No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveComptroller: $28 Too Much for a Meal

Comptroller: $28 Too Much for a Meal

SENDING the message that public officials do not need to spend ¢14,000 ($28) each to eat during management meetings, the Comptroller General’s Office suspended the food budget of the Board of Directors of the Agricultural Development Institute (IDA), the daily Al Día reported.

 

IDA had proposed a budget of ¢11.6 billion ($23 million) for 2006, including ¢6 million ($12,000) for catering, which the comptroller estimated to equate to each functionary consuming ¢14,000 worth of food a session. The comptroller considered the amount to be “abundant” and “inappropriate,” the daily reported.

 

With the same amount, 155 children could eat in school lunchrooms, where lunch costs run ¢90 ($0.18) per student per day, according to the report. IDA, which sells land to poor Costa Ricans at highly subsidized prices, has six executives who hold 72 meetings a year.

 

The comptroller also questioned the IDA budget regarding aguinaldos (the mandatory Christmas bonus equal to one month’s salary), pharmaceutical products, kitchen and cleaning materials, guards, automobile purchases, computer equipment and new buildings construction.

 

IDA is also under investigation by the comptroller, the Prosecutor’s Office and the President’s Cabinet for allegations that the institution’s employees gave 100 hectares of public land (meant for poor Costa Ricans) to one another and their families (TT, Nov. 25, Dec. 2, 2005, Jan. 6).

 

On Tuesday, Hermes Navarro, secretary of the President’s Cabinet, said the government has opened proceedings against various IDA officials in connection with the allegations, but said their names would not be released until after the parties have been notified.

 

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Top Court Bans President Chaves from 2026 Election Campaign

Costa Rica’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal on Thursday barred President Rodrigo Chaves from participating in the 2026 election campaign, ruling that he "illegitimately used" his...

U.S. – Guatemala Security Pact Targets Crime and Helps Returning Migrants

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem signed a border security cooperation agreement with Guatemala on Thursday, which includes the use of drones and...

Costa Rica and Panama Seek Gold Cup Glory Against North American Giants

With no Caribbean teams advancing, a Central American contingent made up of Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Guatemala heads into the quarterfinals of the...

Costa Rica’s Pride 2025 Closing Event Bans Minors, Sparks Outrage

Costa Rica’s Pride 2025 closing event, set for June 29 at San José’s Plaza de la Democracia, was thrown into controversy when the government...

Fishing, Wildlife, and History in Costa Rica’s Barra del Colorado

Costa Rica’s Barra del Colorado is a magical and charming town. It’s one of the country’s hidden gems, best known for its world-class sport...

Costa Rica Pushes USA to the Brink but Falls in Penalty Heartbreak

If you just caught the end of the USA vs. Costa Rica Gold Cup quarterfinal, you probably feel like you need another cup of...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica