MG Assembly releases jet for deputies – 08/16/2023 – Power

A jet will be placed by the Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais at the disposal of state deputies for business trips to the interior and other states.

An ongoing bidding process at the House provides for the contracting of this type of aircraft, with a minimum capacity of six passengers, as an air taxi.

The Assembly states that it already regularly maintains aircraft charter contracts, one referring to the use of a jet and the other a turboprop, in view of the need to adapt to the different conditions of the airports in each region.

The House, however, did not say when the previous bid for the jet took place.

Another competition, concluded by the Legislative Branch last year, provided for and signed a contract for the same service, but involving only a simpler aircraft, a twin-engine turboprop model, also with a minimum capacity of six passengers.

This year’s bidding, carried out in the auction modality, replaces the previous one, again provides for the turboprop aircraft and adds the jet.

The value ratified in the contract that involved only the turboprop was R$ 1.1 million. The new bid does not talk about the maximum amount to be spent on the two devices. The company that offers the lowest value for the service wins.

From January to July 2023, the Assembly of Mines spent BRL 2.4 million on transportation for deputies and civil servants. The amount includes all of the House’s expenses with transport in the period, whether by land or air, and already exceeds the expenses for 2022. In all of last year, the amount spent on travel was R$ 2.3 million.

The bid for the jet provides for the use of the aircraft on an estimated route of 20,000 km over 12 months. There is also a forecast of expenses with up to 12 overnight stays for the device.

If the estimated route is 20,000 km, that would be enough for 15 round trips to, for example, Iturama, in the Triângulo Mineiro, which is 656 km in a straight line from Belo Horizonte. It would also be enough for 16 return trips to Brasília (DF), 615 km from the capital of Minas Gerais, in a straight line.

Regarding the twin-engine turboprop, the estimated amount of use is 30,000 km in 12 months, with up to 20 overnight stays, worth R$ 3,200 each.

According to the Assembly, the choice of which aircraft will be used by deputies on each trip depends on the distance and structure of the airport in the destination city.

This year’s tender for the two planes was signed by the President of the Assembly, Deputy Tadeu Martins Leite (MDB). Last year’s, referring only to the turboprop, was also signed by the then president of the House, Agostinho Patrus, and by Leite, who at the time was first secretary.

All contracts signed by the Legislative Power of Minas Gerais pass through this position, responsible for the administration of the House.

Assembly does not respond to questions about jet

The report sent questions to the president’s office. None were answered.

According to the Assembly’s press office, the justification for the bidding is that the performance of the Minas Gerais Legislative Power often implies the need for the institution to be present in the interior of the state.

“Especially through public hearings and commission visits, aiming at permanent contact with society and the local reality, as a condition for the formulation and execution of public policies adequate to the demands of each region”, says a note sent by the advisory.

Public hearings and visits can be requested by parliamentarians themselves in municipalities where, for example, they have an electoral base.

Another justification was the size of Minas Gerais. “As the state is very extensive and has 853 municipalities, land travel tends to be very time consuming”, continues the note.

Still according to the Assembly, the use of regular lines is not possible because there are no lines that serve all cities.

“In addition to the time spent traveling to Confins airport [o BH Airport, na cidade vizinha de Confins, a cerca de 30 quilômetros de Belo Horizonte] and with boarding and landing procedures sometimes becoming incompatible with political activity and the institutional agenda”, says the note. Flights for deputies depart from Pampulha Airport, in Belo Horizonte.