13 April 2010 | Interviews | Water
Sit-In For Water
Interview with Nora Fernandez, activist against privatization of water in Guayaquil
2:44 minutes
Download: MP3 (1.9 Mb)
Several social organizations from Ecuador are calling a sit-in outside the National Assembly (which is discussing the Water Resources Bill) to expel INTERAGUA, a company which has not complied with its concession to provide drinking water and sewage.
Nora Fernandez is member of the National Group against the Foreign Debt of Ecuador, one of the organizers of the mobilization to recover this essential service.
Nora said to Real World Radio that in 1997, in the framework of a series of neoliberal structural adjustments promoted in several countries and through the Inter American Development Bank, the infrastructure of the Guayaquil Drinking Water and Sewage Company was given to International Water Services, also known as INTERAGUA.
INTERAGUA committed itself, under its own commercial risk, to operate, maintain and manage services and the necessary investments.
However, INTERAGUA did not comply with its investment and services obligations. This has to be added to the high rates charged, which are not affordable for most of the population, damaging Ecuador and violating the rights to water, health and a sound environment of many people.
Hepatitis, high costs of living, and drinking water shortage, among other negative effects for the population, are the consequences of the presence of the company in Guayaquil. Despite this, the company continued profiting.
The 40 million dollar loan granted to INTERAGUA was filled with irregularities, according to the General Audit Commission, an institution created to analyze the debts of Ecuador.
The Commission recommended in 2008 the termination of the contract. In addition, the Constitution of Ecuador establishes in its article 12: “The water is a public, inalienable, non-lapsable strategic national heritage which is essential to life”.
However, the Water Resources Bill would allow the presence of INTERAGUA for 20 years more.
According to Nora Fernandez, this special treatment responds to the fact that high officials from Rafael Correa´s administration are directly linked to the company.
“This company is charging for its services but it isn´t investing”, said Nora, and added that the company has a 5 million dollar fine for not complying with sanitation and sewage projects in some neighborhoods of Guayaquil.
Photo: 1.bp.blogspot.com
