Transport Minister, Javier Chávez, admitted yesterday that they made a mistake in signing the accord with the strikers and protestors, that almost paralyzed the country for more than a week.

The decision will cost the government about ¢3.000 million colones in added expenditures for the salary increase given public employees

And, late yesterday afternoon, in his last act, former Revenue Minister, Alberto Dent, announced a proposed financial budget for next year.

Dent, right to the end, stuck by his numbers, showing how the salary increases will affect the 2005 budget, saying that it is now the problem of his friend, Ricardo Toledo, Minister for the Presidency and President Abel Pacheco's right hand man.

Following Dent's resignation, the government's economic co-ordinator, Ronulfo Jiménez, yesterday announced his resignation as well. Jiménez was to have left his post on Oct. 1, but decided to leave early following President Pacheco's comments that no one in the government is indispensable.

Rumours floating at Casa Presidencial the possible resignation of at least one other high ranking government official, however, no details were disclosed.

Meanwhile, Helio Fallas, Minister of Housing, said that the Banco Hipotecario de la Vivienda (Banhvi) will lend the government the ¢3000 million colones it needs to pay the salary increases.

Fallas was emphatic that the money will not come from funds destined to for "bonos" housing bonds, but rather will come from the Fondo Nacional del Vivienda (Fonavi), a fund for various other types of housing credits.

Fallas added that his ministry is responding to the social emergency the country finds itself in.