National budget reduced 5%, Tram contract, Double electric bill, Environmental controls in the Cajas

Martes, 7/11/2017

Hola, Todos –

Pagina cultural –

Upcoming agenda event –

Taller – There will be a workshop about “Políticas y Legislación Cultural” (Cultural Policies and Legislation) from mañana hasta el viernes from 15-18:00 in the auditorium of the Museo de la Ciudad. This is part of a dissertation by María Paula Romo and Daniela Fuentes. <And if anyone actually goes and sits through the whole thing, I’ll eat the article – just the text, no photos.>

Articles about –

Festival de la Lira – The judges in this poetry competition are reviewing the entries and will announce a winner mañana a las 9:00. The Lira de Oro (Gold Lyre) comes with a cash prize of $30,000.

An article about Chilean artist Violeta Parra.

Galería Proceso – La Galería Proceso Arte Contemporáneo at the CCE is organizing a workshop to talk about redesigning the space. It will be mañana, el jueves, and el lunes, 20/11 at 17:00.

Gallery – The Marín Arte Contemporáneo (MAC) has opened a gallery on calle de La Condamine to show the work of Édgar Marín and for conceptual research, criticism, debate and advice for artists. <I can’t think of a conversation more likely to induce sleep in the average person. Is conceptual art where you talk endlessly about art but never actually make any?>

Otras cosas –

Titular – Emitirán doble planilla de luz (Double light bill will be issued) <They will issue double sheet of light – says Google.> For one time only, the Empresa Eléctrica Regional Centro Sur (Electric Company South Central Region) will issue two electric bills. Customers have until the end of the year to pay without interest. You can print your bills out at their offfice. <Or if it’s your name on the bill, you should get your bills emailed to you. Hopefully you know what you’re reading and not deleting them.> The double bill is due to a new way of collecting meter readings.

Tranvía – The Public Works contracting site has published that este viernes a las 18:00 is when the contract to finish the Tranvía project will be awarded.

Budget – The Government reduced the budget in 2018 by about $2 billion to $34,853 billion and will try to gradually achieve a fiscal balance in 2020 or 2021. The 2018 budget reflects a reduction of 5.3%.

Debt – The Finance Ministry said that the budget will need financing in the amount of $8,253 billion, but at the same time the public debt will be reduced by $3.909 billion. Besides budget cuts and completion of projects, there well be a 3% tax increase on corporations and a small tax on people making over $3,000/mo which affects about 1% of taxpayers. <So if you were barely above the poverty line in the US, you’d be in the top 1% here.> Economic goals for 2018 include a growth in the economy of 2.04% an a nominal GDP of $104.021 million. The SRI director is expecting a 7% growth in taxes collected.

Petroecuador EP – The general manager of Petroecuador resigned yesterday in a surprise announcement. He took office 5 months ago and worked to achieve “transparencía” in the face of various cases of corruption in the business. An international technical evaluation of 5 projects will start in a few days. The projects will be the refinery in Esmeraldas, the refinery del Pacífico, the Bajo Alta Liquifaction plant, the Pascuales-Cuenca pipeline and the Monteverde-El Chorrollo terminal. The Ministry of Hydrocarbons said that ongoing negociations with Petrochina, Petrotailandia and Unipec will be maintained.

Fiestas de Cuenca results – A full page ad by the Mayor’s office listing the big events and attendance: Concierto de Américo in Parque Miraflores – 40,000; Huaynacapazo – over 100,000; Elvis Crespo in Parque de la Madre – over 40,000; Maelo Ruiz in Parque Calderón – over 20,000; Los Jayac at the Feria Gastronómica Chaguarchimbana – over 25,000; and Vestival de Salsa on the Esplanade of the Stadium – over 20,000. <So next year, these are the events to avoid if you’re claustrophobic or agoraphobid.>

Carbon footprint – The results of a study on Cuenca’s carbon and water footprints was presented this morning. The study was supported by the Latin American Development Bank.

Environmental controls – ETAPA said that 550 vehicles carrying polluting substances were prevented from entering the Parque Nacional Cajas this year. ETAPA wants to protect an area with 235 lakes which supply 60% of the potable water to Cuenca. Penalties for moving dangerous and toxic products can go up to $7,500. <I don’t think your cousin Hermione’s annual fruitcake counts.> Add 5 years in prison if what you’re carrying actually produces pollution. <And gaseous indigestion caused by that fruitcake probably doesn’t count either.>

Kidney surgery – The IESS hospital is offering laparoscopic surgery on kidneys. The minimally invasive technique allows patients to recuperate more quickly.

Chola Cuencana – Angie Brigitte Ochoa Berrequeta from Victoria del Portete was elected the 2018 Chola Cuencana.

Sowing – The ceremony of the Siembra de la Chacra Andina (Sowing of the Chacra Andina) occured in the community of Quilloac. The Secretariat of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation; the Technical Institute of Quilloac; the Province of Cañar; and the community had the goal of maintaining local traditions and encouraging youth in the rescue of sowing nutritious foods which have been lost. <This is one of those activities that makes me wonder if it’s part of Ecuador’s response and planning for climate change.>

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne