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Colonel Ricardo Cartagena, head of the Prefecture of Traffic, Roads & Radio Patrol today filed with Metropolitan Mayor, Fernando Echeverria, the security measures that will be undertaken in September during the Fiestas Patrias, or Bicentennial to be celebrated September 17-20.
Cartagena announced that there will be “zero tolerance” during the four day long weekend, which will see 22 events occur around Santiago, including the military parade and a lights festival. He said that Carabineros have a system in place to deal with those who drive drunk or commit other illegal activity during the celebrations.
Traffic cuts will affect much of the inner city over the long weekend; however Cartagena said they are attempting to schedule them so they affect the least number of people as possible. Echeverria has called on the population to be patient during traffic delays, and to use public transport as much as possible to reduce the amount of congestion on the streets.
“There are a number of events in the capital and that will force a series of transit cuts (…) we want to invite the public to participate in the events and asked themto be patient and help us,” said Echeverria.
Four NASA experts today arrived in Chile to assist in the rescue operation currently being undertaken at the San Jose mine in the Atacama region. The men touched down in Santiago around 6am this morning and are expected to travel on to Atacama this afternoon.
The men are;all member of the Johnson Space Center: James Michael Duncan, NASA’s deputy chief medical officer; Willard Albert Holland, psychologist in charge of Behavioral Health Group operations; James Davis Polk, head of the Space Medicine Division; and Clint Cragg, chief engineer of the Engineering and Safety Center and an expert in logistics.
The men are due to meet the Minister of Mining, Laurence Golborne, and Minister of Health, Jaime Mañalich, at noon today.
After requests by the union representing workers at the San Jose mine, the government has rejected the possibility that they pay salaries and severances to the miners who have lost jobs due to the collapse at the San Jose mine.
“We legally cannot take over business responsibilities such as severance payment or pension contributions. That does not mean the government is not committed to them (the miners); on the contrary, we have proposed a comprehensive support plan primarily aimed to maintain employment and provide skills to improve future employability, “said Secretary of Labor, Bruno Baranda.
According to union member Javier Castillo; “The existing legal framework is the same one that has trapped 33 men… State regulators will have to understand the special situation that we San Esteban workers are living in and accommodate the plan we have submitted to the government, which keeps us in work with respect to our wages until the men out.”
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