Poverty Rate Down
Poverty in Costa Rica
was reduced by 3.5% in
the first 17 months of
the Arias
administration, a
government report
released Wednesday
indicates.
The report says that the
number of poor in the
country went from 20.2%
to 16.7% since Oscar
Arias took leadership in
the country in May of
2006.
Arias promised a 4%
decrease in poverty
during his four year
term (2006-2010).
The official report also
indicates that the level
of extreme poverty went
from 5.3% down to 3.3%.
"If we continue on this
path we will end extreme
poverty once and for all
by 2010", said Arias.
The Nobel Peace prize
winner says that his
government knows how to
identify the 36.000
families living in
extreme poverty, persons
the need the most help
from the government and
they will get it before
his term is up.
However, many families
do not know that they
are now "not poor"
anymore as the line
between poor and not
poor is very small,
differentiated by a
little as a ¢1.000
colones (us$2)
difference in monthly
income by the adult
members of the family.
Costa Rica, with a
population of 4.3
million has one of the
lowest poverty rate in
Central America.
Neighbouring Panama, for
example, has a 30%
poverty rate.
|
|
