The tortuous approval process for new construction; Sexual predator trial begins; Pharmacies to fill public hospital prescriptions; Lasso renovates the palace

Miércoles, 21/7/2021

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –
Nada.

Titular – Delta obligará restricciones (Delta will enforce restrictions) – See Wednesday’s article in CHL for story.

Cuenca –

Perduran trabas en urbanismo (Obstacles in urban planning remain) – It can take over 2 months to get the certificate of condition and urban license to build in the canton. And if the land or lot doesn’t match the description on the escritura and cadastre, the builder will need to process a capacity error procedure. <If you’re going to build – get an architect.> The certificate of condition and urban license to build, commonly known as línea de fábrica, will give guidelines to tell you if you can or cannot build on your property. For that <And I can’t tell which “that” the article refers to>, you need to comply with certain requirements including a topográfico georeferencia (topographical survey?) done by a professional, a copy of your escritura, cedula and voting certificate. If the survey does not match what’s in the escritura, you need to do paperwork for a fit error. This involves going to the Departamento de Avalúos y Catastros. <I’m guessing that land surveys were originally done on foot or horseback with a knotted rope as was done in early California. Your land varied in size depending on if the rope was wet or dry.>

A protester at Parque Calderon demands reforms to land use and building codes in Cuenca on Monday.

This department will decide if the error is technically acceptable to measurement or calculation. This can add 3-4 months to the process and is common in rural zones. The Director General of Municipal Control said it can issue urban licenses in 2-4 days, either yes or no, once they receive plans. <I see why people don’t bother with permits. I bet even architects have a hard time unravelling all the paperwork – just like in the US.>

9 carreras para los artesanos y jóvenes (9 careers for artisans and youth) – After 4 years of work and approval by the consejo de Educación Superior (CES), the University del Azuay is presenting 9 new technical careers to offer opportunities for youth and adults who didn’t have the opportunity to enter institutions of higher education. The careers reflect the reality of ruralism in el Austro and are aimed at people who live in peripheral and nearby zones to the cities. Some of the academic programs are eco-agricultural technology, dairy processing, and rural tourism, and were offered last year at the Campus Bicentenario. <Some of you might know it from having gotten your vaccine there.> In 2017, Senescyt statistics showed that over 200,000 young people did not enter the higher education system, mostly youth from rural zones. This lack of opportunities impacted immigration. The new careers can help students develop their own commmunities and cantons.

In addition to careers for rural youth, are programs dedicated to craftspeople. In conjunction with CIDAP, programs were created in ceramics, jewelry and textile technologies. The objective is that the crafts will not be lost, but will be multiplied in classrooms. The programs will start in octubre and last for 2 to 2-1/2 years with the same application and admission processes.

Sucesos –

Niño finge morir para escapar de agresor (Child pretends to die to escape aggressor) – Franklin Patricio N. was brought to trial for sexual abuse and attempted homicide of a 9 year old boy. He has been in preventive prision. According to the investigation, in noviembre of 2019, the victim’s mother asked him to open a water intake valve on a hill 150 meters away from their house in Pucará canton in Azuay. When the boy did that, the accused asked the boy to perform sexual acts which the boy refused. The accused then forcefully abused the boy who defended himself. Franklin then tried to strangle the boy who pretended to die. The accused dragged him; covered him with earth, rocks and pieces of trees; and fled. After a few minutes the boy uncovered himself and told his mother who alerted the police. Charges were brought based on testimony from the child, his mother and the police; crime scene investigation; and medical history. <Brave little kid.>

Región –

Más áreas verdes tiene Azogues Azogues has more green areas) – Two parks financed by the Banco de Desarrollo del Ecuador (BDE) are a reality in Azogues. The parque Juan Bautista Vásquez was inaugurated last week and was rehabilitated to replace cracked sidewalks and paving with more green area, better lighting. The area had previously attracted drunks and other deambulantes (wanderers – our word for the day). The Charasol park was built to meet the needs of an area where the population is expanding and includes a skating rink, multiple use sports court, games, walks, green areas and bathrooms.

En cinco cantones legalizan terrenos (Land legalized in five cantons) – The Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería (MAG) has issued 341 land titles to people in Cuenca, Girón, Santa Isabel, Gualaceo, y Chordeleg. Previously the recipients had no escrituras for the land they occupied. <And probably had worked for many years or even generations. Instant creation of wealth for the families that got titles to their land.>

Nacional –

Farmacias privadas despacharán medicinas de hospitales públicos (Private pharmacies will dispense medicines from public hospitals) – VP Alfredo Borrero is working on restructuring the health system with the Transformando la Salud en el Ecuador, but few details are known. One of the changes is the way medicines will be distributed. After visiting 40 hospitals to check the shortcomings, the VP said one of the main problems is with the distribution of medicines. He is proposing to have private pharmacies distribute medicines to patients in the public system. The objective is to have the patient, fill his electronic prescription at the closest pharmacy. This measure is to fight the shortages and waste in the medical centers, as well as corruption. <Now how to figure out how to pay for it all.>

Casi USD 1 millón para remodelar Carondelet; Lasso asumirá gastos (Almost USD 1 million to remodel Carondelet; Lasso will bear expenses) – As of 15/8, Pres. Lasso and his wife, María de Lourdes Alcívar, will move into the Carondelet Palace after $800,000 of remodeling work, the cost of which will be assumed by Pres. Lasso. <One of the perks of electing a rich banker.> The president will move into the apartment within the presidential palace where presidents have not been living since 2007. <What do you want to bet that the place leaked?> In a statement from the press secretary, the work preserves the patrimonial, historic and architectural value of the palace. The president and first lady will be moving from a Quito hotel. Inicially they said they would not live in the Corondelet, but changed their minds. <Who’d want to live where you were always tripping over buckets to catch the water?>

And that’s all for today so Hasta ? –

Jeanne
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Editor’s note: Jeanne’s Periodico is a translated digest of news from the Cuenca daily newspaper El Mercurio. If details, such as event dates and times, do not appear in the translation, they did not appear in the newspaper (please don’t ask her for them). The text between the carrots, or guillemets (< … >), is Jeanne’s personal opinion and not part of the news translation.