2024-08-29 07:42:32
The terms were established in a document signed by representatives of the Port Authority of Manta, the Port Terminal of Manta, Agunsa, the Ministry of Transport and the Undersecretariat of Ports.
On July 16, 2024, the National Government announced a renegotiation of the delegation contract of the International Port of Manta with the Chilean multinational Agencias Universales SA (Agunsa).
He also gave details about the terms that were established in a transactional document that was signed by representatives of the Port Authority of Manta, the Port Terminal of Manta, Agunsa, the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, and the Undersecretary of Ports.
This means that the official technical meetings will be held until the renegotiation of the contract is signed.
The process will take between three and four months, meaning that the signing of the addendum would be ready by the end of 2024.
“The port of Manta has been questioned and objected to on many occasions,” said Roberto Luque, Minister of Transport and Public Works, referring to the royalties that the State was receiving.
Luque announced that the investments will be audited by a foreign company.
The ‘controversial’ renegotiation
This renegotiation of the public-private partnership arises after changes in the management of the Port Authority and after APM and TPM withdrew from the legal proceedings they were maintaining on June 27, 2024.
According to the Government, the renegotiation process will improve economic conditions and will allow for investment to be attracted for the benefit of the port.
If this is achieved, the State would receive between USD 77 million and USD 144 million during the duration of the delegation.
On December 16, 2016, under the figure of a public-private alliance, the Delegated Management Contract was signed for the “design, financing, execution of additional works, equipment, operation and maintenance of the Manta Port Terminal”, to the company Agunsa, for a period of 40 years.
The shadow of alleged irregularities
However, this does not isolate the series of accusations and allegations related to alleged irregularities.
For example, a case of alleged embezzlement during the granting process is in the hands of the State Attorney General’s Office.
Added to this is the accusation by the former manager of the state Port Authority of Manta (APM) and current governor of Manabí, Ronald Muñoz, who denounced that the port delegation generated losses to the State due to “inequality in the distribution of resources.”
In fact, the current manager of APM, Byron Franco, publicly acknowledged that “the State has lost profits from what it was previously receiving.”
By: PRIMICIAS