MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Breaking News from South America

Headlines: Tremor in Chile extends to Buenos Aires; Punta Arenas promotion in Valencia; Who's scared of the red tide?; Population policy; Combating poverty;Uruguayan Navy fires at Chilean trawler

Tremor in Chile extends to Buenos Aires

A strong 45 seconds tremor shook central-north Chile Tuesday morning, reaching the Argentine provinces of San Juan and Mendoza and was even felt in some of Buenos Aires tallest buildings. Chilean National Emergency Office reported that the earthquake occurred at 09:59 Tuesday morning extending to six Regions with an intensity ranging 5 to 6 points in the Mercalli Scale. No casualties were reported in Santiago or blackouts, but the phone system collapsed because of the saturation of lines. The Seismological System of the University of Chile reported the epicenter of the tremor was located 27 kilometers Southeast of Ovalle, at a depth of 75 kilometers and a 6,3 Richter Scale magnitude, very close to the October 1997 tremor in Punitaqui. In Europe the Strasbourg Observatory was able to locate the epicenter at 30,72 degrees South and 71,5 degrees West, with a 6,5 Richter scale magnitude. In Buenos Aires hundreds of fearful people evacuated buildings. No victims have been reported and damage was limited to some minor masonry.

Punta Arenas promotion in Valencia

Punta Arenas Port officials visited Spain to promote the Magallanes Region emphasizing the development potential in several industries particularly fisheries, tourism, energy and cattle breeding. The delegation was headed by Punta Arenas Port Authority (Empresa Portuaria Austral) president Jose Romero together with the Chilean Petroleum Company, ENAP, president Laurato Poblete and regional manager Danilo Martic, and they were joined in Spain by the Chilean Ambassador and the Commercial department of the Embassy. During the three days visit that took place mostly in the city of Valencia the Chilean delegation gave ample information on Punta Arenas fisheries and the booming salmon farming; livestock breeding in organic conditions, both cattle and sheep, plus other options such as vicuña and ostrich; tourism and cruises to the Antarctic; forestry and the wood chip industry, all of which with abundant and accessible non contaminating natural gas. Valencia port authorities showed great interest in the new facilities being built in Punta Arenas port and the privatization process of different services. The autonomous Region of Valencia has close links with South America going back to the time of massive Spanish migration until the early sixties of last century. Helped by the language and roots, Valencia nowadays is taking advantage of those links and is investing heavily in several South American countries.

Who's scared of the red tide?

Punta Arenas health authorities are concerned about the growing number of local fishermen contaminated with sea food affected by toxic micro organisms in the red tide. Apparently coastal fishermen regularly consume bivalve shell fish in spite of official warnings about poisoning with the red tide that sometimes extends for miles along the southern Chilean coast. Fishermen involved in the extraction of shell fish and mollusk admit to be aware of the official warnings from maritime authorities but nevertheless usually two of the most experienced and hardier taste them, and if nothing happens the rest of the group, usually thirty in ten vessels, proceed with the "banquet". It's also common to carry a couple of cats which are then used as guinea pigs. Mois's Vega head of the hake coastal fishermen union blames the same fishermen for acting this way, "ignoring the fact that the intensity of the red tide differs form one place to another and not all humans have the same reactions". Last weekend the Chilean Navy had to evacuate four men from Puerto Natales suffering from food poisoning, two divers and two fishermen who apparently ignoring official warnings consumed bivalve sea food. Health authorities in Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales are reiterating the danger of consuming mollusks without the proper certification, recalling that in 1998 a 28 years old local fisherman experienced a most painful death as a direct consequence of red tide poisoning.

Population policy

"Having an educated and well trained working force is what is relevant for the Magallanes Region, and not population growth rate", stressed Raúl Figueroa a demographic expert from the local Magallanes University following the primary results of the latest Chilean Census. Chile's population growth rate has dropped from a national average of 1,6% in the eighties to 1,2% during the last decade, very much in line with the most advanced countries in the world such as Europe, United States and Canada. However Magallanes Region barely managed 0,8%, the lowest in Chile and there are growing concerns about the long term effects of this tendency for the country's interests in the extreme south. Mr. Figueroa argues that contrary to the industrialized countries, who favour immigration because the ageing of their populations has a direct impact in labor costs, the situation in Chile and particularly in Magallanes Region is quiet different since "we have a surplus of unqualified labor, that we must train and recover for the economy". The demographic expert also pointed out that currently the rich countries are targeting for young professionals, "that virtually did not cost them a penny to train". Therefore Mr. Figueroa suggests some basics for any population policy in Magallanes Region. Above all, improve the training and qualifications of the working age population; secondly, a selective policy attracting the type of qualified labor needed in Magallanes and not a "blank proposal to lure investors by promising lower taxes or exemptions". That is "creating strategic development programs that turn Magallanes attractive for young professionals and highly qualified labor in general". Mr. Figueroa concluded saying that offering special tax benefits to newcomers will only help "to discredit our community and the responsibility with which we face our problems and challenges".

Combating poverty

Chilean president Raúl Lagos met this week with the 300 officials who will be responsible for the instrumentation of a national program to eradicate poverty by the year 2006. "This is the first step towards finishing extreme poverty, and it means putting into action, and coordinating, all of the government's resources and Departments", said President Lagos. The program is officially denominated "Chile Solidario" and includes intensive psycho-social support for families; 24 months protection bonus; guaranteed monetary subsidies; privileged access to social promotion programs; social security benefits and social insertion of children and parents. "It's a modest economic support to help families on their feet and begin walking, so they can then have full access to the social security net all the rest of Chileans enjoy", added Mr. Lagos. "Chile Solidario" is currently operating in 58 communities all along the country from Antofagasta in the north to Punta Arenas in the extreme south, with social coverage for 56,000 families. President Lagos further on underlined that since Chile recovered democracy, extreme poverty in the country dropped almost 50% from 38 to 22% of the Chilean population. "No other country in Latinamerica has managed what we have achieved in ten years, cutting poverty in half, but we are also most aware that this effort still won't be enough to eradicate the degree of indigence in Chilean society". According to the Chilean Statistics Office a family with income below two minimum wages ( 160 US dollars) is consider poor.

Uruguayan Navy fires at Chilean trawler

A Uruguayan Navy patrol vessel opened fire against a Chilean trawler attempting to flee from Montevideo harbor after having been ordered retained by local judicial authorities. According to the Uruguayan Navy report, Chilean flag "Marilin I", with a crew of two Peruvians, two Russians, a Chilean and a Spaniard tried to escape from the port of Montevideo early dawn last week with lights off and refusing to answer radio communications. The attempt was finally aborted a mile from the port of Montevideo following two volleys of three intimidating shots fired by a Uruguayan Coast Guard patrol. "Marilin I" was being retained in Montevideo by a labor Court after several crewmember claimed unpaid salaries and other benefits. Following the escape attempt "Marilin I" now faces two additional charges, one under criminal law for disobeying the sailing ban and a second from maritime authorities.