The regulatory authority has approved the eighth increase in gasoline prices this year. The increase is about 4 percent for super gasoline. The price goes from 575 colons to 597 colons per liter. regular goes up 23 colons or 3.2 percent from 550 colons to 573. There are 515 colons to the U.S. dollar at the current rate.

Diesel is going up just 3 colons a liter, from 380 to 383, said the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos.

Jet fuel, aviation gasoline, kerosene and liquid petroleum gas are going up, too.

The increases are based on a formula that takes into account the costs for production and distribution for the  Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo, the national monopoly.

Airport operator Alterra Partners yesterday announced it is evaluating whether to continue a project to renovate Juan Santamaría International Airport, northwest of San José, after the Comptroller General’s Office Tuesday rejected an addendum to rectify an alleged financial imbalance.

Alterra Executive Director Mónica Nágel told Radio Monumental yesterday the company could terminate the multimillion-dollar, 20-year contract.

Disputes between Alterra and the government have been ongoing throughout the project, whose work was paralyzed in 2003.

The project costs $160 million, $90 million of which is financed by banks and $40 million from Alterra’s investors. According to Alterra, the company does not have the remaining $30 million.

“Facing this situation, there are two things that could happen: the termination of the contract … or stockholders providing the remaining resources, but this is difficult because they already don’t believe in the project and in the country,” Nágel said.

Work on the airport will continue as normal, Minister of the Presidency Rodrigo Arias said yesterday at President Oscar Arias’ weekly Cabinet meeting, while Public Works and Transport Minister Karla González said dealing with addendum approvals is a normal part of any project.

“The government is analyzing options so that the airport’s users do not suffer in any way because of the Comptroller’s decision,” said a statement from Casa Presidencial.

-ACAN-EFE and Tico Times