The executive branch held what were called emergency meetings with leaders of the major parties in the Asamblea Legislative Monday to point out that a big loan from Japan has a July 31 deadline.

The loan, some $130 million with a mere 2 percent interest, is designed to pay for part of the work in modernizing the sewers in the metropolitan area.

Rodrigo Arias, minister of the Presidencia and brother to the president, met with party leaders in an effort to get an agreement to eliminate some of the legislative roadblocks.

The measure has not even been studied in committee at the legislature, which must approve the loan.

Part of the sewer project is to build a sewage treatment plant so that raw sewer no longer is dumped into the Río Tarcoles and then into the Gulf of Nicoya.