| Work Detail |
Luis Giovine from Córdoba, who will manage a key area, appeared at the Construction Chamber and did not talk about paralyzing the projects; unknowns in airlines and railways
Javier Mileis cabinet drawing had a couple of areas painted in bright colors. One of them, Infrastructure, was one of the first to have his minister confirmed: Guillermo Ferraro. Shortly after beginning to govern, the official lost two central areas - mining and energy - and the fact that he maintains several unknowns has managed to satisfy the anxious public works contractors, whom the president-elect harshly attacked throughout the Campaign.
As mentioned, Ferraro, a former KPMG who was in charge of the infrastructure area of ??that consulting firm, has been working for some time in five sensitive areas for the upcoming policy. Public works, transportation, communications and those already lost, energy and mining - they became dependent on the Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo - were the “ravioli” of the organization chart that he was in charge of. For now, the world of public works is the one that emerged with a little more of its own names and organization.
Yesterday at noon, three future officials arrived at the Construction Chamber. Luis Giovine, an official with the Cordoban electricity company EPEC, presented himself as the next Secretary of Public Works. He was accompanied by Bartolomé Heredia and Juan Ordoñez. The first also comes from the Mediterranean province and would be in charge of the National Water and Sanitation Works Entity (Enohsa); The second was an executive of the Roggio group, of the YPF of Eskenazi, of Codere and of the mining company Barrik and aims to be Ferraros Chief of Staff.
Around 85 builders were waiting for him, including those who were on site and those who joined virtually. It was an hour and a half where the hosts brought the most important issues to the table. On the one hand, the enormous concern about the paralysis and slowdown of the works that the current administration boasts about so much was clear.
That wasnt all. According to what LA NACION was able to reconstruct, they told him about another reality that the government of Alberto Fernández and the efforts of ministers Sergio Massa and Gabriel Katopodis left as a legacy. It happens that beyond the number of projects, it is impossible for them to continue since the contracts are affected by the deformation of prices as a result of the enormous inflation.
While the builders told Giovine that, in addition, there is an enormous Treasury debt with the sector, not only due to late payments but also due to the lack of adjustment for inflation, Ferraros three emissaries listened. Several builders commented that a “good predisposition to dialogue” was perceived.
For some time now, La Libertad Avanza has been looking for Fabián López, a man who passed through the ministry led by Julio De Vido, for the position once held by José López, the man with the bags in the convent. But, finally, he chose to stay in the cabinet designed by the governor of Cordoba, Martín Llaryora. It was Fabián López who recommended Giovine, a civil engineer who was in charge of the Provincial Directorate of Water and Sanitation (DIPAS). He was also general coordinator of Special Projects in the Undersecretary of Water Resources of the Nation, which at that time was occupied by Fabián López (2006 to 2012). In March 2017 he was appointed president of Epec (Provincial Energy Company of Córdoba). He was responsible for the restructuring of the concessionaire which, since 2019, showed a surplus.
Among the measures he took were the denunciation of the collective agreement in 2018 to cut operating expenses; a system of early passivity that reduced the workforce by about 330 employees and the closure of two thermal power plants (Pilar and Las Ferias). His colleagues in the Córdoba cabinet define Giovine as “more technical than political.” There are those who remember a fight with Luz y Fuerza where he twisted their arms and was threatened by some union members. He took them to court and won.
At the meeting, Giovine told the builders that the roadmap was not yet clear since they had to wait for budget guidelines. Something was said about doing a strong review of the current contracts and, only then, making decisions. It was not clear how other agencies that respond to public works were going to function, such as Roads, where there are some names that also include officials from Córdoba. In the company Corredores Viales, which manages national toll routes, José Luis Acevedo, the president of Autopistas Urbanas (AUSA), is confirmed as a candidate, an executive that several stand out. His name is not yet confirmed but it sounds loud.
Something similar happened in the home. At the time of the meeting, the number placed in the area, Inti Alpert, had stepped aside after she spent months working on a national plan. In fact, she even had meetings with chambers in the sector. A day later it was known that that place would be occupied by Ivan Kerr, Secretary of Housing during the Mauricio Macri government. There wasnt much else and there was no mention of Aysa, another of the great unknowns. An hour and a half had passed, and suddenly, much of the distrust of the builders was appeased by a dialogic stance from the future officials. Furthermore, there was never talk of stopping public works to zero.
In transportation, the issue is different. The arrival of Franco Moguetta, also from Córdoba where he holds the position at the provincial level, surprised many. It happens that in that area, in addition to the distribution of the million-dollar subsidies to groups, there is also the airline sector, railways, cargo transportation, and ports and navigable waterways. “It has a very big conflict,” say those who passed through that place.
For now, there are no great definitions. In fact, there was some contribution from teams that worked with Guillermo Dietrich but, for now, they have not been added. “Some pieces remain to be placed and I get the feeling that these days they contrast the level of difficulty with political needs. There are very sensitive issues in transportation that have long learning curves,” said a man who passed by those offices.
Another issue that is still uncertain is what will happen to the infrastructure projects in the world of transportation. That is, if the secretariat will be dedicated to the operation or if it will also execute public works in the area.
In the world of trains, now managed by Sergio Massas people, the candidates are not known. It is neither more nor less, the company with the most employees in Argentina and, furthermore, one of the places where Javier Mileis chainsaw, now with a rubber chain, could reach.
And finally, the great unknown: Aerolíneas Argentinas. Nobody knows what the plan will be or which team will execute it. One of the hottest seats of the coming Government still has no owner.
With the collaboration of Gabriela Origlia. |
