Amazon special law will be approved in february

Ecuadornews:

The proposal proposes to create a planning secretariat that serves for the study of projects for local governments. The Ecorae will disappear. The law took slightly more than 10 years; finally, on February 12, when the Day of the Ecuadorian East will be commemorated, the National Assembly plans to approve the Organic Law of the Special Amazon Territorial Circumscription. 

The initiative went through a series of debates and discussions in territories, but it gained strength at the end of 2016 when the then president, Rafael Correa, sent the project to the Legislative for analysis. Since then, the discussion focused on the funds for decentralized autonomous governments, the institutional framework and the legal framework.

Now the document raises clear rules in favor of this region, said Marco González, executive secretary of the Consortium of Municipalities of the Amazon and Galapagos (Comaga). “It is the possibility of having the same treatment and access to basic services, we have experienced inequalities for more than 50 years, even more so when oil is extracted here that works for works throughout the country, less for the development of our region”

With the so-called law 010 decentralized autonomous governments, the GAD, receive $ 1 for each barrel of crude oil; with the special Amazonian law project, as it is also known, $ 2 is proposed for each barrel.

The regulations, according to González, deal with social, environmental, cultural, educational, health, rights of nationalities and especially the economic issues. The vice president of the Biodiversity Commission of the Assembly, Yofre Poma, assured that the Amazonian special law will be approved on February 12; It was described as urgent economic and an offer of the Executive in the expanded cabinet in Lago Agrio at the beginning of December of last year.

Delay for approval Since the Constitution was ordered in Article 250, the Amazon region has a law for comprehensive planning and sustainable development, including the issues mentioned. However, last April it was only approved in the first debate.

Poma explained that the delay was due to the electoral and economic times that the country experienced. “The law was sent by the previous Executive in December 2016, but in May 2017 there was a new Assembly and from there we began the in-depth review, with tours of the territory, collecting the proposals of the GAD involved and finding several critical knots and with economic times priority was given to other issues. “At the end of last year, the proposal proposed by a planning secretariat that structures a comprehensive development program in the region and assists local governments was analyzed, in execution of works in accordance with a new approach that will gradually abandon its dependence on oil exploitation. In this way, the Institute for the Amazonian Ecodevelopment (Ecorae) will disappear, “to avoid duplication of work of local governments, because the Ecorae makes bridges, streets, etc., which are from the parish councils, mayors’ offices and prefectures”, said Poma

Now there will be a secretariat that will dedicate itself to carrying out studies and projects for the accompaniment of the GADs, before they endow their populations with works. But, if in four years the Amazon region does not have a development like the one expected with this law, the Comptroller will issue recommendations for sanctions according to the law.

As well as an audit of the works already carried out in the region, he warned. Two weeks ago, José Serrano, head of the Legislative, acknowledged that the economic issue was the most sensitive and will be overcome based on coordination with the Ministry of Finance, in order to make the constitutional mandate effective. “We will define a formula that is linked to the target price of oil in the international market, to establish if the order of $ 2 per barrel is feasible and to avoid the occurrence of stoppages in the face of a downward situation in the price of crude oil.

Critical Nodes 

Duplication of income 

Parish, mayoral and prefecture boards did not reach an agreement for the allocation of resources and consensus was reached to determine that $ 2 is received for each barrel of oil.

Distribution of resources 

Law 010 (currently governs) includes two cantons of the Sierra, which means less resources for the Amazon. It was suggested that they stop receiving income.

Assignment of competences 

The Ecorae will be replaced so that it does not execute works that correspond to the GAD. The new entity will only be for the accompaniment of projects.

Environmental protection 

About 40% of the bill encourages and orders the preservation of the ecosystem. It requires care in mining, agricultural and construction issues.

Creation of a Secretariat 

The entity will be exclusively dedicated to planning and studies in the region to advise local governments on development and territorial planning.

Planning Council 

The secretariat will have a council that will be integrated by representatives of the communities, chambers of tourism, GAD, environmental groups. So they can make decisions according to their reality.

Common fund 

To improve revenues there will be a composite fund: for 70% of mining royalties and 30% of the surplus of hydroelectric plants in the region for projects. (I)

Source: http://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/politica/1/ley-especial-amazonica-sera-aprobada-en-febrero