MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Regional News from Pta. Arenas.

Headlines:
International Tourism Day; Hepatitis A: thirty cases; “Esmeralda” to call in Punta Arenas; New jetty for methanol and oil; Save Tierra del Fuego trees; Lobbying for a marine conservation park; Three shoplifters per day;

International Tourism Day

"Tourism: a driving force for poverty alleviation, job creation and social harmony", is the theme chosen by the World Tourist Organization to celebrate the industry's international day. In Punta Arenas the Chilean Tourism Service, Sernatur, has organized various activities that are scheduled to extend from September 22 to 26, beginning this Monday with a conference on "Prospects for the tourist industry from a private enterprise perspective" by the regional Austro Chile Officer. Ricardo Matus, president of the Tourist Guides Association of Punta Arenas will give a conference on "The professional role of tourist guides". The agenda also includes "Planning tourism development in the area" and "The importance of improvement and the quality of information in the development of tourism in Patagonia" that will be addressed by officials from Sernatur. Lan Chile representative Elena Cárdenas will talk about "Tourism marketing and sales techniques". Two exhibitions, "Fauna and flora of Chilean Antarctic territory" and "Lighthouses of the Magellan Strait" will be inaugurated September 23 and 25. Tourism international day, September 26 will be see the big celebration and culmination of five days of activities

Hepatitis A: thirty cases

The number of hepatitis A cases in Punta Arenas is expected to be over thirty by the end of 2003, according to Eduardo Velázquez, Officer of the Epidemiology and Statistics Health Service of Magallanes Region. So far 18 cases have been clearly identified, the majority of which related to an outbreak in a very modest home in one of Punta Arenas shanty towns. Similarly most cases are among children in school age, from homes without running water or sewage, and families that have insufficient sanitary education. "The average number of hepatitis A cases in recent years has been between 25 and 30, however in 2002 the number dropped to 18.But in 2003 our epidemiology estimate will be above average", indicated Mr. Velázquez. When the origin of the hepatitis outbreak was located last month, Magallanes Region health authorities decided the massive vaccination of over 800 children mostly from the school where the first cases were reported besides friends and neighbours of the infected family.

"Esmeralda" to call in Punta Arenas

The Chilean Navy four masts instruction vessel "Esmeralda" is scheduled to visit Punta Arenas in the coming days, the first Chilean port she will be calling after a several months long instruction trip to America and Europe. The "Esmeralda" trip has been marred in several European cities and most recently in Buenos Aires by human rights protestors who claim that the vessel during the military coup of 1973 was used as a prison and torture centre. Although the accusation and evidence figures in the official Chilean Rettig report which listed human rights abuses under the General Augusto Pinochet regime, it was only a few months ago that a former Chilean Navy Commander admitted the truth. "It's the same people as usual. They are paid for doing that, but I doubt we'll see something similar in Punta Arenas. We're civilized people", said Rear Admiral Arturo Ojeda Zernott, Commander in Chief of the Third Naval Zone when asked if something similar was to be expected when the schooner calls in. The "Esmeralda" (twin schooner of the Spanish Navy "Juan Sabastian Elcano") is under the command of Captain Jose Miguel Romero and will be staying in Punta Arenas until October 2. She carries the latest promotion of officers that will be officially joining the Chilean Navy once the vessel arrives in Valdivia.

New jetty for methanol and oil

Next month the Chilean government Oil Company, ENAP, will begin operations in the new 455 metres long jetty which demanded an investment of 11 million US dollars and will be used both by ENAP and Methanex the huge methanol complex in Cabo Negro, close to Punta Arenas. The new jetty is parallel to the original thirty years old wharf and demanded over 18 months to build. According to the contract Methanex has priority use of the jetty and is entitled to purchase it in thirty years time. The jetty was built in two stages: first all the metal infrastructure for the terminal and later the construction of the jetty itself sinking the metal frames operating mostly from barges. Methanex, a huge complex involving Canadian and Chilean investors is located in the vicinity of Punta Arenas and converts Argentina natural gas into methanol, one of the largest plants in the world. The operation has become Punta Arenas main industry.

Save Tierra del Fuego trees

"The battle for the woods of Tierra del Fuego" is the name of the book that was launched last week in the Institute of Public Affairs belonging to the University of Chile in Santiago and refers to the long struggle against international corporations that in the nineties wanted to convert the centennial autochthonous "lenga" into wood chips. The book was written by Chilean agronomist Nicola Gligo, born in Punta Arenas, winner in 2001 of the Chilean National Environment Prize and advisor for twenty years of the United Nations Economic Committee for Latinamerica. This is the culmination of a long battle, and the launching of a new project, the adequate and respectful management of the Tierra del Fuego ecosystem and its wonderful woods, for which we have associated with the Argentines", indicated Mr. Gligo adding that "Trillium (the US corporation involved) was only a battle, because as long as we have trees war will continue". "The book is a collection of testimonies, evidence, scientific research, media cuttings, which fortunately helped convince people that conservation is essential, that what's happening in Tierra del Fuego is far more important than felling autochthonous trees that take centuries to recover", said Mr. Gligo who thanked the organization Alliance for the Chilean woods for all the support. When asked what teachings does the Trillium experience leave, Mr. Gligo pointed out that it "updated Chile in environmental affairs; foreign corporations can no longer come to Chile and dismiss, discard all the technical and scientific evidence we posses nor can they ignore our research capacity. Projects such as Trillium have no viability in Chile".

Lobbying for a marine conservation park

Chilean biologists with the support of regional authorities are lobbying for the establishment of a marine conservationist park in the Ultima Esperanza fiords, one of the country's most extreme southern regions. The marine sanctuary could extend from Torres del Paine Park to the region's capital Porvenir. Punta Arenas press reports that this fiord area next to the Señoret channel, which has become a growing tourist attraction, has been thoroughly researched in recent years by two Chilean biologists Galdys Garay and Oscar Guineo who claim that 33 species of birds (both sea and land) plus six mammals have their natural habitat in the area. However ten of these species face conservation problems. The latest research covered a stream that ends two kilometres south of Porvernir and climbs to the Balmaceda mountain, fifty three kilometres north. This inland area plus the coastline attracts anywhere from a thousand birds in springtime to 16,000 in autumn making it the largest concentration point, plus a mating and reproduction site for sea mammals and ground nesting for other birds, according to the Garay-Guineo report. Water in the fiords of Ultima Esperanza and the Señoret channel apparently are less saline and therefore more oxygenated which it is believed helps the concentration of this diverse fauna and "therefore the need for a proper management and protection of the marine ecosystem either by declaring the area a Nature sanctuary or marine park", explained Ms. Glasys Garay to the Punta Arenas press. However one of the main drawbacks is that the Ultima Esperanza fiords and Señoret channel have a heavy traffic of tourist vessels particularly in summer months when visitors are taken to see nearby glaciers Balmaceda and Serrano; besides some of the sounds in the area have been pre-selected for further expansion of the salmon farming industry. If the idea finally picks up, the area will have three adjoining parks that meet in Balmaceda Mountain: Bernardo O'Higgins to the north, Torres del Paine and the newly created marine sanctuary along the fiords. In spite of the drawbacks the Punta Arenas press seem optimistic: the Tourist Chamber of Ultima Esperanza, a private organization, supported the research; there's growing environmentalist awareness in the area and the tourist industry will not let itself be pushed aside by salmon farming. Biologists Garay and Guinro have been researching Torres del Paine Park area wild life and environment for twenty years and have published six papers on the subject. They are currently working on a four year project on the huemul, a Chilean Patagonian deer.

Three shoplifters per day

Three shoplifters are detained daily on average in Punta Arenas supermarkets according to the latest judicial statistics. Local press indicates that since the introduction of a new German inspired prosecution code, crime statistics are more accurate in Punta Arenas and in the case of supermarkets, shoplifters target high value produce, alcohol, fancy packaged goods and the latest toys such as "Bay blade". The increase in crime has forced supermarkets to improve security and surveillance systems plus adopt other "intelligent" resources for high valued products such as individual alarms or simply having the empty boxes in shelves. However the judicial report also points out that there's still a "grey number" of crimes committed that go unreported since some victims are distrustful of the police and judicial system. This usually happens when cars, either stationed or when waiting for traffic lights, are broken into or even when women in the streets suffer the snatching of bags or purses mainly by minors. With this in mind Punta Arenas municipal authorities have installed a first vigilance high resolution video camera that covers the main square of the city with a backup computer system that stores the filming for a month. The experimental camera system is expected to be increased in the coming weeks, (no location places have been anticipated besides the fact they will be in downtown) and ready for an official inauguration during November. Apparently the local council approved the equivalent of 20,000 US dollars for the operation back in 2001. "I think the delay has helped reduce costs since we now have a better technical solution with improved range and excellent resolution", said Councillor Jose Saldivia. Punta Arenas mayor added that "we are even thinking on mobile cameras since wireless technology is now available, besides the fact that we want to add a cam system so the world can see on Internet how Punta Arenas is improving all the time".