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Arias
Says Easier to Modify Ten
Commandments, As Unions Refuse
Invitation to Meet At His Home
It's only been days before
officially being confirmed
president-elect and Oscar Arias
is already starting to feel the
mood of the unions and Costa
Ricans, with the announcement
yesterday that the leaders of
the country's unions, grouped
under one banner the Asociación
Nacional de Empleados Públicos (ANEP),
refused an invitation by the
president-elect to meet with him
at his home in Rohrmoser.
Union leaders want to meet at a
"neutral place", like the
Defensoría de los Habitantes
(Ombudsman office) or the Curia
Metropolitana, in the presence
of San José archibishop,
Monseñor Hugo Barrantes.
Joining the ANEP unions in this
decision is the strong and
powerful Frente Interno de
Trabajadores del ICE (FIT),
which groups all the Instituto
Costarricense de Electricidad
(ICE) workers, who have been the
leaders in many protests against
free trade.
Arias said last night that he
was not aware of the decision by
the unions and will be waiting
for them.
Albino Vargas, general secretary
of the ANEP, said "We are
willing to sit and talk to him.
But, we believe it best that we
meet in neutral territory".
"We are not being arrogant or
defiant. He (Arias) said he
would be available to meet
anywhere and we are taking him
to his word. The decision is now
his", said Vargas.
The union's biggest discontent
with Airas is the Tratado de
Libre Comercio (TLC) - free
trade agreement with the United
States.
On Monday, the president- elect
was quoted as saying that "it is
easier modify the Ten
Commandments than the TLC signed
by Costa Rica with the United
States that is waiting
ratification by the Legislative
Assembly."
The comment was made minutes
before meeting with four bishop
members of the Conferencia
Episcopal, who is opposed to the
TLC that has been negotiated by
the current government.
"The TLC is the only thing that
will guarantee increased
investment and generate 65.000
new jobs a year. I have to
fulfill my promise to the
young", said Arias.
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