by Rod Hughes
The Costa Rica Elecricity Institute (ICE) is suing French telecommunications giant for $60 million in connection with the scandal-ridden cell phone system contract that has already resulted in the incarceration of an ex-president, the charging of 10 others and the conviction in the United States of an Alcatel executive.
ICE took over administration of the system before Alcatel’s contract ran out, after a storm of user complaints. (See previous article in the archives.)
The government telecommunications monopoly, ICE, is also asking about $1 million in damages against seven individuals involved in the granting of the contract.
The civil suit follows a veritable hail of criminal charges alleging corruption and bribery. Named in formal charges is former President Miguel Angel Rodríguez (1998-2002).
Not charged but mentioned in previous news reports by the morning daily La Nación in connection with an alleged $1 million payment by Alcatel is ex-President José María Figueres (1994-98). Figueres refused to return to this country for questioning by a congressional committee and remained in Europe, although he resigned his presidency of the Swiss-based World Economic Forum. (The English-language weekly The TicoTimes reported last week that the paper covered a climate-change conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, led by Figueres.)
(See newsfeed story 1280 for more details on the criminal charges.)