Araya Returns
to San
José
And Faces Garbage Collectors Strike
Following a six month absence, Johnny Araya
was back in the mayoral chair in San Jose
and welcomed by a strike of garbage
collectors.
Araya took the leave of absence to make a
bid for the leader of the PLN party for the
2010 presidential elections. Araya lost the
bid to Laura Chinchilla.
On his arrival to the municipal offices on
Avenida 10, Araya faced a group of garbage
collectors who decided to on a strike action
and leave the city streets filled with
garbage.
The garbage collectors were calling for the
firing of the director de Saneamiento
Ambiental de la Municipalidad, Arturo López
Acota.
Antonio Ortiz, president of the Seccional de
la Asociación Nacional de Empleados Públicos
y Privados (ANEP), said López is not
qualified to head the department.
"He doesn't plan any projects, he takes
arbitrary actions, has created a hostile
working environment and harasses workers",
said the union leader, who believes that the
only way to better the conditions is to
remove the director.
The interim mayor of San José, Maureen
Clarke, who handed back the office to Araya,
has defended the work by López as Director
of Sanitation, saying all along that his
removal was not negotiable.
Clarke had said that López has been cleaning
up corruption in the department,
establishing controls and a more organized
work system.
"Those not in favour of López are against
fighting corruption", said Clarke.
Garbage trucks did not collect garbage in
several areas on Wednesday, mainly the areas
of San Francisco de Dos Ríos, Zapote, Barrio
Escalante, Pavas, Uruca, Barrio México and
Paso Ancho.
Araya, on his first day back at the
Municipality, said he would follow up on the
demands of the garbage collectors and other
projects.
Araya affirmed that he has no intentions to
seek a legislative seat in the 2010
elections and was in San José to stay.
However, after 15 years of being mayor of
San José, the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones
(TSE) has opened administrative procedure
against Araya, to remove his credentials as
mayor of San Josésince he does not
live in the municipality.
Araya lives in Escazú for more than 15
years. |
