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COSTA RICA |
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Arias Cautious About Granting TREM
Concession
The Gran Area Metropolitana (GAM) - greater
San José area - needs the electric train,
said president oscar Arias, but who has
reservations of handing over such an
important project to the hands of the
private sector.
The comments by president Arias follows the
initiative by the Ministerio de Obras
Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) to bring train
service to San José to reduce traffic
congestion and contamination.
The cost of the project is estimated at
us$440 million dollars, of which the
government would fund us$100 million dollars
and the rest by way of a 35 year concession
to a private operator.
The TREM (tren eléctrico metropolitano)
woudl connect Heredia, San José and Montes
de Oca (San Pedro).
Arias is on the side of cuation especially
on the face of the lack of sufficient
railway consultants in the country. Arias
said he spoke to one of the engineers, a
Brazilian, involved in the feasibility study
for the project and asked how many engineers
were involved. The answer was something like
500, however, in Costa Rica there are only
four or five, the president commented.
"I cannot make a decision on the future of
the country where we have to bring us$100
million to the table without a lot of
consultation", said Arias.
Oscar's brother, the ministro de la
Presidencia, Rodrigo Arias, supported the
comments of the president.
For her part, the ministra de Obras Públicas
y Transportes, Karla González, said that she
will continue forward with her plans of
concessions even though the president has
his reservations.
González said that there 11 companies
interested in the project.
"I have no doubt of the future of the TREM,
which is fundamental to solve the transit
problems in the coming years", said González.
González added that if the president (Arias)
is able to obtain the support of the state
banks to finance the project, she would rule
out the concessions plan.
Involved in the state financing of the
project would be the Banco Nacional, Banco
de Costa Rica and the Banco Popular, which
will be meeting next week with government
officials to discuss the plan.
Ministra González added that, during the
talks, the government will also seek support
to expand the train service to other areas,
including freight service.
In total, the state banks will be asked to
put up us$500 million dollars, according to
González.
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