*****!! Brazil names BNDES chief to head telecom selloff
Reuters, Monday, April 13, 1998 at 17:14
BRASILIA, April 13 (Reuters) - Brazil named National
Development Bank (BNDES) President Luiz Carlos Mendonca de
Barros to head the government's telecommunications
privatization drive, a presidential spokesman said Monday.
Presidential spokesman Sergio Amaral said there would be no
change in Brazil's massive telecommunications selloff plans
following the hospitalization of Communications Minister Sergio
Motta.
"There will be no changes in the privatization calendar in
the area of telecommunications," Amaral told reporters at the
presidential palace.
Mendonca de Barros was put in charge of the
telecommunications privatization program shortly after Juarez
Quadros, executive secretary at the Communications Ministry,
was named interim Communications Minister.
The Rio de Janeiro-based BNDES functions as the Brazilian
government's privatization agency and is operationally
responsible for the sale of state assets.
Amaral said Mendonca de Barros would continue to head the
BNDES as well as manage the telecommunications sector
privatization, which is scheduled to be completed this year.
Motta, 57, was hospitalized on Tuesday when an infection
aggravated a chronic pulmonary illness. His condition worsened
over the weekend and he was moved into an intensive care unit.
Copyright 1998, Reuters News Service |
