Colombia: Etesa future to be defined in December

In this process, an inter-institutional team is participating, comprised by the Ministeries of Rconomy and Social Protection, the Reform Program of the Public Administration and the Administrative Department of the Public Function.

"We are searching for solutions. We think in the re-allocation of competences to national other entities which may execute the activities that Etesa cannot do at the moment,” pointed Etesa President, Gonzalo Gutiérrez.

In the study they are performing, in case they determine to wind up the entity, it is being considered that some functions would pass to Dian, others to the Ministeries of Economy and Social Protection.

He considered that Etesa does not have neither the capacity nor the budget to cover the needs it has, that’s why it is key to search for the bets alternative, from seeking a deep reform, which could lead to the suppression of this entity. “We expect the definition of our situation not to go beyond December 15th. We cannot extend the issue”, he indicated.

Most of the initiatives studied are focused in solving the illegality in the handling of slots and casinos, which do not have control, and end up operating without the legal authorizations, affecting the resources it receives from the national health sector. “They cannot expect Etesa to bring results with the 16 delegates in average it has to control the issue of evation and illegality in the whole country. We do not have a police system or custody,” Gutierrez reported.

He also indicated that concious or unconcious illegality is which generates conflicts. And reminded the case in which two officers that supervised the sites in which the machines operate were murdered in 2008 in Medellín. The city councils that generate resources for health with less than 100,000 inhabitants keep the total of the money they obtain.