CONAVI to Receive Road Repair Funds
FOLLOWING yet another rulingfrom the Constitutional Chamber of theSupreme Court (Sala IV), the FinanceMinistry has said it will transfer ¢18.5 billion($38.6 million) to the NationalRoadway Council (CONAVI) for roadrepairs, according to La Nación.That would put CONAVI’s budget at¢28.5 billion ($59.5 million) for the year,significantly less than the ¢53 billion($110 million) it is legally owed, the dailyreported. CONAVI, the Costa RicanConstruction Chamber, municipalities andprivate citizens – among others – havecomplained that the Finance Ministry isbreaking its obligations by not fundingroad repairs (TT, April 1).According to the Law of TaxSimplification and Efficiency, 30% of revenuesfrom gas taxes must go to CONAVIand municipalities for road repairs. Thatwould equal ¢53 billion for this year. TheFinance Ministry has already givenCONAVI ¢10 billion ($20.9 million) thisyear.The Sala IV ruled that the ministrymust turn over the tax funds in November2004 after a group of municipal leaderssued the ministry. However, FinanceMinister Federico Carrillo maintains thegovernment does not have the funds withwhich to comply (TT, Nov. 19, 2004).
You may be interested

Costa Rica unemployment rate drops to 19%
The Tico Times - March 4, 2021Unemployment in Costa Rica fell to 19.1% in the moving quarter from November to January. This maintained a downward trend…

Throwback Thursday: 2006 Arenal Volcano lava flows
The Tico Times - March 4, 2021Arenal Volcano's July 1968 eruption destroyed three small villages, killed 87 people and wiped out 232 square kilometers of crops…

MOPT warns of higher traffic accidents as measures are eased
Alejandro Zúñiga - March 4, 2021The Public Works and Transport Ministry (MOPT) is reminding drivers to follow the rules of the road when traveling this…