ICE Is Ready To Compete, President Says
In his weekly radio address to the nation, president Abel Pacheco de la Espriella, took the time to point out the advances made by his administration of the last four years, especially to the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), the state monopoly on telecommunications and electrical energy.

According to the president, he is leaving the Institucion ready to compete in the face of the free trade agreement that will be the responsibility of the new government. Pacheco said that ICE is ready for competition for the next 50 years.

The president recognized that the ICE and its subsidiary - RACSA and the CNFL, for example - plays an important role in the lives of all Costa Ricans and that major advances have been made in both telecommunications and electrical energy production during his term.

Pacheco explained the number of projects that are underway - the Cariblanco, Pirrís, Garabito, and the expansion of Cachí and La Garita - that will generate some 250.000 kilowatts of electrical energy. The president also stressed that 97% of the energy produced in the country will be from "clean" sources, like water and solar power generation.

As to telecommunications, the president reminded that the country is no longer in short supply of cellular telephone lines. He said that currently 26 out of every 100 people have a cellular phone and that when he took office it was only 11.

The connection to the Maya and Arcos underwater telecom cable in the Atlantic and soon the connection to the Global Crossing in the Pacific will allow a connection ring 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, said the president proudly. Pacheco said that that achievement allows Costa Ricans to be connected to the world on a permanent basis.

"I believe that ICE is modern, efficient, transparent, have costs under control and advanced in the services it provides. We have fought hard during the last four years for that", said Pacheco.

"Like I said and promised, I leave before the Legislative Assembly an initiative that will fortify the institution (ICE) and preserve its heritage and make it flexible in the face of competition", said the president, who added that he hopes that the current legislature, ending its term on April 30, passes the bill.

Pacheco is slated to leave office on May 8 at 12pm, handing the reigns of the presidency to Oscar Arias.