|
for Spring 2006 |
|
|
Paraguayhttp://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/pytoc.html The Library of Congress web site on Paraguay is a good source for historical information, but the information is dated as of 1988. Recent events have changed much in Paraguay. http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/sa/paraguay/ A more current source of information on Paraguay is the University of Texas at Austin Latin American Network Information Center (LANIC) - Paraguay. This site includes links to newspapers, radio and television, government, history, arts and culture, sports, organizations, the environment and education among others. A joint project between Brazil and Paraguay, the Itaipu hydroelectric plant on the Parana river is one of the largest plants in operation in the world. It supplies 95% of Paraguay's electric power needs and 24% of the total Brazilian market. Construction began in 1978 while I was living in Paraguay and concluded in 1983. http://www.bicusa.org/publications/yacyreta.htm http://www.american.edu/projects/mandala/TED/YACYRETA.HTM http://www.irn.org/programs/latamerica/yacireta.subm.html A second hydroelectric dam, called Yacyreta, is still under construction on the Parana river between southern Paraguay and Argentina. This project has been plagued by mismanagement, corruption, delays and cost overruns of more than 7 billion dollars. After 20 years, it is still plagued with problems though it is slowly coming online. The above three websites explain what went wrong and the continuing investigation. Where half a town has gone north...and more may follow soon. (2000, May 22) Business Week p. 4. This article describes emigration to the United States from Caraguatay, a small rural town in cattle grazing farmland 100 kilometers east of Asuncion. Over the last 25 years, over half the town has sought legal and illegal immigration for more economic opportunity. Of a regional population of 7,000, almost 4,500 Carataguayans now live in the U.S. and have sent tens of thousands of dollars back home. Several ex-patriots are planning to build retirement homes there, giving the town the name Yanquilandia. In the age of technology, the best dissemination of information can sometimes be person to person information as evidenced by the phenomena in Caraguatay. http://www.paraguaygobierno.gov.py/ Paraguay's government website in Spanish gives an overview of the government's plan for economic and social development as well as information on sustainable development projects. http://uninet.com.py/webartesanos/ The internet allows for international marketing as evidenced by this website advertising locally made crafts and clothing. The tradition of making handmade lace, called nanduti, is well known in Latin America, but now can have worldwide exposure along with other crafts. Culture and tradition are now disseminated through the internet whereas 20 years ago, Paraguayan crafts may not have been well known beyond its own borders. ABC Color on line is one of the major newspapers based in Asuncion, Paraguay. In Spanish, this daily newspaper reports all facets of Paraguayan life and is accessible all over the world. I remember this newspaper as one of the few newspapers allowed to exist under General Stroessner's rule. There was no online version and the news was heavily censored. From the quantity of bad news reported on the May 1, 2002, I would say that censorship is no longer an issue. Ultima Hora is another major newspaper in Paraguay now also available on the web. Richards, D.G. (1996, January) Household migration in the southern cone: the case of Paraguay. Applied Economics. p. 87. Mr. Richards analyzes Paraguayan migration between the urban centers of Asuncion and Buenos Aires. The first major migration period was after the 1936 Chaco War and Civil War of 1947. Paraguayans fled to northern Argentina for agricultural employment and due to instability in Paraguay. The second major migration was in the 1950's to 1970's primarily to Buenos Aires to look for employment as agricultural opportunities decreased in both Paraguay and Argentina. The migration was urban to urban rather than peasant to urban as is so common even today across Latin America. Generally, Paraguayans living and working in Buenos Aires who have migrated from Asuncion or other urban areas in Paraguay, earn more than their countrymen who work in Asuncion. It remains to be seen if the newly formed MERCOSUR trade agreement will increase out migration or if it will create economic incentive in Paraguay for re-migration to Asuncion. Setting the scene for stability: central bank of Paraguay. (2001, November). The Banker, p. 83. Retrieved April 29, 2002 from Infotrac database. Paraguay is working hard to try to strengthen its economic stability, attract foreign investors and avoid wild market fluctuations that plague other developing nations. The central bank has put in place legislation to ensure transparency, solvency and operation under a free market, something that is new to Paraguay's infant democracy. The Central Bank has placed an emphasis on fighting money laundering and corruption. A law passed in 1996 prevents and suppresses all kind of actions that unlawfully acquire money or goods. The government also established a Money Laundering Prevention Secretary to oversee this initiative. Epstein, J. (1994, Aug. 8) Where tourism meets terrorism. U.S. News & World Report, p. 38. This article describes the lax security and international population that resides in the Brazilian town of Foz de Iguacu and the Paraguayan city of Ciudad del Este right across the border. The area where the borders of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil converge has long been a haven for smuggling, money laundering and recently suspected terrorist activity. With a large Arab and Lebanese population and easy access to purchase assault weapons and explosives, authorities are looking to this remote area of the world as a possible place to trace terrorist activity connected to the bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires and the Israeli Embassy in the Argentine capital in 1992. Luxner, L. (1996, Dec. 9). Mercosur comes to Paraguay's aid: Southern Cone common market is helping the contraband-infested nation clean up its act. Journal of Commerce and Commercial, p. 6C. Ciudad del Este, a border town with Brazil, has long been a contraband zone. With Paraguay's joining MERCOSUR in 1995, efforts are being made to convert the city to a manufacturing center. MIC boosts Latin America client base. (2001, January). South American Telecom. p. 15. Millicom International Cellular, parent company of Telecel Paraguay reported a 58 percent increase in its Latin American base from 1999 to 2000. Its Latin American operation covers the countries of Guatemala, Bolivia, Paraguay, Colombia, El Salvador and Honduras. Alvarion receives order from Telecel. (Paraguay). (2001, December). South American Telecom. p.9. For a country that, 25 years ago had few paved roads, many towns and rural areas without electricity and one state owned telephone system with one phone office in some of the larger towns, Paraguay had made leaps and bounds in the telecommunications industry. When I was a Peace Corps volunteer in 1977, few residents had telephones in their homes outside of the wealthy in the capital city, Asuncion. While living in Carmen del Parana, a rural town in southern Paraguay, I experienced the difficulty of intermittent, expensive telephone service from the one telephone office in town. I was interested to read this article announcing that Telecel, who subscribes over 700,000 customers and holds 60% of the market in Paraguay, has requested another 1,000 subscriber units to connect additional customers to Telecel's broadband wireless access network in the licensed 3.5 GHz frequency band. Queenam, J. (2000, April). You say hello, I say hola. Chief Executive, p. 63. This article reports on promising web enterprises in developing nations that may be of interest to investors. Paraguay on line (POL) has the best customer service, according to the author, due to thousands of employees in Paraguay hired at very low wages. Because customers are able to connect to a live representative immediately, POL has virtually eliminated the competition. http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=Paraguay This website lists the many languages spoken in Paraguay where Guarani is spoken by 95% of the population even though the official language is Spanish. Although Spanish is the official language for education instruction, Guarani is still used in rural schools. Bastos, A.R. (1986, May/June). The land-locked island of Paraguay. UNESCO Courier, p. 30. To understand Paraguay, one has to understand its unique language situation. For over four hundred years two predominant languages have coexisted in the country: Spanish and Guarani. Spanish is the language of the conquerors and Guarani, the language of the conquered. Guarani continues to be the language spoken most often in the countryside, while Spanish is predominant in the cities, business and government. The Guarani language will survive, states the author, because it is used to express a whole people's deepest emotions. Any conversation, in my experience in Paraguay, that deals with feelings or emotions will be in guarani. The use of only guarani can in some instances, marginalize people, mainly of Indian descent, who do not speak Spanish, because it keeps them from participating in business and government. Argentine crisis hits region, Asuncion hotels feeling the hurt. (2002, March 29) EFE World News Services. Retrieved from Infotrac on March 29, 2002. The Paraguay tourist industry is feeling the economic crisis in Argentina. Argentine tourists are not coming to Paraguay and other tourists from neighboring Brazil, Bolivia and Chile are flocking to Argentina to take advantage of cheap prices. Armed with the knowledge of the Argentine economic crisis, Asuncion hotels will need additional tactics to draw in tourists. |