This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 16 TEGUCIGALPA 001923 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EB/IFD/OIA, WHA/CEN, AND WHA/EPSC 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID, EXIM, OPIC, TDA, USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EINV EFIN ELAB ETRD KTDB PGOV HO OPIC
SUBJECT: 2003 Investment Climate Statement for Honduras 
 
REF: SECSTATE 124894 
 
¶1.  Provided below is the 2003 Investment Climate Statement for 
Honduras.  Responses are keyed to reftel. 
 
----------------------------------- 
A.1. Openness to Foreign Investment 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  The Honduran government is generally open to foreign 
investment and welcomes it.  Restrictions and performance 
requirements are fairly limited.  U.S. companies tend to encounter 
problems investing in infrastructure and a few visible large 
projects like the airport, telecom and energy sectors, as domestic 
companies seek ways to keep the competition out. 
 
¶3.  Since 1999, the Honduran government has taken steps, 
including additional legislative measures, to create a more 
favorable investment climate in key sectors including mining, 
energy and tourism, although their potential has yet to be 
realized.  Relatively low labor costs, proximity to the U.S. 
market and Central America's best Caribbean port have also made 
Honduras increasingly attractive to investors.  At the same 
time, however, Honduras' investment climate is hampered by high 
levels of crime, juridical insecurity, high levels of 
corruption, low educational levels among the population, an 
antiquated labor code, a troubled financial sector and limited 
infrastructure. 
 
¶4.  The Constitution of Honduras requires that all foreign 
investment complement, but not substitute for, national 
investment.  Companies that wish to take advantage of the 
Agrarian Reform Law, engage in commercial fishing, forestry, or 
local transportation activities, serve as representatives, 
agents, or distributors for foreign companies, or operate radio 
and television stations must be majority-owned by Hondurans. 
 
¶5.  The 1992 Investment Law, which still largely governs 
investment conditions in Honduras, guarantees national treatment 
to foreign private firms in Honduras, with only a few exceptions. 
The law does not limit foreign ownership of businesses, except for 
those specifically reserved for Honduran investors, i.e., small 
firms with capital less than 150,000 Lempiras (approx. USD 8,600). 
For all investments, at least 90 percent of a company's labor 
force must be Honduran, and at least 85 percent of the payroll 
must be paid to Hondurans.  Under the 1992 law, dividends to 
foreign investors were taxed at 15 percent, while local investors 
paid only 10 percent.  However in 2002 a revised law was passed 
which lowered this tax rate to 5 percent for both foreign and 
local investors, and will eliminate this tax entirely by 2004. 
 
¶6.  Additionally, government authorization is required for both 
foreign and domestic investors in the following areas: 
 
- Basic health services, 
 
- Telecommunications, 
 
- Generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, 
 
- Air transport, 
 
- Fishing, hunting and aquaculture, 
 
- Exploitation of forestry resources, 
 
- Investigation, exploration, and exploitation of mines, quarries, 
petroleum and related substances, 
 
- Agricultural and agro-industrial activities exceeding land 
tenancy limits established by the Agricultural Modernization Law 
of 1992 and the Land Reform Law of 1974, 
 
- Insurance and financial services, and 
 
- Private education services. 
 
¶7.  Foreign firms are granted national treatment for public bids. 
In practice U.S. firms complain about the mismanagement and lack 
of transparency of government bid processes.  Under the 2001 State 
Contracting Law, all public works contracts over one million 
Lempiras (USD 57,000) must be offered through public competitive 
bidding.  The government publishes tenders in Honduras' major 
newspapers.  To participate in public tenders, foreign firms are 
required to act through a local agent.  Local agency firms must be 
at least 51 percent Honduran-owned, unless the procurement is 
linked to a national emergency.  Government purchases and project 
acquisitions are generally exempted from import duties. 
 
¶8.  The 1992 Investment Law requires that all local and foreign 
direct investment be registered with the Investment Office in the 
Ministry of Industry and Trade.  Upon registration, an investor is 
issued an investment certificate which provides investment 
protection under the law and guarantees investors' international 
arbitration rights.  The registration process is cumbersome and 
companies can expect delays in registering their company. 
¶9.  In July 2002, the Government of Honduras ratified a law on 
simplification of administrative procedures in establishing a 
company.  Through this new legislation, the government hoped to 
streamline procedures and eliminate a series of administrative 
obstacles involved in the process, reducing the steps for 
establishing an office from up to six months to a maximum of 40 
days.  Foreign businesses setting up operations in Honduras are 
subject to the Commercial Code, which is also undergoing various 
important reforms.  The Commercial Code recognizes several types 
of mercantile organizations: individual ownership, general 
partnership, simple limited partnership, limited liability 
company, corporation and joint stock company. 
 
¶10.  Management of Honduras' four international airports was 
turned over to a consortium with majority U.S. investment in 
October 2000, the only major privatization effort in recent years. 
A dispute over the financing of certain projects that the 
consortium agreed to undertake soon developed, and a re-negotiated 
agreement between the consortium and the government is expected to 
be finalized soon. 
 
¶11.  A bid to privatize the national telephone company failed in 
2001 and will not be attempted again until 2005.  In late 2001, 
the GOH decided to open the telecom market by bidding out one of 
Honduras' available wireless bands.  After several delays, the 
government awarded one wireless system concession in April 2002, 
and the company is expected to be in service by December 2003. 
The Honduran government intends to allow private joint ventures 
with Hondutel to improve coverage and service beginning in August 
2003, and later to encourage private participation in the sale of 
shares in Hondutel to private interests beginning in 2004 with the 
goal of full privatization in 2005. 
 
¶12.  The National Electric Company (ENEE) turned over most of its 
thermal energy generation to the private sector but retains 
responsibility for electricity transmission and distribution, as 
well as for almost all hydroelectric energy generation and 
distribution throughout the country.  The GOH is working on a 
project to break up ENEE distribution and is working towards 
privatization, though there is no firm timeline set. 
 
¶13.  The GOH hopes to begin privatizing some port operations in 
September, 2003 and is working with the U.S. Trade and Development 
Agency to expand and modernize Puerto Cortes.  The ENP and the 
World Bank are working to meet International Maritime Organization 
requirements for port security by July 1, 2004, including the 
creation of an autonomous unit which will be responsible for the 
port security program. 
 
¶14.  A law is currently before Congress which would formally grant 
municipalities the right to manage water distribution themselves, 
and possibly to grant concessions to private enterprises.  However 
the law has generated a good deal of controversy from opposition 
groups which claim that it amounts to "privatization" of water 
distribution, and its progress through Congress has been slowed. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
A.2.  Conversion and Transfer Policies 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶15.  The 1992 Investment Law guarantees foreign investors access 
to foreign currency needed to transfer funds associated with their 
investments in Honduras. This includes: 
 
- Imports of goods and services necessary to operate, 
 
- Payment of royalty fees, rents, annuities and technical 
assistance, and 
 
- Remittance of dividends and capital repatriation. 
 
¶16.  The Central Bank uses an auction system to regulate the 
allocation of foreign exchange.  According to auction system 
regulations, dollar purchases are conducted at 7 percent above or 
below the base price established every 5 days.  During recent 
auctions, the Central Bank has adjudicated an average of USD 10.3 
million per auction (held each business day).  All individuals, 
foreign residents or national, can participate in auction system 
dollar purchases with a minimum investment of USD 5,000 and a 
maximum of USD 300,000.  Foreign exchange demand in 2002 was 99.9 
percent covered, and the currency depreciated by 6.3 percent. 
 
------------------------------------ 
A.3.  Expropriation and Compensation 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶17.  The Honduran government has the authority to expropriate 
property for purposes of land reform (usually related to a land 
invasion by farmer groups) or for public use such as construction 
of an airport.  Land disputes related to actions by the Honduran 
National Agrarian Institute (INA) are common for both Honduran and 
foreign landowners.  According to the National Agrarian Reform 
Law, idle land fit for farming can be expropriated and awarded to 
landless poor.  Generally, an INA expropriation case begins after 
squatters target and invade unprotected property.  The squatters 
then file for the land with the INA under the Agrarian Reform Law. 
In most cases, claimants have found that pursuing the subsequent 
legal avenues is costly and time consuming, and rarely lead to 
positive results.  Compensation for land expropriated under the 
Agrarian Reform Law, when awarded, is paid in 20-year government 
bonds. 
 
¶18.  Land title disputes are extremely common in Honduras.  Even 
areas which have been subjected to a cadastral survey have not 
been free of land disputes, as the lack of a single unified land 
registry makes adjudication of land tenure difficult.  As of July 
2003, a proposal is before congress for a new property institute 
which would combine the national land registry with the cadastral 
survey and the geographic institute.  The proposed property 
institute would provide for more security in land titling and 
ownership in Honduras, as well as allow for mortgages and home 
loans.  The national land survey project has been completed in the 
Bay Islands and is close to completion in the Comayagua area. 
Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula are scheduled for the next phase of 
the project. 
 
------------------------ 
A.4.  Dispute Settlement 
------------------------ 
 
¶19.  The Honduran Commercial Code is the main legislation that 
regulates the operations of businesses in the country.  This code, 
though, is antiquated and needs to be updated.  The application of 
the Commercial Code and its regulations fall under the 
jurisdiction of the Honduran civil court system. 
 
¶20.  Most investment and property disputes are long lasting and 
arduous.  U.S. claimants frequently complain about the lack of 
transparency and the slow administration of justice in the courts. 
There are also complaints that the Honduran judicial system caters 
to favoritism, external pressure and bribes.  While some U.S. 
firms have satisfactorily resolved their cases through the courts, 
the majority have difficulty navigating the legal system.  U.S. 
citizens also complain about the quality of Honduran attorneys. 
The government frequently blames the poor quality of a U.S. 
citizen's (Honduran) legal representative as the reason for an 
unfavorable outcome in the courts. 
 
¶21.  The process to resolve squatter cases or title disputes 
through the courts can be lengthy and frustrating.  The legal 
owner of land is at a disadvantage in a system that recognizes 
adverse possession rights acquired by squatters, especially when 
the disputed land is rural and idle. 
 
¶22.  Arbitration 
 
Between 1997 and 2001, the Inter-American Development Bank worked 
with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry to establish the 
framework for commercial arbitration.  Honduras' Conciliation and 
Arbitration Law (Decree 161-2000), which seeks to encourage 
arbitration and clarify the procedures under which arbitration 
takes place, entered into force in March 2001.  In September 2001, 
Centers for Conciliation and Arbitration were established within 
the Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro 
Sula.  Since that time, the Center in Tegucigalpa has trained 17 
arbitrators who work part-time, and they have completed 2 
arbitrations and 18 conciliations.  Approximately 5 arbitrations 
and 20 conciliations are pending in the Tegucigalpa Center. 
Arbitration and conciliation are generally considered swifter and 
more cost-effective means of resolving disputes between commercial 
entities, and there may be the additional advantage that the 
arbitrator or mediator may have specialized expertise in the 
technical area involved in the dispute.  However the only U.S. 
company to have gone through an arbitration process to date was 
disappointed with both the procedure (which it regarded as lacking 
in transparency) and the result (which was unfavorable to the U.S. 
company). 
 
Honduras is not a member of the ICSID (International Center for 
the Settlement of Investment Disputes). 
 
----------------------------------------- 
A.5.  Performance Requirements/Incentives 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶23.  There are relatively few performance requirements in 
Honduras.  The 1992 Investment Law guarantees freedom to export 
and import to all foreign investors, and eliminates the 
requirement of prior administrative permits and licenses, except 
for statistical registries and customs procedures. 
 
¶24.  Application procedures for service suppliers in all sectors 
are generally simple, clear and non-discriminatory.  There are 
restrictions preventing foreign banks from taking deposits, and 
foreign insurance companies may be subject to a more elaborate 
administrative process than national providers per a new Insurance 
Law (though the Embassy has not received any complaints). 
Honduras' service sector is widely accessible to foreign 
companies, including current U.S. participation in the Honduran 
banking, insurance and accounting markets. 
 
¶25.  Honduran law prohibits discriminatory or preferential export 
and import policies affecting foreign investors.  In practice, 
though, the Honduran government uses phyto-sanitary and 
zoosanitary requirements to prevent imports of U.S. poultry, milk 
products, pork, feed grains and rice to Honduras.  The changes in 
sanitary and phyto-sanitary requirements are seldom reported to 
the WTO as required and create uncertainty among U.S. suppliers 
and Honduran importers. 
 
¶26.  Honduran law requires that all imported processed food 
products and medicines be labeled in Spanish or be accompanied by 
a Spanish translation, show expiration dates and be registered at 
the Division of Food Control in the Ministry of Public Health. 
Additional import restrictions, based mainly on public health, 
public morality, and national security grounds, remain in place. 
For example, restrictions are imposed on the importations of 
firearms and ammunitions, toxic chemicals and pornographic 
material. 
 
¶27.  U.S. citizens wishing to travel to Honduras do not need a 
visa prior to arrival.  Foreigners interested in working in the 
country must obtain a resident visa from the Honduran Ministry of 
Government and a work permit from the Ministry of Labor.  The time 
required to process a request for a resident visa and work permit 
may take up to three months. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
A.6.  Right to Private Ownership and Establishment 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶28.  The Investment Law guarantees both local and foreign 
investors the right to own property without limitations, other 
than those established by the Honduran Constitution and several 
laws relating to property rights.  This guarantee includes the 
right to free acquisition, profit, use, disposition and any other 
right attributable to property ownership.  The major exception is 
the constitutional prohibition of foreign ownership of land within 
40 kilometers of international borders and shorelines, although 
Honduran law now permits foreign individuals to purchase 
properties in designated "tourism zones." 
 
¶29.  Investors have the right to freely establish, acquire and 
dispose of interests in business enterprises at market prices, 
under freely negotiated conditions and without government 
intervention.  Private enterprises compete on an equal basis with 
public enterprises with respect to access to markets, credit and 
other business operations. 
 
----------------------------------- 
A.7.  Protection of Property Rights 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶30.  Intellectual Property Rights 
 
There is widespread piracy of many forms of copyrighted works in 
Honduras -- movies, sound recordings and software.  The 
illegitimate registration of well-known trademarks has also been a 
problem.  Protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) is 
handled by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.  In 1994, following 
the passage of modern IPR legislation by the Honduran Congress, 
the Ministry established an office to process the registration of 
patents, trademarks and copyrights, as well as any complaints 
regarding their infringement. 
 
¶31.  Honduras largely complied with the Trade Related Aspects of 
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement by the January 1, 
2000, deadline.  In December 1999, the Honduran Congress passed 
two laws to correct deficiencies in previous legislation 
concerning copyrights, patents and trademarks.  The Copyright Law 
adds more than 20 different criminal offenses related to copyright 
infringement and establishes fines and suspension of services that 
can be levied against offenders.  The Law of Intellectual 
Property, which covers both trademarks and patents, includes 
modifications on patent protection for pharmaceuticals, extending 
the term from seventeen to twenty years to meet international 
standards.  The term for cancellation of a trademark for lack of 
use has been extended from one year to three years.   As soon as 
two new laws governing the designs of integrated circuits and 
plant variety protection are approved by the National Congress, 
Honduras will be in complete TRIPS compliance.  Current 
expectations are that no action will be taken on these two laws 
until early 2004, but that the laws will then be included in a 
larger bill that is likely to pass. 
 
¶32.  Honduras and the U.S. initialed a bilateral IPR agreement in 
March 1999.  Signing of this agreement is still pending. 
Honduras became a member of the World Intellectual Property 
Organization (WIPO) in 1983, and became party to the WIPO 
Copyright Treaty (WCT) and the WIPO Performances and Phonogram 
Treaty (WPPT) in May 2002.  Honduran law protects data exclusivity 
for a period of five years, and protects process patents, but does 
not recognize second-use patents. 
 
¶33.  Land Rights: 
 
Honduran laws and practices regarding real estate differ 
substantially from those in the United States, and there are many 
cases of disputed or fraudulent deeds and titles.  In addition, 
the Honduran judicial system is weak and inefficient, often 
prolonging disputed cases for many years before resolution.  There 
have been claims of widespread corruption in land sales and the 
registry and dispute resolution process, including claims against 
attorneys, real estate companies, judges and local officials. 
U.S. citizens have spent thousands of dollars in legal fees and 
years of frustration in trying to resolve property disputes. 
 
¶34.  Article 107 of the Honduran Constitution prohibits foreign 
ownership of property in Honduras that lies within 40 kilometers 
(25 miles) of the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Fonseca or the 
international borders of Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala and 
on any of the islands and cays belonging to Honduras. 
 
¶35.  However, recognizing that the constitutional prohibition of 
foreign property ownership in Honduras was a barrier to 
development of tourism and the economic potential of Honduras' 
coastal and island areas, the Honduran National Congress passed 
Decree Law 90/90 in 1990 to allow foreigners to purchase 
properties in designated tourism zones established by the Ministry 
of Tourism in order to construct permanent or vacation homes. 
Foreigners or foreign companies seeking to purchase property in 
designated tourism zones exceeding 3,000 square meters in size or 
for tourism or other development projects must present an 
application to the Honduran Tourism Institute at the Ministry of 
Tourism.  In addition to providing the requested personal 
information, the potential buyer must also prove that a contract 
to buy a specific property exists and that it is registered with 
the Honduran Tourism Institute.  The buyer must also present 
feasibility studies and plans about the proposed tourism or 
economic development project. 
 
¶36.  In 1999, the Honduran National Congress also passed a Tourism 
Incentives Law which offers tax exemptions for national and 
international investment in tourism development projects in 
Honduras. The law provides income tax exemptions for the first ten 
years of the project and permits the duty-free import of goods 
needed for the project, including publicity materials.  In June 
2002 a reformed law was passed, offering the same basic 
incentives, but with a narrower definition of who may qualify for 
the incentives.  For example, restaurants were included as a duty- 
free tourist activity in the 1999 law, but removed in the 2002 
law.  This change is due in large part to the current saturation 
of the fast food and restaurant market, since many franchises 
established locations in Honduras under the duty-free incentives 
of the 1999 law.  Other enterprises now excluded from the law's 
benefits are casinos, night clubs and movie theaters.  In 
addition, a requirement was added that a business must be located 
in a designated tourism zone in order to qualify for tax 
exemptions and duty-free status. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
A.8.  Transparency of the Regulatory System 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶37.  The Honduran government does not publish regulations before 
they enter into force and there is no formal mechanism for 
providing proposed regulations to the public for comment. 
Regulations must be published in the official "Gazette" in order 
to enter into force.  Honduras lacks an indexed legal code and 
lawyers and judges must maintain and index the publication of laws 
on their own. 
¶38.  Foreign market participants who are represented locally and 
are members of connected private sector groups essentially have 
access to the same information as their Honduran counterparts. 
The lack of a formal notification process excludes most non- 
governmental groups, including foreign companies, from commenting 
on regulations. 
¶39.  Application procedures for service suppliers in all sectors 
are generally simple, clear and non-discriminatory.  There are 
restrictions preventing foreign banks from taking deposits, and 
foreign insurance companies may be subject to a more exhaustive 
administrative process than national providers per a new Insurance 
Law (though the Embassy has not received any complaints). 
Honduras' service sector is widely accessible to foreign 
companies, including current U.S. participation in the Honduran 
banking and insurance markets. 
 
¶40.  In both the banking and insurance sectors, the general rule 
is that foreign companies operate on an equal footing with local 
companies, so long as the foreign company establishes a branch or 
subsidiary in Honduras.  However, there are restrictions on cross- 
border services and offshore operations.  Insurance may not be 
offered on a cross-border basis, and a foreign bank wishing to 
operate offshore must establish a representative office in 
Honduras, which entails reporting requirements and other 
procedures which are very cumbersome.  Furthermore, a Honduran 
branch of foreign bank may only operate based on its capital in 
Honduras, not on its global or regional capital. 
 
¶41.  Honduran labor laws and the civil procedures code are 
outdated.  The Honduran government often lacks the resources or 
political will to implement or enforce existing laws.  Property 
registration often is not up to date, nor can the results of title 
searches be relied upon.  There is no title insurance in Honduras. 
Procedural red tape to obtain government approval for investment 
activities is still very common. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
A.9.  Efficient Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶42.  There are no government restrictions on foreign investors' 
access to local credit markets.  However, the local banking system 
is conservative and generally extends only limited amounts of 
credit.  Interest rates have been steadily declining for several 
years, but remain high.  As of April 2003, the average lending 
rate for a loan in Lempiras as was 21.1 percent, down from 23.1 
percent a year earlier, and for a loan in dollars was 10.7 
percent, down from 11.6 percent a year earlier.  Local banks 
should not be considered a significant source of start-up capital 
for new foreign ventures, unless they use specific business 
development credit lines made available by bilateral or 
multilateral financial institutions, such as the Central American 
Bank for Economic Integration.  Loans from banks tend to be short- 
term, with substantial collateral and/or guarantee requirements. 
 
¶43.  There is a limited number of credit instruments available in 
the local market.  Two security exchanges operate in the country: 
the Honduran Securities Exchange (BHV), in San Pedro Sula, and the 
Central American Securities Exchange, in Tegucigalpa.  Both 
security exchanges are supervised by the National Banking and 
Insurance Commission.  The instruments traded in these exchanges 
include bankers' acceptances, reposition agreements, short-term 
promissory notes, Honduran government private debt conversion 
bonds and land reform repayment bonds. 
 
¶44.  While any private business is eligible to trade its financial 
instruments on the security exchanges, firms that participate are 
subject to a rigorous screening process.  Traded firms generally 
have economic ties to the different business/financial groups 
represented as either shareholders of the security exchanges or 
exchange trading houses.  Supervision of the security exchanges 
has traditionally been inadequate, and even though a new law 
regulating the security exchanges was passed in June 2001, 
implementation has taken place slowly.  By July 2003, 
implementation was nearly complete and expected to be completed by 
the end of the year.  Nevertheless, investors should exercise 
caution before putting money into the Honduran security exchange. 
 
¶45.  There is no regulatory body for the accounting profession in 
Honduras.  The Association of Public Accountants is responsible 
for certifying practicing professionals.  In general, Honduran 
businesses adhere to international Generally Accepted Accounting 
Principles (GAAP).  These principles are normally applied per 
guidelines from the Ministry of Finance's General Directorate for 
Taxation. 
 
¶46.  The Honduran banking system, currently comprised of 18 
private banks, is considered weak and in need of consolidation. 
Most banks were originally founded primarily to service the 
financing needs of family-run business conglomerates, rather than 
provide full banking services to the public in a transparent 
manner. 
 
¶47.  In recent years, the Honduran banking system has been shaken 
by the bankruptcy of several major banking institutions. The first 
bank to collapse was Bancorp in 1999.  In response to this 
collapse, the Honduran legislature enacted the Temporary Law of 
Financial Stabilization in an attempt to help stabilize the 
banking sector.  Under this law, all bank deposits are insured by 
the State regardless of the sum.  Currently, the Honduran 
government guarantees 100 percent of bank deposits, with the 
deposit insurance program (FOSEDE) paying up to $10,000 or 150,000 
Lempiras, and the government covering the remaining amount.  After 
September 30, 2003, however, the government's guarantee will drop 
to 50 percent of the deposit.  As in other countries, this deposit 
insurance only covers qualified deposits in banks, not in 
uninsured financial institutions. 
 
¶48.  When Banhcreser collapsed in 2001, the rules established in 
the temporary law helped to protect the bank's customers. With 
both the collapses of Banhcreser and Bancorp, allegations of 
corruption and wrongdoing followed the investigations into the 
causes of the bank's failures. 
 
¶49.  In December 2002, the National Banking and Insurance 
Commission (CNBS) announced the forced liquidation of Banco 
Capital, which had been under government supervision since May 
¶2002.  At nearly the same time another bank, Banco Sogerin, was 
placed under the supervision of the Honduran Deposit Insurance 
Fund (Fosede).  With both Banco Sogerin and Banco Capital failing 
at the same time, the CNBS delayed the initial sale of Banco 
Sogerin for several months to prevent wider damage to the banking 
system.  The sale of Banco Sogerin was finally announced in July 
¶2003. 
 
¶50.  The mixed success of CNBS's handling of the failed banks has 
attracted some criticism. Certain Honduran banking officials have 
criticized the CNBS for adding too many generalized rules with too 
many loopholes and for not enforcing the established banking 
regulations. 
 
¶51.  The Honduran financial system had total assets equivalent to 
75 percent of GDP in 2002.  The financial system is comprised of 
commercial banks, state-owned banks, savings and loans and finance 
companies.  Banks account for 90 percent of total assets in the 
financial system.  There is limited off-shore banking in Honduras. 
 
¶52.  There are no legal barriers to entry in the banking sector, 
but the small size of the market and weak financial situation have 
discouraged greater foreign investment.  Four banks have majority 
foreign ownership as of 2002, accounting for 19 percent of total 
bank capital. 
 
------------------------- 
A.10.  Political Violence 
------------------------- 
 
¶53.  Honduras has not experienced major problems with domestic 
political violence.  Political demonstrations do occur 
sporadically, and they can disrupt traffic, but they are generally 
announced in advance and are usually peaceful.  Most major 
demonstrations occur in downtown Tegucigalpa.  Travelers should 
avoid areas where demonstrations are taking place, and they should 
keep informed by following the local news and consulting hotel 
personnel and tour guides. 
 
---------------- 
A.11. Corruption 
---------------- 
 
¶54.  Two codes regulate justice and provide for penalties against 
corruption: the Criminal Procedures Code (CPC) and the Penal Code 
(PC).  In a landmark reform, the National Congress approved a new 
CPC in February of 2000, which entered into force in February 
¶2002.  The criminal judicial system has changed from a traditional 
written inquisitorial trial system to an adversarial, oral, and 
public trial system.  The new CPC should improve justice and 
accountability in a number of ways, including increased 
transparency in the criminal process.  The PC is currently under 
review and faces challenges in terms of funding and support. 
¶55.  The main responsibility for fighting corruption lies with the 
Public Ministry, under the direction of the Attorney General 
(Fiscal General).  In January 2002, the Government created a new 
control entity, the Supreme Court of Accounts (TSC) which has 
brought together the Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR), 
the Directorate of Administrative Probity (Ethics office) and the 
Office of State Assets under one roof and direction of three 
members selected by the Congress.  These three members are 
appointed for a period of 7 years.  The presidency of the TSC is 
exerted in a rotating manner within the elected members for 
periods of one year.  In the past few years, there has been an 
increase in the number of cases involving corruption adjudicated 
by the courts. 
 
¶56.  In June 2002, new money laundering legislation entered into 
force.  The new bill expands the definition of the crime of money 
laundering to encompass any non-economically justified sale or 
movement of assets, including financing of terrorism, and calls 
for the creation of a financial information unit to track 
suspicious transactions.  The bill also strengthens the powers of 
prosecutors to investigate and prosecute.  However, as of July 
2003, not a single person has ever been convicted of money- 
laundering in Honduras. 
 
¶57.  In May 1998, Honduras ratified, adopted and deposited its 
signature for the Inter-American Anti-Corruption Convention at the 
Specialized Conference of the Organization of American States 
(OAS). 
 
¶58.  Historically, U.S. firms and private citizens have found 
corruption to be a problem and a constraint to investment. 
Corruption appears to be most pervasive in government procurement, 
government permits, and in the buying and selling of real estate 
(land titling).  With considerable U.S. help, the government is 
reforming Honduras' judicial system and reducing elite immunity 
and corruption, though serious problems remain in these areas. 
The U.S. and other donors, as part of the Hurricane Mitch 
reconstruction effort, have contributed significant funding to 
strengthen those institutions involved in the oversight of 
government expenditures. 
 
¶59.  Bribery is a criminal act and, depending on the degree of the 
offense, is subject to fines or incarceration.  A bribe to a 
foreign official is also a criminal act under U.S. law (Foreign 
Corrupt Practices Act). 
 
----------------------------------- 
¶B.  Bilateral Investment Agreements 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶60.  On July 12, 2001, a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) between 
the U.S. and Honduras entered into force.  The Treaty provides for 
equal protection under the law for U.S. investors in Honduras and 
permits expropriation only in accordance with international law 
standards and accompanied by adequate compensation.  U.S. 
investors in Honduras also have the right to submit an investment 
dispute to binding international arbitration.  The U.S.-Honduras 
Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Consular Rights (1928) provides 
for Most Favored Nation treatment for investors of either country. 
The U.S. and Honduras also signed an agreement for the guarantee 
of private investments in 1955 and an agreement on investment 
guarantees in 1966.  Honduras signed a Tax Information Exchange 
Agreement with the U.S. in 1992. 
 
¶61.  Provisions for bilateral investment are included in 
commercial treaties between Honduras and Costa Rica, El Salvador, 
Guatemala, Panama and the Dominican Republic.  In 1993 Honduras 
signed bilateral investment agreements with the United Kingdom and 
Spain. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
¶C.  OPIC & Other Investment Insurance Programs 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶62.  The U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) 
provides loan guarantees, which are typically used for larger 
projects, and direct loans, which are reserved for projects 
sponsored by or substantially involving U.S. small businesses and 
cooperatives.  OPIC can normally guarantee or lend from USD 
100,000 to USD 250 million per project.  OPIC also offers 
insurance against risks of currency inconvertibility, 
expropriation and political violence. 
 
¶63.  Other countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom, 
Taiwan, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Japan provide insurance and 
guarantees for their companies doing business in Honduras.  In 
addition, Honduras is a party to the World Bank's Multilateral 
Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). 
 
--------- 
¶D.  Labor 
--------- 
 
¶64.  Honduras has a significant availability of labor for 
industries with a demand for relatively low skilled workers, given 
the low level of education of a significant portion of its 
population.  There is a limited supply of skilled workers in all 
technological fields, as well as in medical and high technology 
industries. 
 
¶65.  Union officials remain critical of what they perceive as 
inadequate enforcement by the Ministry of Labor (MOL) of workers' 
rights, particularly the right to form a union and bargain 
collectively, and the reinstatement of workers unjustly fired for 
union organizing activities.  In November 1995, the MOL signed a 
Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Trade Representative's 
Office to implement 11 recommendations for enforcement of the 
Honduran Labor Code and the resolution of disputes.  The MOL has 
implemented some of these recommendations, particularly as they 
relate to inspection and monitoring of assembly-for-export 
factories (maquilas).  However, it has been slow to implement 
others due to resource constraints.  Also, the Honduran 
Maquiladora Association initiated a code of conduct in July 1998 
for the Maquiladora Association and its constituent companies. 
Through cooperation within the bipartite and tripartite 
commissions (unions, MOL, private sector) and other venues, MOL 
inspectors' access to maquila plants to enforce the labor code has 
improved, and MOL has continued to work to increase its 
effectiveness in enforcing worker rights and child labor laws. 
 
¶66.  The labor law prescribes a maximum 8-hour workday and 44-hour 
week.  There is a requirement for at least one 24-hour rest period 
every week.  The Labor Code provides for a paid vacation of 10 
workdays after one year, and of 20 workdays after four years.  The 
Constitution and Labor Code prohibit the employment of persons 
under the age of 16, except that a 15-year old may be permitted to 
work with the written permission of parents and the MOL.  All 
persons under 18 years of age are prohibited from night work, 
dangerous work and full time work. 
 
¶67.  The Children's Code (September 10, 1996) prohibits a person 
of 14 years of age or less from working, even with parental 
permission, and establishes prison sentences of 3 to 5 years for 
individuals who allow children to work illegally.  An employer who 
legally hires a 15-year-old must certify that the young person has 
finished or is finishing compulsory schooling.  The MOL grants a 
number of work permits to 15-year-olds each year.  Document fraud 
is prevalent among minors interested in working. 
 
---------------------------------- 
¶E.  Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶68.  There are no known export subsidies provided by the Honduran 
government.  The Temporary Import Law (RIT) allows exporters to 
introduce raw materials, parts and capital equipment (except 
vehicles) into Honduras exempt from surcharges and customs duties 
if the input is to be incorporated into a product for export (up 
to five percent can be sold locally).  Export processing zones 
(ZIPS and ZOLIS) are exempt from paying import duties and other 
charges on goods and capital equipment.  In addition, the 
production and sale of goods within the ZIPS and ZOLIS are exempt 
from state and municipal income taxes for the first ten years of 
operation.  Companies operating in an export processing zone are 
permitted unrestricted repatriation of profits and capital and 
have access to onsite customs facilities.  However, companies are 
now required to purchase the Lempiras needed for their local 
operations from Honduran commercial banks or from foreign exchange 
trading houses registered with the Central Bank. 
 
¶69.  The principal free trade zone (FTZ) in Honduras is located in 
Puerto Cortes and is operated by the Honduran government through 
the National Port Authority.  In 1998, the government extended FTZ 
benefits to the entire country.  Privately-owned free trade zones 
are legal extensions of official free trade zones.  In terms of 
operations and incentives, they are identical to the privately 
operated industrial parks. 
 
¶70.  There are 27 industrial parks currently operating in 
Honduras.  Over 80 percent of the parks are located in the North 
Coast region, with close access to Puerto Cortes, Honduras' major 
Caribbean port, and San Pedro Sula, a transportation crossroads. 
Industrial parks and export processing zones are treated as 
offshore operations.  Subsequently, customs duties must be paid on 
products manufactured in the parks and sold in Honduras.  In 
addition, if Honduran inputs are used in production, they are 
treated as exports and must be paid for in U.S. dollars.  Ninety 
percent of the companies that operate in these parks are involved 
in apparel assembly.  The government and park operators are 
seeking to diversify into other types of light industry, including 
footwear, automotive parts, electronics assembly and data 
processing services. 
 
¶71.  Privately-owned Tourism Free Zones (ZOLT) may be established 
to promote the tourism industry development in Honduras.  The law 
allows the free importation of equipment, supplies, and vehicles 
to the exclusive benefit of the ZOLT, with certain restrictions 
(see the description of the tourism law in section A.7, above). 
 
---------------- 
Maquila Industry 
---------------- 
 
¶72.  Honduras currently ranks as the third largest exporter of 
textiles and apparel to the U.S., and the first among Central 
American nations.  However, the slowdown and sluggish recovery of 
the U.S. economy during 2001 and 2002 continue to have a 
depressing effect on the Honduran maquila sector, and the future 
is clouded by fears of being unable to compete with China and 
other Asian producers after the removal of quotas in 2005. 
Benefits under the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) 
have helped to establish the maquila industry in Honduras, but 
officials in the maquila sector hope that improved market access 
and rules of origin currently under negotiation for the Central 
America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) will provide increased 
opportunities. 
 
¶73.  Total investment in the maquila sector surpassed USD 1.5 
billion in 2002, but employment in the sector has fallen by 15 
percent from 2000 to 2002. One reason for this decrease in 
employment is the closing of 13 maquilas in 2002 as a result of 
the U.S. market slowdown and Honduran management problems. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
¶F. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶74.  In Honduras, figures for investment in the maquila industry 
are kept separately from figures for investment in the rest of the 
economy.  Table 1 below shows the flows of FDI into Honduras in 
recent years, excluding the maquila industry.  According to the 
Central Bank of Honduras, total flows of non-maquila investment in 
2002 totaled USD 142.9 million, down 27 percent from 2001.  The 
United States supplied 54.5 million, or 38 percent, of this 
investment.  A breakdown of this investment by industry was not 
available. 
 
 
¶75.                           TABLE 1 
     HONDURAS: FLOWS OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT BY COUNTRY, 
                 NOT INCLUDING THE MAQUILA SECTOR 
                  (In Millions of U.S. Dollars) 
 
COUNTRY              2000          2001          2002 
-------              ----          ----          ---- 
United States        64.2          52.6          54.5 
Canada               36.1          15.1          18.1 
El Salvador           7.9           9.2          11.8 
Costa Rica           21.2          24.1           9.8 
Panama               15.1          18.1           8.8 
Italy                13.6           7.6           6.2 
Guatemala            11.1          10.8           6.0 
Spain                 7.8           9.8           5.4 
United Kingdom       15.0           4.3           4.8 
Japan                 0.0           1.2           1.2 
Switzerland          -4.1          -1.3           0.5 
Mexico               -0.1           0.2           0.2 
Germany               0.2           0.2           0.2 
Other                94.1          43.1          15.2 
 
TOTAL               282.0         195.0         142.9 
 
Source: Central Bank of Honduras 
 
 
¶76.                          TABLE 2 
          HONDURAS: GDP AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT FLOWS, 
                 NOT INCLUDING THE MAQUILA SECTOR 
                   (In Millions of U.S. Dollars) 
 
                     2000          2001          2002 
                     ----          ----          ---- 
GDP               5,952.1       6,248.4       6,389.7 
FDI Flows           282.0         195.0         142.9 
FDI Flows as 
 percentage of GDP    4.7           3.1           2.2 
 
Source: Central Bank of Honduras 
 
------------------------- 
Maquila Sector Statistics 
------------------------- 
 
¶77.  In the maquila sector, total accumulated investment reached 
USD 1.56 billion in 2002, up from 1.421 billion in 2001 and 1.237 
billion in 2000.  A detailed breakdown of investment by country of 
origin for 2002 was not available; however, Table 3 provides this 
information for the year 2001, and Table 4 shows investment origin 
by number of companies established (not dollar value of 
investment) for 2002. 
 
 
¶78.                          TABLE 3 
    HONDURAS: ACCUMULATED INVESTMENT IN MAQUILA SECTOR, 2001 
                  (In Millions of U.S. Dollars) 
 
                     Amount        Percent of 
                 (USD millions)         Total 
 
Honduras             670.1              47.1 
U.S.                 370.2              26.0 
Korea                145.5              10.2 
Hong Kong             43.8               3.1 
Taiwan                55.2               3.9 
China                 33.8               2.5 
Singapore             18.8               1.3 
Canada                49.2               3.5 
Other                 35.0               2.5 
                    ------             ----- 
Total               1421.6             100.0 
 
Source: Honduran Maquila Association 
 
 
¶79.                          TABLE 4 
       HONDURAS: INVESTMENT ORIGIN IN MAQUILA SECTOR, 2002 
                 (Number of Companies Established) 
 
                 Number of       Percent of 
                 Companies          Total 
 
U.S.                 87               40 
Honduras             67               31 
Korea                33               15 
Hong Kong             9                4 
Taiwan                4                2 
Other                17                8 
                    ---              --- 
TOTAL               217              100 
 
Source: Honduran Maquila Association 
 
 
¶80.  There are no records kept on Honduran investment abroad. 
 
----------------------- 
Major Foreign Investors 
----------------------- 
 
¶81.  The following is a partial list of foreign firms and 
franchises of foreign firms operating in Honduras, with a 
description of the type of investment and country of origin. 
 
Investor                        Country         Type of Investment 
 
Agro Internacional de           U.S.            Agricultural 
Honduras                                        products 
 
Alpha-Graphics                  U.S.            Printing services 
 
Alberti Food Co.                U.S.            Food products 
 
Alimentos Concentrados          U.S.            Veterinary food 
Nacionales 
 
American Airlines               U.S.            Air services 
 
Americar                        U.S.            Car distributors 
America's Favorite Chicken      U.S.            Fast food 
 
American Home Assurance Co.     U.S.            Insurance services 
 
American International Group    U.S.            Insurance services 
 
Americatel                      U.S.            Telecommunications 
 
Antonino's Pizza                U.S.            Fast food 
 
Applewoods                      United Kingdom  Cosmetics 
 
Applebee's                      U.S.            Restaurant 
Arthur Andersen                 U.S.            General Business 
Consulting 
 
Astaldi, s.p.a.W.A.             ITA             Engineering 
                                                services 
 
Azucarera "La Grecia"           Guatemala       Sugar mill 
 
BAT Industries PLC              United Kingdom  Tobacco products 
 
Bay Island Fish Co.             U.S.            Seafood 
 
Bayer                           Germany         Pharmaceutical 
                                                products 
 
Benetton                        ITA             Casual clothing 
 
Bennigan's                      U.S.            Restaurant 
 
Best Western Hotel              U.S.            Hotel 
 
Bojangles                       U.S.            Restaurant 
 
Breakwater Resources Corp.      CAN/U.S.        Mining 
 
Bristol Myers Squibb            U.S.            Beauty products 
 
Budget Rent a Car               U.S.            Car rental 
 
Burger King Inc.                U.S.            Fast food 
 
Candy Bouquet                   U.S.            Candy Store 
 
Cargill, Inc.                   U.S.            Animal feed, 
                                                poultry & meat 
                                                processing 
 
Castle & Cooke, Inc.            U.S.            Bananas and other 
                                                Agricultural 
                                                products; Bottling 
                                                and brewing 
 
Caterpillar Tractors            U.S.            Spare parts, 
                                                accessories 
 
Cerveceria Hondurena, S.A.      U.S.            Soft drinks and 
                                                beers 
 
Chestnut Hill Farms             U.S.            Agricultural 
                                                products 
 
Chiquita Brands International   U.S.            Bananas and other 
                                                Agricultural 
                                                products; 
                                                plastic products 
                                                manufacturing 
 
Church's Chicken                U.S.            Fast food 
 
Cinemark                        U.S.            Entertainment 
 
Citibank                        U.S.            Banking and 
                                                financial services 
 
Citrus Development Corp.        U.S.            Citrus production 
                                                and processing 
 
Colgate-Palmolive               U.S.            Personal care 
                                                products 
 
Congelados Holanda              Mexico          Ice cream 
 
Continental Airlines            U.S.            Air services 
CPC International               U.S.            Corn starch 
 
Crowley American Transport      U.S.            Ocean freight 
                                                services 
 
Crowne Plaza Hotel              U.S.            Hotel 
                                                services 
 
Cultivos Marinos                U.S.            Shrimp farm 
 
Cybex                           U.S.            Health & fitness 
 
Daimler Crysler Corporation     U.S.            Cars 
Demahsa                         Mexico          Corn flour 
 
DHL                             U.S.            Air freight 
                                                services 
 
Domino's Pizza                  U.S.            Fast food 
 
Dos Pinos                       Costa Rica      Ice cream and milk 
                                                products 
 
Dry Cleaning USA                U.S.            Dry cleaning 
                                                services 
 
Empacadora Cortes, S.A.         U.S.            Meat production; 
                                                packing 
 
Electrical & Consulting         U.S.            Engineering 
Petroleum Training Programs 
Services, Inc. 
 
Elektra                         Mexico          Household 
                                                goods/appliances 
 
Ernst & Young International     U.S.            Accounting & 
                                                auditing services 
 
Espresso Americano              U.S.            Fast food 
 
Exxon                           U.S.            Petroleum products 
                                                marketing 
 
Federal Express                 U.S.            Air freight svcs. 
 
Five Star Mining                U.S.            Mining exploration 
 
From the Ground Up/Tippman      U.S.            Trading and 
                                                consulting 
 
G.B.M. de Honduras              U.S.            Computer services 
 
Glamis Gold, Ltd.               U.S.            Gold mining 
 
Global One Communication        U.S.            Telecommunications 
 
Gold's Gym                      U.S.            Health & fitness 
 
Grey Advertising Inc.           U.S.            Advertising 
                                                services 
 
Grupo Granjas Marinas           U.S.            Shrimp farms 
 
H.B. Fuller                     U.S.            Adhesives; paints 
 
Hertz Rent a Car                U.S.            Car rental 
 
Holiday Inn Hotel               U.S.            Hotel 
 
Hotel Intercontinental          El Salvador     Hotel 
/Camino Real (Grupo Roble) 
 
Hotel Princess                  Guatemala       Hotel 
 
House of Windsor                U.S.            Tobacco 
 
IBM                             U.S.            Business machines; 
                                                Computer software 
 
Industrial Engineers, Inc.      U.S.            Repair & 
                                                construction, 
                                                naval vessels 
 
Kimberly-Clark                  U.S.            Paper products; 
                                                Pharmaceutical 
                                                products 
 
KPMG Peat Marwick               U.S.            General business 
                                                consultants 
 
La Costena                      Mexico          Canned foods 
 
Little Caesar's Pizza           U.S.            Fast food 
 
Lloyd's Bank PLC                United Kingdom  Banking services 
 
Lucent Technologies             U.S.            Telecommunications 
 
Mail Boxes, etc.                U.S.            Courier services 
                                                and copy center 
 
Martinizing                     U.S.            Dry cleaning 
                                                services 
 
McDonald's                      U.S.            Fast food 
 
McCann Erickson                 U.S.            Advertising; 
                                                publicity 
 
Midas International             U.S.            Automotive parts & 
                                                Services 
 
Motorola                        U.S.            Telecommunications 
 
Moore Business Forms            U.S.            Business forms 
 
Multiplaza Malls (Grupo Roble)  El Salvador     Shopping center 
                                                chain 
 
Nestle Products                 Switzerland     Food products 
 
Oil Butler                      U.S.            Oil change 
 
Oracle                          U.S.            Software 
 
Pakmail                         U.S.            Packaging and 
                                                Courier Services 
 
Pan Bimbo                       Mexico          Bread products 
 
Pan American Life Ins. Co.      U.S.            Life insurance 
 
Papa John's                     U.S.            Fast food 
 
Parker Tobacco                  U.S.            Cigars 
 
Payless                         U.S.            Footwear 
 
Paysen                          Germany         Pharmaceutical 
                                                products 
 
Peat, Marwick, & Mitchell       U.S.            Accounting and 
                                                auditing services 
 
Phelps-Dodge                    U.S.            Electric wire & 
                                                Cable 
                                                manufacturing 
 
Pizza Hut International         U.S.            Fast food 
 
Pollo Campero                   Guatemala       Fast food; Animal 
                                                feed; Poultry 
                                                processing 
 
Popeye's                        U.S.            Fast food 
 
PriceSmart                      U.S.            Warehouse stores 
 
Price Waterhouse                U.S.            Accounting & 
                                                auditing services 
 
Quick Internet                  U.S.           Telecommunications, 
                                                internet services 
 
¶R. Rodriguez y Asociados        U.S.            General Business 
                                                consulting 
 
Radio Shack                     U.S.            Electrical 
                                                Appliances 
 
RJR-Nabisco                     U.S.            Food products 
 
Rochez Brothers Entertainment   U.S.            Entertainment 
Ruby Tuesday's                  U.S.            Restaurant 
 
Sabritas                        Mexico          Snacks 
 
Scott Paper, Inc.               U.S.            Paper products 
 
Seaboard Marine Corp.           U.S.            Winter fruits & 
                                                vegetables; 
                                                aquaculture; 
                                                ocean freight 
                                                services 
 
Sealand Service, Inc.           U.S.            Ocean freight 
                                                services 
 
Sears                           U.S.            Household goods 
 
Select                          United Kingdom  Convenience store 
 
Shell                           United Kingdom  Petroleum products 
                                /Holland        marketing 
 
Siemens                         Germany         Telecommunications 
 
Smith-Kline Beecham             United Kingdom  Pharmaceutical 
 
Sprint                          U.S.            Telecommunications 
                                                products 
 
Standard Fruit Co.              U.S.            Tropical fruits 
 
Star Mart                       U.S.            Convenience store 
 
Stewart & Stevenson             U.S.            Electricity 
                                                generation 
 
Subway                          U.S.            Fast food 
 
TAHSA                           United Kingdom  Tobacco 
 
TACA                            El Salvador     Air services 
 
TCBY                            U.S.            Fast food 
 
Technology Research Corp.       U.S.            Electrical 
                                                supplies 
 
Texaco                          U.S.            Petroleum products 
                                                marketing 
 
TGI Friday's                    U.S.            Restaurant 
 
3M                              U.S.            Office supplies 
 
Tony Roma's                     U.S.            Restaurant 
 
Tropical Gas Company            U.S.            Appliance and 
                                                other equipment 
 
Truly International             U.S.            Pest control 
 
Unilever                        United Kingdom  Cleaning Products, 
                                /Holland        Beverages, Food 
 
United Marketing (Unimerc)      U.S.            Marketing services 
 
United Parcel Services          U.S.            International 
                                                Courier 
 
United Technologies Automotive  U.S.            Automobile 
                                                Electronics 
                                                assembly 
 
U.S. Tobacco                    U.S.            Cigars 
 
Van Ommeren-Ceteco              Netherlands     Trading/retailing 
 
Wellington Hall Caribbean, Inc. U.S.            Furniture 
 
Wendy's International           U.S.            Fast food 
 
Witten International            U.S.            Apparel 
 
Xerox Corp.                     U.S.            Business machine 
                                                sales & services 
 
Pierce