NewsWhore
07-24-2008, 04:40 PM
Lawyer Marisol Vicens Bello criticizes today the intervention of the President of the Republic in the Chevron conflict with the Association of Petroleum Transporters (ATP) and the Autonomous Syndicate of Petroleum Transporter Chauffeurs (SACTPA). She stresses that more than a conflict between two parties, what is on the table is whether a contract, the Constitution and court judgments will prevail versus the protection of individual interests.
She writes that the ATP and SACTPA seek to forcefully maintain their exclusive right to transport Texaco fuel. Three years ago, Chevron decided to seek more efficiency in the transport and choose what they consider their better options. Vicens writes that unvariably the attitude of the government has been to protect the interests of the transporters and chauffeurs above the contracts, the Constitution and the laws.
She highlights that this case could have been handled as a business conflict, and probably a definite solution would have been reached in the courts or with a negotiated solution between the parts. But, "the intervention of the authorities has delayed its solution, and the authorities have even requested that Chevron postpone their optimization plan to 2013."
"Aware that their claims would not be upheld by the correct application of law, the transporters and chauffeurs, under the protective blanket of their supposed unions, have decided to appeal to force and blackmail to impede that Chevron exercise its right to business," she writes in El Caribe.
Vicens commends Chevron for its stand of defending its rights in court. "And the court that ruled in their favor ordered the immediate cease of actions that are placing obstacles to the freedom of transit, freedom of doing business, trade or industry of Chevron." The ATP & SACTPA cartel had blockaded the Dominican Petroleum Refinery, impeding Chevron tankers to load fuel. A SACTPA spokesman even announced that they would not heed the court order.
Vicents criticizes that after this announcement, President Fernandez himself would intervene in the private conflict. She writes that he achieved, "not that the tankers comply with the judgment, but rather that they accept to provisionally halt their actions trusting in promises that the privileges would continue."
"With these facts before us, all citizens should demand the government cease protecting these untouchables, that are only defending their individual interests and have been allowed to be above law and justice, which is unthinkable in a state that pretends to be one of rule of the law."
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)
She writes that the ATP and SACTPA seek to forcefully maintain their exclusive right to transport Texaco fuel. Three years ago, Chevron decided to seek more efficiency in the transport and choose what they consider their better options. Vicens writes that unvariably the attitude of the government has been to protect the interests of the transporters and chauffeurs above the contracts, the Constitution and the laws.
She highlights that this case could have been handled as a business conflict, and probably a definite solution would have been reached in the courts or with a negotiated solution between the parts. But, "the intervention of the authorities has delayed its solution, and the authorities have even requested that Chevron postpone their optimization plan to 2013."
"Aware that their claims would not be upheld by the correct application of law, the transporters and chauffeurs, under the protective blanket of their supposed unions, have decided to appeal to force and blackmail to impede that Chevron exercise its right to business," she writes in El Caribe.
Vicens commends Chevron for its stand of defending its rights in court. "And the court that ruled in their favor ordered the immediate cease of actions that are placing obstacles to the freedom of transit, freedom of doing business, trade or industry of Chevron." The ATP & SACTPA cartel had blockaded the Dominican Petroleum Refinery, impeding Chevron tankers to load fuel. A SACTPA spokesman even announced that they would not heed the court order.
Vicents criticizes that after this announcement, President Fernandez himself would intervene in the private conflict. She writes that he achieved, "not that the tankers comply with the judgment, but rather that they accept to provisionally halt their actions trusting in promises that the privileges would continue."
"With these facts before us, all citizens should demand the government cease protecting these untouchables, that are only defending their individual interests and have been allowed to be above law and justice, which is unthinkable in a state that pretends to be one of rule of the law."
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)