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Monday September 13, 2021
Well I didn't get much sleep, maybe 4 hours, when I was awoken by a dog or two and my mind started to roll about how the Government here has invaded my pocket 5 times in a month.....
1. Last month they made Cristina (who has ZERO income) pay income taxes on MY pre-taxed money that we brought into the country for her security.... 1,377,000 pesos plus 700,00 overcharge by a greedy accountant for a total of $687.15 Cdn. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
2. I made a failed attempt at citizenship using an online registration that allowed me to use a disallowed Cedula, then waited 3 months to refuse it, cost 700,000 pesos ($231.50 Cdn), and is now charging me a fine for being late to apply for the right cedula... We can't even get an appointment to do this... I expect the additional cost to be around another $500 or so. This could be another real soap opera...
3. Payment to get a stolen car licence plate replaced was 240,000 pesos ($79.39 Cdn).
4. Fine for driving without a front car licence plate which we reported stolen right away and not ONE of those lazy functionaries thought to mention that it HAD to be replaced... Another 90,000 pesos ($29.79 Cdn).
5. We got a PHONE message that CAR TAXES (WTF) to the PROVINCE needed to be paid for the last 3 years...... This was the first that we had heard of this necessity, and not ONE functionary anywhere thought to mention it........... The fines are at least 3/4 of the 2,410,000 cost ($798 Cdn) today.........
We spent all morning getting 3-5 looked after and I shake my head at third world inefficiency and ridiculousness. Cashiers everywhere are notoriously slow and the bank we had to visit had one teller open, with a line-up out the door. Lousy Customer Service is the norm in Latin America.
Below are photos of a guy brought out to actually FINGERPRINT ONTO PACKING TAPE, the 3 serial numbers on the CAR.....!! I kid you not...!!!!!!!!!!!!! Honestly, the people we had to deal with were super helpful, probably because lovely Cristina was doing the negotiating. I managed to remain civil and keep any comments to only pertinent details. Inside I was seething.
And none of this takes into account travel costs, time and aggravation, especially to Pereira for the cedula BS. Grrrrrr I was feeling poor before all this BS hit the fan, and now I feel destitute. It is like they do not appreciate the money bring into this country and everybody had their bloody hand out. Ecuador was awful and this is not much better.
I really need a nap now.
Zorra is doing amazingly well and is like a new dog. Hooray that something is working out right.
I hope you enjoy the Lumix pictures. That was the day’s excitement.
Al
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