Within two months, the new priority road infrastructure directory (DIPP) must designate the first manager, who will be in charge of evaluating the state of road infrastructure classified as a priority, according to information provided by Sandra Valdez, of the Communication Team of the Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing (CIV). From this evaluation, the first projects to improve the main roads of the country can be defined.
The Priority Road Infrastructure Law, also known as Decree 29-2024, It was approved on November 12, 2024. This regulation contemplates Diagnosis, preinversion, prioritization, planning, construction and maintenance of the main roads of Guatemala.
According to Cecilia Pivaral, director of the Revolvent Fund for Pre -Navaria in Strategic Infrastructure, The manager must be a person who knows both the functioning of the government and the private sector. In addition, he mentioned that he should have knowledge in Project and finance management. For Pivaral, you must gather the leadership capabilities and technical knowledge necessary to effectively perform this position.
Pivaral also argued that the ideal profile would include knowledge in engineering, although it does not consider it an indispensable requirement. Is someone who has to have a high negotiation capacity to reach agreements on the State name from long -term contractsPivaral said, who added that the manager must be a good counterpart for high -level private actors.
Schedule that the dipp must follow
According to data provided by Cecilia Pivaral, on the following dates key tasks for full operation of the Priority Road Infrastructure Law and the beginning of strategic projects should be completed:
- 25.03.2025 (30 days from the validity of the law): Appointment of the members of the first board, in charge of the Minister of the CIV.
- 25.03.2025 (15 days after the integration of the Board of Directors): Appointment of the Committee responsible for evaluating candidates to hold the position of first manager of the DIPP.
- 25.05.2025 (2 months after appointing the committee): Appointment of the first manager by the Evaluation Committee.
- 23.05.2025 (90 days from the validity of the law): Enabling the special book for the registration, annotation and cancellation of real estate or possession rights.
- 04.07.2025 (4 months after integrating the directory): Definition of international standards that will be adopted for the evaluation of priority road infrastructure.
- 25.11.2025 (6 months after the inauguration of the first manager): Start of hiring, tenders or agreements to carry out the first evaluation of the state of the infrastructure considered a priority.
- 25.11.2026 (12 months after the first evaluation): Preparation and presentation of the first priority road infrastructure plan.
- 02.07.2026 (18 months from the validity of the law): Integration and organization of the DIPP in management bodies, as well as evaluation, establishment and implementation of internal procedures and systems.
- 20.07.2026 (18 months from the validity of the law): Presentation of a technical, legal and financial report of all contracts that influence priority projects.
- 20.01.2028 (36 months from the validity of the law): The DIPP must fully assume the functions and powers assigned to the Board of Directors and the CIV must deliver to the DIPP the projects that are free of contractual disputes.
New directory and regulation in process
The priority road infrastructure law contemplates the creation of three additional regulations: The Regulation of the Law, the Internal Organic Regulations with its Operations Manual and the Precalified Regulations, according to Pivarral.
In accordance with the CIV, the main regulation of the law is in the process of elaboration and it is planned to present the first draft proposal during the next meeting of the Priority Road Infrastructure Board (DIPP). This session, Valdez detailed, will take place in the first days of April.
Pivaral indicated that the regulation must promote the generation of actions so that the Board can advance aspects such as the Prioritization, planning, design and construction. He also noted that it is essential to have technical specifications that include project management indicators, supervision mechanisms, evaluation of works and issues related to financing. He added that the fund of which the resources will also provide must have their own regulations.
On the other hand, the DIPP was officially made up of early March. The information provided by Valdez details that the members of the Board of Directors are:
- Miguel Ángel Díaz Bobadilla (Minister of the Civ)
- Allan Renad Guevara Hernández (Vice Minister of CIV)
- Jonathan Kiril Thomas Menkos Zeissig (Minister of Public Finance)
- Walter Orlando Figueroa Chávez (Deputy Minister of Public Finance)
- Adriana Gabriela García Pacheco (Minister of Economy)
- Antonio José Romero Florián (Vice Minister of Economy)
- Carmen Abril (Director of the Guatemala International Transport Users Council
- Mariano Rayo Muñoz (April substitute)
- Byron Pivaral Albarizaes (President of the College of Engineers of Guatemala)
- Carlos Eduardo Ipiña Casasola (Pivarral substitute)