The Chief of Staff's office gains support from the GDP regarding the ports bill.
Minister Gleisi Hoffmann met with representatives of employers' associations, who expressed support for the provisional measure that opens up the port sector; "we came here practically to beg the government not to back down, because these institutions need competition, they need efficiency," said Senator Kátia Abreu, president of the Confederation of Agriculture.
Danilo Macedo
Reporter from Agência Brasil
Brasilia - The Chief Minister of the Civil House, Gleisi Hoffmann, received today (18) at the Planalto Palace, together with the Minister-Chief of the Secretariat of Ports, Leônidas Cristino, representatives of employers' associations. The businessmen asked the government to maintain the “principle” that governs Provisional Measure 595, published in December 2012, which establishes new legislation for ports.
“We came here practically to beg the government not to back down, because these institutions need competition, they need efficiency. We need more ports in Brazil,” said Senator Kátia Abreu (PSD), president of the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA).
Last week, ministers received representatives of port sector workers who asked the federal government to discuss the changes introduced by MP 595. According to Leônicas Cristino, this Thursday (21) the workers should be received to present their demands.
In addition to the CNA, representatives from the Confederation of Industry (CNI), the Confederation of Commerce (CNC), and the Confederation of Transport (CNT) participated in the meeting, as well as the associations of the Chemical Industry (Abquim) and Infrastructure and Basic Industries (Abdib). As spokesperson for the group, Senator Kátia Abreu spoke about the inefficiency of the Brazilian port system, which can be addressed with the new legislation.
According to the president of the CNA (National Confederation of Agriculture), the privatization of ports carried out about two decades ago was "exceptional" and allowed for a multiplication of the volume of cargo transported, but it still leaves the country among the last in the world ranking. "While the world average is two days to load or unload, in Brazil it is three times that. The ten best ports in the world, which are in Asia, operate 24 hours a day. All of this should be reversed with these changes in the Provisional Measure."
Business leaders say the text of the provisional measure needs adjustments, but that the Civil House has positioned itself in favor of not altering the part that interests them most. These are rules that allow private ports to operate independently of their own cargo. Business leaders believe that with greater competition and competitiveness, there will be increased efficiency and reduced freight costs.