't so bad, we can actually get used to it!!!
Later that day, professional ambulance chasers, I mean, news teams, showed up from TV and news media from
New Orleans...COOL, we can use all the help we can get!!! It was fun to observe them in action, obviously sharks to
get news - interviewing the big wigs and ignoring everyone else (us included)...in other words, they are only
interested in the macroscopic perspective, whereas we here at Honduras.com believe that the real story is written by
millions of microscopic personal incidents of human tragedy and suffering!!! We do want to commend the New
Orleans Times Picayune reporter, who, unlike the TV news crew, actually spoke to us more than two curt words and
did show respect for our work!!! Thank you, most people still do not realize how powerful the Internet is rapidly
becoming as a news media!!! On a related note, the American choppers landed and their crew and coordinators were
dazzling and sparkling. Bottom line, though, out of the two supply runs made by the choppers, all of the US news
media was pampered and only one local news crew (El Heraldo) was allowed to accompany them - we were one of
the ones snubbed and left out. We understand space restrictions, but like we said, most don't realize the Internet's
power as of yet. Our readers are worldwide, at any time - the TV that was produced is regional and quickly
fades...we'll let our readers decide which they prefer by measuring the amount of relief donations that each one
collects for Honduras...So those of you out there who vote for us, send your contribution!!! - Then later we'll see which media
was more effective :)
Photos from the above report can be found here.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 07, 1998
*** CENTRALIZED E-MAIL/DIRECTORY SERVICE PROVIDED
FREE OF CHARGE
FOR THE BENEFIT OF HONDURAS ***
Hurricane Mitch has destroyed much of the infrastructure of Honduras.
Now more than ever, a centralized email/directory service is needed to keep everyone notified of the developments in Honduras.
HONDURAS.COM, S.A. de C.V., the portal website
to Honduras, with their primary base in San Pedro Sula, has joined
efforts with the Florida based dotSHOP.com,
makers of EMUmail, to
provide an e-mail/directory service free of charge to those
wishing to communicate and coordinate their efforts to help Honduras.
This service will allow everyone to
check their email from a centralized browser-based system, "EMUmail",
where important updates will be posted. Also, the user will
have the option to be published in a directory to facilitate
others in communicating with them.
For more information
and your free e-mail address at honduras.com, visit
http://www.honduras.com/email.
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