Monday, January 18, 2010

 

SCT Seeks to Make Mexico a Primary Logistics Platform

 

By Omar González

 

The Secretariat of Communications and Transport (SCT), the lead agency of networks and communication channels, plans to turn Mexico into the main logistical platform of North America, declared Juan Francisco Molinar Horcasitas, head of the agency.

 

During the presentation of major investment projects that the SCT has set for this year, Molinar Horcasitas, said it is of utmost importance that Mexican ports receive Asian containers before they arrive at American ports.

 

To encourage this sector, the secretary urged investment in the modernization and expansion of the national infrastructure in ports, especially at Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan, which "will be the second largest port in the American Pacific."

 

Regarding the road sector, the SCT will invest $36 billion pesos, of which $16.0 will be used for new construction and modernization of land routes; $8.5 to the conservation of those already existing; $10.0 to roads and bridges; and $1.5 to the Temporary Employment Program.

 

Highlighted among the highway projects presented by the agency was the South Arc corridor that will be part of Mexico, Puebla, Oaxaca and Hidalgo, and require an investment of $25.2 billion pesos.

 

The agency will also provide resources for the Matamoros Railroad beltway, a project that will give great impetus to the Tamaulipas border region since it is planned to access the international bridges from Reynosa and Matamoros.

 

Molinar Horcasitas described the administration of President Felipe Calderon as "the six-year term of infrastructure" by revealing that during the first three years of his term public and private investment in communications and transportation is 2.5 times higher than the six-year terms of Vicente Fox and Ernesto Zedillo.

 

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e-mid (Mexico Investor Digest), Jan. 13, 2010; Mexico Investor Digest is a reference for the business market, which offers integral products and services that help and promote the development of highly competitive businesses in Mexico; Universidad de las Americas, Mexico City; translation e-mid.