Housing Bank Head Ousted
Following Excessive Lunch
Ennio Rodríguez, the director of the state national housing
authority, BANHVI, has been asked to step down following a ˘660,000
colones lunch at an exclusive Escazu restaurant for 12 people. The
lunch was allegedly "working meeting".
There is even a discrepancy on how may people attended the lunch,
Rodríguez saying six, while restaurant workers say the number was
double.
The Ministra de Vivienda, Clara Zomer, who attended the lunch told
the Legislative Assembly that none of the invitees took part in the
decision on where the meeting would be held or how it would be paid
for.
Rodríguez's trouble stem from the fact that the lunch came from the
account of public funds, defending his decision, telling a local
radio station during an interview, that it was not merely a lunch,
but a working session that lasted all afternoon, where several meals
were served.
Rodríguez said that he plans to cover the cost of the bill from his
own pocket and it won't cost the taxpayers "un cinco" - a five
colones coin or a penny.
However, the incident was enough for opposition legislators to take
a jab at Rodríguez and the government.
The Banco Hipocetario de la Vivienda (BAHNVI) is a government
institution that helps finance housing for the country's poor.
The news of the excess was not welcomed well by the ministro de la
Presidencia, Rodrigo Arias, whose only comment publicly was "it
looks bad to me".
Both Rodrigo and his brother, Oscar Arias, the country's president,
have been trying to stop these types of practices by public
officials, working for the last three years to reduce expenditures
where it can. |
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