Government and municipal entities can leverage location intelligence to optimize strategic planning, improve the quality of public services and optimize their budgets.
What type of solutions does location intelligence provide to governments
Analytics through big data management techniques allows governments to understand the needs of their citizens, combat fraud, minimize system errors and improve operations, reducing costs and improving the services of any government entity.
Foot traffic analytics through geospatial data and Big Data enables governments and public sector organizations to deliver more efficient and secure services, as well as respond more quickly and accurately to the needs of customers and citizens.
Delays continue in the bidding process to replace the company that currently handles the reading, measurement and billing of electricity services.
Laprensa.hn reports that "despite the 'emergency' decreed by the National Electricity Company (ENEE) to find a firm to be responsible for readings, measurement and payment collections for electricity, the tender process will take at least four or five months. "
Roberto Martinez Lozano, manager of the ENEE, quoted by ElHeraldo.hn states, "The international price of a barrel of bunker continues to rise, but our plan is for the adjustment not to exceed 9%, although final determination belongs to the National Congress.”
The previous adjustment made in June and July was 6%.
2010 public service rates in Central America: water, electricity and telephone landlines.
SIECA, the Economic Integration Secretary for Central America, published a report called "Public Service Rates, first semester 2010", which provides information on the existing rates for water, electricity and phone landlines in 2010.
The data was gathered by SIECA's Economic Statistics Unit, and was submitted by the authorities of each country.
The tax reform recently passed by Congress included modifications to reduce the tax burden on middle and lower income citizens, by transferring it to higher earners.
An article in Laprensa.hn answered the following questions about this reform:
1 – How does this affect individuals?
2 – And the business sector?
3 – Who will pay mobile telephony taxes: prepaid or postpaid users?
The new rates plan came into effect on February 1, the ENEE manager, Rixi Moncada, reported.
La Tribuna.hn reports: "...there will some slight reductions in the rates, which will be between 5 and 12% depending on consumption; these will be applied starting February.
"Some consumers will see reductions of between 8 and 12% and in some cases, up to 16%"."
The Government reported that it will not make any reductions in rates for the National Electric Energy Company, due to the deficit of $39 million.
"You should be aware that the State subsidizes the consumption of energy, that consumers are not paying the real price despite what is said by people in the industrial and commercial and other sectors," Energy minister, Rixi Moncada, said.
The Salvadoran Petroleum Industry Association and the Ministry of the Economy published a comparative analysis of the region on August 15.
For unregulated markets, the price per gallon on that date was: El Salvador, $4.44 for regular gasoline; Nicaragua, $4.72; and Guatemala, $4.71.
In cases where there are Government subsidies or where gas station markup the price, the prices were as follows: Honduras, $4.33; while in Costa Rica it was at $5.21.
With the failure of nationwide negotiations with the government transporters in Honduras have threatened to strike as early as Tuesday.
The president of the National Transport Board, Jorge López, said that officials from the Secretary of Public Works, Transportation and Housing have called his people liars and have backed away from a promise made June 12 to sign an agreement negotiated earlier.
The Honduran government's postal service, Honducor, is studying a possible increase in rates for letters and packages.
Nimia Baquedano, Honducor's general manager, said the service faces increases in its costs, and also the private-sector competition is charging three times as much.
Honduran business leaders, as well as the population at large, have been alarmed at electricity tariff increases – imposed because of the surge in oil prices – that now total 120 percent.
Roberto Arturo Caballero, vice-president of the national small business association, Anmpih, said an additional problem was corruption in the state electricity company, Enee.
A second increase in electricity tariffs programmed for the end of this month will bring to 50 percent the increase in bills paid by Honduran consumers.
President Manuel Zelaya's government has imposed the increases as part of its agreement with the International Monetary Fund. The increases will be weighted toward those who consume most; just over half of all consumers, the 3 million poorest, will continue to receive government subsidies.
The price of high-grade gasoline and diesel fuel increased today by five to 10 American cents in Honduras as supplies ran short due to the delayed arrival of a ship.
The new price in Tegucigalpa for high-grade gasoline is four dollars and 17 cents per gallon, while diesel fuel is now three dollars and 65 cents, the government's Administrative Commission for Petroleum announced.
El Salvador's public works minister, Jorge Nieto, will try to find a solution today with representatives of various public transport companies that will end a crisis caused by high fuel prices.
The two sides were to continue a debate today aimed at negotiating an end to the problem caused by high petroleum prices and the bus companies' demand for higher fares.