Saturday, September 09, 2006
Stress transparency to attract investors: Cebu officials told
For Cebu to make more investors come and stay, it’s important for the government to stress transparency and efficiency in its projects.
This is according to Asia Bond Director Marshall Mays, a participant in the Asia-Pacific Infrastructure Conference in Hong Kong organized by the Euromoney Conferences.
He told reporters that many investors have bad experiences with Manila.
“You need to emphasize clean and transparent procurement processes, and be able to show that you are running a tight ship, especially in the auditing aspect. Manila is not very strong on that,” Mays said in an interview.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, who urged investors from 36 countries to become the Cebu Provincial Government’s partner in development, enumerated specific projects that the private sector can invest in.
“We make good business partners,” she said.
Garcia mentioned Cebu’s “independent, self-reliant and entrepreneurial culture.” She also said that unlike many local government units in the Philippines, Cebu is not relying on the National Government.
In the gathering, Garcia called on businessmen to spend money for Cebu’s trans-axial highway, solid waste management operation, the farmers’ market and the later expansion of the Cebu International Convention Center to accommodate an international sports arena.
She also told investors of the recovery of 80 hectares of prime commercial lots from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which asked the Capitol to include in development plans its 30-hectare property that is contiguous to that of the Province. (JPM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 9, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
