Honduras was trying to pass a bill for new health and education reforms. However, it was meet with intense backlash from both communities who believe the bills will cause privatization and a loss of jobs. There have been mass protests which have escalated into violence. Protestors carrying stones, sticks and Molotov cocktails. The class with police has left 3 people injured and 4 building burned, 3 public and 1 private. Because of the population’s reaction to the bill the Honduras government has decided to postpone the vote in congress to try to allow for proper and open discussion between the government and leaders in health and education. However, the leaders say the protests will continue to keep pressure on the government.
I personally don’t understand how privatization would be a bad thing. However, that may be a very American viewpoint. I think that privatized businesses creates competition and competition creates better products and better products creates happier consumers. So the push back for this reason seem a little absurd to me. Also I don’t agree with the escalations of violence. I think that this probably could have been solved through the proper path ways or a peaceful protest. Burning buildings, especially someones private property who has nothing to do with the problem is never the way to go in my point of view. I do understand the concern around the decrease in jobs. However, how can that be curtain and if that industry is truly needed those jobs will come back. If they aren’t than that means the government is currently wasting money to fill unneeded positions. However I feel it is not my country or my culture. Therefore I think it is important that government officials meet with leaders of the industries to come to a consensus of what should be on the bill. Laws are made to protect the people and to do good by them. If there are mass amounts of people against it, it is definitely time to reevaluate.