The first months of government have been complicated for the current authorities of the Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing (CIV), which has not been able to start infrastructure projects for road maintenance, when the rainy season is about to begin.
In the first 100 days they have dedicated themselves to reviewing irregularities and possible illegalities in the adjudication processes.
The most notable have been the complaints about the awarding of Bicentenario Schools, in charge of the State Building Construction Unit, and the purchase of escalators at La Aurora Airport, a project that failed because they sent the stands of different sizes than those required in the tender.
“In every drawer we open we find a dead rat†summarized the head of the CIV, Jazmín de la Vega, in a press conference on March 19, referring to the work of the first days at the head of the Ministry and the findings of possible irregularities in the last administration.
The emphasis placed in the first months on possible acts of corruption in the previous four years is reflected in the poor budget execution carried out by the CIV until April 24.
A report from the Integrated Accounting System (SICOIN) details that Communications is the second ministry with the lowest execution, just 10.13%, when the first quarter of the year is about to close. The lowest is that of Energy and Mines, which shows 9.43%.
The CIV units that show an execution below the average are the funds for Housing, and Social Solidarity, as well as the Unit for the Development of Popular Housing and the executing unit for Road Conservation (COVIAL), the latter barely reaching at 1.98% execution.
FEW AWARDS
The slow pace of execution can also be seen in the Guatecompras awards.
Until April 24, they had awarded 40 tenders, 38 of which are direct purchases, under Q90 thousand, essentially for the operation of the Ministry. Two awards from the General Directorate of Roads (DGC) stand out, totaling Q263.3 million, for the improvement of different highway sections in Huehuetenango and Baja Verapaz.
The modality used in these two contests was through “international agreements and treaties†. The international tenders were published between last November and December and were only awarded on April 17.
The company awarded for the two projects is Construction of roads and interstate projects, SA de CV, with Mexican capital. Both works will be financed with funds from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
From January to April of last year, Alejandro Giammattei’s government had already awarded Q1.8 billion in 308 tenders. In 2022, in the same period, there were Q1,200 million, while in 2021 and 2020 the awards exceeded Q280 million.
Acquisition of elevators and elevators: MP carries out visual inspection at the Airport
FLORES: AGILE EXECUTION WOULD NOT BE NORMAL
Irene Flores, associate researcher at the National Economic Research Center (CIEN), explained that every time there is a new government it is normal for the execution to be delayed. But this one, in particular, has had to invest a lot of time in reviewing all the actions of the previous administration and that “is not done overnight.”
“We have to understand that, because of the information they have been revealing, they have to be very careful with any progress on any project,” the analyst emphasized.
Separately, he explained that, by its nature, the execution of the CIV is reflected until the infrastructure projects advance, contrary to others, such as Education, where most of its budget goes to payroll payments.
“With that context, an agile execution would not be normal,†Flores remarks. “There is a need for road works, but in an institution where there was so much mismanagement, we must be careful, so that any expenditure made is done well, and responds to clear planning and operational strategy.â€he added.
He stressed that it is necessary to strengthen the executing units, identify bad processes, correct and change, but “that takes time.”
“The population has to understand the state of the institutional capacity—of the CIV.†We have to think, as citizens, if we want to continue spending badly or invest in strengthening and in the future there will be a provision of better quality services.»he indicated.
“Decent kitchens” provoke a new complaint against Javier Maldonado
DIFFICULT POSITION
However, Flores considers that the current authorities are in a difficult position since “they cannot go around reporting” the irregular processes of the past administration, since the population demands results, and at the same time as making changes To strengthen the CIV it has to execute the resources and do it well.
The analyst considers that no incoming government had reviewed the actions of its predecessors as the current one does, and in that sense she questions why the population was never informed of actions suspected of being illegal and changes were not made to strengthen the CIV and improve its performance.
WHAT THE CIV SAYS
The current authorities agree that the low level of budget execution is due to the “legal and financial review of contracts”, approximately 1,400, and the “physical supervision of the works.”
The Social Communication Directorate of the CIV responded to this medium that the minister “has traveled almost the entire country to verify the progress and quality of the projects.”
“The starting point was to put the portfolio in order,” he emphasized. “Works have been detected that have greater financial progress than physical progress, in others there is no physical progress. All findings, possible anomalies and inconsistencies have been brought to the attention of the corresponding authorities.he added.
The Directorate stated that they have a “comprehensive plan” whose execution will begin in the coming days in all executing units. At the same time, he guaranteed that this year works planned in previous administrations will be paid for only if they are of quality, and that no projects will be left abandoned and what was planned in the budget will be met.
