The Baja California Institute of Culture (ICBC in Spanish) announced the ninth edition of the Children’s Theater Week, in which Mexican and foreign companies will perform for free.
Theatrical groups from the Mexican states of Hidalgo, Colima, Jalisco and Baja California, as well as others from Argentina and Colombia are ready to get on stage for attendants.
The Children’s Theater Week begins today at 6 p.m. at the Experimental Forum located at the State Arts Center by the New River Boulevard.
The opening act is “Don Quijote” with theater group La Rendija, a Mexican and Argentinian co-production for children of 9 years of age and older.
The Institute said the act is free of cost but with limited seats.
On Monday the week continues with Neurodrama group and the at (In)visible.
Next comes Teatro Rodante with “Cero Aguacero” and continues Wednesday with Tijuana Hace Teatro group and its act “Aeropuertático.”
EOS Foundation and Colombian Colectivo de Teatro en Espiral present the act Nana for children from newborn and up to 3-years-old.
Zancadilla Teatro presents Friday “Historias de Coyotes” and Escena Imprudente group presents “El Secreto de Papá” son Saturday.
The event is considered by arts and culture critics as one of the main children festivals in Mexico both due to the selected acts and the quality of companies and performers.
Assembly members approve children mistreatment bill
Members of the state Assembly approved recently a reform to the Civil Procedures Code that mandates family judges to request investigations when a divorcee reports children mistreatment.
The proposal, which was voted in favor unanimously, allows judges to ask the Children and Teenager Protection Prosecutorial Agency to initiate an investigation to determine abuse against a minor or handicapped person.
The measure includes provisions to separate the parent from the victim.
Assemblyman Roberto Dávalos, a member of the leftist Democratic Revolution Party from Tijuana, said his bill was introduced because on a constant basis divorcees utilize their children as “instruments of retaliation,” and, in the end, the minors end as victims of mistreatment or domestic violence by one of the parties.
The bill allows staff from the prosecutorial agency to release a technical opinion.
The measure is based on the declaration signed by the Mexican government during the Children’s Rights Convention.
To become law, the bill must be published on the State’s Periodical.
Non-profit says lawmakers have funds
Although members of the state Assembly fired dozens of employees due to lack of resources, a non-profit organization said lawmakers still have many millions in pesos.
Based on the Assembly’s budget for 2016, the Citizen’s Observatory of Baja California, or ObserBC, said the legislature still has 256.3 million pesos or $14.23 million, equivalent to 45.46 percent of monies approved for the year.
According to the organization’s analysis of legislative documents, Assembly members approved 563.8 million pesos or $31.32 million for its 2016 budget.
Of that amount, lawmakers have spent 54.54 percent.
Most of the budget still to be spent goes towards Personnel Services or employee salaries and benefits.
ObserBC said lawmakers, whose final day in office is Sept. 30, still have 174 million pesos or $9.67 million under that category.
Two months ago, lawmakers fired staff from their field offices, legislative commissions and the Political Coordination Board due to lack of resources.
The organization said 249 employees with combined salaries of 46.7 million pesos or $2.59 million.
“The expenditure is not reflected in a decrease of expenditures in Personnel Services during 2016,” said ObserBC on its analysis.
According to the organization, if expenditures incurred during the second semester of the year were the same as of the first semester, the Legislature should have had a budget of 386.6 million pesos.
The figure means just 19.2 million pesos over the approved budget that translates in a mere 5.25 percent in additional expenses.
ObserBC, presided by former Mexicali Mayor and member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party Eduardo Martínez Palomera, congratulated lawmakers for reducing payroll from 608 to 334 employees.
The organization said in its document that every lawmaker from Baja California costs taxpayers 22.5 million pesos or $1.25 million while every employee has an annual average income of 622,185 pesos or $34,565.83.
