NEWTON/SAN JUAN DEL SUR SISTER CITY PROJECT

NEWSLETTER WINTER 2000

BANK FAILURE THREATENS NEWTON PROJECTS IN SAN JUAN DEL SUR; URGENT APPEAL LAUNCHED

The collapse, during Thanksgiving Week, of the Banco del Cafe, one of Nicaragua’s largest banks, has left your Sister City Project in a state of uncertainty about our January 2001 projects. We have both checking and savings accounts in the Rivas branch of the bank, and like more than 50 other NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) and over 44,000 ordinary Nicaraguans, we have no idea when we will have access to our funds. News reports indicate that a “Liquidation Committee” will need to sell off all the bank’s assets before depositors will be able to withdraw funds, but when that will be complete is anybody’s guess. [If you read Spanish and have Internet access, you can follow this story at www-usa.laprensa.com.ni and www.elnuevodiario.com.ni]

This mess could pose a major inconvenience for the Sister City Project, but small depositors all over Nicaragua are even more deeply upset: some have life savings, payrolls, education money, and small business investment funds in their Banco del Cafe accounts. People are frantic. The Aléman government is worse than useless. Thousands of dreams will have to be put on hold until the crisis is resolved.

Several members of our Steering Committee were in San Juan investigating possible projects for 2001when the crisis broke. Andrea Schuman, John Soderberg, and Kathy and George Knight

WE HAVE DECIDED TO LAUNCH AN URGENT APPEAL TO OUR MEMBERS AND INSTITUTIONAL DONORS TO RAISE ENOUGH MONEY TO ... It is our intention to send the money down in the form of Travellers’ Cheques with David and Margaret Gullette in January. We feel a public demonstration of our undaunted commitment to the students and teachers of San Juan is exactly what this difficult moment calls for.

A NEW “AMBULANCE” FOR SAN JUAN DEL SUR

The Centro de Salud, San Juan del Sur’s government-run health clinic, has long needed a tough all-terrain vehicle both for emergency use as an ambulance and as a way of getting healthcare workers out into the countryside. The beautiful 4x4 two-cab (used) Mitsubishi truck above was purchased in September when Newton, Giessen (Germany), Sauda (Norway), and Toroella de Montgris (Catalunya/Spain) pooled resources. The new director of the Centro de Salud, Dr. Claudio Icabalceta (pictured above), is responsible for the maintenance and appropriate use of the vehicle. We look forward to future collaborations with our European friends on targetted projects in San Juan.