The acquisition plan proposed by the Government for a $91 million loan funded by the BCIE, and destined for the second phase of the Territorial Control Plan, includes the construction of a technology university in Chalatenango and a park on the site of the exzoo, located in San Jacinto.
The government intends to build a park in the Barrio San Jacinto and a technology university in Chalatenango with part of the $91 million loan that the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) granted for the second phase of the Territorial Control Plan (PCT).
According to the General Procurement Plan that the Government has developed, and which is available on the BCIE website, they plan to use $70,240,958.61 in seven infrastructure projects, with the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) as executing agency. The rest of the money would be paid for consultancies, technical folders, project monitoring, acquisition of goods and others.
Nearly half of the infrastructure funds – 47.1 per cent – would go to the construction of a Metropolitan Park in San Jacinto, which would be located on the land where the National Zoo operated in San Salvador Centro.
This project would be implemented in three packages, valued at $33,057,707.67. The first is the conversion of the exzoo, for almost $15.1 million; another $7.23 million would be for a cyclopeatonal walk and the third, for almost $10.8 million, would cover the construction of the San Jacinto Passeo.
The second most expensive work to be financed with the loan is the construction of the Chalatenango Technological University (UNITECH), which would be located in the district and department of the same name. Nearly $17.6 million would be invested here.
On July 27, during an event of the National Integration Directorate, the head of the Ministry of Education (MINED), José Mauricio Pineda, said that they were in the process of creating a technological university, the TEC El Salvador, but the official did not give further details.
The government promised to turn the Chalatenango expenal into an UES headquarters, which according to its plans would look like the image. However, the transfer of land did not take place and even the funds for the project were eliminated from the budget./LPG File
Pineda’s announcement came at a time when the University of El Salvador (UES), the only state in the country, is trying to survive a financial crisis caused by the administration of Nayib Bukele, which since 2022 has not transferred $48 million from its statutory budget to the institution.
Nor has the government fulfilled the promise made in 2019 to turn the Chalatenango expenal into an UES headquarters. An agreement for the transfer of land was signed in 2021, but this did not happen. For the 2024 budget, the funds for the project were no longer covered.
The Government’s proposal for the BCIE loan also includes $12.15 million for the design, construction and equipment of 10 Urban Welfare and Opportunities Centres (CUBO); as well as $7.5 million to design, build and equip a classroom building at the National School of Agriculture, Roberto Quiñónez.
First disbursement of the loan was received in April
The $91 million loan finances the Social Development Programme in the Framework of the Financing Programme of the Territorial Control Plan, in its phase II. The Legislative Assembly ratified the credit contract in May 2021, but it was until April 26 that the Government received the first $5 million.
The BCIE explained to the RAMIF PRESS that, together with the government, they modified the loan contract in July 2023. According to the legislative decree containing the changes, the deadline for meeting the preconditions for the first disbursement was extended, increasing it to 36 months from the date of the contract.
The bank added that having programmed use of funds for projects, it was intended to prepare and submit: the technical portfolio of the projects, initiate and advance the respective tendering and competition processes.
For the moment, the only works that are in the process of tendering and tendering. The other works are in the formulation phase of technical folders, said the BCIE. Precisely the first $5 million has been allocated for administrative payments of these works.
In 2022 the closure of the zoo was approved, but to date it is unknown where the government has sheltered the park’s species collection./LPG Archive
According to the BCIE website, the procurement plan was updated on 13 December last year. The goal of the Government was to start 2024 with four tenders, to begin the work on June 10: on 15 January it hoped to announce the first package of five CUBOS and for 29 of the same month it scheduled the second, as well as the cyclopeatonal bridge in San Jacinto and the classrooms of the ENA.
By April 10, it scheduled to publish the tender to convert the exzoologic, with a view to starting work on 19 August.
By August 8, it planned to begin the process for Paseo San Jacinto and the university, in order to start construction on December 17.
The BCIE said the government will not be penalized for delays in execution. Plan (…) is a dynamic tool that allows updating the projection of the program’s acquisitions. The Executioner Agency is urged to move forward in the bidding processes, but there is no penalty, he said.
In addition to changing the deadline for the first disbursement, they also modified the participation of the MOP, which now appears as the sole executing agency. In the initial contract, signed in March 2020, Public Works appeared as the coordinating body of the programme, while the implementers were the Ministries of the Interior, Culture and Health; the extinct Institute of Vocational Training (INSAFORP), the National Administration of Aqueducts and Sewers (ANDA) and the National Institute of Sports (INDES).
This article has been translated after first appearing in La Prensa Grafica