President Porfirio Lobo announced the upcoming habilitation of the air base in Comayagua as a commercial airport.
He added that the feasibility of the project relies on the construction of a highway linking Comayagua with Tegucigalpa.
The Honduran President also explained that the project would be developed as a public/private initiative, in which works on the airport would be done as the highway project progresses.
The Government of Honduras announced an aggressive plan for legal reform and a campaign to promote the country as an investment destination.
With the launch of web portal "Honduras is open for business" and a video of a speech by President Porfirio Lobo the Honduran Government announced the National Investment Promotion program 2010-2014, named "The high point of a deep institutional and legal reform to position Honduras as the most attractive investment destination in Latin America.”
With support from most of the 128 deputies from five political parties, Congress approved the project submitted by the Executive branch.
The decree will allow construction of the first Model City, to be built on the Honduran Atlantic area, becoming a legal entity in itself and with its own administration system.
"The legislative decision showed support for President Lobo, who yesterday told his countrymen the project would attract foreign investment to Honduras," reported the article in Lahora.com.gt.
In an area of 33 square km, the government promotes a project to build a 'Charter Cities' or 'Model City'.
Despite the criticism of the project, President Porfirio Lobo Sosa asked Congress for approval.
La Tribuna reported statements from the President "... a clear example of success is what happened in Hong Kong, China, they have progressed and we have them here selling ...
The funds will be used in infrastructure projects such as the Patuca III hydro power plant.
William Chong Wong, finance minister, explained that the money comes from several international institutions such as the World Bank, the IDB, CABEI and the Governments of Taiwan and Europe.
Chong noted that “the government could create between 10,000 and 12,000 jobs via these projects, which include the Patuca III dam, roads and improving the facilities of Port Cortés”.
Honduras agreed to receive support from Taiwan in order to attract investment and promote social projects.
The information was announced by Foreign Minister Mario Canahuati from Taipei, as part of the official visit of President Porfirio Lobo, without disclosing the amount of the loan which the country may receive.
"Although the amount was not disclosed, it was confirmed that Honduras will have access to a large loan with a low interest rate for investment in rural and urban areas", published Elheraldo.hn.
It hopes to collect 5 million quintals, at a time when the price of coffee futures is above $ 200.
The recovery of road infrastructure in bean producing regions will be vital to the success of the harvest, the volume positions Honduras as the largest Central American producer and third in America.
At the opening of 43rd Coffee Congress taking place in San Pedro Sula, Asterio Reyes, president of the Honduran Coffee Institute, IHCAFE said that Honduras, "according to statistics from the International Coffee Organization, is the only country which has always had rise in production, unlike other countries like Colombia, which has cut its production by around five or six million bags, Vietnam and others.”
President Porfirio Lobo promotes U.S. cooperation projects in energy and education.
At the meeting held with business leaders in Denver the president referred to various investment sectors (maquila, forestry, tourism and infrastructure), but emphasized on the renewable energy sector.
"We have tremendous potential to develop alternative energy sources in Honduras," the president said as published by EFE.
In the absence of agreements at negotiating tables between employers and employees, the President approved the increment.
This was announced by President Porfirio Lobo, who gave no details of percentages to be applied, but stressed that the increase will be retroactive.
Proceso Digital published on its website, "The minimum wage should have been approved in April, but due to disagreements between employers and workers represented at the Minimum Wage Commission, the decision has been delayed."
The country's businessmen have asked the Porfirio Lobo government for transparency and clear rules to guarantee investments.
During a meeting held with the president, business representatives formed a committee, coordinated by ex president Ricardo Maduro Joest, that will present its findings in the next few weeks.
La Tribuna reports comments from various businessmen such as Jorge Bueso Arias who indicated that, "after the events of 28 July past, a class hatred has emerged in Honduras, putting investments and job creation at risk".
The program will focus on six sectors, renewable energy, highway and production infrastructure, tourism, agriculture, forestry and the textile industry.
The National Investment Program is supported by three branches of the Honduran state (legislative, executive, and judicial) and seeks to attract foreign investment.
"In the framework of this initiative, the Lobo Sosa government has drawn up 100 projects, which are being presented to investors, the international community and financial organizations," reports Proceso.hn.
The government has signed an agreement with the developer Inter-Mac for the construction of 35 residential projects.
Inter-Mac director, Javier Arguello, highlighted the importance of the project for the Honduran economy, calling it 'encouraging'.
Lobo Sosa, president of Honduras, was present at the signing of the agreement and "thanked national and internation investors, as well as the US government, for continuing to believe in the country.
The presidents of 5 Central American nations supported the readmission of Honduras into the Central American Integration System (SICA).
The “Special Declaration on Honduras”, signed by the presidents, also proposes speeding up Honduras’ return to the Organization of American States (OAS) and calls on the country to respect the basic rights of its citizens.
Mauricio Funes has an approval rating of 76%; he is followed by Ricardo Martinelli (66%), Laura Chinchilla (64%), Porfirio Lobo (60%), Alvaro Colom (50%) and Daniel Ortega (38%).
CID-Gallup unveiled its Central American public opinion poll for July 2010. It remarks that Funes remains the president with the highest approval ratings, and that Honduran president Lobo slipped from the third to the fourth spot, mainly because he is disliked by opposition and unregistered voters.