Bitar hopes to save user and treasury finances with TAG negotiation

To see international photos, click here

SANTIAGO.- In the face of the imminent renovation process that all motor vehicles with the TAG system will have to complete, Minister of Public Works, Sergio Bitar, has promised to negotiate in order to save both user and public money.

"We have to negotiate well in order to protect the resources of both private users and the State", maintained the official in a statement to Radio Cooperativa. He also guaranteed that he is fighting for the lowest possible price for the replacement.

"The replacement of those that were turned in first, that were financed by the State (....), I want to look it over carefully in order to secure the lowest cost possible, and it has to be lower than 1 UF", stated the Minister.

Bitar explained that since 2006 an agreement has existed with the concessionary companies that replace the device, and that it specifies what can be charged for TAG replacement. He also stated that a second agreement from last year established that new TAG systems will have a maximum value of 1 UF, and that the price would be revised every December.

The official clarified that he will not authorize the charge of 1 UF until he has the studies in hand and a fair negotiation underway. Regardless, he is firm in his assertion that the terms of the agreement will be complied with.