Envío un artículo publicado por la revista SCIENCE sobre el cambio de la ley LOCTI y

sus consecuencias sobre nuiestro sistema de ciencia y tecnologia y que aparecio

en
http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2010/12/new-law-gives-venezuelan-gover
nmt.html
New Law Gives Venezuelan Government Control Over Most Research Spending
A new science law in Venezuela says that research will now be done for t
he people and in part by the people, and no longer to benefit those "in white co
ats." However, scientists fear the changes could hinder progress across many fie
lds. The new rules, approved last week by the National Assembly to take effect
on 1 January, would establish government control over a large pool of tax money
previously spent by companies on internal research projects, or via collaboratio
ns with universities.
Venezuelan scientists have weathered tough years under socialist preside
nt Hugo Chávez. (Science, 29 May 2009, p. 1126). But the surprise move by the asse
mbly "might very well mean the end of science in the country" charges Jaime Requ
ena, a biologist who was stripped of his position at the Institute for Advanced
Studies in Caracas last year following a dispute with the government.
Venezuela's Organic Law on Science, Technology and Innovation, last upda
ted in 2005, included an R&D tax on industries that had raised science and techn
ology spending to around 2.7% of GDP, according to government figures (Science,
31 July 2009, p. 537)
Elia García, a toxicologist and dean at the Universidad Simón Bolívar, told El
Universal newspaper that the original law had created an "extraordinary" flower
ing of Venezuelan science. "The law created a huge change. Almost all professors
began to develop new projects," she said.
Under the new law, however, the money from the tax will now be under dir
ect control of the government. "Before it was companies who decided how to spend
the money, now it is the government," says García. "That is the crucial change."
She sees the future of Venezuelan science as "totally dark."
Ricardo Menéndez, the country's science minister, said the change was nece
ssary because 95% of funds since 2007 had been spent by companies on internal pr
ojects that were "disengaged from social realities." He says "the law intends to
stimulate a model of scientific research in the fundamental interest of the Ven
ezuelan people, and not the specific needs of various private companies." In rew
riting the law, Venezuela set research priorities in four areas, including innov
ation in building materials, urban development, energy and climate change.
The law takes some digs at the country's scientific elites, viewed as ho
stile to the government. For instance, the Researcher Promotion funding program
is being renamed Stimulus for Research because "the central goal of research isn
't its author [or] the person, but the concrete outcome," Menéndez said. In additi
on, Menéndez said, funding will now be allocated based on "real results" and not s
cientific papers. The law opens research funding to the public, as well as to so
cial and indigenous organizations. Menéndez praised one community project carried
out in the state of Yaracuy that studied "how nutrition influences the growth of
children" by measuring children eating different diets. "The moment of useful s
cience has arrived," said the science minister.
Scientists have managed to block previous proposed changes to the scienc
e law, but this time the assembly acted "without consultation with scientific an
d academic entities or experts" Requena says. He fears that all research will no
w have to pass through a "socialist filter."
by Antonio Regalado on 14 December 2010