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Honduras sets stage for 3 privately run cities
Associated Press ^ | September 5, 2012 | Alberto Arce

Posted on 09/07/2012 1:37:53 PM PDT by JerseyanExile

Investors can begin construction in six months on three privately run cities in Honduras that will have their own police, laws, government and tax systems now that the government has signed a memorandum of agreement approving the project.

An international group of investors and government representatives signed the memorandum Tuesday for the project that some say will bring badly needed economic growth to this small Central American country and that at least one detractor describes as "a catastrophe."

The project's aim is to strengthen Honduras' weak government and failing infrastructure, overwhelmed by corruption, drug-related crime and lingering political instability after a 2009 coup.

The project "has the potential to turn Honduras into an engine of wealth," said Carlos Pineda, president of the Commission for the Promotion of Public-Private Partnerships. It can be "a development instrument typical of first world countries."

The "model cities" will have their own judiciary, laws, governments and police forces. They also will be empowered to sign international agreements on trade and investment and set their own immigration policy.

Oscar Cruz, a former constitutional prosecutor, filed a motion with the Supreme Court last year characterizing the project as unconstitutional and "a catastrophe for Honduras."

"The cities involve the creation of a state within the state, a commercial entity with state powers outside the jurisdiction of the government," Cruz said.

(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: centralamerica; honduras; latinamerica
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1 posted on 09/07/2012 1:38:03 PM PDT by JerseyanExile
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To: JerseyanExile
Well, this should be inetersting...
2 posted on 09/07/2012 1:42:01 PM PDT by hinckley buzzard
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To: hinckley buzzard

even more, interesting


3 posted on 09/07/2012 1:43:10 PM PDT by hinckley buzzard
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To: JerseyanExile; hinckley buzzard

Hey maybe we can build our own conservative enclave!

I like it.


4 posted on 09/07/2012 1:47:25 PM PDT by aquila48
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To: aquila48

Hmmm, if they are privately run, then OWS types and bums could be legally charged with trespassing, and banished.


5 posted on 09/07/2012 1:50:46 PM PDT by dsrtsage (One half of all people have below average IQ. In the US the number is 54%)
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To: hinckley buzzard

if Libs don’t like the idea of corporations being people, the idea of them being cities is gonna drive them straight freaking nuts.


6 posted on 09/07/2012 1:59:03 PM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: JerseyanExile

“Honduras” weather over ALL 12 months will make people long for Houston in August.


7 posted on 09/07/2012 2:02:18 PM PDT by truth_seeker
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To: JerseyanExile

If they allow only property owners to vote, they may be on to something


8 posted on 09/07/2012 2:10:37 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: JerseyanExile

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_of_Fealty_(novel)

Addressed by Pournelle and Nivens 30 years ago.


9 posted on 09/07/2012 2:18:40 PM PDT by Sherman Logan (Perception wins all the battles. Reality wins all the wars.)
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To: truth_seeker

Honduras can be very nice in the sierra.


10 posted on 09/07/2012 2:27:54 PM PDT by Sherman Logan (Perception wins all the battles. Reality wins all the wars.)
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To: JerseyanExile

Possible new meaning to the free state project. Aside from the heat and humidity, it sounds wonderful.


11 posted on 09/07/2012 2:38:56 PM PDT by andyk (I have sworn...eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.)
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To: SeaDragon

hmmm


12 posted on 09/07/2012 2:49:08 PM PDT by RikaStrom ("To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize." ~Voltaire)
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To: JerseyanExile

Honduras needs to smell the coffee and start using the American Dollar as their currency like El Salvador did.

Having traveled extensively in Central America, there is a strong bias for all tourists to stay in countries like El Salvador because you don’t get ripped off on exchange rates.

Costa Rica accepts the dollar all over and most of the tourist traps in Mexico also.


13 posted on 09/07/2012 3:14:40 PM PDT by gandalftb (The art of diplomacy says "nice doggie", until you find a bigger rock.)
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To: JerseyanExile

Galt’s Gulch(es)?


14 posted on 09/07/2012 3:21:55 PM PDT by tanuki (Left-wing Revolution: show biz for boring people.)
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To: JerseyanExile

I’m having visions of “The Firm” and “The Stepford Wives.”


15 posted on 09/07/2012 3:43:05 PM PDT by bgill
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To: JerseyanExile
I'd want to know who is behind this before I could form an opinion one way or the other. China seems to have an inordinate amount of interest in just this, and in their case the word “beachhead” springs to mind unbidden.
16 posted on 09/07/2012 3:53:37 PM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: JerseyanExile

We could do this here. It’s very similar to the company town model. And we have SC precedent to help actually. The only outstanding issue is the state action doctrine. But there might be ways around it now.


17 posted on 09/07/2012 4:49:26 PM PDT by rudabaga
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To: rudabaga
We could do this here. It’s very similar to the company town model. And we have SC precedent to help actually. The only outstanding issue is the state action doctrine. But there might be ways around it now.

East Tennessee...'State of Franklin'. Do it.

18 posted on 09/07/2012 4:53:34 PM PDT by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
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To: hinckley buzzard

Been done. The hansiatic city-states.


19 posted on 09/07/2012 4:54:12 PM PDT by patton (Bacon has no 5-second rule. It never hits the ground. Ask my dogs.)
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To: JerseyanExile

Interesting development. I might consider opening an office there - I wonder how the fishing is?


20 posted on 09/07/2012 5:10:15 PM PDT by The Duke
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