CAP: Gov't not going to change
its economic reform program
By Daily Journal Staff
President Carlos Andres
Perez assured the National
Trade and Services Council
on Sunday that the govern-
ment will not change its
economic reform program
despite potencial difficulties
it may cause in the short
term.
Consercomercio officials,
together with represen-
tatives of some 60 trade and
services chambers, met with
Perez and presented him a
document containing their
opinions on various aspects of
the government's economic government were to blame major complaints is the state
policies. for this "mistake." of Venezuela's public
Consecomercio President . He said the businessmen services. Perez said they are
Edgard Romero Nava ex- bore part of the responsibility the most extensive and costly
pressed his support fo r "by accepting imports under in Latin America, but are
Perez's program as the only those conditions when they rapidly deteriorating.
way to establish a free com- knew that at some point the
He said one of the problems
petitive economy, control in- dollar would have to reach its was that in the past they
flation and achieve economic true value ." The ·govern-
were heavily subsidized, so
growth. He also lauded the ment, however, is also partly people did not care about the
concertaci6n talks, saying to blame, he said, because " it services because they were
they are an effective way to . established norms which it paying so little . Now,
confront the problems facing · knew could not be fulfilled." however, people are going to
the private sector. . He said letter of credit have to pay a fair price for
Regarding the council's payments will cause almost a the service, which means they
concern over letter of credit 10 percent drop in the gross will be able to demand that it
payments, Perez said that national product for 1989. meets meets their demands,
both businessmen and the One of Consercomercio's he said.