Telecom Monopoly
Officially At An End
During the Consejo de
Gobierno (cabinet)
session yesterday, held
at the campo ferial de
Orotina, Costa Rican
president, Oscar Arias,
with his brother, the
ministro de la
Presidencia, Rodrigo
Arias and the president
of the Instituto
Costarricense de
Electricidad, Pedro
Pablo Quirós, at his
side, signed the law
that breaks the ICE
monopoly in Costa Rica.
The law that is part of
the "parallel laws" that
accompany the Tratado de
Libre Comercio (TLC) -
free trade agreement
with the United States -
goes into effect once it
is published in the
official government
publication, La Gaceta.
The signing of the law
paves the way for
competition to ICE for
cellular and internet
services.
President Arias said
that Costa Rica is the
last country in the
Western Hemisphere to
break the
telecommunications
monopoly. Arias added
that Costa Rica has to
adjust to the changes in
the face of
globalization.
The president said he is
confident that ICE will
be able to compete and
play well in a free
market.
Arias added that the
breaking of the ICE
monopoly removes the
obstacles that delay the
country's progress.
ICE's president stressed
that the Institución
will now begin to
operate differently and
be in a position to
comply with the
expectations of the
public. |
