PAN wants public to have a say in Mexico City

A new bill would force City Hall to hold 'consultations' before starting construction projects

Mexico Weekly / April 4, 2011

A PAN assemblyman has proposed a bill that would force City Hall to hold public consultations before beginning construction on any public works project.

PAN lawmaker Federico Manzo has submitted a bill to the Federal District Legislative Assembly to modify the city's law on public projects, at a time when social movements claim City Hall has not maintained dialogue with residents near the sites of several major construction projects.

“We want the city government and the boroughs to be obliged, by law, to hold public consultations before beginning any project that implies alterations to the lives and habits of capital residents,” said Manzo, a member of the Transportation Committee, Reforma reported Monday.

Although the current law on public projects recommends that government officials “listen to and evaluate” the opinions of citizens, the provisions do not specify if the opinions are binding.

Bill Faces Hurdles

Manzo's bill would oblige the city government to hold such consultations in certain cases: when public areas would be affected; when streets would be closed permanently; when the project would impact the income of nearby businesses; and when the structure of nearby real estate would be affected.

The consultation would also need to take place six months before project bidding begins, the bill proposes.

Some residents and social groups say the capital government has lacked communication and transparency as several projects are underway: the Supervía (a bypass to connect the Santa Fe district with southern Mexico City); Line 12 of the Metro (in the southeastern-southern areas); an arena and stadium in Azcapotzalco; and the recently completed Line 3 of the Metrobús (in central Mexico City).

A common complaint among people living near project sites is that the extent of the impact on the environment, traffic, noise, pollution and aesthetics was never made clear before construction began, and was not made clear until after the project was well under way.

The bill faces several hurdles. Among them that the PAN only holds 14 seats in the 66-member Legislative Assembly. In contrast, the governing PRD holds 34 seats, with which they practically control the assembly.

Public works projects have been one of the shining points of Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard.

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PAN deputies accuse Mexico City's government of corruption

Accuse City Hall of not being willing to provide receipts and contracts between the Public Works and Services Secretariat and four businesses

By BRONSON PETTITT

Mexico Weekly / Feb. 16, 2011

Opposition deputies on Wednesday denounced the Mexico City government's purchases of construction materials and the alleged opacity in information.

PAN Deputy Lía Limón and Mexico City PAN president Obdulio Ávila Mayo displayed in a press conference four freedom of information requests they submitted Jan. 11.

The documents, filed to the InfoDF transparency institute, request receipts and contracts between the city's Public Works and Services Secretariat (SOS) and four businesses, including Codinamex, Grupo Ferretera del Norte, Grupo Comercial Oceánica, and Grupo Pamline.

These businesses won contracts to provide construction materials for several public projects, but the city government refused to release the information.

Via the InfoDF responses dated Jan. 28, the SOS said the bidding and purchase information was classified for seven years “or if before the end of the restriction period the reasons that justify restricted access are no longer valid,” according to the response of the information request.

The secretariat on May 4 began a bidding process to purchase 76 types of construction materials, including 1,300 tons of paint.

The bidding process is identified as SOS/DGA/LPN/30001044/008/2010.

It was revealed that some of the products, including paint, thinner and metal rods, were purchased above average prices, and that some were shipped from the U.S., breaking one of the contract regulations that 50 percent of products be bought in Mexico, according to Limón.

Classified Information

“This information should have been on the Internet, and as of today (Wednesday), it is not,” Limón said.

“Information can be reserved when one of the bidders challenges the process and there is evidence that the bid has sensitive information,” Limón said. “In this case, there shouldn't be information that is classified.”

She accused SOS Secretary Fernando Aboitiz of being inconsistent.

“It's embarrassing that the city government reserve this information on these purchases, because the only thing it reflects is opacity, and where there is opacity, there is corruption,” Limón said.

Previous capital administrations have also reserved information on construction projects. When the Segundo Piso (elevated highway) was being constructed, some contract and purchasing information was classified for seven years.

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