By Jose Maria Daza Sanchez
Faced with so many frustrations that are experienced in Chocó, which darken the panorama and it is difficult for one to find any incentive to change the face and despair, a light was lit that, if achieved, will shine the culture of the capital city, first and the department In second instance.
After this wonderful work carried out in an intense campaign by the W Radio station, in 2016 resources were collected for the construction of the Cesar Conto Theater, located in Quibdó, which together with some businessmen joined wills and the Government delivered the location to start its construction.
We have been inquiring about the building under construction because of our concern that it could become another misnamed “White Elephant” among so many that swarm not only in Chocó, but in many parts of the country. We are looking for the Architect Douglas Cujar, because we know of his interest and that with other people they have assumed the role of observers for this specific topic. Upon learning of the presence of the official of the Ministry of Culture, Liliana Sánchez Herrera, in the capital city for a visit to the theater facilities, we were invited to accompany officials of the Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR), among others Alejo Restrepo and Henry Varela.
We were able to learn that the Ministry of Culture, after the finding presented in a compliance visit by the CGR of $9.2 billion, with fiscal responsibility, has assumed the commitment to complete the work. At the moment there is a consultancy contract that will determine what is necessary to deliver it in its entirety. This contract is signed for $320 million and will also provide an assessment of what is missing to complete it. It is expected that in 2024 it will be completed and delivered, under the “Colombia Commitment” program carried out by the CGR, to lead to those unfinished works, such as the Quibdó Intermediate Hospital, which have already been completed; pushed, but they finished it and that the municipal administration has the commitment to provide it and put it to work, it is put into operation.
Practically seven (7) years after the work began, it is still there paralyzed. In the previous departmental administration, $3.200 million had been allocated in a trust for the endowment of the theater. Today it is not known where those resources are.
The Ministry has assumed the commitment to deliver it completely finished and equipped. They know that around here there is no money for that. It must be said that the property of the Theater belongs to the Department.
There is a problem with the water outlet from the theater connecting with the city sewer. The receptive part is narrower than the outgoing part and then the theater is flooded because it does not absorb all the outgoing quantity. The water is returned. When will we make things right? The other thing that you have to think about and see how to solve it, is that there are no parking areas.
In any case, we hope that next year we can enjoy the theater and that wonderful culture that we have.
P.S. There is a document sent, by the Culture Board of the Civic Strike Committee, to the Governor, in reference to four (4) specific topics: Construction and Endowment of the Cesar Conto Ferrer Theater; Studies, Designs, Construction of the Carrasquilla Multipurpose Cultural Center; Professionalization of Cultivators and Managers of Chocó and Formulation of the Departmental Plan for Ethnoculture (Inter-administrative Agreement). We await information about it.