Education VP Fired For Nepotism
The government of president Oscar Arias is serious when it comes to dealing with corruption and nepotism of government officials, as yesterday, the Vice-Minister of Education, José Lino Rodríguez, was called in to the office of the Ministro de la Presidencia, Rodrigo Arias, and was let go from his job.

Arias announced that the vice-minister was no longer at his post and will be investigated during the next month, and with no salary.

The controversy began with the report last month by local television channel 7 "Telenoticias" of the promotion of the Education Vp's wife from office clerk to teacher and the corresponding salary.

But the icing on the cake came yesterday when it was revealed the that the Vp's brother was appointed as is personal driver and had earned more than ¢500.000 colones in overtime pay, in addition to his salary, since last May. The news that the Vp's niece took over the post of his wife as an office clerk didn't help the situation any.

José Lino defended his position saying that in all cases, his wife, his brother and his niece, they all have worked fro the Ministerio de Edcuación Pública for a number of years and he sees himself as doing nothing wrong or stepping over the line of the Code of Ethics set out by the Arias government.

Minister Arias said in a press conference that a commission would be issuing a report within a month as the Education Vice-minister is being investigated. Minister Arias, said that he informed his brother, Oscar, who is in Guatemala on official business, of the firing of the vice-minister.