Talk of remodeled police stations, advancing on a planned international airport, creating more jobs and new roads and bridges for the Southern Zone was the focus of a May 18 visit to the region by Presidency Minister Rodrigo Arias, Tourism Minister Carlos Benavides, Public Security Minister Fernando Berrocal and National Liberation Party (PLN) legislator Olivier Jiménez.
An executive decree signed by President Oscar Arias will allow for “optimized and appropriate” use of tax money by the Southern Zone Development Board (JUDESUR) to give small and medium businesses and municipalities loans for infrastructure and tourism development projects, according to a statement from Casa Presidencial.
Tourism projects and a long-discussed Southern Zone international airport are among initiatives the government hopes to get under way in the area, Benavides said.
In terms of security, Berrocal announced plans to spend ¢300 million ($576,923) remodeling area police stations and to deploy 150 Tourism Police officers to the Southern Zone this year.
