AN president depending on oil revenues to fund and improve social programs

www.vheadline.com Posted: Wednesday, March 19, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

National Assembly (AN) president Francisco Ameliach admits that the government’s social programs have not been up to scratch and says funds will start rolling in once the effects of improved administration at Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) pay dividends in Q2.

Ameliach also forecasts a reactivation of the economy despite what he dismisses as “bad news mongering of so-called economic experts.” Attacking print & broadcast media, Ameliach criticizes lack of media coverage of AN events. “When I became AN president, I met the heads of the different parliamentary groups and agreed to turn the Assembly in Venezuela’s main forum for political debate … the opposition has returned to the AN after the stoppage and we have set up an appointments committee for the new National Electoral College (CNE). We've reached a House agreement condemning terrorism … the Energy & Mines (MEM) Minister has been invited to address the House on the Delta Platform natural gas program … that wouldn’t have happened last year.”

Primero Justicia (PJ) deputy, Liliana Hernandez receives praise for her well-thought out contribution to the foreign exchange rate debate but Ameliach has slammed critics of the Armed Force (FAN) for harping on its incapacity to keep tabs on Colombian guerrilla incursions. “A time will come when the FAN will dub those politicians as enemies, just as they did with Gente del Petroleo activists for sabotaging PDVSA.”

Ameliach says he spend 15 years as an officer in the FAN, 9 of which were spent in border areas.