Transport Vice Minister
Defends Promotional Cost
of Intersectoral Route
The cost of the
interlinea debacle is
coming to light, as the
cost alone to the
Consejo de Transporte
Público (CTP) to promote
the service to the
public was more than
¢100 million colones.
The cost of planning and
awarding the concession
is not yet known.
The amount spent on the
publicity was confirmed
by the vice minister of
Transportes, Viviana
Martin, who is one of
several CTP memebrs
alleged to have family
links to the winner of
the concession, that led
to a court cancelling
the concession after
ruling on an appeal by a
concession bid loser.
Martin justified the
cost by saying that what
other way was the public
to be made aware of the
new service other than
promoting in the written
press, radio and
television.
Martin added that the
promotional campaign was
the only way to ensure
that the interlinea
service, whose objective
was to reduce the number
of buses entering the
downtown San Jose, was a
success.
The vice minister
confirmed to critics the
amount spent by the CTP
and that it did not
require approval form
the Comptroller's
office.
The reason for the
vice-minister's comments
followed a complaint
made by a citizen to the
Contraloría General de
la República
(Comptroller's office)
following the court
decision that put the
brakes on the service
last Wednesday.
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