Page 12 - link magazine

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^Iel a & sltiav e/ t4, / fl,,e/
Strengthening the links with our twin town on the

The Mayor of Swindon, councillor David Cox, describes his recent trip
When I chose the 'El Hogar De los Highway through breathtaking honoured guests and
Ancianos, an elderly persons' scenery, Ocotal suddenly appeared granted the Mayoress
home in Ocotal, Swindon's twin in front of us nestled in the moun- and I the 'Keys of the
town in Nicaragua, as one of my tains. We immediately could see City,' which had not
charities, I never envisaged that I where Hurricane Mitch had hit the been given to anyone
would actually make a visit. town in 1997; equally you could before.
When their Mayor, Edward see evidence of rebuilding. A new Although Nicara-
Centeno was in Swindon in July, road and bridge - the only way in gua is a very poor
below, on a friendship visit organ- and out of the town - had been country, there is lots
ised by SOL (SwindonOcotal Link) totally washed away and had to be of evidence of im-
he extended an invitation to visit replaced. provement. One strik-
his country. Edward had organised an ex- ing project is a new housing estate houses are being constructed,
tensive programme for us, begin- on the edge of Ocotal. In the 1980s, above, with electricity, a dry toilet
ning with a civic ceremony. He after the revolution, people came and a water supply.
thanked the people of Swindon for back to live in the town and set up The occupier of the house we
their friendship and solidarity over a shanty town on a former rubbish visited said that it was 'their cas-
d '^ n ' M the years and all the help that had tip, with no proper sanitation and tle.' It had given them a better
3
been provided after Hurricane only a couple of standpipes for standard of life and something to
Mitch. He declared that we were water. Now proper brick built be proud of. Their garden was a
mass of flowers grown
from seeds given to them
by Swindon Ocotal Link.
A wonderful health
On the 17 October myself, the centre, right, had been
Mayoress, my partner Jenny Dean built on the estate, funded
and three members of SOL, Bruce entirely by SOL, which
Clarke, Karen Mayell and Maria provides much needed
Luengo arrived in Ocotal. health care and advice. At
I shall never forget my first view the moment it is only open
of the town. After a four hour drive three days a week, but this
from Managua, the capital of Nica- is soon to change when
ragua, along the Trans-America staff numbers increase.

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