Hydrocarbons, Procurement and Public Trust bills to Congress on February 27

Hydrocarbons, Procurement and Public  Trust bills to Congress on February 27

Fuel pumps at a gas station.

 

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic--President Luis Abinader told media directors that he will submit the bill to modify the Hydrocarbons Law to Congress on February 27, 2022, as he had promised in his first accountability speech on February 27, 2021. The president said the law would be amended to change the fuel tax payment scheme.

  The rising cost of fuel in the country has been the trending topic. On Monday, February 7, economists Apolinar Veloz and Henri Hebrard gave explanations on the make-up of the cost of fuel in the Dominican Republic for the “La Cuestion” radio talk show. TV variety show host Mariasela Alvarez interviewed Henri Hebrard and he gave additional insights on her “Esta Noche con Mariasela” show.

  Abinader also said he would deposit a bill to amend the Procurement Law 340-06.

  Also in the works is the presenting of a bill to regulate public trusts. The government has been resorting to public-private alliances in the form of trusts to take on what would be government responsibilities.

  In the meeting with media directors and opinion leaders, the president insisted that the best formula for the administration of the Punta Catalina Thermoelectric Power Plant is a public trust. He made it clear that the government will wait for the discussions to be held by the Economic and Social Council CES to make the final decision regarding the Punta Catalina trust, but insisted that the government will also present its arguments in defence of the trust mechanism to the CES.

  At the meeting, Abinader said all parties represented in the Chamber of Deputies had voted in favour of the Punta Catalina trust contract, so he is now surprised by the reactions against it that have followed. Several legislators afterwards said they had not read the contract and acted merely on the favourable opinion presented by the committee that studied the contract.

  He said that even the Dominican Liberation Party PLD had been in agreement. He said he learned that spokesman for the PLD deputies, Gustavo Sánchez had consulted the directors of the PLD about how to vote on the contract and they had authorised its approval.

  The Abinader administration has favoured the mixed private-public trust modality for responsibilities that were handled by government entities in the past. The government has created a trust for allotting public transportation on key bus routes, a trust for collecting the vehicular inspection permits, a trust for garbage service and more. Roberto Rosario of the Fuerza del Pueblo political party has said it will demand the government publish the contracts for these trusts.

  Abinader told the media directors that a corporation for the operation of a Dominican Republic (DR) airline is in the works. The DR government would own 51 per cent of the shares and the private sector the remaining 49 per cent.

  During the meeting, Presidency Minister Lisandro Macarrulla announced that on February 13, the government will inaugurate the Winston Churchill Avenue Bus Corridor. He said this would be administered by the same Mobility and Transportation Trust that manages the Núñez de Cáceres corridor. ~ DR1 ~

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