Saturday 02 August
2008, San José, Costa Rica
Law Bans Child
Beating, Pinching And
Verbal Abuse By Parents
Costa Rica With
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Gasoline Price
Increase Approval Expected Monday
AAPA Confident About
Limón Port Concession
Costa Rica Vacation
Homes Hit By Crisis
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AAPA Confident About
Limón Port Concession
By Renzo Dasso, Business
News Americas
The American Association
of Port Authorities (AAPA)
is optimistic about the
future of the
concessions bill to
upgrade Costa Rica's
Limón port, in Limón
province, AAPA
coordinator for Latin
America Julián Palacio
told BNamericas.
"We are definitely
optimistic about this
project. I trust we will
see new developments
before the end of the
year," Palacio said.
"[Atlantic port
authority] Japdeva is
carrying out important
efforts to materialize
the port's concession to
the private sector. They
should be working on the
structure now," he
added.
The concession faced
delays after
negotiations between
Japdeva and unions came
to a halt on June 2,
following the entity's
decision to eliminate
overtime payments to
workers.
The determination
affected crane,
container and towing
machinery operators who
worked six-hour shifts.
"Limón is widely
regarded as a very
important port for cargo
handling. However, it
faces labor-related
difficulties," Palacio
said, adding that labor
issues are the biggest
obstacle to port
privatizations in Latin
America, as negotiations
with unions tend to be
lengthy.
Palacio also said the
facility needs private
sector management to
raise efficiency levels.
"That has been one of
the main roadblocks
toward achieving the
efficiency levels
desired for the
facility," he said.
"Caldera port, on Costa
Rica's Pacific coast,
was privatized some
years ago and currently
operates supremely well.
So the government has a
precedent of the results
of private sector
management," the
official said. |
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