Controversy over Concession Road between San Jose and the town of San Ramon continues.
The Brazilian company OAS sought compensation of $ 45.9 million to the Government of Costa Rica after the cancellation of a contract for U.S. $ 523.7 million for the construction of a road, an official source confirmed.
Costa Rican Planning Minister Roberto Gallardo, local media said they received a letter from the company and that the Government will evaluate the request, but said that OAS has to present documents to ratify those expenses.
According to the letter, OAS requested $ 45 million for investments and $ 900,000 in paid tax.
On April 22 Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla announced that would seek the termination of the road concession contract with OAS by “mutual agreement,” but has not yet signed any official document between the parties.
The contract was for the modernization a stretch of road 58 kilometers from the main highway between San Jose and the town of San Ramon, Alajuela Province, whose work never started.
This contract faced numerous protests from Tico’s because of the high economic cost of the work, the high recovery of future tolls (about $ 8 round trip) on a road that would not be extended, but only rebuilt.
The Defender of the People, Ofelia Taitelbaum, said in a statement that before reaching any agreement there should be an investigation on whether the contract is valid.
The road construction was awarded in 2004 for $ 295 million to another company, but the work never began because of various bureaucratic and legal problems.
Then the cost was increased to $ 350 million in 2009 and finally reached 523.7 million dollars in this year endorsement contract with OAS.
This issue has been one of the most controversial in the three years since the Government of Chinchilla. Based on a report by EFE
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose Costa Rica
