US embassy cable - 05SANSALVADOR2198

UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 002198 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, EPET, ENRG, ES 
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT GETTING WORKERS UP AND OUT 30 MINUTES 
EARLIER TO CONSERVE FUEL USE 
 
1. On June 8, President Saca announced the formation of a 
public-private sector "National Emergency Commission" to 
identify ways to mitigate the impact of high global 
petroleum prices.  On July 22, the government announced that 
it would implement four measures to reduce traffic 
congestion and thereby conserve fuel use.  As a result, a 
large part of the public sector work force in San Salvador 
was required to report to work 30 minutes earlier today, the 
first day back at work for residents of the capital 
following the August 3-6 holidays. 
 
2.  The changes, which took effect today for a two-month 
trial period, include: 
 
a. advance work hours at central government ministries by 30 
minutes.  In July, the Ministry of Economy said that 30 
percent of the 78,000 public employees in San Salvador 
commute by private vehicle; changing the work schedule for 
the central government (autonomous agencies, the Supreme 
Court and the legislative branch are not covered by the 
measures) means that 23,000 vehicles will be on (and off) 
the roads earlier, improving traffic flow.  Government 
employees will work from 7:30 to 3:30 rather than from 8:00 
to 4:00; 
 
b.  remove 500 old buses from roads in the center of the 
city, relocate bus stops, and limit cargo transport during 
rush hour (comment: private sector sources assert that old 
buses have not yet been demobilized and question the 
government's ability to carry through on this commitment); 
 
c.  deploy police at strategic traffic points in the city of 
San Salvador to manage traffic; and 
 
d.  develop a plan to broadcast traffic accident information 
to motorists. 
 
  3.   The National Emergency Commission is composed of the 
      Ministers of Labor, Economy, and Public Works, the Vice 
      Minister of Transport in the Public Works Ministry, the 
      national police director, and the presidents of the National 
      Private Enterprise Association (ANEP), the Salvadoran 
      Industrialists Association (ASI), Fusades (think tank), and 
      the Salvadoran Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In 
      implementing the measures put in place today, the GOES has 
      moved on a number of the proposals proposed in the 
      commission, although others - including moving the clock up 
      - have not been endorsed.  While generally supportive of the 
      government's changes, the private sector organizations 
      involved have been conservative about adopting changes in 
      their work schedules and, in private, some have criticized 
      the government for not doing more to relieve the pinch of 
      energy prices.  In an August 8 conversation with emboff, the 
      analyst at a key association rebuked the government for the 
      limited scope of measures being considered, emphasizing his 
      association's longstanding call for greater exploitation of 
      hydropower resources (comment:  part of a policy approach 
      which also includes pressure on government to bear down on 
      expensive thermal electricity generators), incentives for 
      renewable energy, and measures to (once and for all) 
      rationalize the provision of bus transport to the public. 
      Unscientific soundings indicated that traffic conditions 
      were no easier today, the first day of government's revised 
      work hours. 
 
Barclay