This is the amount that the union is demanding in exchange for agreeing to the eventual concession of the ports to the private sector as projected by the Government.
The union rejected the the $80 million proposal in benefits and pre-retirements presented by the Government, demanding that its 1400 members be paid a sum of approximately 700 million dollars.
The construction of the port was proposed for Costa Rica by American Gategay Development (Amega).
The infrastructure would be used for big ships that cannot cross the Panama Canal; goods would be transferred to smaller vessels to continue the journey.
If the Government is interested in the project, they would then proceed with feasibility studies before granting the concession.
The export and tourism sectors are demanding quick attention for the port terminals on the country's Caribbean coast.
"It is a worrying situation, many products are often affected or in the worst of cases lost due to delays in loading, a definitive decision is urgently needed, be it a concession or the construction of new ports," said Abel Chavez, president of the Chamber Pineapple and Melon Growers.
The bill gives incentive to open private hydroelectric plants.
By passing the bill, the legal vacuum preventing the State from granting concessions to private companies to produce clean energy would be eliminated.
With it, private hydroelectric projects would be reactivated for those whose concession has expired and have not been able to renew it.
Furthermore, it would eliminate risk for companies currently selling energy to the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) and who see the end of the concession approaching without the possibility of renewing it.
Technical, political, and social aspects are conspired in tense dialogue between Government, unions, and opposition.
In December 2008, the Government will launch, at any cost, the tender of the contract through which the Atlantic ports will be given in concession to a private operator.
The negotiation of the Executive will have to go through three distinct stages at the same time: one technical, another political, and finally social.
The Houston Airport System consortium will become the new airport administrator in December, replacing Alterra Partners.
Yesterday, the Office of the Comptroller General authorized the transfer of the management contract that was held by Alterra since 2001.
Before finalizing the transfer, Houston Airport System Development Company (HASDC) must pay the debts that Alterra had with banks creditors of the airport.
The highly awaited resolution on the future of the project that should have been given yesterday by the Office of the Comptroller General was put off for another nine days.
The extension came because the Technical Council of Civil Aviation (Cetac) presented the required financial information late. Cetac presented the airport rescue plan to the Comptroller on September 19, but it did not include economic details which were handed in four days later.
The proposal by the Houston Airport System (HASDC) consortium to substitute British Alterra Partners as administrator of the Juan Santamaria International Airport has been accepted.
Despite the Government having accepted the consortium's proposal, the agreement still has to go the the General Comptrollers of the Republic so that it can be reviewed.
The agreement indicated that HASDC will manage the air terminal for the next 25 years.
Changes to the specifications sheet has again set back the bidding process for Liberia's airport to August 8, making it impossible for works to begin during 2008.
This is the fifth time the date for receiving proposals has been changed for the construction and operation of the airport's new passenger terminal.
The bids were originally to have been submitted last February.
President Oscar Arias eliminated by decree the obstacle that would have denied water licenses to hydroelectric producers. At the same time he's seeking more private investment in the sector.
"With the decree the government has eliminated the problem and now there is no obstacle to increasing private participation in the electrical market," said Roberto Dobles, the energy and environment minister.
Right in the middle of an energy crisis, this country is allowing its hydroelectric power company concessions to expire.
The first concession to use water for producing electricity has expired This means the owner of the el Cedral plant in Ciudad Quesada must shut it down. This project has been providing energy in the north since the early 1960s.
As well, three other permits are due to expire this year.