The Frontier of Competitive Governance

Introducing the Honduran Special Development Regions

Update, April 6, 2012: LibertyBlog.Org has just published a new commentary from me on this topic. Read “Honduras and the Future of Competitive Governance” here.

February 16, 2012

Although the Economist magazine has reported on the Honduran Special Development Regions (Regiones Especiales de Desarrollo) or charter cities, they were scant on details, and the accuracy of that article has come under fire. In the latest episode of The Stateless Man radio show, I went straight to the source on what looks set to be a future Hong Kong or Singapore of Central America.

Along with Brad Jordan, I interviewed one of three commissioners overseeing the new regions—Carlos Pineda of CoAlianza, the Honduran department of privatization and public-private partnerships. Click below to listen (35 minutes, mp3):

[audio:http://thestatelessman.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/CarlosPineda.mp3|titles=Carlos Pineda]We also had Michael Strong, the cofounder of the Free Cities Institute, which, along with the Universidad de Francisco Marroquín, promotes the charter cities idea. Both interviews proved insightful, and we will continue to watch this development, set to begin construction within one year. Here is the audio of Strong’s interview (45 minutes, mp3):

[audio:http://thestatelessman.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/MichaelStrong.mp3|titles=Michael Strong]

Actually, I first heard about the Special Development Regions when I was a reporter in New Orleans, and a Honduran delegation presented on why people would do well to invest and travel there. What perked my attention even more, though, was the warm community of Hondurans who lived in New Orleans. And I still miss the Wednesdays with live music at Carreta’s in Metairie, Louisiana.