The productive private sector is signalling a lack of dialogue and clarity as well as conflicting messages from the authorities of the new Costa Rican government, which is also proposing laws that discourage investment.
An increase of more than 4% in the salaries of public officials, lack of action over lowering the cost of energy, lifting barriers which generate legal uncertainty, and initiatives to increase the tax burden on the formal productive sectors are the issues concerning entrepreneurs in Costa Rica.
There are concerns related to lack of definition in key areas and the Solis administration's true implementation capacity is being questioned.
The guild of private companies has also criticized the fact that they were not included in the development of the employment strategy to be presented in the next few days by President Solis.
For example, on the subject of electricity tariffs, Mario Montero, vice president of the Costa Rican Chamber of the Food Industry (Cacia), told Crhoy.com that "... 'there are now too many diagnoses and there are issues where political calculations should be left out of the picture, and the industry wants to participate in working groups' ... 'inaction is choking us and postponing decisions for 18 or 24 months is not acceptable.' "
Employers are complaining that the cost of electricity is the factor which is pushing up production costs the most.
From a press release issued by the Costa Rican Union of Chambers and Associations of Private Business Sector (UCCAEP):
"The cost of electricity is the factor that is pushing up production costs for companies in Costa Rica the most. This was demonstrated in the first quarterly business survey 'Business Pulse', carried out by the Costa Rican Union of Chambers and Associations Private Business Sector (UCCAEP).
Business associations say the country needs a comprehensive law that allows greater participation and competitiveness of private generators.
The Costa Rican Union of Chambers and Associations of Private Business Sector (UCCAEP) predicts sharp increases in electricity rates, and points to inefficiency in the management of the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), as the monopoly responsible for satisfying the country's demand for electricity.
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