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#ENLACE452
CITIZENS WEEKLY ADDRESS NO. 452
BY VICE PRESIDENT JORGE GLAS
LOCATION: CALCETA – PROVINCE OF MANABI
DATE: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2015
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TOPICS
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POINTS
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COP21
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- The Vice President referred to President Rafael Correa’s visit to France to participate in the COP21 Summit. He noted that Ecuador is environmentally friendly, with responsible energy policies.
- Hydroelectric energy projects are re-potentiating Ecuador and it does not pollute the environment. This vision of responsibility cuts across all of the Citizen’s Revolution.
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SUPPORT FOR YOUNG INNOVATORS
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- He referred to the support from the Vice President office that is being given to develop young innovators. In this regard, he showed an example of how a young people’s group created an application for a tourist route into a cultural accessibility platform.
- He said the biggest challenge is changing the mindset, the matrix of thought, and for that to happen the government has enabled conditions (completed projects) to create an innovation ecosystem.
- The government is working to make much of the country's adolescents to be innovative in these challenges, and to make available advanced technology, thanks to the Citizen Revolution this can be done.
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INVESTMENT CATALOG FOR ECUADOR
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- The Vice President referred to the Strategic Sectors Forum held in Quito, on October 27, in which he presented a potential catalogue which lists possible investments, from basic industries to the use of non-renewable resources, which represents more than USD 37 billion dollars.
- He also indicated that while some want to show a grim picture of the country and they also deny the works of investments made by the government: "we know we are facing a difficult situation as a result of an external economic shock. It is not for lack of public policies. We are not the ones who reduced the price of a barrel of oil."
- Also he noted that while they continuing talking, the Government continues to deliver works and to create conditions for better opportunities in the country.
- For new investment conditions to be possible the government has invested in infrastructure, profitability, stability of public and legal policies, all this generates confidence in the country.
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PROTECTION FOR NATIONAL PRODUCTION
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- Steps have been taken to protect domestic production, such as the economic safeguards. The safeguards were put in place to protect our domestic market.
- The National Financial Corporation (NPC) held for a months and half a series of improvement workshops for basic investments, and also business plans which included he business sectors and wholesalers in southern Quito.
- The Vice President confirmed that Public Banks do support small traders, and that the change that is needed is in the way of thinking and to see themselves as entrepreneurs, additionally that partnerships create unity and this will create the strength to achieve objectives; and the government is working for this.
- He stressed that the economic safeguards are supported by small businesses because they are measures that guarantee productivity in the country.
- He noted that some entrepreneurs have expressed that because of the safeguards measures, they would not reduce prices once theses are lifted. Against this, he said they are going to be very vigilant, "if prices rise by the safeguards, they will have to lower prices once these are gone," he said.
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PRODUCITIVITY INCLUSION FOR THE PHYSICALLY-CHALLENGED
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- The second commander in chief alluded to the productive development program to physically-challenged citizens. The Technical Secretariat for Inclusion of Peoples with Disabilities supports such projects for productive inclusion in the economy.
- With the National Development Bank and the technical training from the Vice President’s office, the State has enabled the undertaking of 1,152 projects from 24 different centers with comprehensive support.
- He indicated that social and economic policies of the government have changed the reality of people with disabilities. These inclusion policies are now state policies.
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CRAFTS FAIRS
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- Craftsmanship is a productive activity for Ecuadorian development, generating the most employment and production in the country.
- The Vice President Glas stressed that thanks to public policies, the labour force in this sector is generating even more jobs and more opportunities.
- The government not only recognizes this important work, but it is more committed and supports this sector with clearer policies to encourage more productivity.
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195 YEARS OF GUAYAS PROVINCE
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- The VP also argued that the Guayas province is one of the largest contributors to the productive development and economic independence of Ecuador. In Guayas, there is a community of entrepreneurs and innovators.
- From January 2007 to June 2015, the Government has invested in Guayas over USD 5,600 million dollars; funds for infrastructure works, roads, energy, education, health, development, social equity and public security are included.
- However, this investment is denied by some opponents, either by hatred or by vested interests. But these detractors are offset by the thousands of works that have been created by the Government for the benefit of the inhabitants of Guayas.
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SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FAIR
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- The Vice President said that the Scientific Research fair called “Ingenios”, was carried out by SENESCYT (National Secretariat of Higher Education), and it was an event where the best scientific projects of entrepreneurship by students from different universities of the country were honoured.
- He mentioned that in the past students in their last year of university asked for help to get a job; now, with this type of events held with support from the Government, these students ask for support for their endeavours and innovations.
- The event included 400 students with excellent projects. The prizes awarded in each category consisted of grants to study in graduate school abroad.
- This type of event helps support and strengthen the Ideas Bank, ideas that can be passed to feasible projects with the help of education policies, such as those generated by the Government.
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PUBLIC WORKS IN THE PROVINCE OF TENA
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- He argued that, by law, 30% of surplus gains from the hydroelectric projects are for local development. Therefore, he said Coca-Codo Sinclair will create development and generate resources for the province of Tena.
- He noted that the Public Enterprise for Strategics Ecuador in the Amazon has invested more than USD 600 million dollars in 865 projects.
- In the province of Napo it has made an investment of more than USD 94 million dollars, with 126 works executed for environmental sanitation, education, transportation, tourism, production, electrification, telecommunications and urban development. Of those in the Napo, 93 are in the canton Tena, with an investment of $79 million dollars.
- Also noted was that although the price of oil fell by half, the 2015 budget did not change for municipalities, so these towns will not feel the impact of the external economic shock.
- Regarding the improvement and expansion project of the sewer system and treatment plant wastewater, he said it was the most modern in the South American Amazon. Financed by the State Bank with funds that come from oil. Built with oil surpluses. These projects will change the energy production and the economy of Tena.
- This plant purifies 98% of treated water which is then returned to the river and benefits much of the township of Tena.
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NATIONAL EDUCATORS NETWORK OF INTEGRATED CHILD DEVELOPMENT
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- The Vice President mentioned that the process of early education can not be recovered in the long term; therefore, the Government, through the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion, has strengthened programs for early education from 0 to 3 years, benefiting more than 300,000 Ecuadorian children, training educators belonging to the National Educators Integrated Child Development Network.
- In this program, it has invested USD 230 million dollars, which is building the present and future populations with policies that prioritize child development and with family participation. The team of educators has a permanent access to training and technology in child development, a dignified living wage and access to social security.
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INNOVATION IN SEED GENETICS
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- The Vice President said that in city of Quevedo, Los Rios, the Pichilingue Experimental Station is one of the best centers of innovation and seed genetics in the country.
- With support from the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIAP), production of cocoa is in the process of developing a new generation of cocoa, a national export type.
- Ecuador is the largest exporter of fine cocoa in the world. The government supports small farmers with certified seeds.
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NINE YEARS OF THE CITIZEN’S REVOLUTION
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- The Vice President mentioned that on November 26th, the nine years of the Citizen Revolution was celebrated. Supported by a video, he said the President, in his 2006 presidential campaign, offered the Ecuadorians a return to national pride and patriotism and it has been fulfilled. The President won 57% of votes in the second round.
- He also expressed that there is no corner of the country that has not been touched by the Government of the Citizen Revolution and that now the government is ratifying all commitments with Ecuador.
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ECUADOR OPPORTUNITIES POTENTIAL
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- The VP also expressed that the new vision of the government is seeking to generate a republic of opportunities, increasing exports and reducing imports.
- Over the years, he said, we have worked in economic growth and have created enabling conditions for development, to ensure basic services in the country, in a suitable legal framework for production.
- He held that the country should seize the opportunities and meet the challenges: it's time to invest in the country because there are development policies that will continue to work beyond any internal or external shock, as this is a temporary adjustment.
- He also noted that there are other forms of public-private partnerships for investment, and that the invitation is open to these productive sectors.
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INAUGURATION OF THE FIRST BI-NATIONAL BUS TERMINAL
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- The Vice President said that the financing of the bi-national bus terminal in Santa Rosa, was $ 7.2 million, of which $ 6.2 million was funded by the State Bank. It is the first bi-national bus station with support from the Government and the Bank of GAD (decentralized autonomous governments and municipalities).
- This project aims to promote tourism in Santa Rosa and in the region by complete a ring of service connections. Generating an impact of competitiveness in the area.
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MULTI-PURPOSE PROJECT OF CHONE
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- This project was recently inaugurated by the President of the Republic. It is a comprehensive project that on the one hand will avoid heavy flooding in the rainy season; on the other it maintains a system of irrigation in the summer dry season.
- Its construction created 900 jobs and benefits 26,000 inhabitants of the area.
- In its complementary works, is the Community of the Millennium, houses built by the government with very good infrastructure, land to cultivate, the have induction ovens, public parks, chapel, a Millennium School with a library and dining room.
- It is the third of six Ecuadorian mega-constructions, an investment of USD 1,000 million dollars.
- The Vice President said that the opposition managed to delay the project a year with misinformation; But today, the provinces of Manabi and Chone have this project started and ended with the Government of the Citizen’s Revolution.
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REJECTION OF DISCRIMINATION BY MEDIA
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- The Vice President referred to the malicious comments by the journalist Diego Oquendo on November 24 and 26th, which referred to the physically challenged status of Lenin Moreno.
- The VP emphatically stressed his rejection for the comments on the basis of discrimination and called for respect for the companion Lenin.
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HEADLINES OF CORRUPTION IN THE ALIANZA PARTY BY THE NEWSPAPER LA HORA
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- He noted that the newspaper La Hora presents a general headline about "corruption in Alianza Pais Party". Alluding to an isolated case in the province of Esmeraldas. This case had in fact been promptly denounced by the President in his Report to the Nation, and also by the Vice President, both publicly and in court.
- He indicated that the newspaper did not mention the denouncements made by the two leaders. This distorts the truth and the reader is led to believe that the party is rife with unknown corruption.
- He sustained that the case generated sadness and shame; also because the name of the Vice President’s office was involved. However with resoluteness the case of corruption was reported to the public and authorities.
- The Government has reviewed for any other acts of corruption, aiming for Justice, because the commitment of the Citizen Revolution is to be always fighting against it.
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Enlace Ciudadano No. 452
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