The chamber suspends the bill that allowed a private monopoly on electricity generation

The House of Representatives decided on Saturday to close the bill that allowed a private monopoly on electricity generation infrastructure, while eliminating the interference of the Legislative Assembly in decisions to privatize public services.

The President of the Chamber, Carlos “Johnny” Méndez, reiterated that the bill did not have the votes, so they decided not to consider the measure at the end of today’s special session. “We will not give in to some gains in terms of the Legislative Assembly,” Méndez told reporters, alluding to the fact that the measure removes bans so that the sale or rental transaction is amended without the approval of the Legislative Assembly.

In addition, the bill removed the requirement for the governor to appoint public interest representatives to the Board of the Authority for Public-Private Partnerships (PPAs) from a shortlist of candidates in the Legislative Assembly. The piece also removed the requirement that the participation of public interest representatives constitute a quorum.

Representative Víctor Parés, chairman of the government commission, told the press that the measure failed to convince the delegation because it took power from the Legislature.

The measure was tabled on Wednesday, December 23, just three days before the special session convened by Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced ends today. The chief executive amended the call on the same day to include the measure among the issues to be addressed at the session.

The president of the Union of Workers in the Electricity and Irrigation Industry (UTIER), Ángel Figueroa Jaramillo, lobbied the draft in the Chapter from the beginning, understanding that it gives the Executive absolute control over the decisions of the Public-Private Alliance. “This bill removes the few powers that lawmakers have to analyze the sale of assets and the creation of other PPPs. If before there was no transparency, now with this project, there will be less. With this project, the legislatures have no power to intervene in the approval or rejection of PPPs. Such a project cannot be approved in a hurry and in dark rooms while the country is in the midst of the Christmas celebration “, he declared in a press release.

Other voices rejected the move, including former PNP senator Orlando Parga, who called it a “horror mistake.”