New Tránsito Officials To
Earn Less Than New Traffic Fine
The new 400 Tráficos (transit officials) will be earning less than
the fine that a careless or drunk driver would pay.
In fact, the ¢227.000 colones fine for offering a tráfico is higher
than the base salary of ¢210.000 that will be paid to the new
officials when commence their durings by August.
When you add the fine the 30% for the Patranato Nacional de la
Infancia (PANI) and the 3% per month late payment fee, the ¢227.000
colones fine ends up to be ¢301.910.
However, when you add the extras to the base salary of a tráfico,
the total salary paid ¢300.300 is still less than the traffic fine,
according to figures by the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y
Transportes (MOPT).
In effect the situation could generate, as critics to the high fines
say, a situation where the new tráfico could easily fall to
temptation of taking a bribe in lieu of issuing a fine.
Germán Saborío, ex director of tránsito is one of those who feel
that low salaries will induce many of the new officers to fall to
corruption. "When a person receives a low salary it could cause
corruption", said Saborío.
"While we do not have officers with an adequate salary and the lack
of resources to complete their duties, we will not see the end of
corruption", Saborío added.
According to figures tabulated by the Escuela de Matemática de la
Universidad de Costa Rica and the Centro de Matemática Pura y
Aplicada (Cimpa), Costa Ricans paid out ¢739 million colones in
bribes to traffic officials in 2007. And that is not including the
bribes of ¢899 million colones paid to obtain a drivers license.
Under the new Ley de Tránsito that went into effect December 23,
2008, the law contemplates the establishing of a unit within the
Tránsito to investigate charges of corruption by officials. The unit
will be responsible to take citizen complaints, as well to detect
and prevent corruption by Tránsito officials.
The new unit, which will commence its duties in September when the
new, higher, traffic fines take effect, will also have the power to
realized spotchecks of officials as they carry out their duties.
Currently, it takes up to 2 years for a corrupt Tráfico to be
removed from the force and then, in most cases, he or she is just
fired. The process is time consuming because an individual who is a
victim of corruption has to file criminal charges against the
official which will then be dealt with by the Ministerio Público
(judicial officials) to investigate and determine if the corruption
took place.
However, under the new law, action against corrupt officials is
quick, as the new unit will have the authority to investigate and
file criminal charges.
The process of hiring the new officials is currently underway. The
new recruits will have to meet the minimum requirements of 18 years
of age, hold a valid drivers license and have completed high school.
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