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HELLO AGAIN - WE'RE BACK WITH YOU HERE AT ON ASSIGNMENT... I'M ALEX VILLARREAL...
AND I'M IMRAN SIDDIQUI. WE START OUR SHOW THIS WEEK IN THE NATION OF GEORGIA, WHERE
A LAB IS GETTING RUSSIA'S ATTENTION, BUT NOT THE GOOD KIND.
SOME POSITIVE FINANCIAL NEWS FOR THE EUROZONE, BUT THE CRISIS ISN'T OVER QUITE YET.
IT'S BACK! THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE RESTORES WRESTLING TO THE GAMES. WE'LL TALK
WITH OUR FAVORITE SPORTS BLOGGER ABOUT THIS.
AND A UNIQUE WAY TO KEEP YOUNG PEOPLE OUT OF TROUBLE.
WE'RE GOING ON ASSIGNMENT WITH THE VOICE OF AMERICA.
RELATIONS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND GEORGIA HAVE LONG BEEN STRAINED, BUT THE SITUATION APPEARED
TO BE IMPROVING THIS YEAR WHEN RUSSIA LIFTED A SEVEN YEAR-OLD BAN ON GEORGIAN WINE AND
RE-OPENED ITS BORDERS TO GEORGIAN MINERAL WATER.
THEN, THE PROGRESS HIT A STUMBLING BLOCK. RUSSIA BLAMED AN EPIDEMIC SPREADING INTO THE
SOUTH OF THE COUNTRY ON A U.S.-FUNDED LABORATORY IN GEORGIA, AND SAID IT WOULD BLOCK IMPORTS
OF GEORGIAN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. BUT AS OUR MOSCOW CORRESPONDENT JIM BROOKE TOLD ME,
POLITICS - NOT SCIENCE - MAY BE BEHIND THE NEW TRADE FIGHT. TAKE A LOOK.
JIM, WHAT ARE RUSSIAN'S CONCERNS ABOUT THIS LAB IN GEORGIA?
ALEX, THEY REALLY INVENTED CONCERNS. THE HEAD OF CONSUMER PROTECTION IN RUSSIA HAS SAID
THIS LAB INFECTED SOUTHERN RUSSIA WITH AFRICAN SWINE FLU. HE'S REPEATED THESE ACCUSATIONS
SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST TEN WEEKS. IT SEEMS TO BE A WAY TO PUT THE GEORGIANS ON GUARD,
ON THE DEFENSIVE IN A WAY THE RUSSIANS ARE USING TO BLOCK IMPORTS OF GEORGIAN FRUITS
AND VEGETABLES, WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR GEORGIAN ECONOMY.
THE GEORGIANS SHOWED VOA AROUND THEIR NEW LABORATORY COMPLEX, THE RICHARD G. LUGAR CENTER
FOR PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH. OWNED BY GEORGIA'S NATIONAL CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL, THE LAB
TRACKS POLIO, MEASLES AND OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES. GENERAL DIRECTOR AMIRAN GAMKRELIDZE
REJECTS THE ACCUSATIONS COMING FROM MOSCOW.
"WE HAVE NO SECRETS HERE. NOTHING IS HERE. WE ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING CONNECTED WITH BIOLOGICAL
WEAPONS."
AND THIS ALLEGATION OF BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS PRODUCTION AT THIS U.S. FUNDED LAB SEEMS TO
BE A BIT IRONIC. SO WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?
THE RUSSIANS USE OF THESE SET OF NONTRADITIONAL WAYS OF BLOCKING TRADE WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS
AS THEIR ECONOMIC LEVER AGAINST THEIR NEIGHBORS. JUST IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS WE'VE SEEN THE
SAME HEAD OF CONSUMER PROTECTION BLOCKING PRODUCTS FROM UKRAINE, CHOCOLATES, ETCETERA,
BLOCKING PRODUCTS FROM BELARUS, NOTABLY MILK. THESE ARE REALLY TRADE WARS THEY ARE USING
TO PRESSURE THE UKRAINIANS TO STAY AWAY FROM WESTERN EUROPE AND JOIN A COMMERCIAL UNION
WITH RUSSIA.
MANY WESTERN NATIONS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT RUSSIA AND ITS COMPLIANCE OR POTENTIAL
NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THE BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION. SO HOW DOES THAT SORT OF BACK
AND FORTH PLAY INTO THIS?
FIRST OF ALL, IN TERMS OF SYRIA, THE RUSSIANS ARE STRONGLY DOWNPLAYING ANY INVOLVEMENT IN
THE PREPARATION OF CHEMICALS THAT SYRIANS MAY HAVE USED. WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT DURING
THE SOVIET PHASE FROM THE LATE 1980S THE SOVIET HELPED THE SYRIANS CREATE THEIR CHEMICAL WEAPONS,
ARMAMENTS MUNITIONS. MANY CHEMICALS WERE SIMPLY BOUGHT WHOLESALE FROM THE WEST, BUT THE EXPERTISE
WAS SOVIET'S AND THE DESIGN OF THE WEAPON SYSTEMS IS VERY MUCH SOVIET.
ANOTHER ASPECT OF YOUR REPORT IS TALKING ABOUT THE UPCOMING GEORGIAN ELECTION. WHAT KIND
OF ROLE DO WE THINK WE'LL SEE A NEW PRESIDENT PLAY IN THE TRADE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RUSSIA
AND GEORGIA?
WELL, ALEX, ONCE AGAIN THE PROBLEMS AT THE LAB AND ACCUSATIONS AGAINST GEORGIA IS REALLY
TO PUT THE GEORGIANS ON DEFENSIVE AND TO REMIND THEM WHO IS THEIR POWERFUL BIG NEIGHBOR. AND
THE MESSAGE IS ELECT SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE NICE TO RUSSIA AND YOU'LL HAVE NORMAL TRADE
RELATIONS. IF YOU ELECT ANOTHER MISHA SAAKASHVILI, YOU MAY END UP WITH A WAR AT YOUR HAND, AT
LEAST A TRADE WAR AND ECONOMIC STAGNATION AND BACKWARDNESS.
AND WHAT DO YOU EXPECT WE'LL SEE TRANSPIRE IN THE FUTURE DESPITE THIS SETBACK? WILL THE
TRADE RELATIONSHIP IMPROVE?
ALEX, YES I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SIMPLY A WARNING SHOT TO GEORGIAN PUBLIC OPINION, "THIS
IS WHAT WE CAN DO IF" PARALLEL. OUT OF THE SIGHT OF THE CAMERAS THE RUSSIANS HAVE SENT
INSPECTION TEAMS TO CHECK OUT GEORGIAN FARMS AND VEGETABLE AND FRUIT PROCESSING CENTERS.
SO WE REALLY THINK THAT IT'S UNDER FOOT, FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE EXPORTS OF FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES NORTH TO RUSSIA AND ONCE AGAIN RUSSIA HAS THE POPULATION ABOUT 20 TIMES THE
SIZE OF GEORGIA'S. IT'S A HUGE MARKET FOR GEORGIA, AND VERY IMPORTANT FOR GEORGIANS.
AND AGAIN THAT'S VOA CORRESPONDENT AND MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF, JIM BROOKE. MOVING ON TO SOME
GOOD ECONOMIC NEWS OUT OF EUROPE. AFTER 18 MONTHS OF RECESSION, THE EUROZONE POSTED POSITIVE
GROWTH RECENTLY, AFTER UNEXPECTEDLY STRONG CONSUMER SPENDING IN ITS CORE ECONOMIES.
BUT AS VOA REPORTER HENRY RIDGWELL IN LONDON TOLD ON ASSIGNMENT'S PHILIP ALEXIOU, ANALYSTS
WARN THAT WHILE ANY GOOD ECONOMIC NEWS IN THE EUROZONE IS WELCOME, THIS IS NOT THE END
OF THE EURO CRISIS.
AFTER SIX CONSECUTIVE QUARTERS OF NEGATIVE GROWTH, THE EURO ZONE IS FINALLY OUT OF RECESSION.
THE GROWTH FIGURE OF THREE-TENTHS OF ONE PERCENT IN THE SECOND QUARTER HARDLY SIGNALS A BOOM.
BUT IT IS A MILESTONE, SAYS DARAGH MAHER, FOREIGN EXCHANGE STRATEGIST AT HSBC IN LONDON.
"THE VERY FACT THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT GROWTH, POLITICIANS CAN TALK ABOUT GROWTH, MARKETS
CAN TALK ABOUT GROWTH AGAIN -- IT'S A SIGNIFICANT PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT."
HENRY RIDGWELL IN LONDON, THIS REPORT IS SORT OF A MIXED BAG THERE.
THAT'S RIGHT. IT REALLY IS A PATCHY PICTURE ACROSS EUROPE. GOOD NEWS BUT STILL BAD NEWS
ON THE UNEMPLOYMENT FRONT. THE GROWTH WAS REALLY COMING FROM THE BIG CORE ECONOMIES
OF EUROPE, GERMANY AND FRANCE, YET STILL THE PERIPHERAL COUNTRIES IN THE SOUTH, COUNTRIES
LIKE SPAIN AND ITALY ARE STILL STRUGGLING, IN FACT THE ECONOMY IN SPAIN SHRANK EVEN FURTHER
AT POINT-ONE PERCENT, THE ECONOMY IN ITALY SHRANK BY POINT-TWO PERCENT. SO, THAT GROWTH
IN THE CORE ECONOMIES REALLY MASKING THE PROBLEMS THAT STILL LINGER AND SEEM VERY DIFFICULT
TO GET RID OF IN THESE DEBT RIDDEN SOUTHERN COUNTRIES.
AND IN GREECE - GROUND ZERO OF EUROPE'S CRISIS OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS - THE ECONOMY SHRANK
BY 4.6 PERCENT. THAT'S A SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT ON THE PREVIOUS THREE MONTHS BUT INDICATIVE
OF THE EURO'S ONGOING PROBLEMS, SAYS JOE RUNDLE, HEAD OF TRADING AT ETX CAPITAL, A LONDON-BASED
FINANCIAL SERVICES FIRM.
"SO YOU'VE GOT THIS TWO-TIER EUROPE, AND GERMANY REALLY CONTROLLING THE AUSTERITY WHILE IT'S
BOOMING. SO I THINK IT'S NOT THE EUROZONE PROBLEMS BEING SOLVED."
IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH TO TRANSLATE INTO JOBS SO IF YOU ARE AN UNEMPLOYED
PERSON IN ANY OF THOSE PERIPHERAL ECONOMIES DESPITE THE FACT THAT IN YOUR NEWSPAPER HEADLINE
YOU MIGHT READ THAT THE ECONOMY IS JUST ABOUT GROWING AGAIN THERE IS GOING TO BE LITTLE
HOPE YET THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A PLETHORA OF JOBS TURNING UP FOR YOU TO APPLY FOR.
THAT APPEARS TO BE RECOGNIZED IN BRUSSELS. CHANTAL HUGHES IS A SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE EUROPEAN
COMMISSION.
"THIS SLIGHTLY MORE POSITIVE DATA IS WELCOME, BUT THERE IS NO ROOM FOR ANY COMPLACENCY.
SELF-CONGRATULATORY STATEMENTS SUGGESTING THAT THE CRISIS IS OVER ARE DEFINITELY NOT
FOR TODAY."
AND IF IT MIGHT BE GOOD NEWS FOR POLITICIANS AS ONE ANALYST SAID IN YOUR REPORT THAT DOESN'T
NECESSARILY TRANSLATE THAT THEY WOULD GET THE SUPPORT FROM THE PEOPLE. WHAT ARE YOU
HEARING?
THAT'S RIGHT. IT'S DIFFICULT TO JUDGE HOW THIS ECONOMIC DATA MIGHT INPUT ON ELECTIONS.
OF COURSE WE'VE GOT THE GERMAN ELECTION COMING UP VERY SOON WHERE CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL
IS AHEAD IN THE POLLS. BUT, ACROSS THE WHOLE CONTINENT THERE IS A FEELING THAT THE AUSTERITY
MEASURES SIMPLY WENT TOO FAR ESPECIALLY AMONG THOSE, OF COURSE, WHO WERE STRUGGLING FOR
A JOB. WE'VE SEEN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS CUT ACROSS THE CONTINENT
SO THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THE MANY THOUSANDS OF JOBLESS PEOPLE. THE JOBLESS FIGURE IN SPAIN,
FOR EXAMPLE JUST OVER A QUARTER OF THE PEOPLE UNEMPLOYED. IN ITALY, 40 PERCENT OF YOUNG
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A JOB. SO, FOR YOUNG GRADUATES EMERGING FROM SCHOOL -- IT'S STILL JUST A
VERY DIFFICULT PICTURE. FOR EVERYBODY WHO IS FACING THOSE SORTS OF PROBLEMS -- PAY CUTS,
JOBLESSNESS THERE ARE FEW OPTIONS REALLY. EITHER TAKE TO THE STREETS, PROTEST, TRY AND
DO SOMETHING THROUGH THE BALLOT BOX OR EMIGRATE AND TRY AND FIND A JOB ELSEWHERE. BUT, OF
COURSE, YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER BIG COHORT OF THE POPULATION WHO APPROVE OF THE POLICIES, WHO
ARE FEARFUL OF BUILDING UP GOVERNMENT DEBT, WHO THINK WE DO NEED THE AUSTERITY POLICIES
WHO'VE MANAGED TO KEEP THEIR JOBS, MAYBE EVEN PROSPER IN THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN AND I GUESS
THAT'S THE NATURE OF A DEMOCRACY. YOU HAVE THE 'HAVES' AND THE 'HAVE NOTS' THE ONES WHO
HAVE JOBS, THOSE WHO DON'T, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE SEEING SUCH A VOLATILE POLITICAL SCENE
ACROSS EUROPE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. SO, VERY MUCH TURMOIL IN EUROPE AND I DON'T THINK
THESE LATEST GROWTH FIGURES, AS WELCOME AS THEY ARE, ARE GOING TO TURN DOWN THE HEAT
MUCH IN THAT SENSE.
ALL RIGHT, AND OUR THANKS AGAIN TO REPORTER HENRY RIDGWELL IN LONDON. NOW, IMRAN, THE
RESULTS OF A RECENT SURVEY ARE NOT GREAT FOR EUROPE EITHER ... WITH EMPLOYERS THERE SAYING
THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO HIRE IN THE LAST QUARTER OF 2013 THAN THEY WERE EARLIER IN THE YEAR.
WE'RE TAKING A BREAK NOW. ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE TALK OLYMPICS WITH VOA SPORTS BLOGGER SONNY
YOUNG. YOU'RE WATCHING
ON ASSIGNMENT.
SOME NOTABLE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS FOR THE OLYMPICS. A FORMER OLYMPIC CHAMPION IS ELECTED PRESIDENT
OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, JAPAN SNAGS A FUTURE OLYMPICS, AND AN ANCIENT SPORT
WRESTLES ITS WAY BACK INTO THE LINEUP. AND OF COURSE, TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THIS, JOINING
ME NOW AS USUAL, SONNY YOUNG. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
THANK YOU IMRAN.
TELL ME SOMETHING SONNY. THE SPORT WAS THERE FOR THE PREVIOUS OLYMPICS. AND NOW THEY'RE
PLANNING TO TAKE IT OUT. WHAT'S GOING ON? THEY'RE CONFUSED ABOUT IT?
ABOUT 7 MONTHS AGO, IMRAN, THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE DECIDED TO DROP WRESTLING
FROM THE PROGRAM OF THE 2020 GAMES. THEY WEREN'T HAPPY WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF INTERNATIONAL
WRESTLING. AND AFTER AN INTENSE LOBBYING EFFORT BY WRESTLING OFFICIALS, THEY WERE ABLE TO
GET BACK IN THE GAMES. THERE WILL BE NO BREAK. WE'LL SEE WRESTLING IN 2016 IN RIO DE JANEIRO,
AS WELL AS THE 2020 GAMES.
OK, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE COUNTRIES WHO MIGHT BE AFFECTED BY THIS POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE?
HOW WOULD THAT COME INTO PLAY?
MANY COUNTRIES HAVE NATIONAL WRESTLING TEAMS. THE SPORT IS VERY POPULAR IN EUROPE. HERE
IN THE UNITED STATES WE HAVE A VERY, VERY STRONG WRESTLING PROGRAM, AND I THINK OVERALL
MOST COUNTRIES ARE VERY PLEASED THAT IT WILL REMAIN IN THE GAMES.
OK. ANOTHER INTERESTING THING HAPPENING IS THE ELECTION OF THE NEW IOC PRESIDENT, GERMAN
THOMAS BACH, A FORMER FENCER AT THE GAMES IN 1976. WHAT DOES HIS ELECTION MEAN FOR THE
OLYMPICS OVERALL?
THOMAS BACH IS 59 YEARS OLD. HE RAN ON A PLATFORM OF MORE DIVERSITY IN THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT.
YOU MENTIONED HIS ATHLETIC BACKGROUND. I THINK THAT WAS A POSITIVE. GENERAL REACTION HAS
BEEN VERY POSITIVE TO HIS ELECTION. HE SUCCEEDS JACQUES ROGGE, A BELGIAN DOCTOR. HE WAS IN
POWER FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS. WE'LL SEE WHETHER BACH REMAINS THAT LONG.
DOES IT HELP TO BE A FORMER ATHLETE TO BE PLAYING SUCH A ROLE IN THE TEAM?
I THINK IT HELPED HIS CAMPAIGN TO BE THE NEW IOC PRESIDENT. HE HAS AN UNDERSTANDING OF
SPORTS AND COMPETITION.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS, THE ELECTORAL PROCESS, HOW DID THIS SELECT OR
ELECT THESE OFFICIALS?
THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE HAS 104 VOTING MEMBERS. THEY HAVE TO RECEIVE A MAJORITY
VOTE TO WIN ELECTION. HISTORICALLY THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION PROCESS HAS BEEN DOMINATED BY EUROPEANS,
BACH BEING A GERMAN. IN FACT IF WE LOOK AT THE HISTORY BOOKS, THE ONLY NON-EUROPEAN WAS
AN AMERICAN BY THE NAME OF AVERY BRUNDIGE. HE WAS PRESIDENT OF THE IOC I THINK DURING
THE 1970S. BUT EUROPEANS HAVE REALLY DOMINATED THAT POSITION.
WHAT ABOUT ASIANS?
NO ASIANS. NO ASIANS AS PRESIDENTS OF THE IOC.
OK. AND THEN FINALLY OF COURSE, GOOD NEWS FOR JAPAN TOO, THE IOC DECIDED TO AWARD THE
2020 SUMMER GAMES TO TOKYO, THE LAST TIME THE CITY HOSTED THE OLYMPICS WAS IN 1964.
WAS THIS DECISION KIND OF EXPECTED?
I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS EXPECTED, THE TWO OTHER CANDIDATE CITIES WERE MADRID, IN SPAIN, ISTANBUL,
AND ALL THREE CITIES HAD SOME NEGATIVES ATTACHED TO THEIR BID. WITH TOKYO, IT WAS CONCERN OVER
FALLOUT FROM THE FUKISHIMA NUCLEAR PLANT. AND THEY WERE ABLE TO EASE THOSE CONCERNS,
AND ONCE AGAIN TOKYO WILL BE HOSTING THE OLYMPICS.
OK. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. VOA'S SONNY YOUNG TALKING ABOUT SPORTS WITH ON ASSIGNMENT.
THANK YOU IMRAN.
WE'RE TAKING A BREAK NOW. ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE JOIN OUR REPORTER AT AN INNER CITY BOXING
GYM, HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS, AND THEIR LIVES. YOU'RE WATCHING ON ASSIGNMENT.
WASHINGTON, DC HAS SEEN ITS FAIR SHARE OF INNER CITY PROBLEMS THROUGH THE YEARS. EVEN
NOW, NEARLY 1 IN 5 WASHINGTONIANS LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE, AND CRIME AND VIOLENCE ARE
A CONSTANT PRESENCE IN LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT THERE ARE ENCOURAGING SIGNS.
RIGHT. IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL, ONE MAN IS HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE KEEP THEIR LIVES ON TRACK
BY TEACHING THEM TO BOX IN HIS BASEMENT. NOW ARASH ARABASADI OF VOA'S PERSIAN NEWS NETWORK
COVERED THE STORY AND ON ASSIGNMENT'S DOUG BERNARD JOINED HIM AT THE BASEMENT-TURNED-GYM
TO TALK ABOUT IT. LET'S CHECK IT OUT.
THIS IS THE LIME LITE BOXING GYM. IT'S A NONPROFIT BOXING GYM, AND THE GUY WHO RUNS IT, HIS NAME
IS TONY SIMMONS. HE IS A METRO BUS DRIVER HERE IN DC. AND WITH HIS EXTRA TIME AND EXTRA
DOLLARS IN HIS POCKET, HE PUT TOGETHER THIS GYM. AND THEY SUPPLY NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS EVERYTHING
FROM BOXING GLOVES TO SHOES TO ENTRANCE FEES IN COMPETITIONS AND IT'S ALL JUST TO KEEP
KIDS OFF THE STREET.
SIMMONS HAS SOME BASIC GROUND RULES. BOXERS MUST KEEP A C-AVERAGE IN SCHOOL AND CAN'T
GET INTO FIGHTS OUTSIDE OF THE RING... BUT SIMMONS SAYS IT'S MORE THAN TEACHING KIDS
THE "SWEET SCIENCE" OF BOXING TODAY; IT'S GIVING THEM HOPE FOR TOMORROW.
"ALL OF THE COACHES DOWN HERE WORK, AND MOST OF THE TIME, KIDS EMULATE THE GROWNUPS THEY'RE
AROUND. SO WE TEACH SCHOOL. WE TEACH WORKING. "
...BECAUSE MOST OF THESE STUDENTS WILL HAVE TO GO PRO AT SOMETHING BESIDES BOXING.
"THESE KIDS ARE GOING TO GO OUT AND GET JOBS AND BE LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS."
SO THERE'S NOTHING GOING ON RIGHT NOW, BUT ON AN EVENING TIME OR WHEN THERE'S PRACTICE,
WHAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE HAPPENING IN THIS ROOM?
THEY START IN THE AFTERNOONS WHEN HE'S DONE WITH HIS SHIFT DRIVING THE BUS AND IT'S A
COUPLE OF DOZEN KIDS IN HERE SWEATING. AND I MEAN WHEN I WAS MAKING THIS VIDEO, I WAS
SWEATING, HOW HARD THEY WERE SWEATING. I MEAN IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE. AND THIS PLACE DOESN'T
HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF VENTILATION TO BEGIN WITH. WE'RE KIND OF WARM STANDING HERE. SO YOU CAN
IMAGINE 20 KIDS JUMPING UP AND DOWN, DOING PUSH-UPS, AND HITTING BAGS.
I CAN'T ACTUALLY.
IT'S CRAZY. IT'S CRAZY BUT IT'S REALLY...IT'S SUCH A COOL THING TO SEE.
SIMMONS SAYS THE FEW HOURS SPENT IN THE GYM EACH DAY KEEP THESE KIDS OFF OF THE STREETS.
"MORE THAN ANYTHING BY THE TIME THEY LEAVE THE GYM THEY BE SO TIRED THAT THEY JUST WANT
TO GO HOME ((LAUGHS)) DO THEIR HOMEWORK AND GO TO SLEEP."
WHAT DID TONY TELL YOU ABOUT WHY HE DOES THIS?
HE SAYS FOR HIM IT'S ALL ABOUT GETTING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. HE GREW UP IN DC, AND HE
HAD THE FORTUNE OF, THE GOOD FORTUNE OF HAVING BOTH HIS PARENTS. HE SAYS MOST OF THESE KIDS
DON'T. AND IN AN INSTANCE WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR WHOLE FAMILY, HE AND THE COACHES
AND IT'S HIS FAMILY WHO'S HELPING HIM COACH, THEY REALLY KIND OF STEP IN AND THEY PROVIDE
THE ADDED ROLE OF ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER. AND HE SAYS, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A VILLAGE AND
CLEARLY THIS VILLAGE IS COMING TOGETHER.
SO YOU'RE USED TO GYMS. BELIEVE IT OR NOT I USED TO BE USED TO GYMS. LOOK, THEY'RE SMELLY,
THEY'RE UNCOMFORTABLE, YOU SPEND MOST OF YOUR TIME IN DISCOMFORT. SO WHY DO THE KIDS COME
HERE, WHY DO THEY PACK THEMSELVES IN HERE AND PUT THEMSELVES THROUGH IT EVERY, EVERY
WEEK?
AS FAR AS I COULD SEE, AND THE, REALLY THE ONE KID THAT I TALKED TO WAS THIS KID MALIK
JACKSON WHO IS NOW ON THE US NATIONAL BOXING TEAM, AND THAT'S NO SMALL FEAT. AND IN FACT
TONY SIMMONS WAS RECENTLY INVITED TO COME BE A COACH FOR THE US NATIONAL TEAM. WHEN
YOU HAVE A KID WHO, BY ALL ACCOUNTS WHEN HE STARTED WAS TERRIBLE, HE LOST NINE, 10 STRAIGHT
FIGHTS. BUT HE STUCK WITH IT AND NOW HE'S BECOME THE ELITE OF THE ELITE. AND SO IT'S
A MOTIVATING THING THAT THESE KIDS ARE LIKE, HEY I KNOW THIS KID. HE'S PRETTY GOOD. WHAT
IF I CAN BE PRETTY GOOD TOO? WHAT IF THIS IS SOMETHING I CAN EXCEL AT?
"I GET A LOT OF RESPECT FROM THE KIDS, BECAUSE THEY LOOK UP TO ME. THEY RESPECT WHAT I DO.
I'VE BEEN PUTTING IN THE WORK FOR TEN YEARS AND THEY SEE THAT."
MALIK JACKSON STARTED BOXING AT LIMELITE WHEN HE WAS JUST 9 YEARS OLD.
"I USED TO GET PICKED ON A LOT BECAUSE OF MY SIZE."
SO HE'D GET INTO FIGHTS.
"I KEPT GETTING SUSPENDED SO I NEEDED TO CALM MYSELF DOWN SO I JUST CAME TO THE GYM."
BACK IN MY TOWN, MY HOMETOWN DETROIT, THERE WAS THE CROCK GYM. AGAIN, IT WAS IN A BASEMENT.
IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE ON A NONDESCRIPT STREET AND YET THEY PRODUCE SOME AMAZING FIGHTERS
LIKE, YOU KNOW, TOMMY HEARNS JUST TO NAME ONE. WHAT IS IT ABOUT BOXING GYMS DO YOU THINK?
I MEAN DO THEY HAVE TO BE KIND OF GRITTY AND DIRTY AND NASTY? WHAT IS THAT?
YEAH I DON'T... I THINK IT WAS... WAS IT MAYBE ROCKY 3 WHERE HE WAS HAVING TOO MUCH MONEY
AND TOO MUCH SUCCESS? WHEN YOU GET AWAY FROM THE BASICS, WHEN YOU GET AWAY FROM THE THINGS
THAT MADE YOU HUNGRY, THAT MADE YOU WANT TO EXCEL , AND I FEEL LIKE A PLACE LIKE THIS...
YOU KNOW, EVEN WHEN I WAS DOING MY MARTIAL ARTS BACK WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, IT WAS NOT A
FANCY, YOU KNOW, RESULTS TYPE GYM, IT WAS AT SOME SWEATY, DINGY, CHALK AND, YOU KNOW,
DISGUSTING, FILTHY MAT... BUT YOU NEED THAT. YOU NEED THAT MOTIVATOR THAT'S LIKE MAN I
DON'T WANT TO DO THIS FOR THE REST MY LIFE. I DON'T WANT TO BE IN HERE THE REST MY LIFE.
I WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND I CAN DO THAT BY PUTTING IN THE WORK IN HERE.
ARASH ARABASADI, ALWAYS GIVING US INTERESTING INSIGHTS INTO AMERICAN LIFE. THIS TIME TAKING
US INSIDE THE LIME LITE GYM HERE IN WASHINGTON. OUR THANKS TO ARASH.
AND NOW MOVING ON, OR SHOULD WE SAY, PEDALING ON -- CAN BICYCLES HELP REDUCE POVERTY AND
PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AT THE SAME TIME? ONE SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR IN THE PHILLIPINES
SAYS HIS LINE OF HIGH-END BICYCLES MADE OF LOCALLY GROWN BAMBOO DOES JUST THAT.
FROM MANILA, REPORTER JASON STROTHER TELLS US MORE ABOUT THE COMPANY CALLED BAMBIKES.
SO LET US - PARDON THE PUN - ROLL IT!
BRYAN BENITEZ MCCLELLAND IS PASSIONATE ABOUT BICYCLES. LIKE MANY OTHERS WHO HEAD OUT ONTO
THE STREETS OF MAKATI CITY, THE 29-YEAR OLD FILIPINO-AMERICAN RIDES A BIKE. BUT HIS IS
MADE OF BAMBOO.
"SO BAMBOO IS A PRETTY INCREDIBLE MATERIAL. IN THE PLANT KINGDOM IT GROWS REALLY RAPIDLY
AND ABSORBS TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE. FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, IT'S A VERY RENEWABLE RESOURCE.
AND THEN IN THE PERFORMANCE LEVEL, ITS GOT THE CHARACTERISTICS, OF NATURALLY VIBRATION
DAMPENING POLE STRUCTURES, WHICH REALLY ABSORB THE ROAD CHATTER AND ROAD BUZZ AND MAKES FOR
A SUPER SMOOTH RIDE"
IN 2010, MCCLELLAND FOUNDED BAMBIKES, A COMPANY THAT TURNS LOCALLY SOURCED BAMBOO INTO BIKE
FRAMES. THE BAMBIKES WORKSHOP IS LOCATED IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, IN THE TOWN OF VICTORIA,
130 KILOMETERS FROM METRO MANILA. OUT HERE, THE BAMBOO IS HARVESTED FROM FARMS AND THE
WILD. BAMBIKE'S WORKERS CUT, TREAT AND PROCESS THE MATERIAL INTO SPECIALIZED BIKE FRAMES.
THE FINISHED PRODUCTS ARE NOT CHEAP. THEY START AT AROUND 12-HUNDRED DOLLARS. BUT MCCLELLAND
SAYS MUCH OF THE PROFIT GOES BACK INTO THIS POOR COMMUNITY.
"WE CAN PRODUCE WORLD CLASS CERTIFIED BAMBOO BICYCLES FOR THE GLOBAL MARKET WHILE KEEPING
JOBS AT HOME IN THE RURAL PROVINCIAL AREAS SO THAT THE WORKERS CAN STAY WITH THEIR FAMILIES
AND HAVE GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT."
MANY OF THE MUNICIPALITY'S 60-THOUSAND INHABITANTS WORK IN RICE FARMING, BUT THAT IS NOT A YEAR
ROUND JOB. MCCLELLAND AND VICTORIA'S MAYOR, CANDIDO GUIAM, SEE MUTUAL BENEFITS IN WORKING
TOGETHER. ALREADY, SOME OF VICTORIA'S FARMERS ARE PLANTING BAMBOO PROPAGULES, OR SEEDLINGS.
THEY CUT, THEY PRODUCE PROPAGULES OF BAMBOO, WE PAY THEM 15 PESOS, THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR
THEM. THE GOOD THING IS AFTER PRODUCING THE PROPAGULES OF BAMBOO, THEY BRING THEM BACK
TO THEIR OWN BACKYARD. AND HOPEFULLY IN THREE YEARS THEY CAN CUT IT UP AND MAKE MONEY OUT
OF IT."
BRYAN BENITEZ MCCLELLAND VISITS ONE OF THE BAMBOO NURSERIES THE TOWN SUPPORTS. HE SAYS
IN JUST A COUPLE YEARS THIS PLANT WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO BE HARVESTED.
"BAMBOO IS ARGUABLY THE GREENEST BUILDING MATERIAL ON EARTH. BAMBOO IS AS STRONG AS
STEEL IF YOU USE THE RIGHT SPECIES. ITS VERY DURABLE, VERY STRONG AND CAN STAND UP TO THE
DEMANDS NEEDED BY A BICYCLE FRAME."
MCCLELLAND SAYS BAMBOO CAN BE USED TO BUILD A LOT MORE THAN JUST BIKE FRAMES. HE HOPES
BAMBIKES IS JUST THE START OF A BAMBOO REVOLUTION IN THE PHILIPPINES.
AND WITH THAT, WE WRAP UP ANOTHER EDITION OF ON ASSIGNMENT.
AND YOU KNOW ALEX, I LIVED IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS, I NEVER SAW THIS BIKE,
HAD I SEEN IT, I WOULD HAVE BEEN RIDING IT EVERY DAY.
WELL YOU GOTTA GET BACK THERE SO YOU CAN TRY ONE. AND I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO SEE THOSE
BIKES COME TO DC.
MAYBE WE CAN EXPORT THEM AND START A BUSINESS.
HEY YOU NEVER KNOW.
ALL RIGHT. NEXT WEEK ON THE SHOW, WE'LL BE TALKING WITH VOA REPORTERS COVERING SYRIA,
KASHMIR AND THE KOREAN PENINSULA.
AND DON'T FORGET, YOU CAN WATCH ALL OUR EPISODES AT VOANEWS.COM, FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE, AND
WITH ACCURATE CAPTIONS IN THE YOUTUBE PLAYER WINDOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING. SO LONG, FROM ALL OF US AT ON ASSIGNMENT. WE'LL CATCH YOU
NEXT WEEK.