| #5 - South America is Going on a Military
Spending Spree
In a recent Bloomberg News report we get some troubling news regarding military buildup in South America. Here are a few highlights: In 2005 Venezuela ordered 1.3 Billion dollars worth of aircraft and 100,000 assault rifles. In 2006 he upped the ante and purchased 3.1 Billion dollars of advanced weaponry. Add on 24 Russian fighter jets and 38 combat helicopters and one might wonder what Mr. Chávez is planning in the region. Colombia is buying 24 Israeli fighter planes. Ecuador is planning on increasing military spending 19% this year. Amazingly, according to the report, it is up 190% since 2000. Brazil is planning on building their first nuclear sub.
The U.S. may need to start paying a little more attention to Latin America.
#6 - Latino Unemployment Up - Surge in Day
Laborers with Weak Construction Hiring
Heavy job losses in the construction industry are forcing many Latino construction workers to ply their trade as Day Laborers. Unemployment is now at a four year high among Hispanics at 6.9%. Almost 80% of all immigrant workers in construction are Latinos according to a 2005 U.S. Census Bureau report. The sheer number of men waiting for work is taxing the ability of some business people in localities where they congregate. They say that having so many people in one place is causing their patrons to go other places to purchase. I would advocate municipalities creating Day Laborer Centers where both people can safely congregate as they wait for work and patrons can comfortably approach the business they want to enter. This is the best way to handle this type of a situation.
Personally, I do not favor the hiring of day laborers. There are much better ways to recruit and hire. If you are interested, I would be happy to send you a series of articles on recruiting, hiring and retaining the Latino workforce.
COMMENTARY (con't from page 1)
The study on bilingualism and dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, was published in the February 2007 issue of Neuropsychologia (Vol.45, No.2).
Of course, we are all aware of the financial benefits of being bilingual. The number of companies hiring or training bilinguals is impressive. Even true blue American organizations like, as Howard Cosell would have said, “The National Football League,” are making aggressive plays for the Latino market in Spanish. This requires a bilingual workforce. The estimated purchasing power of the Latino populace right now is around $700 billion annually and projected to be $1 Trillion by 2010. That’s a lot of compelling reasons to be bilingual in English and Spanish, mi amigo o mi amiga. Former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, has launched his Spanish language web site. The address is: www.newt.org/paralatinos
By the way, while you are there check out his book, “Descubra La Fe de Una Nación.” This isn’t a left-leaning Democrat. Mr. Gingrich is, as you know, a conservative Republican.
One article I saw in a magazine named Hispanic Times made the bold statement, “Bilingual America is here.” Of course, I was drawn to the statement since the name of my company is Bilingual America. I appreciate the advertisement to be sure but I appreciate the statement even more. I don’t think “Bilingual America is here” yet but I do think it is close.
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