AmCham Calls on Costa Rican President to Fix Fiscal Deficit and Infrastructure

The Costa Rican unit of the North American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) has urged the new President Carlos Alvarado to focus on stemming the fiscal deficit and improving infrastructure within his first 100 days in office.

Topping the list of suggestions is that the government should slam the brakes on excessive public spending, one of the major culprits of inflation and high production costs.

With traffic jams becoming commonplace in most major cities, businesses have been forced to fork out on transportation, so improved infrastructure is also key.

The lobby group has also expressed concern at the growing crime rate in the country, urging the government to reinforce the police force and allow security forces to coordinate with each other to clamp down on criminals.

Soaring electricity prices is another factor hurting the competitiveness of companies. As electricity is basic infrastructure, the government needs to ensure that power prices are stable and cost-effective, AmCham has argued.

“We have always been characterized by working together with the government, proposing strategies and actions aimed at strengthening the country’s competitiveness,” stated Elías Soley, President of AmCham, in press release.

Educational institutes in the country are not generating enough professionals and technicians required by businesses, says AmCham. “There is an urgent need for the government to reform the education system to prevent companies from ‘importing’ talent.”

The organization has also called on the government to develop a roadmap for utilizing the money earmarked for promoting innovation.