Self-destructive madness rules in the High Andes. The Carrizal Chones irrigation and hydro-electricity project in Ecuador has been abandoned and weed grows on the earthworks already completed. In November 2008 the new Government of Ecuador decided to sue the Brazilian Infrastructure Contractor Odebrecht for some made up reasons and like Oxy and the oil companies then working in Ecuador, Odebrecht had to leave the country. I heard that only thanks to Brazilian Government's intervention (there were rumors of war) Odebrecht's engineers were allowed to leave Ecuador. The Government tried to get the Japanese to take up the project, but they refused. So the Government is having to do with local engineers and in March 10th., assigned 22 million dollars to save the project. But after a rainy winter, without the Brazilian management, with the workers disbanded, the machinery all but ruined, the project's roads and bridges falling down, it will be difficult to re-organize the project. Most probably the money will mismanaged and/or stolen.
Rafael Correa, Ecuador's President, the man who caused this disaster, announced that the project is advancing according to schedule.
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The Government tried to get the Japanese to take up the project, but they refused.
That has got to be the funniest line in the whole post. The previous team of engineers couldn't leave the country unless war was threatened, and the Japanese on the other side of the planet are supposed to feel safe?
How did Ecuador even get to the point of even starting the project? If they act like this now how were they even able to get organized?
Did the Ecuadorians just get rid of a major right wing president, or come out of military rule?
Ecuador large irrigation projects were conceived by the World Bank and the Interamerican Development Bank experts in the sixties, mostly by Israeli engineers. Some of them were completed and are operating. It may take two or thre decades till a project is financed and started. Ecuatorian governments need projects to create stealing opportunities. But the benefits of these irrigation projects are so obvious that in the end they get done.
Ecuadorian governments need projects to create stealing opportunities. But the benefits of these irrigation projects are so obvious that in the end they get done.
That sounds like Chicago. During the recent election Chicago was again in the news as a cesspool of corruption, which would make it seem like Chicago is incapable of completing large flood control projects. However, if you look at this you will see that Chicago's politicians are able to locally finance and plan major projects if the benefits are extremely obvious.
This brings up one other question:
What would Ecuador do without the WB and the IAB? would they invite engineers in on their own initiative or would they continue as a backward country?
The whole point of the note is that Ecuador is not behaving in any rational manner. A beautiful land forever condemned to poverty.
Maybe they should be recolonized by Spain. I've thought that might be the answer for some of the more dysfunctional Latin countries. It would give Spain purpose, and the Latins better government.
Why Spain? If a colonizer is what is needed, then be it Canada. Canadian governance is honest and intelligent.
I think cultural similarity would make it easier for Spain to govern Ecuador. As for Canada, they restrict free speech, invite millions of immigrants many of whom are muslim, and otherwise follow political correctness.
Also, Canada needs to either cut a fair deal with Quebec, or kick Quebec out of the federation. Until Canada deals with Quebec it cannot rule other countries.
Or to state my position generally: countries that cannot resolve their internal problems should not attempt to solve the problems of others.
Returning to Earth, Ecuador is not searching for a colonizator nor Canada is in the colonizing business. Spain's handicap is its cultural similarity with Ecuatorian elites.
Very true. Then there dos not seem to be any way for Ecuador to prosper.
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