Through a mutual fund, the World Bank and other multilateral institutions, will be awarding $50 million to finance small and medium enterprises in the region.
With a mix of capital and a long-term soft loan the III Caseif fund, managed by Lafise Panama, will have $50 million for small and medium businesses who require funds to finance their operations.
The President of El Salvador has expressed suspicions that the original contract with the Italian company was changed "in the dark" by government officials.
The president referred to the subject in his radio program last Saturday, saying, "I've asked a group of lawyers to study the documents surrounding all investments with the Italian shareholders and it will be these specialists who might be able to shed a light on this illegal act, including even asking the Attorney General's Office to establish whether criminal liability be established in the future. "
CEL has filed a motion to quash the ruling that would allow Enel to have a majority stake in LaGeo geothermal plant.
Tóchez Irving, president of the Commission of the Lempa River Hydroelectric Executive, said: "It is inappropriate to put a country’s strategic resource, such as a geothermal plant, into private hands," when presenting the proceedings before the court of appeals in Paris, France.
The way that the government handles the arbitration failure at the International Chamber of Commerce on the La Geo case could dictate the success or failure of state-business partnerships.
The private-public scheme has been promoted recently by the Salvadoran government for the implementation of large public infrastructure projects because they can free the state from the significant investments that such works require.
The decision means that ENEL will be able to capitalize the geothermal GEO and become the majority shareholder in the business it maintains with the Executive Hydroelectric Commission of the Lempa River (CEL).
According to an article in Elsalvador.com, ENEL had sued its partner for breach of contract in November 2008 because CEL had blocked a $100 million investment, which meant that ENEL went from having just over 36% the company's shares to almost 53%. "The contract, signed in 2002, provides that Enel has the right to capitalize on their investments, that is to say, investments in La Geo are transformed immediately into shares."
According to the Financial System Superintendent, Salvadoran banking is well capitalized, with strong indicators.
The Superintendent of the Financial System, Luis Armando Montenegro, told Laprensagrafica.com that the Salvadoran banking system is solid, "so at this time it is not necessary to perform stress tests, such as those conducted recently by the FED in the United States..."
President Antonio Saca of El Salvador has announced measures that will cost a total of US$65.7 million. The private sector and analysts have welcomed the announcement but are wondering where the money will come from.
A project to recapitalize state banks will cost US15 million. Social housing is to get a US$15 million boost, and state employees are to have a pay rise that will add US$35.7 million to the bill.