In the facilities of the communal hall of the closed complex Villa Arianna, a meeting of leaders and inhabitants of the municipality of La Paz took place in order to propose mechanisms leading to stopping the hiring of a private operator for the operation, with investment, of public services residential aqueduct and sewage systems in the municipality of La Paz, Cesar, which are currently in charge of the Public Services Company, Empaz.
The public bidding process is in a convened state, on the Secop platform, and requires the operator an investment of less than 4 billion pesos, which has unleashed the indignation of a broad sector of the peaceful community.
At the close of the meeting, it was agreed to hold a sit-in in front of the Empaz headquarters, on February 8, starting at 7 in the morning, in the 19 de Marzo neighborhood.
COMMUNITY
“Now, with all this bidding process, where they intend to give away or hand over the operation of Empaz’s public services to a private party, we decided to file a guardianship action that was denied. In addition, we ask the Registry for an open town hall where the entire community has the right to listen to the explanations of the councilors and where we can express our disagreements and ask questions,” said Corina Cárdenas, a resident of La Paz.
For his part, Antonio Bustillo said that “according to established regulations, the Municipality cannot sell that or give it away as a concession. I am against privatization because it is for the benefit of a small group of people. Empaz belongs to us and it hurts us that this happens”.
“My message is that we meet early on February 8. We will defend our Company. They want to take it from us and we can’t allow it,” José Domingo Archila said in turn.
On the other hand, José María Oñate, citizen overseer, invites the people to attend the Empaz facilities this Wednesday, to carry out the peaceful protest. “It is the only profitable public company we have, are we going to let them take it away from us?” He argued.
THE VOICE OF AN EXPERT
Unofficially, a public accountant from the municipality of La Paz, familiar with the current Empaz process, explained a series of key points to understand what is happening.
“If it is true that Empaz must be liquidated, the mayor is not doing it. He only seeks to hand the company over to an operator. Take the company and you manage the resources, the subsidies and the money that is received for water and basic sanitation, ”he indicated, first of all.
Next, he pointed out the co-responsibility of the councilors who voted in favor of granting powers to the mayor to hire the private operation of the Municipality’s public services.
“In the first draft agreement that the municipal council approves of the mayor, in which it gives him powers to hire an operator, it was more or less in May 2021. Then, the process of hiring the operator begins. operator. However, in June the Administration received a resource of 12 billion pesos, which was for the improvement of the aqueduct of the township of Minguillo. So, to avoid bidding for this resource, they stopped the project to deliver Empaz to an operator and Empaz directly contracted the execution of the 12 billion pesos,” he specified.
And he also added: “Later, they proceeded to a new draft agreement, where the powers, which, in principle, were for six months, were extended until December 31, 2023. Why? Because Empaz was executing the 12 billion pesos. Why is it now unfeasible now and not when he contracted the 12 billion pesos? ”, He indicated.
THE ADMINISTRATION
Finally, “the position of the Superintendence of Public Services has always been restructuring through its liquidation. They have not sought to form a mixed economy company because in the Council agreement it explicitly says that it is through a specialized operator, which is a call for public bidding where anyone can make their offer, ”Antonio López, chief, assured EL PILÓN internal control of the municipal administration.