Two leaders of the Workers Party (PT), which won the presidential election last month, have called for Communications Minister Juarez Quadros and Luiz Guilherme Schymura, director-general of Anatel, to explain in detail the terms on which incumbent local exchange and long-distance carrier licenses will be renewed. Deputies Walter Pinheiro (PT, Bahia) e Jorge Bittar (PT, Rio de Janeiro) filed the request Wednesday, November 6, with the Science & Technology Committee of the lower house. A senior source in the PT says the two congressmen, considered the party?s top experts on telecommunications, had heard that Messrs Quadros and Schymura were likely to prioritize the incumbents? interests over those of users. The source noted, however, that the request was unnecessary because a public consultation on new licenses is in progress. ?All they have done is create a climate of distrust, in my view,? adds the source.
Internal dispute
Analysts see the congressmen?s move as a sign of the difficulties the PT faces in deciding who will be responsible for telecoms in the incoming Administration led by President-Elect Lula. ?If a person had been chosen to take responsibility, he or she could simply meet with Quadros and Schymura and find out whatever they need to know,? says the director of a fund manager.
