Calling Dr. Bashir...?

[Hugh Casey]

Dr. Jonas Bashir...

With all that's going on down there in Argentina, just want to make sure you and your family are OK. Please check in when you get the chance.

Concerned,

Hugh

[Greg Davis]

I certainly second that...hopefully he's doing ok, and just can't get online. When someone does hear something, let us all know.

In the meantime, I'll keep an eye out for him on ICQ, to see if he turns up there.

It just reminds me, once again, how comfortable we can feel in the now-relative safety of our own homes, that we can forget that, in other parts of the world where we have friends, that their lives are nowhere near as peaceful...

Here's to thinking good thoughts for Guillermo...



Greg

[Dr. Jonas Bashir]

Oh, that's me...

Thanks for your concerns. My family and all my friends are well (including a recently-graduated cop who was in the line of duty during the events of December 20).

To summarize, we'll have our fifth president in two weeks today when Eduardo Duhalde is elected by the Congress Assembly, with large consensus between the major parties. No further life losses here, but major incidents, like protestors breaking into the Congress palace and burning some of the furniture, have happened. The lastest pacific protest marked the end of Rodriguez Saa (interim president for 90 days), and marked the rise of senator Duhalde (who got 38% of votes during last presidential elections, and 2nd place overall) as the leader of Argentina.

[Perrryyy]

Glad to know you're still around, Bashir. Keep us posted & as the Bajorans say, Keep your head low!

[Dave Biggins]

Glad you're still with us, Doc!

Originally posted by Dr. Jonas Bashir
To summarize, we'll have our fifth president in two weeks today when Eduardo Duhalde is elected by the Congress Assembly, with large consensus between the major parties.

Yeah, I read his Bio on the BBC. Has he gone into specifics yet on his plans?

[Dr. Jonas Bashir]

I waited until the Congress approved the measures

Well, the specifics:
- Our peso will be devaluated 40% against the US Dollar, and the presidency can fix the conversion rate of the Peso for 2 years (breaking with the 1:1 convertibility we had for 10 years). There will be a free currency market.
- All loans made in dollars up to $100,000 will be transformed to pesos in the old value. Every dollar loaned after that will be transformed to $1,40 (pesos).
- Government has the right to fix max prices for utilities, gas and vital products like medicines, milk, bread, etc.
- 90 days without layoffs

Meanwhile they'll be adjusting the 2002 budget, while they study a way to allow people to have their deposited money again (in payments, possibly, and a more lax limit for cash withdrawals -money withdrawals were limited to $1000 per month to everyone, persons and enterprises).

[Dave Biggins]

Putting a price fix on utilities, food, and medicine during this crisis seems like a smart move. I hope the employers are able to comply with lay-off order.