A United Nations official stationed in Costa Rica said Thursday that the popular perception of insecurity is much greater than reality. He proposed a public relations campaign to correct the image in the public mind

Such fears limit human development and their liberties, he said adding that strategies should be developed to improve their perceptions.

The official, José Manuel Hermida, was appearing before the Comisión de Narcotráfico of the Asamblea Legislative.

He also deplored the increase in the number of security guards. He said that the number of private guards had increased from 8,000 in 2004 to 19,000 a year later. However, the increase may be due to a new law that required private guards to register with the ministerio de Gobernación, Policía y Seguridad Pública.

The U.N. official based his opinions of the public perception of security on surveys his office has commissioned.

He added that the private security guards have no requirements as to education or emotional stability. He pointed out that Fuerzas Pública officers must have completed the fifth year of secondary school.

Hermida did not outline in detail a public relations campaign to decrease the fears of citizens about their insecurity. However, surveys elsewhere have shown that public perceptions of crime usually are linked to exposure to television where violence is a component of many shows.

It is not clear if the television engenders the insecurity or if those who fear crime and the outside world simply prefer to sit home and watch television.