Sonda Games
Abril 16, 2007
In 1974, Andrés Navarro Haeussler becomes partner with COPEC founding the Sociedad Nacional de Procesamiento de Datos Ltda: Sonda (National Society for Data Processing.)
First client were:
COPEC, Banco O’Higgins, Iansa, Abastible.
- Later on, Telefonica become partners.Sonda try to expand services internationally with bad results.
- In Costa Rica, the government executed certificates of deposit for failure to fulfill contracts for a total of U$S 566.000.
- The same situation in Mexico with one of their affiliates Sonda-Pissa, this time for U$S 1.6 millions.
- In Brasil the Ministerio Público del Trabajo ( Ministry of Labor) demanded the affiliate Sonda do Brasil for U$S 26.6 millions.
- In Chile ,because of the Transantiago problems, the government executed 2 certificates of deposit for 76.000 UF each ( U$S 2.585 millions each) trough the Banco de Bilbao.
This was a “Sour Deal” for Telefónica when lost more than 8 million of dollars and sold back their participation in the company to Navarro Haeussler for US$37.5 million
Sonda has been in “Hot Waters” in several countries:
Transantiago Chile · Publicación: English Information
Transantiago, Modern Public Transport
Febrero 10, 2007
The seriousness and consistency of the fiscal policies that Chile has implemented are a
key factor in the privileged position that our country now achieves in all the indicators
and rankings prepared by the most prestigious international organizations.
Chile is not only the most competitive country in Latin America, but is also distinguished
by its transparency, economic freedom and achievements in terms of human development.
In fact, its country-risk has dropped to a level never before seen in our history and this,
combined with low interest rates, constitutes a very attractive environment for new
investment.
International recognition of Chile’s economic achievements has also been heightened
by its recent Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with the European Union, the United States,
the EFTA countries and South Korea. These extended the country’s network of trade
agreements, which already included FTAs with Mexico and Canada, and bilateral agreements with most other South and Central American countries.
Chile: “Economic, Attractive Platform”
Chile’s sound economic fundamentals make it an exceptionally attractive platform from
which to do business in other Latin American markets. But, in order to fulfill this role, it is
fundamental that its capital Santiago should offer the services and infrastructure of a world-class city. In a bid to achieve this goal.
Santiago is undergoing a profound transformation
This includes the construction of a network of more than 210 kilometers of tolled urban highways, representing an investment of US$ 2 billion. These highways will be equipped with the world’s most advanced electronic tolling systems, and are being developed
as public-private partnerships.
However, perhaps the most important aspect of the city’s modernization is the transformation of its public transport system, a sector which is responsible for more than 1.8 billion journeys annually, worth around US$ 700 million. This project, known as
Transantiago, aims to achieve substantially shorter journey times, a reduction in emission of pollutants, and the transformation of the city’s public transport system into one that provides a comfortable and efficient service. A first step in this process is the
extension of Santiago’s underground railway, which is being financed with public investment. By 2006, the railway will have doubled its size, reaching a total length of almost 90 kilometers.
Today, the Transantiago plan is our main priority. Designed within the framework of Chile’s program of public-private partnerships, it seeks to achieve a radical modernization of surface public transport impacting 34 of the 52 counties of the city. One of its key
objectives is to improve regulation of both technical norms and contractual relationships, taking a systemic approach that involves the operation of different modes of transport, as well as the system’s financial management. This requires the introduction of integrated
fares that allow users to combine different modes of transport; the dissociation of fare payments by users from the earnings of operators; and the implementation of a smart card that will give access to the entire system.
Transantiago will create investment opportunities in four different areas. It will require the construction of new road infrastructure and of transfer stations, at which different modes of transport converge, representing a total investment of US$ 250 million.
It also involves incorporating new technology, both in buses and in the system’s control centers, and the implementation of a distribution and sales network for the system’s smart card. In addition, there are opportunities for investment in financing the system’s
development, including new vehicles worth at least US$ 230 million, and in the administration of all the system’s resources.
Thanks to the program of public-private partnerships that Chile launched in the mid-1990s, the country has had unprecedented success in developing its road, port, and airport infrastructure. Similarly, within the framework of this program, it has incorporated
private capital and management into the country’s water and telecommunications sectors, facilitating their consolidation and the delivery of more and better services. All this was possible due to a legal framework that fosters investment and includes appropriate
methods for managing investors’ risks. This, combined with Chile’s responsible and efficient public administration, has allowed the public and private sectors to harness their efforts to the benefit of the country.
As we continue along this road, we would today like to invite you to participate in one of the world’s most important transport projects.
“We are certain that our plan’s solid foundations, and your participation, will ensure its success”
Javier Etcheberry
EX-Minister of Public Works, Transport
and Telecommunications. Ricardo Lagos / Era.
At Today the habitants of Santiago,Chile do not perceive anything of the expressed in the previously document. Of the same form: certain statistics and polls of Chile. In corruption, economy and social well-being are wrong and professionally bad focused with relation to the raw reality.
Transantiago Chile · Publicación: English Information
Implementation of Transantiago
Enero 19, 2007
Implementation of Public Transport in Santiago, Chile:
The Plan was requires the implementation of a number of different policies:
Re-design of bus routes and of the way in which they operate:
This strategic change will correct the overlap of bus routes, which is one of the main characteristics of the present system. This means re-drawing the entire network of services, dividing them into two types:
- Those which operate on the city’s main axis roads
- Those which serve local pockets of demand, taking passengers to the Metro or connecting with bus services on axis roads. All these services will operate in a complementary way, using an integrated fare system.
Automatic and centralized fare collection:
If the city’s public transport services are to complement each other, operating as a network and using an integrated fare, it is vital to implement an automatic payment system that centralizes fare collection and distributes the resulting revenue in accordance with the services that the different operators have provided. As its universally-accepted means of payment, the system will use a smart card, known as “Multivía”, that is already operating in the Metro and on some buses that link Metro stations to residential areas.
A “modern” industry structure:
A restructuring of the way transport operators are organized is required in order to overcome one of the present system’s sources of inefficiencies. For the new services, firms will be required to have a certain minimum size, eliminating the present proliferation of very small operators. This will help to end the present competition for passengers, and routes, that is detrimental to road safety. Bidders will be required to fulfill the technical and financial conditions stipulated in the different tenders. The Plan also makes provision for technical assistance programs to facilitate the adaptation and re-conversion of existing operators.
The incorporation of new management practices:
The operation of an integrated public transport network will make it possible to offer bus services that are more closely tailored to demand levels, both within the day and, as demand evolves, over time. This will open the way to a significant downsizing of the city’s fleet of public buses, as well as reducing over-investment and diminishing the total distance covered by each bus. This will mean lower operating costs for the system as a whole, as well as for each operator individually.
These changes will require the coordination of the entire bus fleet, using an Intelligent Transport System (ITS). For this reason, the Plan includes an Information and Control Center (Transantiago CIG), which will make it possible to operate the fleet in line with daily variations in demand, and to monitor the fulfillment of the terms of concession contracts.
The construction of specialized infrastructure:
The new service standards, set for the bus system, require specialized infrastructure. This will include segregated bus lanes on some axis roads, modern bus stops in line with levels of demand, transfer terminals at which passengers can change from one form of public transport to another (Metro, buses, inter-city transport, and taxis), transfer stations at which different bus routes and the Metro converge, and centers in different districts of the city to regulate the frequency of services.
Training for bus drivers:
Bus drivers are key for the operation of a system of public transport and, for this reason, the Transantiago Plan will seek to improve driver standards, increasing license requirements and opportunities for in-service training.
This will mean a substantial improvement in working conditions. In addition, the Plan will promote a change in the wage system, fostering a shift away from the present system based on ticket sales to one in which drivers have a fixed-wage contract and full social security benefits. Drivers will also have access to improved facilities at terminals, and the incorporation of women drivers will be encouraged.
Public relations and citizen participation:
In order for the different elements of the Transantiago Plan to function harmoniously, a change in attitudes towards public transport, among both users and non-users, will be vital
This will require an exercise in public relations, participation and citizen dialogue. To achieve this, a communications strategy will be designed, including publicity campaigns and training schemes, to inform the city’s inhabitants about use of the new system of public transport. The impact of this cultural change should also be apparent in other economic activities in the city. Transport considerations should, for example, be an integral part of all real estate and business projects. The role of the city’s municipal governments is also very important, and systematic progress will be required towards joint planning and the concerted use of the powers that both the central government and municipal authorities have over decisions that affect the transport sector, as well as towards increasing the coordination and impact of the public sector’s role in the system.
A reduction in the transport system’s environmental impact. The new public transport system will mean a significant reduction in Santiago’s air and noise pollution levels. The number of buses and the distances they travel will drop, and new technologies will be introduced, incorporating stricter standards on the emission of pollutants, while vehicles with cleaner technologies and cleaner fuels will be used. The elimination of the practice of racing for passengers will also mean safer driving standards and, therefore, fewer accidents.
The People and Users of TranSantiago, still waiting the Implementation!
Transantiago Chile · Publicación: English Information