Mexico Piecing Together $9.9 Billion Investment Package for Infrastructure

Mexico’s Department of Communications and Transportation (DCT) has plans to pour $9.9 billion into infrastructure development, especially in roads, seaports, railroads, airports and tourism, explained Jose Juan Martin Romero, director-general of the Project Planning and Assessment Division for the DCT.

Mr. Romero noted the biggest chunk of the money will be funneled into the improvement of the nation’s road grid, a sector that has already used up $2 billion and will soon get an additional $4 billion. In the same breath, airports will get a $2 billion shot in the arm, while railroads and seaports will divvy up $400 million and $1.5 billion, respectively.

Mexico is willing to give infrastructure a new lease on life in an effort to be competitively and commercially up to par with its two richer NAFTA (North America Free Trade Agreement) partners, he said.

In reference to the Puebla-Panama Plan, Mr. Romero pointed out there’s a projection to invest over $5 million in order to boost up the growth of economic, human and ecological wealth for a region that embraces some 50 million people.

In other details about the megabuck package, the Secretary-general revealed that some $16.5 million will be used to bankroll sustainable development endeavors, as well as $31.5 million into human development and $27 million to settle legal disputes on disasters.

The figure also earmarks $51.7 million for tourism, $23.5 million for easing trade exchange, $4.5 billion for vial integration, $447 million for power integration, and $1.2 million for telecommunications.

Mr. Romero concluded the governments of Mexico and other Central American countries have committed to build a mesh of roads –both the Pacific and Atlantic corridors, plus their corresponding branch roads- stretching out for little more than 900 miles.