When public resources are very limited, as it happens in Central American countries, association schemes between the State and the private sector become essential for developing the infrastructure that the region so badly needs.
A report from the Secretariat of Economic Integration (Sieca) states that "...In Central America, growing fiscal constraints faced by the countriespublic sectors make it increasingly difficult to achieve efforts for long-term infrastructure projects.In this context, Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) become relevant as an alternative measure of financing where private participation sector is facilitated in partnership with the government, with the aim of improving quality of services, reducing operating costs and capital, generating additional income, improving public management and minimizing budget spending.
Infrastructure such as roads, ports and airports and utilities can now receive private investment.
The law was prepared by the Executive in conjunction with the private sector, represented by the Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP).
Elnuevodiario.com.ni reports that "...The deputy in the Sandinista party Jose Figueroa, a member of the Commission of Economy and Budget, said that this law will allow private investors to be able to receive compensation for their investments, which can be kind of tax incentive."
A value of more than $5 billion has been given to the investment projects that the Ortega administration intends to carry out through public, private and investment partnership deals.
Among the projects proposed by the Nicaraguan government and open to funding proposals are:
A publication by the CAF reviews the development of five projects implemented using the public-private partnership model for infrastructure investment in Latin America.
From the Presentation document by the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF):
In recent decades, many Latin American countries have launched public-private partnership projects for the construction, maintenance and operation of public infrastructure.
The agreement will facilitate the provision of consulting services to regional governments to develop infrastructure projects with private participation.
This agreement seeks initiatives in renewable energy and other projects related to climate change, water treatment and solid waste management, health, education and transport.
Proponents argue that public-private partnerships allow the private sector to participate in improving public services while providing investment expertise.
This form of funding appears to be the most feasible for large public infrastructure works.
The limitations of the state budget to address infrastructure projects require the assistance of private capital, and the securitization trust model is being adopted by Costa Rican public institutions to finance these works.
There are 11 projects in various stages of the formation process of securitization trusts in various sectors such as energy, telecommunications, health, and education.
There's been an increase in multisectoral participation as a means of improving both infrastructure and services in various parts of the world, writes Lourdes Fernández in Costa Rica's newspaper La Republica.
This trend has been driven by technological innovations, she continues, as well as budget restrictions, expansion of international markets, growing public-private participation, but above all the application of the premise "there's strength in numbers", to which I add: and they encourage the achievement of important goals.