Struggle between CTE and the Municipality over traffic chaos

CTE cadets in charge of traffic

Andres Roche, general manager of the Municipal Transit Company, said in a statement that the traffic chaos of recent days was given due to the “virtual lack of traffic officers” of the Transit Commission of Ecuador (CTE for its Spanish acronym).

Roche said the missing officers, who were sent to different provinces months ago, were replaced by cadets “who due to their little experience cause more chaos“, and pointed out that the situation will get worse because of the traffic chaos generated by new year eve.

On is behalf, Mayor Jaime Nebot said yesterday: “Since we have not assumed the responsibility for traffic control, it is obvious that the control remains in the hands of the CTE and obviously we have not received a penny and it is also obvious that officers are missing and even more obvious that they’re gone. So, the CTE has to restore the traffic control in Guayaquil until we assume office.”

The Municipal Company, led by Roche, will assume the traffic responsibilities from approximately March 2013.

According to figures from the CTE, Guayaquil currently has 890 active traffic officers, of which 240 are candidates of the Training School of Officers and Troops (EFOT for its Spanish acronym). (MZ)