Ecuador Cuts Energy Bills for Poor

Quito, Jul 2 (Prensa Latina) Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa will sign a decree Monday for the creation of a new electricity charge named Dignity, which will benefit 68 percent of the population.

The decree will be signed in Guayaquil city, the country"s second most important, and with the initiative, the popular sector will pay a lower electricity charge, Correa announced over the weekend.

The president highlighted that the government thus compensates the poorest sectors, as wages cannot be increased in a dollarized economy amid intentions to reduce the cost of living.

He also advocated speeding up the construction of hydroelectric plants, to save time and have cheaper electricity.

Correa informed the electricity charge for upper classes is expected to be increased beginning 2008, through the so called cross-subsidy.