San José, Costa Rica, Wednesday 03 March 2010
Bolivian President Donates Half Pay to Victims
LA PAZ - Bolivian president Evo Morales announced on Tuesday he will donate half of his salary to victims of the recent earthquakes in Chile and Haiti.
At the presentation of the national campaign "Chile and Haiti need you" Morales informed him and the vice president Alvaro Garcia will give the half of their March's fees.
In addition, ministers and deputy ministers agreed to hand over 30 percent of their salary of March.
Like this, Bolivia initiates a five-day campaign to raise funds for the two countries affected by natural disasters.
Morales exhorted all citizens of the nation to deliver at least one boliviano ($ 0.15) to collect a total of 10 million (1.5 million) in support of the people of Haiti and Chile.
The funds will be channeled through a state bank to close the campaign on Saturday at a sports center in La Paz, where will be a prize draw for prizes given by state enterprises.
On Tuesday left to Chile the first Bolivian solidarity plane with Foreign Minister David Choquehuaca to the head, carrying 40 tons of water.
Haiti suffered on February 12 a quake that left more than 200.000 dead people while on Saturday the central and southern part of Chile were hit by another earthquake killing more than 700 people.
http://www.insidecostarica.com/dailynews/2010/march/03/latam-10030304.htm ~~~~~~~You may remember when Evo Morales first took office, he immediately chose to take only one half the salary previous Bolivian Presidents had taken for themselves.
He's a spectacular person of honor, although we are aware some incomprehensibly hateful people see him as an "Indian".