Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

Nation & World__ Vice president assumes presidency in Ecuador by Monte Hayes Associated Press , Quito, Ecuador — Ecuador’s vice president assumed the presidency of this small Andean nation Saturday, ending, at least for now, a political crisis that ex ploded when Indian protesters aided by a cadre of junior military officers seized power and ousted a highly unpopular president. Vice President Gustavo Noboa’s sud den ascension came after Ecuador’s mil itary chief, buckling to U.S. pressure, dis solved a three-man junta that had claimed power just few hours earlier. Noboa be comes the sixth president since 1996 in this troubled nation, which has suffered years of political and economic turmoil. The handover of power came a day after political tensions boiled over in Quito, the capital. Angry at ousted president Jamil Mahuad’s inability to stop Ecuador’s eco nomic slide, hundreds of Indian pro testers stormed the empty Congress build ing Friday. They and young army officers unhappy with widespread corruption an nounced the creation of a new govern ment, including a “Parliament of the Peo ple” and a three-man governing junta. Mahuad fled into hiding. The mili tary chief took a seat in the junta but then quickly dissolved it, ceding power to Noboa. Noboa faces daunting problems, be ginning with a radicalized Indian move ment that feels betrayed by the military high command’s decision to turn pow er over to him. Noboa also must confront the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, with 7 million of Ecuador’s 12 million people trapped in poverty. Inflation topped 60 percent last year, the highest in Latin America, and the economy contracted 7.5 percent. Only one in three in the labor force has a full time job. “We can’t think the country is going to resolve its tremendous crisis in 24 hours,” former president Leon Febres Cordero said “Internal confidence is de stroyed The country’s image is horrible. If we don’t create jobs, if we don’t gen erate production, if we don’t stabilize the country’s economy, Ecuador is finished ” On another problematic issue, Noboa said he would stick with Mahuad’s plan to make the dollar Ecuador’s official cur rency. Mahuad hoped the proposed move would curb inflation, bring down inter est rates to U.S. levels and spur invest ment. But polls show that more than 60 percent of Ecuadoreans reject the plan. Indian leaders expressed outrage at the idea, saying it was an aflfont to national sovereignty and would benefit only the rich. Political analysts say the root of Ecuador’s problems is a discredited po litical class, many of whose members seek public office only to rob and have little interest in improving the lives of the poor. Polls show that virtually no po litical leaders here are trusted. “The Ecuadorean political system has lost the capacity to represent the peo ple,” political scientist Simon Pachano said. “That is why the Indians and social movements are proposing an overall restructuring of the political system and new forms of representation.” After military chief Got. Carlos Men doza announced the end of the shoit-lived junta, he resigned from his army lead ership post, saying the three-person coun cil had claimed power only to “prevent a bloodbath.” Mendoza had replaced Col. Lucio Gutierrez in the junta, which included Antonio Vargas, the head of the Indian movement that sparked the coup; and Carlos Solorzano, a former president of the Supreme Court. Mendoza said the quick decision to dissolve the junta was made after dis cussions with U.S. officials, who threat ened to cut foreign aid and discourage in vestment if power was not restored to the elected government. “What we were trying to do was pre vent the international isolation of Ecuador,” he said. But Solorzano and Vargas opposed the dissolution of the governing junta. Vargas denounced Mendoza for betray ing the Indians’ drive to form a new system of government that would end widespread corruption and represent the interests of Ecuador’s poor. He said Ecuador’s 4 million Indians do not recognize Noboa’s authority and will continue their struggle throughout the country for radical change. But, as he spoke, the 5,000 Indians who had ar rived early in the week to try to force the resignations of Mahuad, Congress and the Supreme Court were already be ginning to abandon the capital. Mahuad, a Harvard-educated cen trist who took office in August 1998, made a surprise appearance on Chan nel 8 television after his ouster. He con demned the coup against him but wished his successor “the best of luck. ” He said the military high command had tried to talk him into fleeing the coun try and had made a plane available to him at the Quito air force base, where he had gone after abandoning the national palace. But he said he had refused to leave Ecuador. Mahuad called Friday’s events “a na tional and international disgrace” for Ecuador. “I ask you to give Gustavo Noboa the support you did not give to me,” he said. “The hours ahead for the president will be very hard. He has to make very important and very difficult decisions. He needs the country’s support. I wish Gustavo Noboa the best of luck.” State feeling effects of NAACP boycott Associated Press Charleston—The NAACP’s boycott of South Carolina is hitting more than just the state’s tourist meccas. Tom Volz, president and chief ex ecutive of the Columbia Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau, estimat ed that city’s loss at $2.6 million. “That’s about 15 percent of our total tourism business for next year,” Volz said. The National Association for the Ad vancement of Colored People called for the boycott, which began Jan. 1, until the Confederate flag is removed from the Statehouse dome. Tourism officials and the NAACP say that more than 90 groups have canceled or moved meetings orig inally scheduled to be held in the state. In Charleston, the boycott has caused nearly $2 million in business losses, the local visitors bureau said. The Hilton Head Island Chamber of Commerce estimates a $1 million economic impact. And Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce President Ashby Ward puts the local financial impact at nearly $1 million. The NAACP estimated a $43 million economic impact on South Carolina af ter groups submitted estimates of mon ey they would have spent in the state, NAACP state director Dwight James said. But those figures only represent groups that had canceled as of October, and the real impact is probably much higher, he said. The Charleston Place hotel, where 10 to 15 groups have canceled reserva tions since the boycott was announced in July, has lost some $400,000 in busi ness, general manager Paul Stracey said. The Wild Dunes Resort lost $200,000 after the Association of Black Cardiol ogists canceled its visit, sales and mar keting director Doug Lester said. Nearly 30 million visitors spent $6.75 billion in South Carolina in 1998, the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism has said. Fire from page A4 of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. While most university handbooks de tail fire procedures and most dormitory staff hold fire safety talks, few students pay attention, Jones said. “Experience tells me that 18- to 24 year-olds have a sense of immortality," Jones said. “You’re just not going to get them to pay close attention to safe ty lessons.” At Seton Hall, many students said they didn’t leave when the alarm sound 01 early Wednesday because they thought Ijjrwas another false alarm — there have oeen 17 this school year. At Princeton, undergraduates get fire education booklets, two seminars a year, four inspections and two fire drills, spokesman Justin Harmon said. “They get it hancLd it to them,” Har mon said. “But you know,... an alarm goes off and some kid is in the middle of writing a paper and he doesn’t want to be bothered because he’s sure it’s some body’s toaster.” Investigators at Seton Hall were still trying to determine the cause of the blaze that broke out in a third-floor lounge of the freshman dorm. Essex County Prosecutor Donald Campolo has said investigators have not ruled out arson, careless smoking or electrical problems as possible causes. His staff wouldn’t comment on the in vestigation Sunday. Students will be able to return to the dorm tody, and classes, canceled after the fire, were to resume Tuesday. Burial services were planned for the three 18-year-old victims today. L Iowa from page A4 Though Forbes is expected to get a lion’s share of the conservative vote, for mer ambassador Alan Keyes, Washing ton activist Gary Bauer and Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah are carving up the reli gious base. Keyes, Bauer and Hatch are likely competing for third place; finish ing lower could doom their candidacies. Addressing a congregation on the city’s industrial north side, Bauer said Christians should vote more on princi ple than on “selfish” issues such as tax es. “Do what you think God would have you do,” he said. Looking to New Hampshire, Bush pressed his case against Sen. John Mc Cain’s tax-cutting package. The Arizona senator, who did not campaign in Iowa, is in a tight race with Bush in the New England state. “The fundamental debate is do we leave money in Washington or do we give it back to taxpayers?” Bush said. McCain would cut fewer taxes than Bush, saving some projected gov ernment surpluses to bolster Social Se curity, Medicare and pay down the na tional debt. While Bush was in Iowa, McCain was campaigning Sunday in New Hampshire where he picked up en dorsements from two of the state’s biggest newspapers. Public polls suggest that Gore has opened a slight lead over Bradley in New Hampshire, though the vice president’s own polls still show the race in a statis tical dead heat. Bradley aides also con sider the race tied. On the Republican side, McCain is managing to maintain a lead in the high single digits over the Texas governor. In Iowa, Forbes courted social con servatives by questioning Bush’s com mitment to abortion and tax cuts. “Candidates at this time of the year — the conservative establishment in the Republican Party — always say, ‘Oh, we are conservative, ’ and then after the elec tion, they forget about it,” he said. Bradley urged supporters to vote. “We could surprise a few people,” he said at Cornell College. In Davenport, Gore said his “hon orable opponent” has focused on health care reform while treating education “as kind of an afterthought.” As the candidates stumped, aides fine tuned plans to get supporters to the cau cus sites. Last-minute mailings criticized opponents and offered incentives to vote. A Bush flier included two “ W” stickers for supporters to show unity at caucus sites. Voters sized up the field for the last time. Mark Steenhoek, 32, of Ankeny, said he was leaning toward Keyes. “It’s more of him being such an un 'derdog and trying so hard and keeping at it that makes me like him so much,” he said. >^^r | i T H E A R K ■ V A APARTMENTS /I (l Call today to find out about our reduced H \ rental rates and rent concession \ ) 798-0345 / MEGA TANNING SALONS WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL TANNING BEDS State Of The Art Giant Mega Beds • High/Medium Pressure Beds Super 10 Minute Beds • Giant 20 And 30 Minute Beds Ruva Beds And Stand Up VHR Booths CHOSEN AS ONE OF THE TOP TEN SALONS IN THE COUNTRY! 275 Harbison, next to Columbiana Mall (803) 732-5949 NO APPOINTMENT OPEN 7 DAYS 25 GIANT BEDS “First Time Customers Only” Buy one session i GET A FREE BOTTLE OF LOTION 1 $14 Value Expires 3-18-00 A Russian™''**- d» “ QUESTION OF THE WEEK How Is the current Russian President related to the famous personality of the beginning of the 20th century, Rasputin? ANSWER: The two are not related. However, their last names have the same root- put’ 'way'. The current Russian president-Putin-replaced Yeltsin after his sudden resignation on new year's eve. Rasputin served as the main advisor to Russian Empress Alexandra at the beginning of the 20th century and was responsible for keeping hemophilia of her son under control. The name Rasputin may mean 'at crossroads'. The name Putin implies just one way or road. Readership jqj Do you want to get involved? Have Fun? Make New Friends? Get connected to campus? And so much more... then Leadership 101 is for you!! You are invited to participate in this exciting new opportunity to develop and enhance your leadership skills. There is no charge so come check it out! What is Leadership? Tbesday, January 25,2000 Mike Duncan: Carolina Productions The Creative Leader Tuesday, February 1,2000 Ellen Parsons: Student Media The Student Leadership Training Conference Saturday. February 5,2000 Civic Responsibility ^yTuesdav. February 8,2000 Marguerite O’ Brieti: City Year Finding Purpose, Building Goals TUesday, February 15,2000 Carl Johnson. Greek Life Encouraging Diversity Tuesday, February 22,2000 JeffTemoney: Multicultural Affairs The Balancing Act Tuesday, February 29,2000 Elise Vaughn: Wellness Programs All sessions will be held in the Russell House Room 303 ,3:30pm - 4:30pm Sponsored by the Department of Student Life, Division of Student and Alumni Services. If you have questions, please contact the Office of Leadership Programs at 777-6688. Find the Best Price on New and Pre-Owned Hondas www.rickhendrickhonda.com HONDA 791-5660 1650 Airport Boulevard • West Columbia, SC 29171 Propecia I (finasteride) ! I Ask your doctor about this pill ! from Merck. For more information, call 1-888-MERCK-74. I ' o www.propecia.com University Of South Carolina Ski Program At Winterplace Ski Resort We are pleased to announce the establishment of a special USC Ski Program which is being made available by Winterplace Ski Resort, near Beckley, West Virginia. USC Students, Faculty and Staff wishing to take advantage of this special ski program must present their USC ID Card when purchasing lift tickets or renting ski equipment. i SPECIAL PRICES ARE: Weekdays, (Monday through Friday, Non Holiday) All Day Twilight Open to 10 pm 3 pm to 10 pm Lift Ticket $22.95 $20.95 Rental Equipment* $19.95 $16.95 Weekends and Holidays All Day Night Open to 10 pm 5 pm to 10 pm Lift Ticket $40.95 $24.95 Rental Equipment* $19.95 $15.95 * Rental Equipment includes skis, boots, and poles. Deposit Required) _Largest Snowtubing Park in West Virginia • 10 lanes and 3 Lifts Special Add-On Snowtubing Ticket •500 Big, Fat Tubes 0NLY $7-50 for 2 hours ___ (When purchased same day and time as lift ticket) COMING SOON - SPECIAL EVENTS •Harris Teeter Winter Carnival Weekend-March 4 & 5, 2000 /Shovel Race /Mt. Bike Slalom Race /Cardboard Box Race •Beach Party Weekend and Thbe Race-March 11 & 12, 2000 •Open 8 am on Weekends and Holidays and 9 am on Weekdays. •Holiday periods are: Dec. 20-Jan. 2, Jan. 15-17, & Feb. 19-21. WINTERPLACE SKI RESORT Winterplace is located just 2 minutes off 1-77, Exit 28, at Flat Top/Ghent, West Virginia. Visit us on the web at: winterplace.com