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Hot News from the Coast

Headlines:

Do you speak English?; Punta Arenas mayor robbed in Argentina; Scab in Santa Cruz province; Sheep experts in Punta Arenas Show; Magallanes “piggies” keep growing; Ushuaia newspaper set on fire; Spies still on the job, claims La Tercera.

Do you speak English?

Tourism Ministers of APEC members, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum are scheduled to meet next October in Punta Arenas, possibly one of the major events of the region this year. With this in mind Punta Arenas La Prensa Austral made a quick survey among top officials, businessmen and press in Punta Arenas to assess their command of English the language that will "naturally" allow people from so many different origins (21 member countries) to communicate in normal life. The rating is basic, intermediate and advanced. The results of the poll are as follows: Mayor Jaime Jelinci, and host of the APEC meeting admitted basic English. Bernardo Troncoso, the Regional representative of the Finance Ministry admits basic, but promises to take talking classes. Marcos Ivelich, president of Magallanes Chamber of Commerce, intermediate but he trusts the Chamber's interpreters. Jorge Norambuena, from the tourism industry admits advanced English, given his experience with foreign tourists. Eliecer Bahamondez, Education Ministry representative for Magallanes, basic. Lilian Kusanovic: tourism businesswoman; she's lived in the US but also points out that many of the visitors manage Spanish. Jorge Restovic, the Mayor's main advisor admits basic English, but believes he will survive in a round of people "as long as they don't all speak perfect English". Juan Jose Salas, tourism entrepreneur, described a new category, his English is "plus intermediate"; and when dealing with Japanese they usually have their own interpreters. Ivan Nikovic president of the Production and Commerce Chamber describes his English as intermediate, mostly practicing with tourists. However he points out that commerce and tourism in the region will manage, "they've always done so", however it's not clear in other areas. Liliana Ortiz from the Development Corporation admits having gone to a British School and has a good English conversation. Roberto Hofer, Finance Editor of La Prensa Austral admits Basic English; Paula Viano from TVN, television channel, Intermediate English and recalls having interviewed in Spanglish; Rolando Martínez, El Mercurio correspondent in Punta Arenas has a long international experience and trusts he won't have any problem communicating. And do you speak English? Basic, intermediate or advanced wait for the October score.

Punta Arenas mayor robbed in Argentina

It happened over a month ago, February 1, but is only became officially known in Punta Arenas this week: Magallanes Region Mayor Jaime Jelincic and family were robbed in Argentina while on holidays. Together with another family they rented a big house in the seaside resort of Miramar, close to Mar del Plata and 450 kilometres south of Buenos Aires. The house apparently had grates and metal doors but they weren't enough to stop thieves from breaking in while the two families on their first vacation day went out for a late supper. The "booty" included a video camera, money, a cellular phone, the Mayor's daughter clothing and most dear of all 25 compact disks from his private collection . "It was a most unpleasant experience", commented Mayor Jelincic. And it happened less than a week after the governor of the Patagonian province of Chubut had signed a special decree declaring Mr. Jelincic "guest of honour" of the first Joint Patagonian Summit. Miramar mayor Raul Castellino personally apologized for the incident and offered a permanent police custody which Mr. Jelincic did not accept because "the idea was to enjoy a quiet vacation with the family". "I had two choices, ruin my family's vacation and return to Punta Arenas or face the situation", and even when the Mayor attempted to keep the incident low profile the local press heard about it and published the news. But, "besides this unfortunate experience Miramar is a wonderful place and I recommend it to families with children", said Mr. Jelincic. In spite of Miramar officials and police diligence, non of the stolen objects were recovered.

Scab in Santa Cruz province

The Chilean Agriculture and Livestock Service, SAG, are concerned with the outbreak of scab to the south of the Santa Cruz river, in the province of Santa Cruz, next to Magallanes Region, an area normally free of the parasite. "We haven't been officially imposed by Argentine sanitary officials of the situation which is quiet annoying", said Carlos Rowlands head of the regional SAG. "We know that scab is normal north of the river Santa Cruz, rarely to the south and much less far south in a farm neighbouring with Magallanes region, so this Monday we're sending a top level delegation to find out what is really happening and how we can protect ourselves", added Mr. Rowlands. Anyhow SAG has already sent the alarm to all farms in Magallanes particularly close to the Argentine border and no flock can be moved without previous clinical tests. In the border crossings Santa Cruz sheep headed for Tierra del Fuego through Chilean territory must have an anti-parasite certificate, a big AR painted in their backs and trucks sealed. Apparently as far as SAG officials have been able to collect, the outbreak is not so recent and was originated in a flock transported to the south of river Santa Cruz from a scab endemic area. "Unfortunately we haven't had a proactive response from Argentine sanitary authorities; we had to call them and we thought that kind of thing belonged to the past", complained Mr. Rowlands. The president of the Argentine Association of Corriedale Breeders Alberto Paz admitted to Punta Arenas press that he only became aware of the outbreak talking with farmers in the recent Rio Gallegos cattle show. "Thankfully the highly contagious parasite now a day can be easily eliminated with drugs, but just in case I've ordered the quarantine of several rams recently sent to Tierra del Fuego; we're not taking any risks", said Mr. Paz.

Sheep experts in Punta Arenas Show

In the framework of the current Magallanes Cattle Exhibition organized by the local Cattle Breeders Association of Magallanes, Asogama, two world experts in sheep farming participated in a Soft Rolling Skin, SRS, workshop organized in one of the local estancias. Dr. Jim Watts a fibres expert from Australia acknowledged for his contribution to the improvement of wool quality, praised the constant advance in the improvement of the Magallanes Corriedale, both wool and meat, easily noticed in lamb production, and in the overall fertility of the flock. He also pointed out that the technical level in the Magallanes region, compared to the rest of the world, is "fairly good" and there's also an evident advance in the knowledge of professionals linked to sheep farming. Corriedale is a multipurpose breed that needs quality selection to achieve high density and long fibres fleece, plus meat production and fertility. The other participant was Brian Jeffries who is a world known authority in animal selection and has been regularly visiting Magallanes for the last ten years sharing experience on lamb production in Australia.

Magallanes "piggies" keep growing

As in most of the Western world Magallanes children suffer of overweight and the problem keeps expanding. According to a 2003 report from the Magallanes Health Service out of 8,137 under six living in Punta Arenas and which regularly have their weight checked, 24,11% are overweight and 12,65% obese. This means 36,76% equivalent to 2,991 children are overweight and obese. And it's a problem in gradual and constant increase: between 1995 and 2000 overweight expanded from 23,04% to 25,15% and obesity from 10,9 to 13,1%. Magallanes statistics are the highest recorded in the whole of Chile and therefore local authorities are launching a campaign to improve diet and food quality. With this in mind forty schools, both public and private, have been selected to teach new healthy life styles with the purpose of changing food habits particularly avoiding junk food and promoting sports over sedentary activities. Besides, beginning this curricular year (this Monday) all school catering will emphasize more on fresh fruit and vegetable, plus fish and meat. This initiative is expected to complement the objectives of the Regional Health Promotion Plan that was launched three years ago with similar purposes plus the insistence on personal hygiene practices to avoid outbreaks of food poisoning, salmonella, Escherichia and hepatitis, quiet common and extended in Chile.

Ushuaia newspaper set on fire

"Diario del Fin del Mundo", (Newspaper of the end of the world), the only commercial daily publication in Ushuaia suffered an "intentional fire" that destroyed most of its newsroom was reported today from Tierra del Fuego. Fulvio Baschera, Managing Director of the newspaper said the fire began between three and four in the early morning of Sunday in the main building, in downtown Ushuaia and according to the "primary reports from the Fire Department, it was deliberate". Although there are no elements yet to infer a "direct link" with the alleged attack, but Mr. Baschera recalled that in the last two weeks two reporters were beaten by unknown hoodlums and "this now has become the third attack in three weeks". The incident was condemned by most sectors of the Ushuaia community but not a word was heard from the administration of Governor Jorge Colazo, reported Mr. Baschera. The local branch of the Argentine Federation of Press Workers linked the fire to the previous attacks on reporters and warned that "the increased level of these intimidations both in violence and damages is highly preoccupying". Apparently the fire started in the news room that was being moved to a new building during the weekend.

Spies still on the job, claims La Tercera

The two Chilean agents that broke into the Argentine consulate in Punta Arenas last November with the purpose of spying are still on duty in the Austral Military Region reports La Tercera from Santiago de Chile. The two agents involved are Army Sergeant Luis Robles Ricus and Air Force Corporal Luis Espinoza Catalán who were caught red handed by the Argentine Deputy Consul Jose Andres Basbus while photocopying documents and video filming consular premises. The Punta Arenas incident caused a rift between the Argentine and Chilean governments always over sensitive about military and border issues. However Santiago authorities were quick in admitting that the action took place as a consequence of the "personal initiative" from the two agents and without superior orders, and severely repudiated the whole incident. To further overcome the situation presidents Ricardo Lagos and Nestor Kirchner spoke on the phone. The Commander of the Austral Region, and a serious candidate for the Santiago Region, General Waldo Zauritz had to retire, and Lieutenant Colonel Victor Hugo Poza head of the region's military intelligence and Army Major Rodrigo Acuña apparently were forced out of the service. However La Tercera reports that Robles and Espinoza continue "working normally in their jobs and have suffered no administrative sanctions". The news release comes just a few days away from the scheduled Lagos-Kirchner summit in Mendoza next Saturday to reinforce bilateral relations in the framework of the centenary celebration of the Christ Redeemer Statue marking the Andes border crossing.