Legislators
Demand MOPT Minister Shut Down San
José - Caldera
Highway
Legislators are
calling for the
temporary
closure of the
San José -
Caldera while
the
concessionaire,
Autopistas del
Sol, make the
necessary
modifications to
make the highway
safe. At least
that is the
petition of some
legislators made
to the ministro
de Obras
Públicas y
Transportes (MOPT),
Francisco
Jiménez, on
Monday when he
appeared before
the legislature
to appease
concerns arising
from the recent
landslides and
rock falls.
Legislators of
the Partido
Acción Ciudadana
(PAC),
Movimiento
Libertario and
the Unidad
Social Cristiana
(PUSC) - the
opposition -
made the demand
of the minister.
Jiménez was
called in by
legislators to
give them an
explanation of
the cause of the
problems on the
highway that has
aggravated with
the start of the
rainy season
last month.
The minister
told the
legislature
that, for now,
he will take in
the
recommendations
of his technical
staff that
recommend only
partial closure
of the highway
in the case of
an emergency to
reduce the risk
of accidents.
However, not all
legislators took
the news well.
Manrique Oviedo
said "the
minister came
her to bolster
the
concessionaire
and ignore
national
interests".
Other
legislators like
Marielos Alfaro
were less kind
to the MOPT.
"The minister
says the
landslides are
occurring
because of the
rainy season. I
am an engineer
and find it in
admissable and
the rain just an
excuse", said
Alfaro.
For his part,
Víctor Granados,
of Partido
Accesibilidad
Sin Exclusión (PASE),
assures that
technical
reports indicate
the serious
dangers on the
road wich places
at risk the
lives of drivers
on the highway.
"Geologists tell
us that there
are areas of
great
instability and
all due to the
rush in getting
the highway
opened quickly",
said Granados.
Originally the
San José -
Caldera was to
have been opened
December 2010.
The Autopistas
then announced
that the highway
would be opened
in July, almost
six months ahead
of schedule,
then moving up
the opening to
the end of
March.
In the end,
former president
Oscar Arias
inaugurated the
highway on
January 27,
2010. And it is
the rush to the
early opening by
the former
administration
that is being
questioned and
being blamed for
the problems
faced today.
In the end,
minister Jiménez
was confronted
with criticism
and attacks by
legislators.
"Blablabla",
summed up Walter
Céspedes, head
of the Partido
Unidad Social
Cristiana (PUSC),
the words of the
MOPT minister.
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