| COLOMBIA,
A POSITIVE COUNTRY
Prepared by:
Affairs Coordinator
Internal and External Communications
Ministry of Foreign Relations
ON THE FRONT PAGE
• NEW REFUGE IN THE LOS NEVADOS
PARK: The national government
inaugurated the El Cisne visitors’ center, a project to
create an eco-tourism corridor in the Departments of Risaralda,
Caldas, Quindío and Tolima. The center is a building measuring
approximately 630 square meters, and is located just west of
the center of the Los Nevados Park, in the jurisdiction of the
town of Villamaría, Caldas. The aim of the initiative
is to focus eco-tourism activity in the northern and central
part of the Park. The refuge offers lodging for visitors, control
of negative environmental impacts, control of and assistance
to mountain climbers, space for education and training of athletes
in high mountain conditions, and the development of social participation
programs on conservation with the communities close to the protected
area.
• JUANES WINS THE ONDAS AWARD: the Colombian singer Juanes
was honored in Spain with one of the 51 Ondas prizes awarded
by SER channel. The artist obtained the prize for best Latin
artist, which he will receive officially in Barcelona on November
the 23rd. The awards from Radio Barcelona, part of the SER Channel,
seek to honor the most outstanding professionals, businesses,
and national and international projects in radio, publicity,
television, films, and music. The artist received the award for
the sale of more than 100,000 copies, in a single month, of his
new album “Mi sangre” (My blood).
SOCIAL INVESTMENT
• JAPAN CONTRIBUTES TO LIBRARIES: close to $3,500 million
pesos were donated by the government of Japan to build 18 municipal
libraries located in Boyacá, Nariño, Córdoba,
Cesar, Antioquia and Santander. Fifteen of these libraries have
already been completed and construction has begun for three more
in the towns of Iza, Caldas and Chinavita, Boyacá. These
new contributions are on top of the $2,866 million that were
also given by the Japanese government at the beginning of this
year to build libraries in the towns of Santa Sofía, Tuta,
San Mateo and Guayatá, in Boyacá; Olaya Herrera,
Ancuya and Mosquera in Nariño; San Carlos and Momil in
Córdoba; San Martín, San Alberto and Astrea in
Cesar; San Pedro de los Milagros, in Antioquia; and Aratoca and
Pinchote in Santander, which together will benefit close to 100
thousand people.
• RESOURCES FOR HEALTH: the national government turned
over health resources in the amount of $200,427 million pesos
to the municipalities of the country. These resources come from
Fosyga and will be used to pay for subsidized services. These
resources were made possible thanks to Decree 3260 of 2004, a
measure that fixes maximum time limits for paying health providers
for resources from the subsidized health sector under the different
contract modes and for emergency services. The law contemplates
the possibility of delivering the Fosyga resources and the resources
from the ‘Sistema General de Participaciones’ General
Participation System (SGP) directly to the ARS, to attend to
the affiliates of subsidized medicine. The distribution of the
resources by municipalities can be consulted on the web page
www.presidencia.gov.co.
• ENERGY IN JURADÓ: the national government will
build a new hydroelectric power center in the town of Juradó in
Chocó, a project that will allow for 24 hour-a-day electricity
for the inhabitants of that town. The process is currently in
the contract stage under one of the Plan Colombia programs, “Obras
para la Paz” (Works for Peace). That office will receive
proposals from people interested in participating until next
Friday, October 29. The work that will begin in December will
generate close to 100 direct jobs and 200 indirect jobs. The
new small hydroelectric plant will have a cost of $2 billion
pesos and is part of the government’s program to promote
power generation in zones that are not interconnected.
SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND GENERATION OF EMPLOYMENT
• OPTIMAL ENERGY RESOURCES: in
September, the Colombian energy sector exported 125.7 Gigawatts
hours (GWh) of energy
to Ecuador, representing US$12.8 million. This result contributed
to exports of US $86.8 million in the first nine months of the
year, the result of the sale of 1,201.4 GWh. In September Colombia
also imported 4.5 GWh of electricity from Ecuador, representing
a payment of US$83,823. These international transactions made
with the neighboring country, allow it to not only sell electricity,
but also to buy it, especially when in Colombia the cost of power
generation is greater than in Ecuador.
• GOOD MONTHS FOR INDUSTRY: production
in the industrial sector grew by 8.87% in the month of August,
without including
coffee threshing. In the same period, sales in the industrial
sector increased by 7.13% and employment generation by 0.87%.
These figures are the highest recorded since August 2000 when
industrial production grew by more than 15%. If coffee threshing
is included, the increase in industrial production reached 8.77%,
the increase in sales 7.07%, and employment increased by 0.89%.
Specifically, the greatest increase was recorded in the automotive
and automotive parts sector with an increase of 36.69%.
• ENCOURAGING FIGURES IN TRANSPORTATION: transportation of passengers in the domestic air system grew
by 10.1% in the
month of September. During this month 57,859 more trips were
made than in the same month in 2003 between national airports.
Between January and September domestic transportation of passengers
by air increased by 1.93%, reaching 5.6 million people. As far
as international transportation of passengers in the ninth month
of the year, the increase was 11.37%, while cargo grew by 9.04%.
From Colombia to international destinations, 24,749 more passengers
traveled than in September of 2003.
DEMOCRATIC SECURITY
• REDUCTION OF ILLICIT CROPS: the United Nations Organization
revealed that coca and opium poppy crops in national territory
decreased by 17%. Specifically, with respect to the year 2000
illicit crops have decreased by 77 thousand hectares. According
to the integrated tracking system for measuring illicit crops,
done by means of satellite, for the 2002-2003 period, the area
cultivated was reduced by 16 thousand hectares. The Departments
with the greatest area dedicated to the crops are Caquetá and
Putumayo, while Meta and Guaviare recorded a significant decrease.
STATE EFFICIENCY AND TRANSPARENCY
• FOMENTING SPORTS: beginning in 2005, and on the third
Sunday of September every year, Colombians can participate in
the National Day of Sports and Physical Education, as established
by Law 912, signed by President Álvaro Uribe. The Law
stimulates the practice of recreational and sport activities
of all types, and provides recognition for the athletes across
the country. On that day all the members of the National Sports
System, athletic organizations, sponsors, the communication media,
and in general all the actors that participate in fomenting and
practicing sports, recreation, and physical education, can participate.
• HOMAGE TO COLOMBIAN HEROES: the
national government passed Law 913 of October 21, 2004, which
establishes July 19
of each year as the day of the Heroes of the Nation and their
Families. According to the decree, on that date Civilian, Military,
Police, and Church authorities will carry out ceremonies to exalt
the achievements of the heroes and pay homage to their families.
The Decree also exhorts all government, private, and church offices
in the nation, as well as Colombian homes, to fly the national
flag at half-staff on July 19th, in commemoration of that date,
and as a preamble to the national day of Independence, in homage
to those who have made sacrifices for liberty.
(FIN/PCO/CIE)
October 29, 2004
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