Former Recope Administration In Rush To Complete Purchases
While gasoline prices keep rising, the Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo(RECOPE) - the state monopoly on oil refinery and distribution - is thinking of spending some us$3 million dollars in furniture and cabling for its new offices.

The current head of RECOPE halted the purchases to investigate if the purchase is warranted, given the current public sentiment.

The purchase was approved by the former RECOPE administration headed by Littleton Bolton, as part of a us$11 million purchase of the Bicsa building in Barrio Tournon, north of the downtown San José core.

The Bicsa building became vacant after the bank was joined with the Banco Nancional.

The former administration did all possible to realize the process to complete the purchase of furniture and cabling that would allow the state agency to us IP telephony - telephone services over the internet.

What caught the attention to the situation is the way the former RECOPE administration pushed to get the contract out for the work, letting interested bidders know of the requirements on May 9, present their interest on May 10, visit the building on May 11 and present their proposal on May 19 in only 8 days time, ahead of the new government appointment of a new administration.

The purchase is now being deferred until the middle of June, allowing the new administration to evaluate the needs of the institution to furnish and cable the 12 storey building.

Apparently the furniture owned by RECOPE does not fit in the new building as it centralizes all of its operations into one location, unlike now where offices are spread out in several buildings in the downtown area. The Contraloría General de la República - the Comptroller's office - gave the approval to RECOPE to make direct purchases for its needs.

However, the new administration feels that new furniture is not needed and certainly this is not the time to be making this type of expenditure.