home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- <text id=90TT0580>
- <title>
- Mar. 05, 1990: Business Notes:Privatization
- </title>
- <history>
- TIME--The Weekly Newsmagazine--1990
- Mar. 05, 1990 Gossip
- </history>
- <article>
- <source>Time Magazine</source>
- <hdr>
- BUSINESS, Page 45
- Business Notes
- PRIVATIZATION
- Opportunity Rings
- </hdr>
- <body>
- <p> Like much of the U.S. mainland, Puerto Rico is strapped for
- funds that it sorely needs to overhaul its schools and other
- public facilities. But the commonwealth does own a thriving
- telephone company that has a total value of more than $2
- billion. So last week Governor Rafael Hernandez Colon proposed
- that Puerto Rico sell the phone company and invest the proceeds
- in two $1 billion funds. The commonwealth would use the
- interest from the funds to upgrade Puerto Rico's schools and
- rebuild its crumbling infrastructure, including its water and
- sewerage systems.
- </p>
- <p> Prospective bidders include GTE, BellSouth and the Spanish
- national telephone company. But Puerto Rican labor leaders said
- they oppose the deal because a new owner might lay off workers.
- Deja vu? In 1978 the commonwealth proposed selling the phone
- company but canceled its plans when prospective buyers refused
- to guarantee job security.
- </p>
-
- </body>
- </article>
- </text>
-
-