TICO BULL – As of yesterday, Thursday, the metal slab “The Platina (La Platina, in Spanish) will not require any additional interventions until the bridge is replaced” was the word from the manager of Conservación, Cristian Vargas, at the Consejo Nacional de Vialidad (CONAVI).
I have been following the story of the “platina” since it first came to light way back in August of 2009.
Since then, millions of colones, one worker and several others injured, in a series of “major” and “minor” repairs have not been able to put humpty dumpty back together again.
And now were are to believe it was?
Come on.
If you are one that really believes that is the case, have I got a deal for you … a great piece of land, a great investment opportunity, a deal that cannot fail, a million dollar idea … you choose, since you’re the perfect mark.
The government, in this case the Ministerio de Obras Publicas y Transportes (MOPT), have been playing us like marks, using our tax dollars to just keep putting into a bridge that just won’t get fixed.
Not that there isn’t the ability, the talent – which at a fraction of the cost so far could have been imported – just there isn’t the willingness to kill the “chorizo” or “pura vida”.
According to Vargas, the platina was reinforced with a “glue-like” material which is expected to last two years.
The plan is to rebuild the bridge within the two years, but like all in Costa Rica, two, four, six, twenty years, the same thing.
The latest repair job cost ¢10 million colones (some expensive glue there), but merely a drop in the bucket of the final estimated cost that will be more than ¢8 billion colones when all is said and done.
This article originally appeared on Ticobull.com
