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MOPT Minister Promises
to Get Tough With
Corrupt Inspectors
The Ministerio de Obras
Públicas y Transportes (MOPT)
- ministry of public
works and transport -
announced yesterday that
it will investigate
fully the work of the
Departamento de
Inspección Vial y
Demoliciones, following
the report of payoffs to
one or more MOPT
officials regarding the
placement and
installation of
billboards along the
country's highways.
MOPT minister, Karla
González, said that she
will tough on Gerardo
Sandoval and other MOPT
inspectors who are found
to be corrupt, following
allegations of charging
a fee to help out with
the process of
installing "vallas"
(billboards), a process
that is difficult and
time consuming at best.
Sandoval was filmed by a
hidden camera and
broadcast on national
television news,
offering his services to
speed up the process and
practically guaranteeing
the permit.
Sandoval insist, on
camera, that his
services are not
illegal, however,
minister González does
not seem to agree with
the inspector.
Sandoval, according to
the MOPT records, is
responsible for the
application of 80% of
the billboards now in
place. The news of his
sideline came to light
when an unnamed company
complained to the MOPT
for an unusual ¢20.000
colones charge in the
application process to
erect a billboard and
lodging a formal
complaint with the
public works department.
Telenoticias, Teletica's
news department of local
television channel 7,
contacted Sandoval by
telephone and when the
news reporters met him
with a hidden camera
rolling, the MOPT
inspector assured the
obtaining of a permit in
exchange for payment for
his services.
Minister González said
yesterday that her
ministry has known of
the irregularities in
the department, however,
the complaints never
have sufficient proof to
act against the official
or officials.
The minister added that,
now with the
Telenoticias footage,
things are different and
said that an exhaustive
internal investigation
will be conducted.
Past ministers has been
warned of the
irregularities within
the MOPT dating back to
2001. The last report
that indicated "serious
questions: on the
internal controls of the
Demoliciones department
that gave out permits
for installations of
billboard without the
full requirements being
met, was last September. |
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