Costa Rica News – The Ministry of Public Education has used almost ¢1,000 million set aside for the construction of new elementary and high schools to pay penalties imposed by the Inter-American Development Bank.
The fees were imposed for not executing on time the projects the money was for. The financial institution contributed the funds to build 80 educational centers and roof 23 courtyards.
The money being fined is roughly equivalent to the construction cost of four complete schools.
The MEP attributes the delay to the fact that the National Bank took two years to form the Executing Unit in charge of development of the project.
Without that body, the project could not begin.
Of 103 projects, only two have been finished and one has been started, the one in La Carpio, which is being built finally after 12 years of waiting.
The first built with the trust opened in Mata de Plátano.
