VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSN #1386 3541704
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191704Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0477
RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 001386 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
PASS TO MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMCA EAID ECON ES
SUBJECT: FOMILENIO APPOINTS NEW PERMANENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary.  The FOMILENIO Board of Directors December 10 
selected interim Executive Director Jose Angel Quiros as the new 
permanent Executive Director for the Salvadoran Millennium Challenge 
Corporation (MCC) Compact implementing entity.  Quiros has broad 
experience in road construction and infrastructure development, 
including five years as Salvadoran Minister of Public Works in the 
Flores Administration.  Quiros replaced FOMILENIO's first Executive 
Director Juan Jose Llort in October after increasing criticism for 
delays in the Compact's implementation.  In his two months as 
interim Executive Director, Quiros has made a positive impact.  With 
his new status, he will have additional time to get infrastructure 
projects moving before the end of the Saca administration in June 
2009, which will be crucial as most of the Board members are likely 
to change at or before that time.  End Summary. 
 
Slow Progress Called for Leadership Change 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) There was increased criticism (particularly strong in 
private) for the slow pace of implementing the MCC Compact.  Only 
$12.5 million of the originally projected $43 million was disbursed 
in the first year after the Compact entered into force.  This 
prompted the first Executive Director for FOMILENIO (the Salvadoran 
implementing entity for the MCC Compact) Juan Jose Llort to resign, 
effective October 1, 2008, for "personal reasons."  Jose Angel 
Quiros, an alternate member of the FOMILENIO Board of Directors 
representing the private sector, was one of two candidates nominated 
to serve as interim Executive Director for the period of October 1 - 
December 31, 2008.  Quiros was selected as the interim Executive 
Director, based on his extensive experience in road and 
infrastructure development.  He had served for five years in the 
President Flores Administration as the Minister of Public Works 
(MOP).  During that time, he oversaw the greatest amount of 
infrastructure development in the country's history.  He also earned 
a reputation as one of the best members of the Flores cabinet, 
reducing the bloated MOP bureaucracy from nearly 8,000 to about 800 
employees. 
 
¶3.  (U) Quiros was one of over 200 applicants for the permanent 
Executive Director position.  FOMILENIO undertook an open and 
competitive process to select the permanent Executive Director.  It 
authorized a selection committee, which controlled the process.  The 
selection committee was composed of government and civil society 
members, including NGO and private sector FOMILENIO Board members, 
and a representative from the Board's non-governmental Advisory 
Council, who also sits on the National Development Commission. 
 
¶4.  (U) The position was publicly advertised and an HR consultant 
was used to narrow the 200 plus candidates to a field of 19.  All 19 
candidates were interviewed and subjected to psychometric tests 
administered by the HR consultant.  A second round of interviews of 
the four finalists was conducted by the selection committee.  On 
December 10, at its regular meeting, the Board accepted the 
selection committee's recommendation to appoint Quiros as the 
permanent Executive Director.  The press positively reported on the 
openness of the selection process. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Since joining FOMILENIO in October, Quiros has 
demonstrated much greater leadership than his predecessor, improved 
FOMILENIO's management and picked up the pace of program 
implementation.  He will have to demonstrate continued progress to 
retain his position when the new administration takes office in June 
¶2009.  The new government will likely replace all four of the 
government representatives (and their alternates) on the FOMILENIO 
Board.  Though not selected by the Government, the three civilian 
voting board members and their alternates are also scheduled for 
possible rotation in early 2008.  This change, and the associated 
potential loss of institutional memory, will make continuity of the 
Executive Director position an important factor, one which has the 
potential to make or break El Salvador's chances to fully complete 
all MCC-funded projects prior to the end of the Compact term in 
September 2012. 
 
GLAZER