For the Guatemalan business sector, the decision by Congress to vote against the bill granting the concession to rehabilitate and operate the Escuintla-Puerto Quetzal highway "sends a negative message to potential investors."
The first positions emerge after learning that the Congress of the Republic buried the road project to rehabilitate and administer the highway Escuintla-Puerto Quetzal with toll collection, which would be granted in concession to the Consorcio Autopistas de Guatemala, under the format of Public-Private Partnership.
After months without progress being reported in the process, the Communications Commission of the Guatemalan Congress issued a favorable opinion to the bill to rehabilitate and operate the Escuintla-Puerto Quetzal Highway.
The procedure has been delayed by several months, as the dossier was submitted from 5 October 2018 and only on 6 August received a positive opinion from the Committee on Communications, Transport and Public Works.
Authorities in Guatemala verify the progress of the bill for the rehabilitation and operation of the Escuintla-Puerto Quetzal Highway, which was presented to Congress six months ago and have yet to make a statement.
Members of the National Council of Alliances for the Development of Economic Infrastructure (Conadie) attended the Congress of the Republic, with the objective of knowing the progress of the initiative of the project of public-private alliance, which was presented since October 5, 2018 and is in control of the Commission of Communications, Transport and Public Works.
The feasibility study for the creation of a PPP will be carried out in the project for the extension of the 43-kilometer stretch between the La Hachadura Border Crossing and the CA12 Road.
From the Fomilenio II statement:
March 7, 2019. The Fondo del Milenio II (FOMILENIO II) and the consortium Unión de Personas Corredor Pacífico (UDP Corredor Pacífico) signed on this day the contract to carry out technical-economic pre-feasibility studies for a possible Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project between La Hachadura Border Crossing and CA12 Highway (Kilo 5). The investment for these pre-feasibility studies will be US$1.5 million. The PPP project seeks to finance, build and maintain the expansion of a 43-kilometer stretch of road.
Because of the lack of progress in Congress and the fact that 2019 is an election year, there is a risk in Guatemala that the concession to rehabilitate and operate the Escuintla-Puerto Quetzal Highway will not be granted.
In July 2018, the Consorcio Autopistas de Guatemala was awarded the contract for the rehabilitation, maintenance and administration of the Escuintla-Puerto Quetzal highway, with toll collection.
With an investment of $270 million plans are underway to build a runway at Aeródromo Río Amarillo, and reconstruction of the Chamelecón road up to the border of Ocotepeque.
"... A decree has been passed authorizing the execution of a trust agreement for the project entitled "Financing, Construction, Operation and Maintenance of Aeródromo Río Amarillo in the municipality of Santa Rita in Copan", reported Laprensa.hn.
The tender is for the design, financing, construction and operation of the 392 kilometer corridor for a period of 40 years.
A press release from The Commission for the Promotion of Public-Private Partnership (Coalianza) reads:
The Commission for the Promotion of Public-Private Partnership (COALIANZA), invites interested companies to participate in an international public tender to grant in concession the Logistical Corridor between Goascorán - Villa de San Antonio, San Pedro Sula - Puerto Cortes and Tegucigalpa - Villa de San Antonio.