Majority of Costa Rica's Mayors
Back Free Trade
Agreement
Costa Rica's mayors
submitted a joint letter
to President Oscar Arias
Tuesday supporting the
free trade agreement
with the United States.
The agreement, known
locally as the Tratado
de Libre Comercio (TLC )
- the Central
America-Dominican
Republic-United States
Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR)
- will boost trade and
improve living standards
in Costa Rica, said the
letter sent by a
delegation representing
73 of Costa Rica's 81
mayors.
The TLC has been
ratified by the
legislatures of all the
signatory nations except
for Costa Rica, which
will hold a referendum
on the agreement on Oct.
7.
In the letter, the
mayors listed five
proposals and two
programs which aim to
raise the income of
Costa Ricans, promote
greater social justice
and improve wealth
distribution.
San José Mayor Johnny
Araya said the agreement
is a good thing and
called on Costa Ricans
to ratify the treaty in
the referendum.
Costa Rican President
Oscar Arias has already
sent a bill to the
legislative assembly
allowing the transfer of
10 percent of the
nation's budget to local
government.
At a meeting with the
mayors, Arias said that
the free trade agreement
is necessary but not
enough.
"The agreement does not
replace the investment
we are making in
improving public
education, but does
allow that effort to
translate into better
opportunities for young
people," Arias said.
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