By: Ernesto Cardoso Camacho
Governor Villalba has begun his administration by calling the attention of the national government and of course the people of Huila, about the administrative, technical and financial debacle of the main regional company, Electrohuila. According to the president, there is a clear intention on the part of the Superintendency of Home Public Services and the Ministry of Finance to intervene in the company, a fact that constitutes a first step towards its liquidation and/or subsequent privatization.
As is well known, the main shareholder is the Nation, although the department, several municipalities and a private person who by the way seems to be a ghost, since no one knows who he is; Together they own about 18% of the company’s shares. Its legal nature is a State Industrial and Commercial Company, but as it is a home public services company, it acts in its commercial activity as a Mixed Economy Company and consequently its contracting regime is carried out through private law, although its administrative decisions are They govern by public law.
The enormous strategic importance of Electrohuila as an engine of regional development cannot be disputed. The little energy it produces and what it buys on the stock market is marketed to meet the needs of its users such as home or business clients and consumption is billed at the highest rates in the country, as several experts on the subject have stated; despite having hydroelectric generation here in Betania and Quimbo.
Now that the Petro government has hinted that the company should become a regional leader for the energy transition, in the sense of generating clean, sustainable and environmentally friendly energy; The alarm of his intervention becomes even more worrying; given that it could be privatized and its profits would leak from the regional economic environment, as well as job and contracting opportunities for many Huila professionals.
In these circumstances, the issue constitutes the first great challenge for the governor. However, it is worth mentioning that his predecessor and political pupil, Governor Dussan, in his capacity as a member of the company’s Board of Directors, never mentioned the fragility to which it was led by administrations divided into political quotas of the Andradismo and former Senator Macías, in the last 6 years, perhaps because they were partners in his election and his government.
Likewise, it is surprising that President Petro has decided to keep the management in charge of someone who does not have the qualifications or experience in the sector and that he is also tolerating what some media have reported, in the sense that there is a power war at the inside the entity. This fact makes the attitude of the new governor even more meritorious in denouncing the intention to intervene, since as is well known, large sectors of the Historical Pact accompanied him in his election. Apparently, personal and political interests are playing a leading role in the dire situation suffered by the company.
Well then. The governor’s challenge must be promptly resolved in favor of the company, its workers, its clients, suppliers and contractors, but especially in favor of the region and the Huila community. The delay in assuming and resolving it makes the situation more burdensome.
Those who know the subject affirm that the decision to intervene is the worst possible scenario. For this reason, they suggest a quick and effective action agreed between Petro and Villalva to appoint a new manager who knows the issue, who guarantees transparency and takes on the challenge of stopping the debacle and recovering the financial, ad/vos and technical statements in a short time; with the sole purpose of averting the danger of intervention; or even the taking of possession, a measure that would also generate concern and distrust.
Thus, Governor Villalva has in his hands a litmus test of his management capacity and coordination with the national government. The matter cannot wait any longer because we Huilenses must demand our rights and defend the emblematic company that has contributed to regional development, despite the cancer of politicking and corruption to which it has been subjected in recent years. But of course, we will also demand clear accounts to know the wrongs and those responsible. No more tolerance for damn corruption.