Cerro Largo's intendant Ambrosio Barreiro greets ambassador Frank Baxter at Melo's international airport.

U.S. Ambassador Frank E. Baxter visited Melo, the capital city of Cerro Largo, on October 24, and met with Intendant Ambrosio Barreiro to discuss bilateral issues and to learn about Cerro Largo's vision regarding education and training in technologies of the 21st century. They spoke about English teaching in public schools, online distant learning and preparing skilled workers for the region's growing forestry industry. "There is a shortage of human capital in the world today," said Baxter. "Today's tragedy is that in a world of high unemployment there is a shortage of skilled workers, and firms will generally not go into an area that doesn’t have a pool of trained workers," he added.

During his visit to Cerro Largo, ambassador Baxter toured the facilities of the Pul meat packing plant that is currently exporting Uruguayan beef to the United States. He also visited a biological recycling plant that produces protein flour from waste beef blood.

In joint press availability with intendant Barreiro, ambassador Baxter highlighted the excellent bilateral relations between Uruguay and the United States. "We will continue to work hard in trying to improve trade relations," Baxter said. He also talked about the upcoming visit of Uruguayan President Vazquez to California, and officially announced the launching of this year's Youth Ambassador Program that will have ten Uruguayan representing their country in the United States for two weeks. (See related article.)

Ambassador Baxter, accompanied by his wife Kathy, meets with Cerro Largo's intendant Ambrosio Barreiro in Melo. They discussed issues such as education and training of skilled workers for the 21st century economies.

Ambassador Baxter and Cerro Largo's intendant Ambrosio Barreiro walk across the main patio of the Melo Municipal Hall to attend a joint press conference in one of the adjoining rooms. Ambassador Baxter highlighted the excellent bilateral relations between Uruguay and the United States and stated that both countries "will continue to work hard in trying to improve trade relations."

While visiting the Alianza Binational Center in Melo, Ambassador and Mrs. Baxter participated in a Q&A session with the students, and later, along with intendant Barreiro, they toured the facility accompanied by the center's directors Berta Ubal, Adriana Mendoza, Silvia Lacuesta and other teaching staff.

Ambassador Baxter visits the Lafoner plant in Melo where nitrobacter microbes are produced for use in environmentally safe plant nutrition methods.

While visiting the Olecar plant in Melo, ambassador Baxter observes how waste bovine blood from slaughterhouses and meat packing plants is recycled to produce animal protein flour.

Ambassador Baxter visited the Pul meat packing plant where he met with its director Patricio Silveira and other company officials. Pul is currently exporting high quality Uruguayan beef to the United States.

Ambassador and Mrs. Baxter were able to enjoy the natural beauty of Cerro Largo while visiting Posta del Chuy, a stagecoach stop near Melo that operated in the 19th century as a toll booth for a bridge used by travellers from Montevideo to cross over to Melo and Villa Artigas.

 
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