Saturday, January 14, 2006

A tidbit from friday's Tal Cual From Friday's Tal Cual: President Chavez and his ministers had assumed the case of Viaduct #1 of the Caracas-La guaira highway to be concluded during meeting 450 of the Council of Ministers on June 14th. 2005. At that Cabinet meeting, after listening to a report of the Minister of Infrastructure, Ramon Carrizales, about the rescue of the highway, the Minister of the Enviroment Jackeline Farias, asked for resources to make the whole highway prettier and in that sense, 2.7 billion Bs. were approved. The project was entrusted to C.A. de Reforestacion, Conare. It corresponded to Minister Farias to make the announcement and she did, with a triumphal air. She detailed to the Miraflores reporters that the work would be done by five cooperatives that would plant an indigenous forest and special gardening on the sides of the highway. She proudly explained that the beautification of the highway was framed within the concept of renovation of the Simon Bolivar airport and the overhaul of Viaduct #1 autopista. I wonder where that money went? 10:44:56 PM    comment []

In Tachira State temporary military bridges have become the norm Felipe the "gocho boy" from Tachira state reminds us how in this Caracas-centric country, the problem of bad maintenance and improvisation is seen everywhere, not only in Viaduct#1. Below the pictures from left to right of the "La Blanca", "Los Jabillos" and "Rio Chiquito' bridges in that state. In his own words; "My state Tachira, has began the year with a lot of problems. the first problems are the bridges, by the action of the rain and that added with the lack of maintenance, have made that many bridges and roads have fallen and now are useless , and the Tachira population have to use military bridges because they are the only way to travel around the state." 8:19:54 PM    comment []