iin 2 i a . FOUR CITIZENS fram the remote Chinese province of Yun- ~‘nan-were inthe area recently to investigate small tourism de- ‘velopment projects. Part of the tour included a trip to Gitanyow and to the Queen Charlotte Islands. They are, from ‘Chinese probe native ways the left, Guo Dalie who is a vice-director of the Ethnology Society of Yunnan, engineer He Jiangyu, group interpreter He Zhixiong and He Xiaochun, the leader of the Baisha township in Yunnan. TERRACE —— People from a remote province in China are reaching back 50 years to organize locally-owned businesses. And they've been touring B.C. for ideas on how to estab- lish themselves. One group of four from Yun- nan province recently visited Gitanyow (Kitwancool) and the Queen Charlotte Islands as part of their research. Three of the four on the tour are Naxi (pronounced Na-jee with a soft 'j’), one of 56 na- tional minority groups in China. The fourth is Han, the predominant ethnic group in that country. They came interested in the Canadian co-operative move- ment and in seeing how natives in this province fit in socially and economically. Those two factors are consid- ered important for the Naxi _ who want to develop their own small businesses and preserve and enchance their culture. Co-operalives are not a new thing in Yunnan, A number were organized in the 1930s and into the 1940s as a means of resisting Japan which oc- cupied China before and dur- ing the Second World War. The co-operatives were taken over by the Chinese Com- munist Party at the end of the country’s civil war in 1949, There are a lot of similarities between 3.C. and Yunnan be- cause in both, logging and milling form an important part of the economy. One idea being pursued is eco-tourism, already a small but thriving industry in Yua- nan. It’s considered ideal because not a lot of money is required and the people involved in eco- tourism co-operatives can be kept small. Lijiang County, the home of the Naxi in Yunnan, is prized because of its scenery and mild climate, Developing those co- operatives will not only im- prove local economic coendi- tions but it will take advanlage of changing policy in China, says He Zhixiong, one of those on the tour. ‘Before it was central plan- ning. Now we are looking at market driven,”’ he said. He Jiangyu, an engineer, said eco-tourism will benefit the Naxi who make their living in agriculture as opposed to forestry. ‘When you cut down the trees, it is important to balance the cutting of irees and the growth rate of trees,’’ he said. Even though co-operatives developing eco-tourism may not require a lot of money, help is still needed because the agricultural base of the Naxi people does not provide ready Toward self-sufficiency investment capital. Providing help in that area is Simon Fraser University’s OF fice of Intemational Co- operation which helped organize the tour. Key to the development of the co-operatives is having the Naxi people involved from the start, said He Jiangyu. He Xiaochum, the magistrate or mayor of Baisha Township, said one key aspect is having young people learn English so they can act as tour guides, Tourism is expected to grow not only because of the efforts toward developing locally- owned co-operatives but be- cause of development of an in- ternational airport. Last year, 19,000 foreigners visited the Naxi area surround- ing the city of Lijiang. An increasing amount of Chinese are also becoming tourists in their own country. 1 yar November 5,1992 | 7:30 p.m. cs R.E.M. Lee Theatre Doors Open 6:30 p.m.} Tickets available at All Seasons Sports Sight & Sound & Shames Mountain Downtown Office Tickets: $7.00 Adult, $5.00 Child Sponsor: rap films presenis a james "THE MOTHER - rap files presents Lo joes anayoie “I SPONSOR ety CUB REDEEM THIS PORTION AT SHAMES MOUNTAIN SKI AREA FOR $7.00 OFF ONE DAY LIFT TICKET VALID: NOV, 18/92 JO DEC. 18/92 OF ALL SHI MOVIES" “Jf reve / Son long film te lie jen long film SKI pode The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 28, 1992 - Page A3 News in brief It’s Immigration Week Nearly 32,000 immigrants came to British Columbia in 1991, a 10 per cent increase from 1990, report the provincial and federal governments, The number represented 14 per cent of the national immigrant total. These and other figures form part of the governments’ efforts to promote Immigration Week, Oct. 26 — Nov. 1. The number com- ing to B.C. is less than 1957 when.37,000 immigrants arrived in B.C, but higher than 1961 when only 6,500 newcomers settled here. The largest percentage of arrivals in B.C. in 1991 — 39.5 per cent — were spouses, fiancees, ummarried children, parents, .grand- parents and children sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Entrepreneurs, investors and self-employed people represented 19 per cent of 1991 immigrants, Government figures indicate that this is more than double the percentage amount of similar immigrants who settled in other parts of Canada. Highway signs to disappear People with unauthorized signs on highways ministry rights-of-way will have them removed if they aren’t taken down within a month afier being notified. os, The order from highways minister Art Charbonneau is in response to what he said were substantial complaints. ‘“These signs block drivers’ vision and detract from the province’s natural scenery,” he said. Signs not considered to block vision are the blue and white ones brought in by the ministry three years ago as a way of standardizing tourist and other information. oe There is one exception and that is for larger ones of a surface arca greater than three metres. They'll be allowed lo stand for up to six years in order to give their owners a chance to recoup their invest- ment. Truly a bright idea B.C, Hydro says its Power Smart program has saved enough ¢lec- tricity to power more than 70,000 new homes for one year since it was brought in three years ago. The program encourages electricity consumers to save on power use with the idea that conservation is cheaper than having to build more hydro-electric dams. The provincial crown corporation has been selling ils Power Smart program to other electrical utilities. But B.C. Hydro has been less than successful in picking the night on which it wants residents to tur off unnecessary lights. Last year, the night coincided with the provincial election. This year, it coincided with Game Four of the World Serics. B.C. Hydro says preliminary indications are that participation dipped by 10 per cent to 61 per cent. Awareness of what it bills as Power Smart Night remained at last year’s level of 78 per cent. “Although people were aware of Power Smart Night, it is under- standable that some who would otherwise participate were celebrat- ing the Blue Jays’ victory,”’ said B.C, Hydro official lan Rankine. More teachers hired THREE EXTRA teachers here and one in Hazelton have been hired after more students enrolled than expected. _ Schools superintendent Frank Hamilton said 5,458 are now en- rolled in the district — up 76 from what was projected. . The year’s budget was drawn up based on education ministry projections of 5,422 students. The extra 36 students means an extra $250,000 or so in grants for the district, ... 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