Architect of Honduran privatised cities drops out over lack of transparency

[Judi Lynn]

Architect of Honduran privatised cities drops out over lack of transparency

Paul Romer attacks Honduran government over its failure to ensure accountability of the new privately-run cities.

By Alex Hern Published 25 September 2012 8:18

Honduras' plans for "model cities" – entire settlements managed by private corporations – already seem to be settling in to a pattern of secrecy and corruption worthy of the best dystopian futures.

The idea to create the cities – known as Regions Especial de Dessarrollo (Special Development Regions), or REDs – was suggested a year ago, but this month the first deals were signed, with US-based investment group MGK, to build one.

The Financial Times' Ron Buchanan reported (£):

The model cities are to be states within a state, with their own legal and law enforcement agencies, tax and monetary systems – “Hello US dollar”, “Adiós Honduran lempira”, presumably – and every conceivable facility to attract investment.

The concept sounds like a steroid-enhanced vision of a free-market enthusiast. Which it is. The US economist Paul Romer has dreamed up the idea of creating cities, along the lines of Hong Kong and Singapore, which have created poles of dynamic investment that have spilled over into their once impoverished hinterlands.

More:
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/politics/2012/09/architect-honduran-privatised-cities-drops-out-over-lack-transparency

[limpyhobbler]

1. You know what the privatized Honduran cities are missing - they need some patrol drones.

Privatized patrol drones to guard the privatized cities. And to help deal with pesky trespassing peasant farmers and so-called "constitutional lawyers".

Meanwhile, Antonio Trejo Cabrera, a lawyer who had helped to prepare motions declaring the the model cities unconstitutional, was murdered on Sunday, according to the Associated Press:

Antonio Trejo Cabrera, 41, who died early Sunday after being ambushed by gunmen, was a lawyer for three peasant cooperatives in the Bajo Aguan, a fertile farming area plagued by violent conflicts between agrarian organizations and land owners. The most prominent is Dinant Corporation owned by Miguel Facusse, one of Honduras' richest men. Thousands of once-landless workers hold about 12,000 acres (5,000 hectares) of plantations they seized from Dinant.

Trejo, who was shot six times after attending a wedding, reported threats in June 2011, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press, including photocopies of a BlackBerry message he received saying: "Trejo, you dog, you have 48 hours to get out or you're dead." . . .

[Judi Lynn]

2. The sky would be the limit if these model cities had their own drones, wouldn't it?

They wouldn't have to keep hiring death squads to assassinate citizens of conscience, eliminating the middle man.

So damned sad it was possible for the scum to simply remove this brave man from the face of the earth through their own greedy scheming. He died for THEIR GREED. It's an old, old story.

It sometimes seems the human race doesn't stand a chance with this disease living among us, but in the end, the human race will prevail. It will happen.

[flamingdem]

3. Romer waited too long to criticize

the deals were just signed, that makes me think he waited to get paid first.

This all happened very fast!