Today continues the discussion of National Development Plan 2022-2026 in the joint economic commissions of Congress.
The congressmen approved 80 percent of the articles yesterday and for today they abandoned the discussion of some of the most critical points such as the new funds and the extraordinary powers that President Gustavo Petro has for a term of six months.
(You can also read: The new alerts with which the National Development Plan started)
It must be remembered that if it is approved as it appears in the presentation, the head of state could make decisions such as merging or suppressing existing public companies in the electricity sector, with the aim of creating a business group.
President Gustavo Petro has a series of extraordinary powers.
Andrea Bridges / Presidency
The powers would apply to companies such as Power Plants of Cauca (Cedelca), Power Plants of Nariño (Cedenar), Electrificadora del Caquetá (ElectroCaquetá)Electrificadora del Huila (ElectroHuila), Electrificadora del Meta (Emsa) and Gestión Energética (Gensa), among others, in which the Government has the majority shareholding.
The project, which includes investments of 1,154.8 billion pesos, must be approved before May 7. This implies that congressmen will only have a month and a half to debate the Development Plan. A debate in which the Easter recess will also be crossed and that will intersect with the discussion of other key reforms, such as labor, health and pension reforms.
Discussion for the new funds
One of the issues that is prolonging the debate the most is what to do with the 17 funds that the Plan contemplates, of which 14 of them come from previous governments and 3 are new.
According to some congressmen, the new funds could encourage hiring ‘by hitch’, in addition to taking territorial entities out of the game.
«By applying private law, the contracts of these autonomous estates that are made are allowed to be made by hand without any objective selection that guarantees the principles of the public function,» warned Senator Juan Felipe Lemos, of the U Party .
And representative John Edgar Pérez, from Cambio Radical, wondered: «Could it be that these funds do not create more bureaucracy and more spending for the State. That is what worries many of us. We have not received a response from the Government.»
On the contrary, the liberal senator John Jairo Roldán stressed that these funds as such do not disappear from the radar of the control entities since the resources continue to be public.
Among the above funds are some such as the Colombia in Peace Fund, the National Land Adequacy Fund (Fonat), the Citizen Security and Coexistence Fund (Fonenergía) and the National Tourism Fund (Fontur).
And those that would be created from scratch would be: the Fund account Mindeporte, the Fund «Colombia World Power of Life» and Fund for Equality and Equity.
What does the Plan say about the new funds?
– MINDEPORTE ACCOUNT FUND. The Fund Account of the Ministry of Sport is created, as a special account without legal status, for the development of projects and/or activities in accordance with its function that are allowed within the current regulations.
This Fund will have as a source of financing, the resources from the General Budget of the Nation; the resources generated by concept of provision and sale of goods and services, leasing; and donations or support received in favor of the Ministry of Sport.
– FUND FOR EQUALITY AND EQUITY. The Fund for Equality and Equity – Fonigualdad is created, as an account fund without legal personality administered by the Ministry of Equality and Equity, whose purpose will be to execute the resources assigned to it for programs and projects that contribute to Eliminate economic, political and social inequalities and defend subjects of special constitutional protection, vulnerable population and historically discriminated or marginalized groups.
This Fund will be made up of the following resources: (i) contributions from the General Budget of the Nation; (ii) contributions from other public entities; (iii) donations; (iv) national and international cooperation resources; and (v) any other earmarked resources directed to the Fund.
The national Government, through the Ministry of Equality and Equity, will regulate the provisions of this article.
– “COLOMBIA WORLD POWER OF LIFE” FUND. The “Colombia World Power of Life” Fund is created as an autonomous patrimony, administered by the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, which will enter into a commercial trust agreement with the public trust company that it designates, which will advance the operational support of the autonomous heritage.
The purpose of this Fund will be the efficient administration of the resources destined to the development of projects for the sector of water and basic sanitation, energy and industrial transition and integral rural reform.
The college debate
Given the complexity in the discussion of the extraordinary powers that the president has, the congressmen decide to analyze each one separately.
The first one discussed is the one that comes in article 160 and that gives Petro the power to issue a decree with the force of law that regulates the special conditions of imprisonment for members of indigenous peoples and communities.