2009-10-27 16:19:48 - President Chavez has given British and US TV contest show presenters more material to liven up ratings. Yesterday evening, during the presenting of credits to micro-entrepreneurs, Chavez made more comments on possible ways of saving energy and solving problems facing small producers.

VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue reports:

Speaking to one recipient receiving a credit to make cement blocks, Chavez asked where he got his raw materials from and was told that cement was purchased from an intermediary at almost Bs.F 20 and depended on intermediaries to bring the sand and mortar. Phoning Public Works & Housing Minister, Diosdado Cabello, the President asked how much it cost to produce a sack of cement and got the answer of around 9.5 bolivares. The result of the conversation was a lesson on Socialism and eliminating the intermediary. Cabello was ordered to set up an agreement to supply small entrepreneurs via the Banco del Pueblo and the Ministry of Communes, organizers of the credit

ceremony attended by members of national communal councils attending a training course in Caracas.

Several of those receiving credits live in houses or apartments built by the current government and Chavez reminded them that while they owned the houses as private property, they could not sell the houses and explained why. A good few of the first people who bought government houses at cheap prices, he declared, sold their houses afterwards at a tidy profit. Chavez promised to release figures later. Under a new concept of property, the houses are owned by the family and can be passed on the children and grandchildren but not sold to third parties to avoid speculation.

Once again, the President urged people to review their personal habits in using both electricity and water. Chavez is aware of headlines abroad that the government supposedly issued a ban on people singing under the shower and he stated that he doesn't really care what people think because the important thing is to make people in Venezuela aware that there is a crisis and that each one can contribute by changing habits and thereby save energy and water.

Communication & Information Minister, Blanca Eekhout has been entrusted with organizing a national campaign via government media to save energy and water, as well as presenting nutritional solutions, such as eating rice, cassava and soy bread to cut down on the import of wheat, which is not produced domestically.

The President also announced that he will be signing several decrees today, one of which will be to increase electricity tariffs on people and companies who pass a maximum fixed limit and discounts for those using less than a minimum level of energy.

The event yesterday evening was organized by Banco del Pueblo and Fundacomunal, organizations that regularly send VHeadline.com news reports on multiple activities throughout the Venezuela.

Patrick J. O'Donoghue
news.editor@vheadline.com

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