Members Popular Post ihpguy Posted January 12, 2016 Members Popular Post Posted January 12, 2016 I've not been on this site for awhile, but the posters here do not have a clue about the Olympic preparations. Planning. Problems. It might help to read the newspapers for some more factual information. The money spent and/or wasted on the Olympics is nothing in comparison to the theft concerning all things Petrobras. Google about the wasted 50 plus billions of Reais(and counting) for the new Itaborai oil refinery. Never finished and current construction now suspended. As far as driving between Barra and Copa/Ipa. 2 BRT lines have been completed and a third BRT connecting the large area at Deodoro is supposed to be completed by the opening. I drove out to Barra da Tijuca two days ago, passing the still under construction stations in Leblon, Sao Conrado and Barra. The new stayed bridge is still not completed either. The Maracana and Maracanazinho, Sambodoromo and Engenhao are not in Copa/Ipa either. This will be one games where it will be advisable to travel by public transit. The new terminal expansion at Galeao is progressing very well. The works on the new mall and hotel at Santos Dumont are basically completed. The doubling of the Joa Elevado will never be completed in time for the games. I'll take bets on this one. Biggest problem here at the moment is the lack of money coming from the state and federal governments to finish things. The health system here is bankrupt. The state first asked Brasilia for 435 million Reais, last week the request was upped to about 1.3 billion Reais, This only is to pay off some old debts. The government doesn't have the money to pay everyone their 13th month payment/bonus. This caused poor Christmas retail sales. Brasil is an export based economy. Raw material prices are down throughout the world. This country is going broke. We're now in a tenth consecutive quarter of economic contraction. 2015 had an official inflation rate of 10.7% and this year is already predicted at a bit under 7%. Worrying about getting from Copa/Ipa to Barra for some events is the least of their worries. TotallyOz, Badboy81, MsAnn and 2 others 5 Quote
Members ihpguy Posted January 12, 2016 Author Members Posted January 12, 2016 http://time.com/4172821/rio-olympics-financial-crisis/ Two or three weeks ago, there was a report the the UFRJ medical school hospital near Galeao, the second largest hospital for transplants in South America, had stop surgeries except for only the greatest emergencies due to lack of funds, donor organs are not being used to save lives and going to waste. Last week or the week before, two state hospitals were transferred to the metropolitan government as the state had no funds to operate them. The Museu da Amanha at the Praca Maua was finally opened just over a week ago. Completed at triple the original budget. http://traveller24.news24.com/Explore/watch-rio-de-janeiro-street-muggings-go-viral-ahead-of-olympic-games-20160111 The video is taken at the corner of the plaza by the Largo do Carioca metro station. More marauding gangs of kids in arrastaoes on the beach in Copacabana last week. MsAnn and TotallyOz 2 Quote
Members RA1 Posted January 12, 2016 Members Posted January 12, 2016 Thanks for your update. I am very sorry to read what you have to write. However, pols everywhere have their hands in the public pocket with the US and Brazil no exceptions for sure. I have been waiting for a very long time for the voters/public to wake up and smell the coffee but my time is running out in the sense of many years to go. We are all abused but also somewhat oblivious. Best regards, RA1 Badboy81 1 Quote
