In the first projects that are planned to be developed as part of the plan, around $116 million will be invested in construction works, vehicle purchases and other things.
The first investments will be made in seven departments, and the province to which the most resources have been allocated is Quiché, which will receive an investment of $46 million.In this region, 43 projects will be implemented, including the construction of a service center and the acquisition of garbage trucks.
Employers in the region are complaining about a lack of long-term development policies, and are asking for Government transparency, effectiveness and legal certainty, so that they can continue investing in the region.
During a meeting between businessmen and government called 'Expanding opportunities: promoting the private sector and job creation', entrepreneurs from different sectors shared their concerns and views on the investment climate in the region.
A survey carried out by CID-Gallup on the perceptions of Central Americans regarding the direction of their countries shows pessimism in Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Honduras.
From a statement issued by CID-Gallup:
The Dominican Republic, Panama and Nicaragua are the nations in the region with the best direction for the country.
This is the result of a series of public opinion surveys that CID / Gallup Latin America carries out every year in September in Central America and the Dominican Republic. The survey has a minimum reach of 1200 households and is a representative sample of the national population.
The project stalled in the Guatemalan Parliament is keeping investment decisions paralyzed, until there is certainty about the rules that will govern the country.
In the meantime, President Pérez Molina once again urged the passage of the Act:
From an article on Guatemala.gob.gt:
The president of Guatemala, Otto Perez Molina, emphasized the need to pass the Law for Investment Promotion and Employment which was presented by the Executive Agency in January 2013 and is a package of reforms and new legislation to facilitate installation of firms in the country.
Avoiding the generation of power using fossil fuels is a necessary goal, but alleviating the energy poverty in which millions of Central Americans find themselves is a priority.
EDITORIAL
Bjorn Lomborg's article published in Laprensagrafica.com analyzes the difficult choice between taking measures to prevent global warming, and facilitating the use of cheap fossil fuels -carbon- for 1,200 million poor people in the world.
Out of the $80 million awarded in Costa Rica to the Limón Port City Project 5 years ago, only 12% of it has been spent, mainly on paying the salaries of public officials connected to the project.
Editorial
A few months ago a controversy arose in Spain over the allocation of funds for development, such as low-interest financing for development projects by a private construction company.
It has been pointed out that the Guatemalan state is slow, bureaucratic, unplanned, and that there are no rules or processes for controlling public spending.
The National Economic Research Center (CIEN), believes that there is an urgent need to modernize the State, since these conditions ensure the perpetuation of high levels of poverty.
They point to a need to reform the State Procurement Law, the Civil Service Law, the Organic Budget Law and the Law of the Comptroller General.
Greater attraction of investments, possible joint petroleum development are some of the economic benefits that both countries was get by settling their territorial dispute.
This was confirmed by an investigation carried out by the Intelligence Unit of the British magazine, The Economist, at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UK, that was obtained by the Prensa Libre.