Yachay, the chronicle of a shattered dream

Ecuadornews:

Sixty-five billion for the sewage and drinking water system, four million for a water treatment plant, tens of millions more for the construction of eight buildings and for the roads that would link them.

But two years after the entry of the China Gezhouba Group Company Limited to Yachay there is no plant, no sewers or roads. The construction of five of the buildings is unfeasible.

The Manager of the Public Enterprise Yachay Jorge Martínez (responsible for infrastructure), made a report on the current state of the City of Knowledge in which he was emphatic: there are architectural problems, not enough classrooms for 1,010 students and scarce funds.

The document was sent last Tuesday to President Lenin Moreno along with an urgent request for the National Audit Office to examine the 2013-2017 period.

The contract signed with the Asian construction company, signed in November 2015, was one of the major questions, as it was on the list of ineligible companies of the World Bank due to malpractice in water projects, recovery of areas after earthquakes and of floods. It was also vetoed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for fraudulent practices.

Legislator Luis Pachala said he would request the appearance of former secretary of the National Secretariat for Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (Senesyct) René Ramírez to render his version on the report, especially on the details related to a possible overpricing. The politician added that he does not rule out a political trial. (I)

Source: http://www.expreso.ec/actualidad/yachay-informe-problemas-ciudad-conocimiento-KH1696279