MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile Hot News

Summer time begins this weekend; Stronger Peso: 595 to the US dollar; New hospital for Punta Arenas; Insecurity and trust in democratic institutions; Sustainable tourism discussions; Bachelet leads vote intention opinion polls.

Summer time begins this weekend
This Saturday October 9, clocks in Chile will be forwarded sixty minutes in coincidence with the beginning of the summer time. This means that this Sunday Chileans loose an hour's sleep and until March will live with longer daylight hours, while at the same helping to save energy. Next March Chile reverts to winter time when clocks are set back sixty minutes.

Stronger Peso: 595 to the US dollar
The Chilean peso ended the week 1,5% stronger against the US dollars, operating 5 pesos below the 600 pesos threshold. The strong revaluation of the Chilean currency is attributed in Santiago financial markets to the weakening of the US dollar vis-à-vis the Euro and Yen following disappointing job creation data and the sustained value of copper. The red metal is still Chile's main single export and its price has consistently risen for the last 18 months reaching above 1,42 US dollar the pound, the highest since 1995. Besides, the Chilean economy is doing remarkably well with record exports and trade surplus. Santiago money markets estimate the peso will continue with its strengthen tendency against the US dollar.

New hospital for Punta Arenas
Next October 26 Chilean officials from Santiago will travel to Punta Arenas for the signature of a document confirming the financing of several public health projects in Magallanes Region including the building of a new hospital in Punta Arenas. According to the local press Chilean Minister of Public Health together with a high representative from the Finance Ministry will be present at the ceremony. The signing will put an end to months of controversy since the new hospital policy of the Chilean government privileges private contractors to build and have management concessions. Apparently this idea will only be applied to new hospitals in metropolitan Santiago. Punta Arenas hospital will then be financed from the national Development Fund and management and maintenance will be joint responsibility between the Ministry of Public Health and local sanitary authorities.

Insecurity and trust in democratic institutions
Chile has the highest "democracy index" in the region according to a report from the German Konrad Adenauer Foundation which categorizes countries following a "liberties and rights conditioned by insecurity" ranking. The close link between insecurity and the consequent public opinion perception of a significant "weakening of democratic institutions", is highlighted in the report which has Chile as the country most immune to the phenomenon with 10,242 points, followed by Costa Rica, 8,633 and Uruguay 7,517 points. "Countries in crisis present a dangerous institutional deterioration, democracy seems to loose vitality; democracy is preferred but its capacity to improve living conditions is mistrusted; political parties are bottom of the list regarding public esteem; the democratic spirit which characterized decades of the past century is clearly weakened; the state apparatus is seen both with expectation and mistrust", indicates the report. Argentina figures with 3,918 points, Brazil 3,348; Peru, 3,688; Bolivia 3,343; Colombia 3,054 and Paraguay, 1,689 points. However the lowest ranked is political turmoil plagued Venezuela: 1,552 points.

Sustainable tourism discussions
Four main issues have been addressed in different tourism related debates held in Punta Arenas under the umbrella of the Coming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum Summit, APEC. They are: small and medium companies; English language; security in Chile as a popular tourism destination and tourism as a sustainable industry. Once considered in the APEC tourism summit of next November in Punta Arenas, they will be included in a "Patagonia Declaration" currently being drafted. Exequiel Vera, regional executive secretary for APEC said that regarding security, "Chile in particular and the region overall are tourism destinations with geographical and political conditions marginally affected by current world events that have forced strict security measures particularly when dealing with massive tourism". Chile does not face the nerve racking problems of a majority or world countries, "since we're still distant from the terrorist threat and other political and economic instability elements which could risk making Chile a non recommendable destination". As to sustainable tourism, Mr. Vera underlined the significance of a non-contaminated alternative with prime environmental sustainability indexes given that "currently the region is not under pressure from massive tourism". "Preserving ecosystems, scenery and wild life is not only related to ethics, social and human values, but to the economic system which converts it into monetary revenue of great impact for the region". Mr. Vera also mentioned some of the added values of the region such as the organic Magellan lamb and the "exceptional Antarctic option" which must be conserved according to its pristine world image and public opinion perception.

Bachelet leads vote intention opinion pollsFormer Chilean Defence Minister Michelle Bachelet leads by two points in vote intention over Santiago city Mayor Joaquín Lavín, according to the latest public opinion poll published by El Mercurio in the Chilean capital. However the poll also indicates that a majority of Chileans, 40,7% believe opposition leader Mr. Lavín will be the country's next president (March 2006) well ahead of the two ruling coalition's hopefuls, Ms. Bachelet 22,7% and Ms. Soledad Alvear 9,6%. Former Foreign Affairs minister Ms. Alvear is also third currently in vote intention, behing Mr. Lavín and Ms. Bachelet. In a distant fourth place figures former president Eduardo Frei who has made public his intentions to run next year. Mr. Frei ruled from 1994 to 2000. There's no reelection in Chile. Presidential elections are programmed for December 2005. The poll was done last week in metropolitan Santiago with a plus/minus 5% error margin and 95% probability.