Government Not Ready Just
Yet To Assume Management Of San Jose Airport
The future of the Juan Santamaría (San Jose) airport hangs in the
decision of the government after the Contraloría General de la
República (Comptroller's office) denied the transfer of the airport
management from the current, Alterra, to the Houston Airport System
Development Corporation (HASDC).
The Contraloría said that HASDC did not provide the necessary
financial security required to take over as operator and manager of
the country's main international airport.
The government will now have to decide what to do with the airport
that to date is yet to be finished after years of construction and
financial problems.
The ministro de la Presidencia, Rodrigo Arias, said yesterday
afternoon that a decision on the future of the airport is
forthcoming, two weeks tops.
"If the situation has not been resolved in the next 10 days we will
have to make a decision, it is the responsibility of the government.
There are two problems, one is the management of the airport and
second the completion of the work", said Arias.
Minister Arias added that if the Aviación Civil takes back the
management of the airport, there is a plan that includes consulting
with international organizations. Arias was adamant that the
possibility of Aviación Civil taking over the aiport is not
discarded.
HASDC had counted on a us$100 million financial package that was
negotiated last year as part of the negotiations to take over the
Juan Santamaría. However, due to the current financial crisis the
financing deal to allow HASDC to take over the airport was never
completed.
Minister Arias was hopeful that HASDC will come up with the required
line of credit, saying that the company is a serious one, a company
that is putting up its own capital to get the construction of the
terminal completed.
For the transfer to occur, HASDC has to obtain a us$100 million
dollar line of credit, the amount required to finish the airport
terminal.
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