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Julie Chappell
Ambassador to Guatemala, Guatemala CityInternship at the British Embassy
I just wanted to send out a quick reminder about the opportunity for any student from Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador to come shadow me in November this year. This means you'll be working directly with me, coming with me to events and seeing what life is like as an Ambassador (generally fun but hard work!!) Here's the link to my earlier blog which tells you all about it.
To apply, please send to Sigrid.Pineda@fco.gov.uk no later than 15 September your CV and a covering letter explaining why you'd like to do the internship and what you hope to get out of the experience. All applications must be in English. I really look forward to hearing from you.
Julie Chappell
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Further tragedy in Guatemala
This time last year, I remember the international community rallying to support Guatemala as it faced one of the driest years on record - crops failed and hunger struck. This year, unbelievably we sadly now face one of the wettest years on record. Tropical Storm Agatha was an ominous start to rainy season in late May, leaving 164 dead, thousands evacuated and 500 bridges destroyed. Since then, the rain has continued, beating at already weakened hills and roads. And now hardly a day passes without the press reporting a landslide, a bridge down or road collapsed. Just this weekend over 100 are thought to have died, tragically crushed in vehicles by mudslides. (We are not aware of any British Nationals affected at this time.)
The very difficult part of handling this national tragedy is that this is not only a matter of immediate humanitarian response and re-building, but also the longer term structural challenges such as reforestation or the strengthening of roads and the many steep hillsides that loom down on them in this very hilly country. While the International Community has supported the humanitarian call (the UK has also contributed via the International Red Cross), structural changes are always hard and normally require Government as well as international funding.
But Government funding is a sensitive issue here. In many conversations, people talk about the dire need for action to widen Guatemala's fiscal base; clamp down on tax evasion, contraband and corruption; and in general increase the revenues that are available to provide services to the Guatemalan people. This action may be urgent but it remains difficult because it requires the commitment of many parts of Guatemalan society in addition to the Government. We - with our EU partners - continue to do whatever we can to keep people thinking about ways forward.
Just lastly, on a consular note, for Brits living or travelling in Guatemala at the moment, we have updated our travel advice to highlight the number of ASISTUR - a service provided by the local authorities here that can (in English) advise you on where roads are dangerous or blocked. This number is also available on our facebook site. Please travel with extra care at the moment.
Julie Chappell
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Time is flying. I remember like yesterday. I am sure people in guatemalan feel the same too.
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What could you do with $10,000?
Are you a British charity or British charity worker in Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador? If so, you may have heard about the successful British charity Ball that we held earlier this year. Due to very generous sponsorship from Grupo CSC, Blue Oil, HSBC and Grupo Progresso, plus a host of other fantastic supporters who gave us reductions, free goods and a lot of their time, we were able to raise $21,000 to be split equally between two British charities. This money has since been used to build two new schools and greatly improve the quality of life for over 800 Guatemalan children. To read more about last year's event, click here.
Inspired by the popularity of last year’s event and the concrete difference that our two charities (Education for the Children and Study Guatemala) have been able to make, we have decided to repeat the event in April 2011. But this time we would like to make the process a little more democratic by allowing our main sponsors to choose the charity or charities that they would like to support. To allow them to make their choice, we are now therefore opening a bidding process. We want to keep this as simple as possible so here goes:
- By 30 September, please submit no more than one side of A4 in normal size 12 font describing what you could do with i) $10,000 and ii) $20,000. Please give us a short profile / history of your charity and explain: who would the money benefit; how would the money be used; and what would the benefits be? (Please outline the benefits for both $10,000 and $20,000 because the sponsors may decide to sponsor only one instead of two charities this year if your case is good enough.)
- To enter, you must be either a British registered charity or a British charity-worker connected with an established charity; and your work must be based in Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador.
- Please send your entries to: Paola.Decorzo@fco.gov.uk
As soon as we have a decision from our sponsors, we will of course let you know the results. Best of luck! We really look forward to hearing from you.
PS Please do help us get the word out to British charities by sending this around to anyone who you know might be interested. The link is also on our Embassy website and facebook site.
Julie Chappell
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02 September 2010
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School's out...I mean in!
Over the weekend, I visited the impressive programme "Escuelas abiertas" (open schools). The basic idea is to open up schools (some 200 across Guatemala) to young people at the weekend so that instead of falling prey to trouble and gangs, they can continue to develop their talents as well as just have fun. The first thing that hit me as we entered the Escuela Abierta in Villa Nueva was the sheer level of noise and energy!! I have to confess I'm not really a morning person and whenever I get the chance, saturday morning means a lie-in! But even I couldn't help but be fully re-energised by the children there. Everywhere you looked, there was something going on - from the school's marching band, to football and basketball to drama, art and salsa. There were vocational skills too like hairdressing, English and computer studies. And the talent among them was impressive - I was itching to join in with the awesome breakdancing but am very glad for the dignity of the British Embassy that I didn't!
But I think the most impressive thing of all was the way the school was run. Yes, the scheme is Government supported, providing equipment and free food for the children. But it is also very much locally owned. The children themselves are elected to be on the youth council that runs and plans the weekend programmes. And they rely on a network of volunteers - teachers, carers and cleaners - all of whom give up a lot of their free time to help. For them, they told me they were driven by the opportunities the school gave the children (some of the volunteers are also parents) but also by the bigger picture - Villa Nueva is only a short journey outside the capital but one of Guatemala's poorer and more violent neighbourhoods. For the local community, having children willingly and happily engaged in sports, music, drama etc is far better than having them mixed up and/or contributing to crime. While Escuelas abiertas only started in 2008, it has grown quickly and proved to be a very popular concept. Long may their success continue.
Julie Chappell
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30 August 2010
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Water - so simple yet so precious
It's been another busy few days in the Embassy, gearing up a lot of new work that we're doing to strengthen the UK's commercial profile in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. For example, we're planning an event in November to showcase the high quality of British security companies operating in the region; a trade event in Honduras in February to facilitate contacts between UK and regional companies looking to generate clean energy; and a fashion show in April to highlight the new (again, very high quality) British names entering the Central American market. It's all really exciting - trade can be so tangible and beneficial to both sides. But there's also a lot to do to ensure that the events are all top notch. So while we get on with the boring legwork and preparations, I wanted to share with you a post from another guest blogger... this time from the British NGO CAFOD, who are a partner in this region for the UK’s Department for International Development and have helped local villages respond to the recent storms and flooding.
Contributed by Thomas Walsh, Regional Representative for CAFOD, Central America & Mexico.
"CAFOD is the official Catholic Aid Agency for England and Wales and part of its mandate is to respond to emergencies. Following [the recent storm] Agatha, Caritas Quiché was granted £30,000 by CAFOD to rehabilitate 8 gravity driven water systems supplying drinking water to as many communities. We were taken to one recently completed and undamaged water system in Quiche where men, women and children showed us with great pride what they had built and the crystal clear, clean water that flowed from it. This water had been collected from a dozen springs along the 16 kilometer system, and flowed by gravity down valleys and over hills to the community’s water tank where it was then distributed to the homes.
The Mayan people there were very poor and had waited a long time for this moment. At the inauguration they had walked the entire length stopping to say sweet words and offer thanks promising with song and music that this water would be well used. As the women explained, no longer would they have to invest hours each day to make the long trek to the river to collect water. As the representative of CAFOD that had financed the materials to build this water project I was interested in knowing if they had the documentation and legal rights to all the springs that were being sourced. In response to my question, “Who is the owner of the water?” there was a prolonged silence and finally from the crowd a Mayan elder raised his hand and said emphatically “Dios”! I thought to myself, after 35 years of working in Latin America I hadn’t learned much to have asked that question.
I was reminded of that exchange a couple of weeks later when reading Maude Barlow’s[1] remarks at the G-20 gathering in Toronto, wondered aloud to myself "what has the world learned about its use and treatment of water?" When referring to water she said that “we are polluting our lakes, rivers and streams to death. Every day, two million tons of sewage and industrial agricultural waste are discharged into the world's water. The amount of waste water produced annually is about six times more water than exists in all the rivers of the world…Nearly three billion people on our planet do not have running water within a kilometer of their home and every eight seconds, somewhere in our world, a child is dying of waterborne disease... The World Bank says that by 2030, demand for water will outstrip supply by 40%.”
Guatemala, like most of Central America, is abundantly blessed with fresh water, much of it uncontaminated. Surely, one of the development challenges well within the grasp of Guatemalan authorities is to protect this vital natural resource. To do so, it was very evident in our visits to Guatemala’s rural communities that they can count on the Mayan people to support these efforts. The development measure of sustainability is whether or not the activity is life giving and what better place to apply it then with the use of water."
[1] Maude Barlow heads the Council of Canadians, Canada's largest public advocacy organization, and is a founder of the Blue Planet Project.
Julie Chappell
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27 August 2010
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Going for green
The Racing Green Endurance team have whisked through Guatemala, and are now passing through El Salvador and Honduras as they continue their epic electric supercar trek towards the very south of the continent. This is Lisa, Consul here at the British Embassy, and it was my pleasure to meet the enthusiastic team of engineering graduates from Imperial College London on Saturday, who were hosted in Guatemala over the weekend by the University of Mariano Galvez.
Despite only a few hours’ sleep – and a thorough soaking in the rain the previous day – the team put on a great presentation of their fully battery-powered racing car, which has survived so far without major incident despite varied road and weather conditions. Guests at the reception were able to see the impressive car close up, and though we also tried to hear it, there was no noise from the silent electric engine when one of the RGE team turned it on to give us a demo. It was encouraging to hear the team’s passion for alternative and innovative green technology, and good to see that this project is not only inspiring but great fun for those involved! The challenge given to the gathered audience of students, university staff, business contacts, press and public alike at the event was one that our Embassy is proud to support: that with creativity, perseverance and cooperation, we can help realise the potential of a cleaner, more efficient and sustainable future for our world. We’d love to hear from you if you are involved in clean energy projects in Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador – or in the UK and thinking of exporting or investing here.
The visit of the RGE team was not only a testament to the UK’s leadership in the field of environmental and technological innovation, but also the quality of UK education. Are you an alumnus of a UK University here in Central America with a good story to tell? Let us know!
Our thanks to the kind assistance of the Guatemalan, Salvadorean and Honduran authorities in granting safe passage to the RGE team en route through this part of Central America. The latest on the car’s journey can be found here, and you can keep up to date with all the Embassy’s environmental, education and business initiatives via our website and facebook page.
Some pictures of the event:
Julie Chappell
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24 August 2010
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British racing car on its way to Guatemala and El Salvador
The UK has a rich history of motor racing - from traditional "racing green" to Bernie Ecclestone to Nigel Mansell, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. And while I've always prefered my motorbikes, I too can't escape the fact that there is something just awesome about a fast car... and so it's with great excitement that this weekend, we're waiting on a new type of supercar to pass through Guatemala and then on to El Salvador - this one looks just as good but is fully electric!
The car is the brainchild of a team of students from Imperial College, London - this ranks as one of the world's top 5 universities and so these are some seriously brainy people! It can reach 100km/hour in 7 seconds and tops out at 200km/h - so not quite F1 standard yet but then again this car is also making its way down the full 26,000km of the Pan-American highway using not a single drop of petrol! For the tecchies among us, the car can go 400km between charges and the battery takes 6 hours to charge. If you'd like to follow their progress, you can read all their latest blogs here and if you'd like to see the car this saturday, the details are on our Facebook page - "British Embassy Guatemala City".
Slightly less snazzy but related to our work on climate change, I also attended an important meeting last week of regional experts (funded by the UK's Department for International Development) to analyse and assess the economic impact of climate change in Central America. This concrete analysis of, for example, changing temperatures at sea and changing weather patterns will help the region both plan for the future and negotiate well when the world next meets to discuss Climate Change in Cancun, Mexico in November.
With Guatemala's Minister of Environment and Julie Lennox of the UN's Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
Julie Chappell
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Does it take double AA's?
...<<17 August 2010
22 August 2010
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And so it begins....the English Premier League!
For our Guatemalan friends, who are as passionate about football, if not more than us Brits, the season has already started. And for the lower leagues in England too. But tomorrow it's the Premier League's turn. A time when every fan can be optimistic about their team, before the inevitable ups and downs of the months ahead: can we win the league, can we survive, can we break into the top 4? The anticipation grows with news of signings, players staying or leaving; teams have new kits and stadiums refreshed with a lick of paint.
So tomorrow it begins. The sun might even shine (it is August!). And after the disappointment of the World Cup fans can look forward. Mentioning the World Cup reminds me, it's 110 days until FIFA's announcement on who will host the 2018 World Cup - England has a great bid and a fantastic chance of winning. Read more here, and please do your bit and Back The Bid! This Embassy is doing its bit to help and we will have more news soon, so please keep in touch whether through this web site or facebook!
Right, I'm off to dust off my football boots. I'm not that old too play: bagsy be Torres!
Julie Chappell
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13 August 2010
Best blog so far.... no politics, no depressing statistics... come on the Toon!!
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Tricky Balances: economic development and environmental protection
A really key issue that comes up a lot in the countries we work with (El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras) is how to develop enormous natural resources (new energies such as geothermic and wind, as well as mining and hydroelectric) while at the same time protecting the environment and local populations. This is a delicate issue but a critical one in determining a country's future and propspects for e.g. foreign investment. For me, the reality of this balance between development and the environment hit home when I visited on Monday Lake Amatitlan (while filming a TV programme with half-Brit half-Guatemalan Vida Amor de Paz). Lake Amatitlan was once a beautiful natural haven close to the Capital and enjoyed by Guatemalans and tourists alike. It's now green and badly polluted, collecting from the river that feeds it waste from the City; residues from mining; and pollution from nearby industry.
However, we are lucky enough here to be working with a great expert on the issue - Dr Tony Bebbington from Manchester University in the UK. He recently visited El Salvador (as part of a project we have with the Ministry of Environment there) to work directly with El Salvador's officials to help them design an enviornmentally sustainable and low-carbon plan for development in the future. Huge thanks to Dr Bebbington for both his visit and for his following blog (and apologies for not having published it sooner...)
I write this note a day after the death of Dr. Stephen Schneider, Professor of Stanford, a member of IPCC and a person totally committed to the task of communicating climate change science for the public to realize the enormous need for preventing actions both mitigation and adaptation. A sad day and a big loss.
Schneider's death reminds us that in this context of climate change, building an environmental agenda is a very different challenge than it was 20 years ago. Having completed a year of its mandate, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of the Government of El Salvador is fully involved in the development and initial implementation of a strategy to respond to this challenge. Two concepts stand out in this strategy: risk management and the territorialisation of the environmental agenda. These concepts correspond to two realities. First, almost the entire country (El Salvador) is vulnerable to large-scale weather events (and this without talking about vulnerabilities to social conflict and socio-environmental). To the extent that climate change will generate greater weather variability, a strategy that seeks to manage and reduce the risks of socio-natural disasters is increasingly essential. Second, sub-national dynamics (territorial) have a great influence on the viability of national policy - a policy that does not work at local level is simply a policy that does not work.
After spending a week with the team from the Ministry, and interviews with senior government officials, private sector members and leaders, you realize the magnitude of the challenge that remains on. While in different sectors and different segments of the state, similar languages are handled in environment, the meanings given to keywords (risk management, vulnerability, territory, territorial management) are not always the same. Nor are the underlying agendas. What is encouraging is the sense that different actors are open to the ministry, want to talk with him, and recognize that we must do more to environmental issues because it has become one of the most serious Achilles heel of the country. The issue is “how much” they are willing to do, and what public policy instruments are willing to accept as legitimate. The Ministry has achieved significant legitimacy as an entity during this first year. Now is the time, with some urgency, to define its agenda and its instruments and gain legitimacy for them too.
Dr Bebbington at work in El Salvador
Julie Chappell
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12 August 2010
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Advancing Human Rights in a Tough Neighbourhood
We quite often use this blog to rattle off statistics about high rates of crime, violence and impunity in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. We do it because for many they reflect the reality of life in Central America’s "Northern Triangle". But we also do it to help explain why we do some of the work we do here. This blog is no exception. It comes off the back of another bloody month in Guatemala - a month that saw 60 murders in 2 days, grenades and remotely detonated devices used to explode buses. This helps explain why we devote a lot of our time to the promotion of human rights.
Jeremy Browne, the UK’s Minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, has been speaking recently about just this, specifically about the UK’s role under the new coalition government to be a leader in advancing the human rights agenda. He has detailed 4 key priorities: political freedoms (i.e. freedom of expression, and opposing violence against women); criminal justice (i.e. the abolition of the death penalty); work with and through international institutions (i.e. through the UN and EU to enact change); and the right to equality (i.e. personal freedoms regardless of religion, ethnicity and sexual preference).
We thought you might like to know how this Embassy supports these priorities:
Political Freedoms:
• Following a spate of journalists deaths in Honduras (8 so far in 2010) with 40 more threatened, we have been speaking with President Lobo’s government to urge for transparent and thorough investigations. Although there is no proof yet that these deaths are linked or have anything to do with Freedom of Expression, we are monitoring them closely.
• In September, we are launching in Guatemala a media campaign focused on changing attitudes towards domestic violence. I blogged about this on 31 July. We support a similar campaign run by UKAid in Honduras.
• Last financial year we funded a study to highlight the treatment of female victims in Guatemala’s justice system, and public fora around the country to discuss openly the issue of femicide.
Criminal Justice:
• The spike in violence here in July has re-ignited the debate about bringing back the death penalty (there's been a moratorium since 2000). We also blogged about this on 22 July. The issue will feature during our human rights week that will kick off on 10 October, Death Penalty Day.
• We have funded workshops with Guatemalan congressmen to persuade them of the arguments against the death penalty; and with judges and studying lawyers to highlight international norms against corruption and impunity.
International Institutions:
• We continue to support CICIG, the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, a UN mandated body tasked with working with the Guatemalan government to tackle organised crime.
• We are also supporting the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review programme that reviews the human rights record of each of the 192 UN member states each 4 years. So far Guatemala and El Salvador have gone through the process, along with the UK, and Honduras is up for review in November. Guatemala is currently a member of the UN Human Rights Council so we are working with them on a range of human-rights related issues.
Right to Equality:
• This Embassy is also a member of the EU Filter Group on Human Rights whose purpose is to examine cases of threats and attacks against Human Rights Defenders - people who act in defence of civil, political, social, economic, cultural and gender-based rights.
As ever, we’d welcome your comments.
The British Embassy has been supportive to the work of CICIG
Julie Chappell
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06 August 2010
09 August 2010
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Down! Down! Down!
Given the levels of violence in Guatemala City, we take security very seriously here at the embassy. Fortunately, we are able to make the most of some of the best advice and support in the business from local British security companies - Yantarni and Group CSC. And so, last week I went along to join in with the training of our close protection teams by Yantarni...
To be honest, I think we were all a bit nervous about what the day would entail but after the push-ups and sit-ups, I think even the bodyguards would say the day was brilliant! We talked through various scenarios (all based on situations that are sadly very realistic for life in this city) and our responses and options. As expected with a company based around ex-British military police and UK Special Forces, it was all extremely professional... though they were good enough to let me have a go at shooting at the end - not as easy as it looks!
Well done to all the team for some sharp shooting even when tired; smart decision-making under pressure; and importantly making me feel as light as a feather in a fireman's lift! And many, many thanks to Chris and all the team at Yantarni for an excellent day - we're looking forward to the next set of training to hone further our skills.
Nuestros blogs en espanol aqui
An intense training day
For more photos, please see our Facebook - British Embassy Guatemala City
Julie Chappell
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Thanks to all for a great day of dynamic drills and excellent team work.
...<<03 August 2010
04 August 2010
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Ever wanted to be an Ambassador??
About this time last year, I was invited to speak at the University of San Carlos (USAC) - one of Guatemala's top universities. After the event, I remember sitting on a step with one of the students - Farah Moran. She told me then that she would like to come and shadow me at the Embassy. I thought it was a great idea but I worried: would people mind if I went to meetings accompanied by a student? Would I have time to be able to give her the experience she was after?Well, while I was thinking about it all, Farah followed up with an email that was so passionate and so determined that quite simply there was no further thinking to be done - that was it - she was coming to be my shadow for the whole month of November!
And what an amazing month it was. Farah was just brilliant. Not only was she fully welcomed at meetings but she added a fresh perspective on things, bringing in new ideas and asking those questions to which most of us also secretly wanted the answer. She helped me with speeches, media work and projects. She was such a star that half way through November, I decided this was definitely a scheme to repeat.
So, this blog is now to launch officially the search for my next great intern! If you are a student in Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador and you would like to come "shadow" me at the Embassy for a month (around October / November - dates to suit you), then please do get in touch. I can't promise that every day will be exciting. But I can promise that you'll be fully included on a whole range of work - from events to boost UK business, to helping us with our media campaign against domestic violence in Guatemala to work on climate change or clean energy. I'll look for you to come with me to events and to help me... giving your opinions on sensitive issues; advising me on how best to get messages across; helping me with my spanish!!! I'm also looking for someone who wants to become a leader in this region - someone with determination and vision. From your side, the month should give you an insider view to the world of diplomacy; a chance to influence and get involved in the work of a passionate British Embassy team; and the opportunity to meet some really interesting people from all walks of life (e.g. politics, business, civil society, humanitarian, sports).
For further details on the internship, click here. I really looking forward to hearing from you.
Julie Chappell
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03 August 2010
04 August 2010
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Dreaming big in Guatemala
For me, this last week has been quite a change of pace! From 10 days chilling at home in Dorset back to the rapid pace of life here in Guatemala City. But some 800 emails and a stack of meetings and receptions later and I'm beginning to feel back on top of things! And as ever, there's some really exciting things going on...
This week marked the first year anniversary of "Jovenes contra la violencia" - the group that brings together over 90 youth movements in a common aim to reduce the levels of violence in Guatemala. It's impressive to think that they've only been around for a year because in that time they have had huge successes that have strengthened and united the voices of Guatemala's young people (who are after all the majority of the population). For example, through their campaign "I'm a 9", they have inspired young people to work together and to challenge the violence, not to grow accustomed or live in acceptance. The "9" campaign promotes 9 values for members to be dreamers; to be optimistic; to be brave; to struggle; to love life; to love Guatemala; to be proactive; to be part of the team; and not to use weapons or drugs. For me, this campaign sums up everything I love about "Jovenes contra la violencia" and we're right behind them.
Another exciting dream I heard this week came at the reception held by France's Ambassador Michele Ramis-Plum for Fernando Paiz - the Director of PACUNAM (a foundation that with the support of 11 companies, including the UK's Blue Oil, protects over 3000 km² of forest here and the astounding archeological site of El Mirador - an ever bigger and older version of Tikal that boasts the world's largest pyramid!) Fernando spoke of his dream to build in Guatemala City a world class museum to house and show off Guatemala's huge history and Mayan culture, making it accessible not only to all Guatemalans but all those who pass through the city.
For me, Fernando's dream is exciting for two reasons. One is, having a brother who studied architecture and an uncle who works in property, I also can't help but love interesting buildings. Fernando has in mind a new building that will be to Guatemala what the opera house is to Sydney, the Louvre is to Paris and (my personal favourite...) the Gherkin is to London!! Secondly, I love the idea of trying to open up Guatemala's culture to all Guatemalans. While I admit I have often thought of culture as something of a luxury when a nation is tackling poverty and violence, I can see too the great power that culture has to unite a population in common pride. And for me, a phenomenal building to house Guatemala's phenomenal past would make me proud - and I only live here! To top it all off, Fernando hopes to launch the first phase of the project on the 21 December 2012 - the moment that the Mayan calendar celebrates a new millennium.
Last but not least for this week, I wanted to save a special word for my colleague and friend Michele Ramis-Plum, who is leaving Guatemala to head up France's campaign to host the Winter Olympics in 2018. We have worked together on so many things - from recycling to reforestation to supporting Guatemala's youth to now launching in September a campaign against domestic violence. Michele - thank you so much for all your hard work and support. We'll miss you sorely!
Para ver estos blogs en espanol
Julie Chappell
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04 August 2010
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The Death Penalty: The Answer To Guatemala's Violence?
60 deaths in 2 days over the last weekend. These are striking, depressing and troubling statistics, even by Guatemala's standards of an average of 19 murders a day. This year's murder statistics are already well on the way to surpassing last year's figures. But this, of course, isn't a competition that Guatemala wants to win. Most of those killed over the weekend were shot or stabbed, but we have also seen grenades and remote detonated explosives used to attack buses - a worrying trend that we have reflected in our travel advice for UK residents and visitors here.
This spike in violence has seen a return to calls for the application of the death penalty in Guatemala. While people's anger, concern and fear about the high levels of violence and impunity are extremely understandable, for us the talk of starting again to use the death penalty in Guatemala is deeply worrying. Why? Surely extreme circumstances need extreme solutions? It's not necessarily that simple....
Firstly, we do not accept that the death penalty is a deterrent to crime. Numerous academic studies have failed to establish that execution deters more than the prospect of a long sentence. For example, the US has one of the highest murder rates in the industrialised world and rates are highest in those southern States that execute most people.
Secondly, our view is that capital punishment tends to further a casual attitude towards the right to life: a State that is leading with a violent example sends a message that killing is an acceptable way of solving social problems.
Thirdly, the death penalty is final and irreversible - it would theoretically require huge confidence in the judicial systems. So, no corruption, no political interference, reliable police investigations based on irrefutable (e.g. forensic) evidence. Despite improvements, few would hand on their heart say that such circumstances yet exist reliably in Guatemala.
UK opposition to the death penalty is a global policy. We work hard with our EU colleagues for its global abolition. And plans are being made to achieve a successful resolution on the moratorium on the use of the death penalty at the UN General Assembly later this year, building on the excellent results achieved during the previous 2 resolutions, where 105 countries – including Guatemala in 2008 – voted in a favour of a moratorium on executions.
To back up its opposition to the death penalty the UK looks to try to support programmes across the world that will help governments protect their citizens through e.g. effective policing and effective judicial systems, both backed-up by effective laws - hence our support here in Guatemala for CICIG. These policies are longer term and there are few easy wins. But the idea quite simply is to try to avoid further death - something which Guatemalan citizens already suffer to extraordinary lengths every day and to which new generations are becoming worryingly accustomed.
As ever, we'd be interested to hear what you think.
Julie Chappell
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22 July 2010
23 July 2010
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Great Green news
Julie is still away, so it’s my pleasure once again to introduce another guest blogger, this time Rebeca from our green team. She’s got some great green news. Welcome and timely news having seen the release yesterday by the UK government and Met office of a new Google Earth map showing the effects of a 4 degree increase in the World’s temperature (see our press release here).
“We are pleased to announce that the British Embassy in Guatemala has recently passed an environmental audit and has been successfully certified by Control Union in their Green Management Program as “Committed to the Environment” This certification is achieved by accumulating points from a checklist of environmentally preferable practices such as efficient use of energy and paper, recycling, saving water, use of biodegradable products and effective use of transport.
The Ambassador’s Residence was also audited and was certified as a “Green Management Leader”. One of the achievements in the Residence was the reduction of carbon emissions associated with energy by 24% in 2009 compared to 2008.
We have all recognised our working practices have an impact on the environment and we have been working hard to become a “Green Embassy”. In 2009 we achieved a reduction of 42% in consumption of paper and we spent 46% less in petrol. These savings have been possible thanks to various changes in the office and in the Residence: we installed dual flush toilets, changed our lighting to energy efficient bulbs and sensor activated, updated our computer system, installed solar panels at the Residence and bought a hybrid car. We also recently developed and introduced a Green Procurement Policy that aims to consider the environmental impact of our purchases and progressively influence our suppliers to improve their own environmental performance.
One of the most important achievements has been the active participation, enthusiasm and commitment of all Embassy and Residence staff who are now more aware of the importance of taking care of the natural resources and the Embassy resources too.
The British Embassy in Guatemala is the first Embassy in the region to receive an environmental accreditation and we are seen by other Embassies and organisations, as leaders and experts in the subject of the environment. We want to continue working to be more environmentally friendly and share our experience with others. For more information please get in touch with us!”.
Julie Chappell
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