Republic of Guatemala

Budgetary Statement Page 1

Republic of Guatemala

General Statement

Welcome everyone to the 2015 Meeting of the Organization of American States. The Delegation of Guatemala looks forward to diplomatically stabilizing and determining the allocation of funds for this upcoming year’s budget. Despite the limited funds of the OAS, this delegation would like to see a collective effort in the allocation of funds towards stopping the spread of corruption. With corruption playing such a large role in many of the member states governments, we see it as an act against the sovereignty of all member states. This delegation believes the OAS should be a unified body that protects the will of the people and with corruption looming in the background, freedoms are being taken away. This delegation would also like to make a collective effort to fight poverty in all member states. By putting money back into our economy through thoughtful programs, this delegation believes that it can stimulate the middle and lower class. To achieve both of these goals the delegation of Guatemala has submitted the following six resolutions.Which hinder the spread of corruption and fight poverty through diplomatic partnering with other member states, large corporations, churches, and non-governmental organizations. This 2015 meeting of the Organization of American States will set a precedent that we are willing to stand up against those who take away freedoms and will stop at nothing until the sovereignty of all nations is assured. The republic of Guatemala is grateful for the opportunity to work with all member states to make this possibility a reality.

Resolution 1 (General Committee) Topic 1: The implementation of creating an education program to address disparities in wealth distribution

Two thirds of all children in Guatemala live in poverty. Many families struggle to find where their next meal is going to come from, and in some instances children can go days without eating at all. The top one percent in Guatemala control more than sixty five percent of Guatemala’s wealth.[i] The disparity of wealth is a huge obstacle for Guatemala and this resolution seeks to tackle the problem by educating and putting children through a schooling system at a young age. Many children in Guatemala don’t have the chance to stay in school and that rate is drastically low when specifically looking at girls. The schooling would teach all children real world practices such as agricultural methods to increase the output production within family farms which in return provides more food. This schooling would also provide guidance to the children, and in return we can expect to see a decrease in the participation rate among children who later go into some sort of organized crime. Through schooling and showing that we care, corruption is bound to drop. This program is similar to Asignación Universal por Hijo which was implemented by Argentina in 2009 as well as Bolsa de Familia implemented by Brazil. Both have drastically helped many families in poverty in their respective countries. The child involved in the educational program will also receive one meal a day while at school which will be funded by the Save the Children Foundation, which just last year gave 42,201 children in Guatemala vital nourishment.[ii] The Organization of American States would not be responsible for the allocation of any funds towards this resolution as all meal funds would be covered by Save the Children and the rest would come from the reallocation of already provided money from the United States.

Resolution 2 (Secretariat for Multidimensional Security) Topic 1: Implementing Awareness of Surveillance and Information Gathering

This resolution affirms with the shared values of the OAS, with a focus on article two of the charter, which strives to strengthen the peace and security of the continents and to seek the solution of political, juridical, and economic problems that may arise among the states. This delegation seeks to increase the knowledge, resources, and security in regards to cybersecurity, of not only Guatemala, but all member states. The issue at hand is terrorism, without strong cybersecurity, a country is left vulnerable to theft of information, money, and rights. This resolution is proposing that the OAS create a criminal justice system that will bring terrorists to justice, while remaining respectful to all citizen’s rights and freedoms. Reinstating and encouraging the participation of each state in CICTE, which is a program by the OAS, which combats modern terrorism. While some member states may have strong national strategies for cybersecurity policies already in place, this delegation recognizes that some countries do not. The resolution proposes that the OAS work together to make all states a safer place for its citizens. With this resolution, comes debate, in the spirit of diplomacy, this delegation proposes a summit that would mirror Quebec’s Summit in 2004, which would help strengthen securities according to each individual state’s needs. Finally, this delegation would like to request any funding needed to implement this Plan of Action,from Microsoft, TrendMicro, AMERIPOL, the Anti-Phishing Group, as well as the already existing CICIG and CICTE,while attempting to reestablish the inter-American Anti-Corruption Fund so that the OAS can support all member states on issues of security.

Resolution 3 (Secretariat for Political Affairs) Topic 1: Family Connections Plan

The protection of political refugees within the member states is an issue of great importance. The protection n of families and the desire to preserve the family unit is something that cannot be over looked. This resolution establishes a solution that will allow families to remain in contact even in situations when family members must become asylum seekers. Through a partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHRC) this resolution will vastly improve the living conditions for families of asylum seekers. Member states will apply for a grant from Google Inc. for the donation of Google Chromebooks to be used by refugees to enter their current information into the database in order that families can find and keep in contact in situations of refugee and asylum issues. This resolution also encourages churches of all religions in member states to provide safe locations for refugees to access the chrome books. The funding of any costs for this resolution would all derive from the chrome books which would be donated by Google Inc. The donation of this technology would provide databases for all families separated, in hopes that they one day can be reunited. The Family Connections Plan also request that it be added 2016-2020 strategic planning for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).

Resolution 4 (Secretariat for Political Affairs) Topic 2: The implementation of prisoner bill of rights

One of the large problems Guatemala faces is the harsh conditions of the prisons. In many instances the prisoners carry around knives and shanks for their own protection. The prisons are not well regulated due to the corruption of many prison guards and the prisoners are left in a free for all.[iii] This resolution strives to make the living conditions of prisoners of all kinds better. With the implementation of a prisoner bill of rights that sets aside basic necessities for prisoners such as a proper eating schedule, separation of organized crime members, livable conditions, and for prisons not to exceed the max capacity of inmates it can contain. All of these terms can be altered and are up to the discretion of the member state. This resolution also strives to cut down on the amount of corruption among prison guards through background checks and diligent training sessions of all police and prison guards. The guards would also be trained on how to properly and efficiently handle riots that occur throughout the prisons to ensure the safety of all inmates. The funding would come from donations from the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala as well as the World Bank.

Resolution 5 (Executive Secretariat for Integral Development) Topic 1: Combating Poverty through Educating Indigenous and Rural Youth

This resolution affirms with the shared values of the OAS charter, with a focus on chapter VII, Article 34, which promotes that all member states agree that equality of opportunity, the elimination of extreme poverty, equitable distribution of wealth, and income and full participation of the peoples in decisions relating to their own development are, among others, basic objectives of integral development. This delegation wishes to work with all member states, with the intentions of spreading equality between men and women throughout the OAS. With the installment of programs like Women Work Together, which would provide proper sex education to rural/indigenous teen girls. By emphasizing sex education and literacy in the areas that need it the most, and requesting qualified volunteers, such as medical personnel and educators, at the discretion of each member state, to assist with educating rural and indigenous young men and women. This delegation would like to thank all other member states who will and are working towards a more educated youth. The Republic of Guatemala believes that with this resolution, and the proper allocation of funds from The World Bank, various non-government organizations like, Global Partnership for Girls and Women and Women Work Together, the OAS can enrich the lives of the citizens in all member states.

Resolution 6 (Executive Secretariat for Integral Development) Topic 2:Sharing and Allocation of Water Resources in Guatemala

This resolution affirms with the shared values of the OAS charter, with a focus on Article two, which strives to promote, by cooperative action, their economic, social, and cultural development, as well working to eradicate extreme poverty, which constitutes an obstacle to the full democratic development of the peoples of the hemisphere. This delegation seeks to not only increase the water supply but to also make it more sanitary and safe for human consumption, to the areas of all member states, which have a lack of clean water. To do so, this delegation urges the OAS to collaborate with the Water for People Organization, which will help member states create a plan for rural areas that will instill weekly checks and reliable pipelines. Local, educated people will do these checks, which will save money and keep the communities educated on water sanitation. A main concern would be the installation of water pipelines in places that have little rainfall or no groundwater for wells. While providing clean water, this plan would also like to focus on the education of sanitation, by expanding the Water for People’s proposal, and implementing these projects into more schools. Finally this delegation would like to allocate funding from multiple non-government organizations like Rotary International, Water for People, the World Bank, and Charity Water so that the OAS combat this major issue among all member states.

[i]

[ii]

[iii]