The launch of the initiative to create a water law was presented at the Palace of Culture on Thursday, August 29. The event was led by President Bernardo Arévalo and Vice President Karin Herrera.
The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Patricia Orantes, was also present and stressed the need to create such regulations. She explained that there is support from both the indigenous sector and the private sector to work on the issue.
“The process will be launched at a historic moment when the Guatemalan government has sufficient and necessary communication ties with indigenous groups, the private sector and interested sectors,” said the head of the portfolio.
He also said that the aim is for the process to be based on technical studies to avoid it being subject to political will. For the moment, he explained that talks will be held with all the sectors involved and that lessons learned from past initiatives and dialogue processes will be used.
The president assured that the Executive has the support for the construction of the initiative and that they will seek to build this national solution together with the sectors.
The President of Congress, Nery Ramos, also added that in the last 30 years, nearly 20 initiatives have been submitted to the Legislature regarding the subject, but only two have a favorable opinion while the rest are archived.
“It must be addressed as a short, medium and long-term public policy,” Ramos said.
Authorities said that specific regulations are needed because the aquifers are contaminated, especially by sewage and deforestation. In addition, one of the most affected regions is Verapaces.
Water Cabinet
Vice President Herrera announced that “the Specific Water Cabinet will be launched shortly” through which work will be done on the National Water Policy to promote it from the Executive, before the initiative is approved in Congress.
The Water Cabinet is about to complete the administrative process for its launch, as the legal and financial opinions were still pending, according to recent information from the Environment portfolio.
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