Otaiza to head job-training institute ... Cordova new Science & Technology Minister

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Posted: Tuesday, May 06, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

President Hugo Chavez Frias has appointed Captain (ret.) Eliecer Otaiza as president of the National Job Training Institute (Ince).  

Otaiza is a controversial figure with a short but checkered career ... wounded during the November 27, 1992, uprising, Otaiza went on to become a key member of the Bolivarian Revolutionary Movement (MBR-200) and was elected to the Constituent Assembly. 

President Chavez Frias then appointed him as State Political & Security (DISIP) Police director where he served for one year before being dismissed by the President himself.  Since then, Otaiza has acted a top Movimiento Quinta Republica (MVR) figure and allegedly overseeing security and defense issues.

Marlene Yadira Cordova has been appointed Science & Technology Minister.  Although little is known about her, the new Minister says she is in favor of generating knowledge to boost sustainable and integral local development on all levels, national, state and municipal.

Her first step will be to introduce a program called "The Innovative Municipality." Among other plans are, as she points out, to develop "state-of-the-art universal knowledge to improve standard of living" and to continue strengthening national research centers and innovative technologies.