Two hours after his inauguration on January 1, Communications Minister Miro Teixeira addressed an audience of labor leaders in telecoms, journalism, postal service and other areas (Fenaj, Abraço, Abccom, Fittel etc.) to tell them they represented ?the top priority? in the alliance that brought President Luís Inácio Lula da Silva to power. Mr Teixeira has long been a leftwing congressman and is a founding member of the Democratic Labor Party (PDT), led by Leonel Brizola. Mr Teixeira said many of the people present at his official swearing-in had ?just shown up saying they?re friends, but my real friends are you,? he said. ?I?ve known you in the struggle for a long time.? The minister said his door will be open to allcomers but he will give priority to the unions: ?You won?t even have to make an appointment to see me,? he said. President Lula wants decisions to be taken swiftly for the benefit of the public but ?there will be no scope for carelessness?. The Communications Ministry will be ?totally ethical?, he said, promising not to tolerate any mistakes by his staff. He also said he?s reviewing some decisions taken by his predecessor just before leaving office, including issuance and cancellation of television licenses considered ?strange?.
Criticism of Anatel
José Zunga, chairman of Fittel, the interstate federation of workers in telecommunications companies, took the opportunity of lashing out at Anatel, Brazil?s telecoms regulator. The model spearheaded by Anatel, he said, has ?destroyed skilled and quality jobs in the industry by promoting the widespread use of outsourcing?. He also accused Anatel of failing to foster universal access to telephone service. Instead, he claimed, ?it has created two types of user: those who have a telephone and those who are blacklisted by the credit reporting bureaus for failure to pay their bills on time?. Mr Zunga said the unions are fed up with Anatel?s failure to take action in defense of the people?s interests. ?We?re adopting a zero-tolerance policy on Anatel. We want a complete change in the attitudes taken by the regulator. We?re the Government now and we want a 100% democratic agency,? he thundered. It?s worth noting that José Palácio, appointed by Communications Minister Miro Teixeira as executive secretary of the ministry (equivalent to deputy minister), is a labor leader and a former member of Fittel?s executive committee. Many of the federation?s activists are members of the PDT or the Workers Party (PT), the senior partner in the ruling coalition. Mr Zunga is a member of the PT and apparently has the minister?s ear. Fittel wants to see Brígido Ramos heading a newly created department of telecommunications services.
