State Assembly members will request their federal counterparts their support, including additional funds, in order to give retirement benefits for eligible teachers.
Assembly Speaker Mónica Bedoya made the announcement after a meeting held with members of the State Education Workers Union, or SETE in Spanish.
This was the third meeting held between educators and lawmakers to address the issue.
Weeks ago, a state official said the multi-million credit line approved to the state government to avoid bankruptcy at Issstecali, the agency in charge of public employees healthcare and retirement had to be used in other matters due to a recent constitutional change approved in Mexico.
Undersecretary of Planning and Finances Miguel Ángel Rodríguez said the state has been making all efforts to provide retirement benefits to the largest amount possible of teachers.
Issstecali Benefits General Director Juan Jattar said retirement payment is the agency’s largest expenditure.
Lawmakers will request congressmen their support to bring funds from the federal government to pay for those retirement benefits.
Teenagers arrested after robbery
Two teenagers were arrested Wednesday after allegedly robbing a convenience store with a knife, said the Municipal Public Safety Department.
Authorities said at 4:50 p.m. a robbery was reported at Oxxo store at Del Refugio Avenue and Continente Europeo Street at Fraccionamiento Valle de las Misiones in eastern Mexicali.
A 28-year-old female employee told police officers the suspects arrived on scene and brandished a knife.
The suspects then took 650 pesos or $38.23 and left on foot.
The suspects were eventually found and arrested blocks away from scene, authorities said.
American fugitive arrested
An El Centro resident was arrested in a rural town after U.S. authorities requested his apprehension, said the Attorney General’s Office.
Ministerial police agents arrested Gilberto Jesus Neyoy, 22, of El Centro, at Villa Zapata town in Mexicali Valley.
Authorities said the suspect was arrested while police officers were patrolling the area and observed an individual who attempted to flee.
After the suspect’s detention, police officers requested U.S. authorities information regarding the individual.
Neyoy’s identification was confirmed by the U.S Marshals Service in San Diego.
The suspect was arrested in Oct. 2013 for human trafficking and an arrest warrant was released for probation violation.
The suspect told Baja California police officers that in order to evade justice in the U.S. he traveled to Mexicali to hide in an acquaintance home.
Neyoy was transported to the Mexican National Immigration Institute for his deportation.
Air conditioning purchase announced
Days before the end of school year the state announced the purchase of several air conditioning units for classrooms.
In a press release, Undersecretary of Planning and Business with the state Education System Armando Carrazco said the investment will allow schools to operate appropriately for student comprehensive development.
The state will inspect every air conditioning unit to make sure they are working appropriately. Those with malfunctions will be replaced.
The state will spend 2.2 million pesos or $132,252 in unit replacement.
As of today, one elementary school and five middle schools in Mexicali have issues with air conditioning units. School administrators will use funds disbursed recently under the Beca Progreso program, he said.
Officials meet with growers
Members of the state cabinet held Thursday a meeting with growers after wheat producers made a blockade at the Secretary of Agriculture Development headquarters.
Secretary Manuel Valladolid and federal Agriculture Related Instituted Trusts General Director Rafael Gamboa met with those involved in wheat production.
The goal of the meeting was to educate the federal office representative about state agriculture in order to identify areas of opportunity and reach agreements for coordination improvement, the secretary said.
About 15 growers met with the officials to address several issues and expose their fears about opening credit lines without intermediaries. Producers asked the federal official new credit and an extension of payment deadlines, as well as including in debt the amount paid to third parties.
Representatives with nine wheat-producing companies met later with the official.
Gamboa offered producers the purchase of new technology to strengthen their productivity, cost reduction, environmental protection, better yields, credit-risk reduction and other benefits. He also suggested growers to reconvert their products, especially in low-yielding zones.
Last year, the federal government approved 4,282 million pesos or $251.8 million to growers, of which 68 percent went to grain and vegetable producers.
