Costa Rica News – The Ministry of Public Works and Transport had invested ¢3,000 million in asphalt plants between 2011 and 2013 but will now have to close them.
The production cost at these plants was too high compared to market value and the productivity was low due to issues with permissions as well as unqualified staff. Additionally, the quality produced was lower than other offers so there was no demand.
Some of the equipment has not been in use for some time due to lack of fuel storage tanks and complementary infrastructure. Some has never been used because still, so many years later, the construction of facilities to lodge the plant in Cañas is still pending.
In Santo Domingo the facilities were in such bad condition that they would have been closed by the Ministry of Health or the Setena for not meeting minimum conditions of safety and hygiene for personnel. In Siquirres none of the workers assigned are suitable for the kind of position they have.
The Ministry will look into what to do with the employees and will try to sell equipment to municipalities or private operators. It will also hopefully make better investments with better planning in the future.
