Amazon mayors are interested in the Yasuni petroleum resources

If the oil of the ITT field is exploited, the municipalities of the eastern region, through the law 010, would receive about $258 million. Another $1882 million from 12% of oil surpluses and other $1568 million for their involvement in the oil income, according to the provisions of the hydrocarbons law.

With this money,  the autonomous governments are calculating that they could better serve their populations in the areas of health, education and housing; as well as electrification, drinking water and other benefits.

Before this scenario, most Amazonian municipalities support the exploitation and on Monday they will gather in Quito to define positions and expose that local governments in the area have projects waiting to be financed with these resources, such as the construction of waste treatment plants that would enable them to close 151 dumps. This requires an investment of $800 million.

The endorsement joined yesterday 22 municipal governments of Manabi and its Prefecture, which signed a public statement that holds that  the exploitation will benefit “the country’s poorest sectors”.

Furthermore, the prefect of Zamora Chinchipe, Salvador Quishpe, believes that oil should be kept underground. “We think it’s not prudent to exploit the ITT, this reserve can be useful to make it a source of fresh air.”