Within the framework of the second day of the Annual Congress of Colfecar 2022, the Deputy Minister of Transportation, Carlos Eduardo Enríquez, spoke to the entrepreneurs in the transportation sector to discuss the concerns that plague the industry in the midst of the current economic situation.
At the event, the official highlighted the importance of strengthening the institutional framework and closeness with the business community, for this reason and understanding the strength of the logistics sector, he spoke of the possibility of making adjustments in the Ministry of Transport and create the logistics department, in order to give recognition and work on regulation, with the creation of projects and solutions for this industry that moves the country hand in hand with companies.
(See: Update ACPM formula and toll policy, Colfecar orders).
“We must have an exclusive address to work on logistics, that is essential“, said.
On the other hand, the deputy minister spoke in the first place about the progress of the goals in the National Development Plan in terms of mobility. The three objectives that the Government will take into account are framed in: lower logistics costs, reduce road accidents and move towards clean energy. It is worth remembering that this project will be discussed on February 7.
“We must reduce logistics costs, it is essential, we must also reduce the accident rate in the country, we cannot have 8,000 victims a year in Colombia and finally we must propose the roadmap to reduce the time of use of vehicles in the country, we are talking about energy transition“, he pointed.
(See: Balance of the implementation of electronic payment in tolls in the country).
Regarding tolls, Enríquez was cautious when talking about the subject, and assured that although the tolls that would be opened for the next few years (30 in total) are being reviewed one by one due to the start of operation of some Fourth Generation works.
“When a junction is made, they tell us: this is what happens on the country’s roads, contracts that have already been signed. I would not like to say that the 30, or 28 or 27 will be maintained, but we have within that cost structure that you are assuming a responsibility, if there is going to be an entity that defends the transportation sector, it is Minister Guillermo Reyes, and I your deputy minister that we will solve these problems“, he pointed.
And it is that in the presentation of junction last August, Constanza García, coordinator of the sector highlighted the challenge was mainly the tolls of the concession roads in Colombia, This is because the Government should install between 2022 and 2023 approximately 19 new stations, according to what was said at the time, in order to finance finished works of Fourth Generation.
(See: Transporters: regulation and hikes among the sector’s alerts).
“We have several meetings in different sectors of the country, we are always there, and we will be very aware of what we can do with you.”, he finished.
Finally Enríquez sent a message of calm to the sector going through a difficult situation and pointed out that the portfolio will continue working for and in favor of the industry.
(See: More work for the same price: inflation blows to transport).
PAULA GALEANO BALAGUERA
Journalist Portfolio
Twitter: @Paula1GB
