Living in Peru : your everyday companion

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

More than 7,3000 temporary jobs are to be created in the zones declared in emergency due to the recent rains and floods in Lima, Ayacucho, Cusco, Puno and Huancavelica, said the Labor's Ministry in a press release.

The Ministry's program “Construyendo Perú” is hiring local workers to execute 97 projects of cleaning and repairing, that will require an investment of more than 3.4 million soles.

Cusco region, one of the most affected, will require 30 of these projects, to be done by more than 3,700 residents to be temporarily hired in 16 districts.

More than 1,000 will be hired in Puno, for 24 projects.

“Construyendo Perú” prioritizes hiring local residents with a family to care for, especially those under poverty or extreme poverty, in order to execute projects to improve residents' quality of life.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Promolibro will open nine (9) communal libraries in Pichari district, Cusco, and another one in Santa Rosa de La Mar, Ayacucho, as part of the social work done by Crecer Wari and Promolibro.

These towns are located in areas where local population have to face violence and poverty among other social issues.

Reportedly, the first nine libraries will be inaugurated on Feb. 20, while another seven libraries will be opened in a few more weeks in Pichari,

“Local residents, specially children, are looking forward to this day. This will be a great celebration,” said Urbano Portal, the Mayor of Pichari.

Promolibro has sent bilingual texts, school texts and materials for encouraging children to read.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The citadel of Chan Chan was partially reopened to visitors in an 80% of its extension, reported this afternoon Enrique Sanchez, Director of INC-La Libertad.

He said that that tourists can access only 80% of the usual circuit because there are still some water-soaked areas. The official estimated that some 400 tourists could not visit the citadel between yesterday and today, which may have caused an economic loss of S/. 4,000 (some US $1,300).

He also expressed his concerns because some forecasts estimate that the rains will intensify next week.

"We are supposed to receive 500 international tourists from an international vessel Friday. We hope that by then rains will have stopped,” he said.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

La Libertad Regional Government declared the State of Emergency during 45 days, due to the damages that the heavy rains are causing.

Jose Murgia, the Regional President, said that this decision was taken after regional and provincial authorities reported more than 20,000 affected houses and some 200 collapsed ones.

La Libertad Andean provinces of Pataz and Bolívar and are isolated by the floods caused by the Marañón river, and the continuous landslides have blocked several roads.

The Regional Health Directorate declared the region in yellow alert, to avoid respiratory diseases, diarrhea, or epidemics.

The authorities asked the people not to throw the rain waters into the sewage systems, to prevent them from collapsing, as it has already happened in Trujillo.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The intense eight-hour rains that hit Trujillo (La Libertad) yesterday not only surprised the locals, who had not seen such a rainfall in 40 years, but also caused some damage in Chan Chan ruins, reported the local section of the National Institute of Culture (INC).

Several sectors of the ancient citadel are flooded, so the access has been closed to everyone in order to perform maintenance tasks and avoiding more damage.

Enrique Sanchez, Director of INC-La Libertad, announced that Chan Chan will remain closed until it gets back to normal conditions.

The rains also caused the collapse of the drainage systems in Trujillo, and 100 houses collapsed due to the flood.

Regional authorities and Civil Defense committees are meeting to assess the real impact of the rains.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Cusco Regional President, Hugo Gonzalez Sayan, proposed the construction of a new road to Machu Picchu, in order to have an alternative access to the citadel, which at present can only by accessed by train, and is isolated since the recent floods destroyed the railway.

In an interview aired by CPN, Gonzalez said that his proposal may not find much support, since some economic groups would be allegedly interested in monopolizing the transports to Machu Picchu.

He also encouraged people to take advantage of the “Cusco at half price” campaign, in order to sustain domestic and foreign tourism, since the demand for Cusco has dropped now that Machu Picchu is temporarily closed.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The announcement made by President Alan García about Peru donating US $10 million for the reconstruction of Haiti has generated bitter responses from the people of Pisco, because their city is still to be rebuilt nearly three years after the earthquake that devastated it.

"Everything is a mess. We agree with helping other people, but our President should start charity at home,” said a villager

In Pisco, schools like José de San Martín and José de la Torre Ugarte are still under reconstruction, but the process is slow. "It's been almost three years and we have multiple needs. My school has this anti-seismic infrastructure thanks to Japan,” said Elidia Cruz, Director of Jose de la Torre Ugarte school.

Water supply and sewage systems, which collapsed during the earthquake, are yet to be repaired.

"Our hearts are with our brothers in Haiti, but let's take care of our own house first and then see the neighbors'"said a local resident.

Hundreds of affected people in Pisco are still living in wooden huts or tents, a situation that is risks children and the elderly.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The continuous rains, that are coming along with strong winds in several regions of Peru, have just damaged 45 (out of the existing 58) floating Uro islands which will cause great losses to local economy and tourism.

Uro islands are floating platforms made of strong vegetable fibers made from local plants like totora.

The Mayor of Los Uros town, Julio Vilca, reported that this storm broke one of the islands, destroying the school on it.

“In some cases, the islands have moved 3 km away from their original location,” Vilca said.

The strong winds took away the ceilings of many houses and the generated strong waves that broke the islands' moorings, said Francisco Poncela, from San Miguel island, who claim that they need help to repair their islands.

Local Civil Defense committees handed in ropes and totora fiber to help them rebuild their islands.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Labor MinisterManuela García announced that Peru will invest S/. 210 million (some US $70 million) to implement a Youth Employment Plan through 2012. The program looks to benefit 332,000 young people between 15 and 29 years old.

García stressed the need of implementing public policies and programs oriented to young people, to encourage them to graduate from high-quality basic education, that can help them during the transition from school to a job.

“If the youngsters stop believing in education or work as tools to reach better opportunities for a positive laboring life, then the social cohesion will be affected, and the democratic process will be as well,” she said.

The plan also considers taking action to simplify paperwork for youngsters looking for their first jobs, like issuing them a simple, unique certificate called Certijoven, that would replace other requirements and documents.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peru's National Institute of Culture (Inc) suspended temporarily all visits to Machu Picchu citadel, at least until the weather, security conditions and the infrastructure allow them again.

This way the institution denied the authorization to allow visits by helicopter, issued by the regional Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism government.

“The only helicopters allowed and officially authorized are the ones intended to carry supplies and provide attention to Machu Picchu Pueblo,” states the press release.

The closure includes also the Inca Trail tour.

According to the Foreign Trade and Tourism Ministry, the railway to Machu Picchu will not be operational in at least six weeks.

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