Proposals, and some bad news

So i don't mean to be a downer for you guys but this week has brought me some bad news. The first one is related to the formalization of Enviu in Chile, and the other has to do with Andres.

I got in contact with the Ministry of Justice last week and found out that the process of formalization, or getting the Personalidad Juridica, was actually stopped the 12.12.06. This is due to the fact that they had sent a letter with observations about our application to our lawyer, and he never responded. This is strange as the little contact i had with my lawyer was actually after this, and he didn't say anything. What a bastard. At the moment i am trying to see how we can get the process going again!

the news about andres is that he decided that he is leaving at the end of May. He was going to leave at the beginning of July, but his trip to Santiago changed all that. This does have implications for me at least, and maybe even our work in Puerto Williams. I need a replacement pretty fast. Initially i have sent wouter a position to distribute through his network in Europe, and i sen the same position to Fundacion Prohumana in Santiago to do the same within Chile. I hope we get someone.

Besides that i met up with the director of INETEC in Punta Arenas. This is a new incubator for business ideas that is hosted by INACAP and paid for by CORFO. INACAP is a private university network in Chile. I am thinking that we may be able to work together by complimenting each others work, as they are also looking for ideas that respond to the triple bottom line. The next step would seem to come up with a concrete proposal.

I also had some lenghty conversations with SERNATUR, (Servicio Nacional de Turismo). These were pretty good. Klaus was really happy with the copy of National Geographic that i handed to him with the article about us and this region of Chile. After that we discussed the brochures we made, but also the possibility of presenting a project to the BID based on tourism on PW. this is actually not a bad opportunity. Lets see if it develops. For now, we should make a proposal for June.

We also attended a participatory meeting organized by CONAMA in Cerro Castillo. The aim of the meeting was inform and create a dialogue around the quality and use of the Rio Serrano in Torres del Paine. Surprisingly CONAF didn't show up, and neither did the Municipality of Cerro Castillo. Never the less it was a good chance to get to know CONAMA a bit more, and next Wednesday we have meeting with them and present the results of the waste management work done by us.

Also. Carine Hordijk, (a new volunteer), will be arriving the 15th of May.

Well, that's enough about my work! I am well, but it is a bit cold down here. Alejandra is doing well and she is developing a project in tourism her in Punta Arenas. I really hope it works out, as that would mean that we could both stay here...which would actually be really useful.....i cannot tell you how much my productivity has increased since i got a fast Internet connection!