Viernes, 30/12/2016: 52% disapprove of Correa’s management, Growth predicted, Ecuador asks U.S. for Odebrecht info
Hola, Todos –
Feliz Año Nuevo y voy a verles este próximo año.
Pagina cultural –
Non-agenda agenda items
Museo de la Catedral Vieja – as close as you can get to an ad for a news item.
CCE – 2 items about a local meeting yesterday and another inter-provincial meeting in the 3d week of enero.
Articles about –
Ley de Cultura – (I don’t understand this article. It seems as if the President has a power of partial veto which is what he did with the law. The assembly responded by changing or deleting the 20 articles to which the Pres. objected. This would be a line item veto? Or is that a different creature?)
El Observador (The Observer) – The magazine is in circulation with the goal of presenting its readers with research on different topics in the areas of culture, politics, the economy and more.
Weaving – A young Otavaleño, Christian Iyacela, uses a small loom to weave colorful cotton scarves with the name of the customer woven in. He works in “la Calle del Artista,” on the south side of the New Cathedral. His dream is to finish high school and go to university, but he says he will always continue the tradition inherited from his ancestors.
Galería Latina – The gallery at Pres. Córdova y Borrero is 20 years old.
Otras cosas –
Titular – Prisa para matricular vehículos a última hora (Rush to register vehicles at the last minute) (yes, I know that the translation is really the ultimate hour, but we leave things for the “last minute” and not the “ultimate hour” in English, don’t we?) Fewer cars were registered in 2016 from previous years. 89,864 were registered in 2015 with 83,309 in 2016 from enero to noviembre with a total of 86,364 projected for the year. If you don’t register your car by the end of the year, there is a $25 fine as well as a $50 fine if you don’t get the technical inspection done.
Economic growth – The Banco Central is projecting a 1.42% growth in the economy for 2017.
Odebrecht – The Attorney General sent a formal request for International Criminal Assistance to the US Dept of Justice for the list of officials and politicians bribed by Odebrecht. (Could the US add and delete people before it sent the list out in a way that would be undetectable?)
Holidays – The Terminal Terrestre is busy with people heading out of town, especially to the beaches, both in Ecuador and in Perú. All-inclusive resorts such as Decameron and Ressort are full. People book up to two months in advance to get a room and for better rates. The Pullman Sucre busline said all their seats to destinations in Perú such as Máncora or Piura for today were booked. Current bus fare for Perú is $15, and for Machala, Santa Rosa, Huaquillas and Arenillas the fare is from $5.50 to $7.00.
Survey – 65% of Ecuadorians feel the country “va por “mal camino”” (is going astray, headed down the wrong road, etc.) The survey was conducted by Cedatos / Gallup between 19-27/12 in 15 provinces with 2,132 households. 28% of the respondents said the main problems with the country were economic and high costs of living. 26% indicated problems such as unemployment and underemployment with 19% mentioning corruption and topics related to justice. On the issue of Correa’s management, respondents 52% disapproved and 42% approved. On the “forma de ser” (the way of being? the way he is?), 63% disapproved and 31% approved. 62% did said they did not believe in the Government’s word and 32 % did. On the elections, the survey had Lenin Moreno-Jorge Glas in first place with 35.6% of those intending to vote (except for the under 18, over 65 and disabled, that would be every body who didn’t want to pay a fine.). 53% of voters are still undecided with a margin of error of 3.5%. For more information, go to the Cedatos website.
Property taxes – You can start paying your property taxes on 2/1/2017. (Pay them in enero, and you get a discount that goes down each month until, I think, junio.)
Paute – Rotating paid parking will take effect in Paute. Training and a public education campaign will start in enero.
Amenidades –
Movies – as usual, go to www.multicines.com.ec for show times and locations. The following movies open this week.
2D ¿Por qué él? – Esp y Sub.
2D Criminal – Mente implacable – Sub.
The following movies are continuing.
2D Sing ¡Ven y canta! – Esp.
2D Star wars rogue one – Esp y Sub.
2D Permitidos – Esp.
2D Fiesta de Navidad en la oficina – Esp.
2D Pasajeros – Esp y Sub.
Deportes –
Club a Correr – The club is organizing the “Ciudadela las Retamas 10k” Run este sábado (this Saturday – another thing on your list to remember.). Those interested should show up a half hour before the run which starts at 9:00. The run starts between calles Yanahurco and Coya in the park of the Ciudadela. The run will finish with the burning of un Año Viejo. 2017 will start with a climb of the Abuga Hill on 8/1.
LAMA (Latin American Motorcycle Association) – Ramiro Estévez, Pres. of LAMA Ecuador, met with Sara Hanen, general coordinator of the proyecto Samán in Canoa to channel funds raised by chapters in the US to build 25 houses. $7,576 will be transferred after the agreement is signed on 14/1. The 2nd National Rally will be held in the cantón of Guano in Chimborazo from 24-26/2. There will be an international rally in Chicago in agosto.
And that´s all for today so Hasta Domingo y el próximo año –
Jeanne