IN THE NEWS

IN THE NEWS

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Deploying rural broadband in Alabama.

Panamerican Marketing Group has partnered with The Bakery Project to begin the deployment of rural broadband using wireless technology pioneered by Microsoft.

Having access to fast and reliable internet is something that all Alabamians should enjoy, not just those who live in larger cities. The Alabama Rural Broadband Coalition has formed to take action in expanding broadband internet service to every county of Alabama – including the most rural areas.

High speed broadband access in rural Alabama will bring an array of benefits to education, telemedicine, economic development, and agriculture. It will help communities attract companies and keep successful companies from leaving town. And perhaps most importantly, it will help encourage young people to choose to stay in their hometowns and make a difference.

We believe having a reliable internet connection is a basic need in today’s world. Will you join us in creating a better future for rural Alabama?

https://www.alruralbroadband.com

In response to the Covid 19 pandemic, we utilized our medical and public health expertise, combined with our global marketing logistically team, to provide critically needed masks, gloves and gowns to hospitals, health care entities and governments across the globe.

We are presently providing consultative services to business and governments through our 8 teams on 4 continents across the globe.

Building a bridge to Southern Africa

Dr. Randy Brinson with officials from the South African government on a recent trade mission to South Africa and Namibia. more

Christopher Brinson with Senator Shelby of Alabama at Alabama Republican Party Winter Dinner

dr Brinson with Cherian George, Associate Professor in the Department of Communications, Hong Kong Baptist University. He interviewed me for his new book on faith and politics.

Dr. Randy Brinson with James Nyondo, Presidential candidate for Malawi

WHY WE ARE IN AFRICA:

Recently, Panamerican Marketing Group, LLC, has started initial discussions regarding investment in energy and agricultural sectors of Southern Africa, including Namibia, South Africa, and Mozambique.

The continent of Africa is rich in natural resources, including minerals and ariable land, but has been hampered for years by political instability and corruption, but these issues are in the process of being dealt with as more and more international companies have made significant investment in the region, The US government under the Obama administration has continued to pursue expanding foreign investment and loan guarantees for the region, but has tied this aid to increasing American imports into the region.

Our strategy is to assist the region with health care, agricultural technology, and energy production which will help strengthen their economy so that the region can continue to grow and participate in expanded trade with the Western economies.

AGOA moves forward: Reviewing last week’s reauthorization in the U.S. Senate

On Thursday of last week and with a vote of 97-1, the U.S. Senate approved the “Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015,” which includes reauthorization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). With this action, the Senate seeks to reaffirm the “centerpiece of trade relations between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa,” as well as enduring bipartisan consensus for stronger commercial ties with the region.

The legislation now goes to the U.S. House of Representatives. As this bill moves closer toward becoming a reality, it is important to review the specific changes that the Senate’s version of AGOA reauthorization entails for African beneficiaries and their counterpart in the U.S. Here, we briefly evaluate the key revisions of the program, broadly classified as the “good” and the “to be determined.” Importantly, opportunities still exist to modify AGOA reauthorization, and several amendments could strengthen the bill.

The “Good”

Long-term extension: AGOA reauthorization extends the program until September 30, 2025—a 10-year time horizon, which crucially also includes continuation of the third-country fabric program for the same period. Together, these provisions stand as the longest extension the bill has ever received. Short-term extensions and an uncertain renewal process have been the largest obstacles to AGOA’s success. The Senate’s new reauthorization bill provides exactly the type of stability and predictability required for beneficiary countries to utilize AGOA more effectively and for companies to make long-term investment decisions in the continent.

Targeted and flexible eligibility reviews: The Senate’s version of the AGOA reauthorization provides increased flexibility with and advance warning for a country whose eligibility is in question. In addition to an annual review and request for public comment on whether beneficiary countries conform to the eligibility criteria, the president may now initiate “out-of-cycle” assessments. The president must also provide the country in question a 60-day warning if its preferences are to be withdrawn. Additionally, the U.S. government will have more flexibility in dealing with beneficiary countries not meeting the eligibility criteria. The Senate legislation provides for the “withdrawal, suspension, or limitation” of duty-free treatment. This gives the president a more targeted way to penalize violations. For example, if this new approach had been in place during Madagascar’s 2009 coup, which led to the country’s exclusion from AGOA from 2010-2014, the U.S. may have been able to preserve the several thousands of jobs that were lost (largely by women), while pursuing more focused actions against the interests of those perpetrating political instability. more

Can the private sector replace Ex-Im Bank in developing economies?

In a world without the U.S. Export-Import Bank, the private sector reigns.

In the run-up to the June 30 deadline, Congress is debating whether to reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank, a trade promotion agency extending financial benefits to U.S. businesses that would not otherwise qualify to export or invest overseas.

Members of Congress who hope to reauthorize the bank point to the $7 billion Ex-Im has returned to the U.S. treasury over the past two decades, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, while opponents insist Ex-Im’s work could be done just as easily by the handful of other existing trade agencies, or by the increasingly robust U.S. private sector.

Anything Ex-Im can do, private banks and lenders can do better, went the refrain of Republican Reps. Ted Poe and Jeb Hensarling at a hearing in the run-up to Ex-Im’s reauthorization. House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday that if the Senate sends the House a reauthorization, he would hold an open-amendment floor vote, giving House opponents the chance to end, scale back or reform the bank. more

Malawi study reveals devastating cost of child undernutrition.

Malawi’s development is being thwarted by child undernutrition, the effects of which continue to blight the lives of 60% of the impoverished country’s adults and costing its economy hundreds of millions a year, according to a new study.

As well as dragging down Malawi’s productivity levels and putting a strain on health and education services, undernutrition has decimated the country’s potential workforce: an estimated 10.7% of those who would now be aged between 15 and 64 died as children because of undernourishment.

Between 2008 and 2012, almost 82,000 child deaths in Malawi – 23% of all child mortalities – were estimated to be directly associated with undernutrition, the study says.

The report, a joint study by the Malawian ministry of finance, the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the African Union Commission and others, says the consequences of stunting have been particularly devastating. more

UN Report Outlines Ways to Achieve Clean, Sustainable Off-Grid Lighting for Africa - See more at:

New York, 18 May 2015 - Creating favourable conditions for modern solar lighting markets can provide a low-cost solution to reducing carbon emissions, indoor air pollution and health risks, while bringing electricity to an estimated 600 million people in Africa who lack access to the power grid, says new report by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The report, entitled Developing Effective Off-Grid Lighting Policy - Guidance Note for Governments in Africa, recommends best practices and smart policies enabling the market uptake of off-grid lighting solutions. It was unveiled today at the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) annual forum, which convenes private sector, governments, energy access practitioners, off-grid lighting experts, civil society and international donors to achieve the target of universal energy access by 2030.

The publication was jointly launched by UNEP, the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA), and the Economic Community of West African States' (ECOWAS) Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE).

In Africa, about 600 million people have no access to grid electricity, with the figure expected to rise to 700 million by 2030 the report found. They are forced to rely on polluting and dangerous sources of lighting such as kerosene lamps, candles and battery-powered torches, with the poorest of people sometimes spending as much as 10 per cent of their income on fuel for lighting. Poor households are buying lighting at the equivalent of $US 100 per kilowatt-hour, more than 100 times the amount paid by people in rich countries.

Kerosene is both expensive and dangerous: stoves and lamps can cause fires, and indoor fumes are blamed for 600,000 preventable deaths each year in Africa alone.

"On average, 76 per cent of the population in West Africa lacks access to electricity and spends up to 20 per cent of the household budget on kerosene, which is potentially damaging to their health and detrimental to the planet's climate," said Achim Steiner, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director. "Adopting modern, solar powered solutions could provide these households with less expensive, more-efficient and healthier source of electricity, while boosting productivity and job creation."

- See more at: http://www.unep.org/newscentre/Default.aspx?

Dr. Randy Brinson with James Nyondo, candidate for President of Malawi

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Delegation of Elected Officials from Alabama visits Barranquilla, Colombia

AmCham Barranquilla received on July 19 a delegation from the State of Alabama. The exploratory mission, conformed by Commissioner of Industry and Agriculture John McMillan; the State Senators Daniel Clay Scofield, Oscar Gerald Dial, Thomas McKee Whatley and James Thomas Waggoner; Representative Oliver Wesley Long, and Mr. Randy Brinson, aimed to learn about the benefits that trade between the State of Alabama and Barranquilla could have, and promote diverse economic sectors.

The agenda included a meeting with Mayor Elsa Noguera, who showed interest in projects involving new solar energy technologies and pre-manufactured housing. Also appointments with several local companies were arranged in order to find suppliers from Alabama. MORE

Trade Mission discussion with Dominican Republic

Panamerican Marketing Group hosts representatives of the Dominican Republic to discuss Alabama trade mission with
Governor Bentley at the State Capitol
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Trade Mission to Medellin

Alabama's exports hit $19.5 billion

Merchandise exports in Alabama increased 9 percent year over in 2012, according to a release from the International Trade Administration. The state hit a record high as exports grew from $17.9 billion in 2011 to nearly $20 billion in 2012. “These export numbers show that for more and more Alabama companies, selling internationally is key to growing their businesses and strengthening their bottom line,” said Francisco Sánchez, U.S. Commerce Under Secretary for International Trade. The ITA report says that Alabama's strong performance helped the U.S. reach an all-time record of $2.2 trillion in 2012. more >>

Dr. Randy Brinson was a featured speaker at Democracy in the Americas Symposium

Dr. Randy Brinson was a featured speaker at Democracy in Americas which is designed to encourage lively dialogue around a variety of topics with a specific goal in mind: Tackle the key issues that threaten democracy in our countries and create attainable solutions that have a positive and lasting impact. Dr Brinson and his wife Pamela, started the nonprofit organization to improve voter registration and participation among young people of faith. more >>

Mr. Luis Monch of PanAmerican Marketing Group, LLC, Commissioner of Agriculture of the State of Alabama John McMillan, President Porfino Lobo of Honduras, Dean of Auburn University College of Agriculture Dr William Batchelor, Dr Randy Brinson, and Minister of Agriculture of Honduras Jacobo Regaldo ( from left to right) at agriculture fair in Esperanza, Honduras

Building a bridge to Latin America

MONTGOMERY—There is a vision to bring Alabama products to the countries of Latin America and a group of Alabamians is leading the way. Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan is the face of Alabama’s government to the countries of Central America. Meeting with presidents, government officials and plain folks, McMillan with the help of Dr. Randy Brinson, Dr. William Batchelor and others is forging a partnership of trade.

“We are making some real progress down here and it is just the beginning of a good and profitable relationship for the people of these countries and the people of Alabama,” said McMillan after his most recent trip to Central America.

McMillan, Brinson and Batchelor recently returned from a whirlwind tour of Honduras and Guatemala where business and personal ties are being formed. McMillan says the goal of these trips is to develop working relationships with the two countries to export Alabama products to them as well as bring some of their goods back to Alabama.

Dr. William Batchelor the Dean of Auburn Universities, College of Agriculture, he is working to establish a student and faculty exchange with the two countries to help expand education, productivity and learning for Auburn and its Latin American counterparts. more >>

Alabama firms are up to challenge of free trade.

Adam Smith wrote 235 years ago, “In every country it always is and must be the interest of the great body of the people to buy whatever they want of those who sell it cheaper.” Further, “If a country can supply us with a commodity cheaper than we ourselves can make it, better buy it off them.”

His principles still guide today’s global economy.

Long overdue is the need for Congress to ratify the pending bilateral trade agreements (known as Free Trade Agreements, or FTAs) with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. Congress, despite its endless dramas, is inching closer to that important vote.

Free trade’s benefits are lasting to main street America and are essential to enhancing prosperity. Free trade benefits all the partners who learn the rules of engagement. more>>

Moving Beyond Politics & Ideology in the Energy Debate.

By Dr. Randy Brinson

All too often, the discussion of the environment and renewable energy falls along deeply divided ideological and party lines. Republicans, wary of climate change, frequently close their hearts and minds to discussion of the need to expand alternative energy solutions, while Democrats frequently overreach on the issue of energy, trading barbs with the Republicans without finding meaningful discussion on real energy solutions and integration of all renewable energy resources.

While political parties continue to fight over energy priorities to score political points, the developing countries around the globe are feeling the social and economic impact of years of neglect with regard to energy policy. From sub Sahara Africa to our friends in Latin America, lack of reliable energy and a growing dependency on fossil fuels are leading to growing poverty and economic uncertainty,creating more instability across the globe. more>>

First new home almost complete after just ONE week!

MONTGOMERY, AL

After just one week, we have nearly finished our first home in the Washington Park region of west Montgomery, Alabama. The panel construction system has been used with concrete boards and insulation is a cost effective and sturdy construction system that we are using to revitalize low income areas and also in Latin America to restore communities and social cohesion. In the face of hurricane and tornado destruction, this is a very effective alternative to less substantial trailers for new housing.

Photo below was taken this afternoon, October 6, after only 3-1/2 days of construction!

New homes to be built in blighted Westside neighborhood

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

It's not everyday a private developer chooses to invest in blighted areas like Washington Park .

"Now the partnerships are there," says Reverend Ed Nettles.

But because Nettles, the pastor of Freewill Missionary Baptist Church never gave up on his vision to revitalize the area around his church--

two new homes will soon sit on some vacant property just down the street. more

Panamerican Marketing Company partnered with a home construction system to use a panel system to build low cost housing for the State of Alabama and also low income housing for Latin America. This week,we had groundbreaking with Mayor Todd Strange, Rev Ed Nettles of

Freewill Missionary Baptist Church and business and community leaders to unveil our designs for these homes.

The business model we used allowed for Freewill Church to donate lots for us to develop and in return, we agreed to raise capital to finance

the home construction and then identify and counsel families so that they can have an adequate credit rating to obtain long term mortgage

financing for the homes. Not only are they cost effective, but they are wind resistant, water resistant and fire resistant, so that they are a cost effective alternative to less substantial homes such as mobile homes that can lead to death and loss of property due to their construction