An interesting comparison was made by journalist Humberto Vacaflor on El Deber today: On labor day, while in Huanuni Oruro on May 1st, president stated that people had to wait for new mining, hydrocarbon and investment laws; as well as for banking, commerce and trading laws.  Uncertainty has proven to be a bad sign, investment remains stagnant, inflation roars (remember December 2010?); Bolivia needs the announcement of laws being approved not in the process of being designed…

Not to long ago, at the time of announcing more natural gas reserves (Aquío, Cordillera province in Santa Cruz), president stated his government would like to encourage investment. Around the same time, Mexican vice-minister, Rogelio Granguillhome, was arriving Bolivia to request compliance of the law regarding Chihuahua Mexican company investment on Soboce shares for the cement factory in Sucre, Fancesa. Chihuahua investment is not protected and remains unclear and certainly that needs to be avoided.

Bolivia needs investment, despite existing competition among countries like ours to get capitals and generate employment. Any good government, here or elsewhere, needs to prepare the rules of the game well in advance of political speeches… Now information travels fast and disseminates rapidly, Bolivia needs sound and effective public policies to attract foreign investment.