Water Management in Venezuela
| Published date | 01 September 1972 |
| Author | Cecilia Sosa de Mendoza |
| DOI | 10.1177/002085237203800307 |
| Date | 01 September 1972 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Water Management in Venezuela
UDC 351.791.1(87)
by
Cecilia SOSA de MENDOZA,
Assistant Executive Secretary,
National Water Resources
Development Planning Board
I.
INTRODUCTION
and the national economy. In that connec-
tion, the importance of water management as
The economic and social progress of coun-
a basis for adopting given positions with
tries is closely connected with how natural
regard to urban, industrial, agricultural, and
resources have been used and, thus, with how
spatial planning must be considered.
they have been dealt with in the planning
The abstract purpose of the State is doubt-
process. As a natural resource, water is a
less the achievement of the common
basic factor in
good.
development, since there is
The private good is that which immediately
practically no activity which does not require
concerns each individual or
its utilization.
An examination of the various
group, while the
public good is that which concerns the aggre-
sectors of the economy shows how decisively
gate of individuals and
they
groups integrated in
are influenced by water.
the State. Water is a public good in the
In the forceful
widest
process of national develop-
sense, without respect of individuals or
ment, technical progress plays a leading part,
groups, affecting future as well as present
the needs or aspirations of the people con-
generations.
stantly increase, and a complicated institutional
Water resources
framework is developed
development planning was
to care for civic life.
The
officially introduced in Venezuela by the estab-
resulting picture is so complex that the
lishment of the National Resources
problems apparently
Develop-
cannot solve themselves.
ment
Their solution has
Planning Board on 18 August 1967, as
to be sought through
a means of formulating, implementing, and
greater public as well as private responsibility,
controlling consistent development policies
by obtaining a full view of the objectives and
the
covering the sectors affected by water.
means for achieving them and by fixing
priorities to help towards the optimal use of
The intended purpose of the Plan is to lay
the resources.
down a course of action for the future by
Besides, to make the water
which the
resources situa-
greatest benefit can be obtained
tion less uncertain and complex,
from the available
a rational
resources by the most
and complete approach has to be worked out
suitable means so that, in the various sectors
of the national
so as to define feasible alternative policies
economy, water should be a
from which to choose. This is possible if the
factor which neither limits the country’s
need for water control planning is realized.
development and progress nor hinders the
Old
best
systems are being finally cast aside and
possible use of other existing resources.
new ways and ideas are taking shape. The
Three main
modem
stages -
formulation, imple-
state does not look upon social
realities
mentation, and control of the Plan -
should
as a ready-made order of things but
be distinguished in the institutionalization of
centres its activity on shaping that order.
the planning of water resources development.
The administration’s work is to care for the
The first stage devolved on the National
management of the State’s objectives. Sys-
Water Resources Development Planning Board,
tematic intervention in economic life is replacing
as a central government agency of an inter-
the isolated, sporadic, or occasional action to
institutional nature. The stage of implemen-
which the administration’s activity in that
tation will be the work of the public adminis-
respect used to be limited. Instead of merely
trative agencies connected with water resources,
regulating, the State has deliberately adopted
the preparation of the programmes arising
a creative and constructive attitude by taking
from the Plan or related to its objectives.
drastic measures for the welfare of citizens
In the third stage -
control -
the Board will
284
analyse and consider the water resources
II.
THE NATIONAL WATER
programmes and projects which the various
RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT PLAN
central government agencies are implementing
or contemplating. These must be submitted
Venezuela’s progress urgently calls for water
to the Board for examination to ensure their
resources development but, for that to be an
required co-ordination and conformity to the
effective and constructive reality, the Plan
Plan, since new programmes cannot be under-
must be the basic instrument for determining
taken nor those in progress modified unless
water utilization.
The basic characteristic of
the Board has first expressed its opinion.
the work started for that purpose is its attempt
to organize an overall water resources develop-
In view of the above, [the distinction be-
ment policy in accordance with the Plan.
tween preparation, implementation, and control
in the planning of water resources is made in
The Plan has been defined as the series of
order to distinguish the various duties and
policies necessary to achieve a number of
responsibilities, since the process entails con-
objectives, and the programmes as the series
tinuous and interdependent action both as
of measures for applying those policies and
regards its stages and the intervening institu-
achieving the objectives in the estimated time.
tional structure.
The Plan may therefore be said not to be a
series of
In fact, the basic components of water
programmes but to be broken up
administration
among them. The Plan refers to Planning,
are fundamentally concerned
with the planning, implementation, and control
Programming, and Budgeting, but its first
version has only considered planning and the
stages of the activities involving water resources.
These
implementing
are carried out by the Board acting as
progr...
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