Voters backed prohibition on mining in Ecuador city of Cuenca, mayor says
- Voters in the Ecuadorean city of Cuenca backed a prohibition on mining activities in areas close to watersheds via a referendum held on Sunday, the mayor said yesterday, in a move that may spook foreign investment sought by the South American nation.
The proposal, which was on the ballot for some 435,000 Cuenca residents during Sunday's presidential and legislative elections, asked if the city should block mining in areas near the rivers that cross through Cuenca.
"We share good news with citizens: in Cuenca, the water won," mayor Pedro Palacios wrote on Twitter. "Thank you for joining this proposal, which motivates us to continue working to care for nature."
The mayor later told reporters that the announcement was based on preliminary results, estimating that more than 80% of voters supported the initiative.
The National Electoral Council in the province of Azuay said in a statement that it had reviewed 44.5% of votes in the referendum as of early Monday morning, without elaborating.
The PPP/C Government will be writing letters to local aircraft operators who are yet to remove VAT from hinterland-bound flights, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill said yesterday.
Edghill was at the time meeting with members of the National Toshaos Council. Edghill said he believes that enforcement of the removal of VAT was meant to see a reduction in ticket prices and this must be accomplished.
Edghill also discussed hinterland airstrips that are about to undergo repairs, and that village economies are likely to take off as contracts will be made available for villagers to conduct maintenance works on those airstrips.
In this regard, the minister committed to continuing the engagement for the completion of the Eteringbang Airstrip in Region Seven, with community involvement. Another issue raised during the meeting was a permanent building for the Toshaos Council, and a possible increase of the ceiling for hinterland projects from $5 million.
Edghill advised the Council to officially document their request and share with the Ministry of Finance. With regards to
the building, the Council was told that progress is being made and representation will be made to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to have funds directed to this project in Budget 2021.
In attendance of the meeting were Vice Chairman of the NTC, Paul Pierre, NTC Executive Director, Jude Da Silva, Programme Coordinator, Nandanie Jerry, Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer, Loretta Fiedtkou, NTC Executive Members, Carl Peneux, Ralph Hendrick, Colin Adrian, Beverly Clenkian, Mario Hasting, Howard Cornelius and NTC Members Edward McGarrel and Sharmain Rambajue.
An autopsy yesterday showed that Victor Soomaru, the 40year-old Kitty resident who succumbed at a city hospital last Thursday, hours after he was allegedly attacked by a fellow inmate at the Lusignan prison died as a result of brain haemorrhage due to multiple fractures.
Director of Prisons (ag) Nicklon Elliott, confirmed the findings of the autopsy which was performed yesterday by Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh.
In a press release, Elliott had said that the incident occurred around 9.05pm on Thursday.
At the time, Soomaru and three other prisoners, including his assailant, were housed in Unit #1, which is referred to as the quarantine section of the facility since it houses new prisoners.
Soomaru was remanded to prison last Monday after he was charged with allegedly trafficking 1.959 kilogrammes of cannabis.
Elliott explained that officers responded to an alarm that was raised by inmates of Unit #1 and it was reported that Soomaru was struck with a piece of brick wrapped in a towel while he was asleep.
Soomaru was immediately escorted to the prison infirmary, where he was treated and later referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH). He succumbed while receiving medical attention around 10.30 am Friday.
A police investigation is said to be ongoing. The suspect, Kareem Stewart, was recently remanded to prison after he was charged with murdering Mark Benjamin, a vagrant, who was bludgeoned to death with a brick while he slept on a pavement at Camp and Robb streets on January 27th, 2020.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that during questioning, the suspect reportedly told the police that the attack stemmed from Soomaru allegedly trying to poison him.
The suspect said that he picked up a brick, wrapped it in a towel and hit Soomaru several times to his head while he was sleeping.
He then attempted to attack the other prisoners but by that time the prison officers were alerted and they managed to disarm him.
Victor’s mother, Rita Soomaru said she will not rest until she is provided with answers as to what led to her son’s death. “I want answers because it don’t look good… I am not taking this easy. It don’t add up — what the prison is saying,” Rita had said.