Page 65 - STRATEGY Magazine (G)

Public and Private Dialog: Mejoremos Guate
Guatemala takes pride in its prosperous economy and resiliency, despite the ghosts of its past. Today’s leaders look to build on that legacy for the future. Contribution from private as well as public entities is key to that goal.
Felipe Bosch thinks about Guatemala all the time. But thinking is not enough. He insists that one must participate in the improvement of the country. Bosch himself has served as president of the
Chamber of Industry of Guatemala and the leader of CACIF, a sort of “chamber of chambers” representing all sectors of the economy. Today he heads FUNDESA, a private nonprofit foundation that helps to create and implement programs to benefit economic and social development in Guatemala.
Along with other like-minded business leaders, Bosch realized that there was no shortage of ideas for development; however, there was little follow-through. Administrations change and government is often required to respond to near- term emergencies. National development, on the other hand, requires longer-term planning, and the business community must play a role. That role is not publicly political; rather, it is part of a concept of national service that Bosch calls “private politics.” FUNDESA’s purpose is to step into that role and fill the gap between short-term, immediate thinking and medium- and longer-term planning. The foundation involves the private sector in public planning to develop a vision for Guatemala’s future over the next 20 years.
A BETTER GUATEMALA
One of FUNDESA’s signature initiatives is Mejoremos Guate, or “A Better Guatemala.” The project unites private business and government to resolve the nation’s issues. There is a notion in Guatemala that the private sector is focused solely on profit. With programs like Mejoremos Guate, that has been proven false. Guatemala’s private sector believes in the country, in investment, and in development because they want the country to grow.
Mejoremos Guate, and indeed, Guatemala’s future, according to Felipe Bosch, rests on three columns. The first is investment and opportunities for financial growth. FUNDESA is supporting those efforts with teams of private sector experts working with the government on development. The second is the social improvement of the country with advancements in social programs, especially in areas like education and nutrition. The third is safety and security under the national judicial system.
Bosch knows that in order to change the country, the foundation must work with Congress. FUNDESA has focused on 29 laws to help set Guatemala achieve progress. Some of those laws are already enacted; others are still in the proposal phase or are working their way through the legislature. FUNDESA supports the legislative process by providing professional expertise from different economic sectors and different regions of the country.
FELIPE BOSCH
President FUNDESA
SPECIAL REPORT
strategybg.com 63
AHEAD? COLOMBIA, PANAMA, MEXICO
Ask Bosch where he sees Guatemala in the next five, 10, or 20 years, and he answers: Over the next five years, Bosch envisions Central America’s biggest economy becoming more like Colombia. In fact, “We have to be like Colombia. Colombia had a lot of problems, but they overcame them, and now they are a completely different country.” In 10 years, he sees a country focused on growth rather than the politics of the left and the right. Bosch pointed to Panama’s 6 to 7 percent annual growth as an example of what he wants his nation to achieve.
Twenty years out, Bosch sees a country more like Mexico— better developed and keeping its culture alive in terms of tourism. He believes that Guatemala holds an undiscovered storehouse of treasures for the tourist. “A lot of those are our most hidden secrets because we have been very bad about going out and telling the world about them.”
CHALLENGE AND RENEWAL
Work remains to be done in Guatemala, and much of it revolves around updating the nation’s image and the image of its business community. The private sector is often demonized for not paying taxes. “We do pay taxes,” Bosch asserts. “Companies pay taxes probably as much as a company in the United States or in Colombia, more than a lot of countries in Latin America.” He points out that around 500 companies bear much of the weight of supporting the country. One of Guatemala’s great challenges will be to formalize its economy and broaden the nation’s tax base.
“But that’s where I want Guatemala to be. In a country where you have a nice economy—a transparent economy— and a government that you can talk to, where they are always thinking about developing the country.” In other words, Mejoremos Guate—a better Guatemala.
“When you live in a country like ours, it’s always the dream of having a better country all the time—a better country. And if you don’t get to participate, then how can you put your ideas into action?”
INTERVIEW: FUNDESA