Contractors and inspectors
Aníbal Ortega Barrera
Our column today deals with roads. As will be seen, is a subject of critical importance: Is it possible to lose sight that our battered region of La Araucanía has a road network extension exceeds 12 thousand miles?
Well, to start the case, be said that any road-construction design of a new road or improvement or maintenance of a road already built, two major players involved: contractors and tax inspectors. Understood by the contractor to particular road construction entrepreneur who was awarded a public proposal, the tax inspector and professional staff is supposed to caution the full implementation of the contract in the public interest the State of Chile, which, at least in principle, comes to mean the benefit of all taxpayers.
But what happens in the stubborn reality? Several things happen.
On the one hand, experience shows that tax inspectors, it seems that in 50 percent of cases are not suitable to be. A really efficient tax inspector must know every step of the process contained in the contract, which becomes the same as saying that training should be thoroughly imbued with the organizational and technical service for which he works. We are talking about roads, the construction or maintenance stages recognizes almost obvious: laboratory screening soil mechanics, project logic, risk prevention, labor law, environmental awareness, specific laws, etc., etc.
And as we said, only 50 percent of the tax has a basic technical competence to properly fulfill its functions (and talk about the moral appropriateness).
Now, what would be desirable in the contractors? More than desirable, it is imperative that the case of highly professionalized organizations, right? Unfortunately not.
Contractor companies operating in our region (and, we fear that most of our Chile) are family businesses. For example, a civil engineer-minded businessman, who has enough capital, you can jump-start a company idefectiblemente road and they tend to seek areas of work for their relatives and friends. The result appears obvious: the professionalism of this company will be difficult. In the best case, capital may permit has the technical means is strictly necessary for the operation of the company, but will be highly unlikely to seek improvement. Add that it appears possible that these companies escape the logic of profit, clearly predominant in the days running.
In practice, then, the contractors must commit to rig contracts as much as possible. It is a question of saving the maximum, where, for example, the contract stipulated the need to employ five hundred bags of cement, the company will strive to spend only three hundred ... if.
No need to spend excessive explanations for you, dear (a) lector (a), I realize that these economies are going to be affecting the quality of road works executed and, not infrequently, in hypothetical expense of his own life or physical integrity when you must drive your car down that road.
What is the means by which contracts rig? It's easy: the entrepreneur must be subservient to the tax inspector (against which takes 50 percent of the cases full security of your ignorance and stupidity.) You should meet with gargantuan barbecue lunch, with many appetizers, wines and download intermediate. But
intakes are just a link. Basically tamed with many open bar, the next step will provide extra stipends or provide additional huge estates. Women? Why not? "Hard drugs? Why not?
Do you realize, my friend (a) lector (a), what are we talking about? We are talking simply that we are in the presence of laxity and corruption manifests still smoldering.
Do you realize, ladies (as) lords (as) political (as), risks that we run?
