In the hands of deputies, 10 laws that could “change the rules of the game” – Publinews – 2024-03-14 21:57:07

Analysis. At least 10 reform projects pending approval in the Congress of the Republic could change the rules of the game or influence the modernization of the public sector, according to a study carried out by two analysts from the Institute of National Problems of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala (Ipnusac).

Edgar Balsells recently published the article “Modernization of the State from the Legislative Agenda” and Lizandro Acuña, “General appreciations of the 2024 Legislative Agenda.” Both examine the proposals that the Legislature could approve under a new dynamic of benches far from the Vamos ruling party.

For Balsells, deputies should focus on the following proposals:

Recommended

1. Electoral and political party law initiative.

2. Market competition law initiative, 5074.

3. Civil service bill initiative.

4. State contracting law initiative.

5. Passive classes bill, 5563.

6. Initiative to reform the Inacif law, 6169.

7. Framework law initiative for consumer defense and protection, 5082.

8. Women’s economic development law initiative, 5452.

9. Biodiversity and ancestral knowledge law initiative, 6086.

10. Initiative for reforms to the Organic Law of the Legislative Body.

Acuña analyzed four initiatives: the reforms to the Electoral, State Contracting, Inacif and Organic Legislative laws.

With warnings

Balsells emphasizes that a good bill must have financial feasibility, first of all its costs, as well as its social and strict benefits, including sources of financing.

“The approach to approaching the proposals that are cited and discussed points to a search for the design of reforms that are linked to governing instruments of public administration. Addressing retiree pensions, increasing them, for example, without a general civil service or actuarial framework, is nothing more than a ‘botch’, one of the many that are being carried out at the level of human resources administration.” , he warned.

While, for Acuña, it is necessary to know the background of the law initiatives to determine their purpose, regulation and viability in the social, political, economic and legal sphere.

“In a first contribution, it is necessary to analyze the priority issues that should be included in the reforms, without ignoring other proposals arising from the social discussion; This is decisive in decision-making, essentially, when it comes to issues of national interest,” he remarked.

The Legislative panorama

Deputy Samuel Pérez, the main face within the Congress of the Semilla Movement, a suspended bench, explained that he was unaware of the proposed list, but that some of them seemed appropriate to support.

In addition, he mentioned that the reforms to the Electoral and Political Parties Law are making progress. He recalled that these are analyzed by CAME; The competition law initiative is under analysis by a specific commission.

“To advance it and in a couple of months we have the goal of approving it,” he added.

The Inacif Law would also be in the interest of the opposition alliance and, according to Pérez, for the aforementioned initiatives there are agreements, but no defined approval times.

For this report, the opinion of the president of Congress, Nery Ramos, was sought, but at the closing he had not provided a position.