A Carthaginian deputy proposes to the Legislative Assembly that the socio-educational project of the Augustinian Recollects count on the resources from the unreceived parcels by the recipients, currently stored for more than ten years.
The representative of the Parliament of Costa Rica for the National Liberation Party, Paulina Ramírez, has presented a legislative reform file that is already in the admission process and distribution to the Commission that proposes strengthening the work of the Augustinian Recollects Boys’ Town in Costa Rica with an auction that, in turn, would provide a solution to a serious problem that faces Costa Rica Post Office.
Every year the Universal Postal Service in the Central American country must manage postal shipments of items that, in some cases, are retained by customs authorities for not complying with legal or tariff requirements; in others, they are not accepted by the recipients; and others are not claimed within the established deadlines (six months).
Currently, Customs establishes which shipments are returned to the origin, which are destroyed, and which are donated. This has caused differences between Customs and the Post Office, which for more than ten years has had more than 20 tons of undelivered stored shipments.
The operational cost for return to the countries of origin is estimated at more than 80 million colones (almost 150,000 euros), many of these countries want to avoid receiving them because they would be a ruinous operation for postal entities.
On the other hand, all these packages take up a lot of space and require additional security measures (they are sealed and not accessible to most of the officials in special premises) that cost money each month to the Post Office budget.
For all these reasons, the representative proposes a new law with the title “Law to strengthen the Boys’ Town through the public auctions of Post Office of Costa Rica” that asks:
- To donate to the Boys’ Town the resources from the sale by public auction of these postal parcels are not collected by the recipient within the period established by the Universal Postal Convention.
- Previously deliver to the Post Office of Costa Rica the resources that will cover the previous storage and management costs after all these years of inaction.
- The Post Office donates to the Boys’ Town those vehicles whose useful life is exhausted and are considered scrap or waste, as they are of great value for workshops mechanics or metallurgy training.
The Post Office of Costa Rica already collaborates with the Boys’ Town with the issuance of a Christmas stamp with a surcharge, but Christmas card shipments have decreased since most people now choose virtual congratulations. Remember the deputy, the basic costs of publishing the Christmas stamp are higher than the revenue obtained from its sale, a deficit that the Boys’ Town has to assume.
The Boys’ Town receives several subsidies from the State regulated by Laws 2291 (1958), 5662 (1974), 7739 (1998), 8783 (2009) and 9829 (2020). Thus, it is delivered to the project socio-educational 0.13% of the Social Development and Family Allowances Fund, 5% of the collection of tax on cement, 3.5% of taxes on cement companies in Carthage or the issuance of that stamp at Christmas. For all these reasons, the Boys’ Town is supervised by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security and the Ministry of Finance, as well as by the Controller General of the Republic.
The deputy rapporteur indicates that “the formation of these public resources has been adjusted to the current needs of each moment and general interests have been neglected that the Boys’ Town intends to comply with these resources.” She, therefore, asks for “simple instruments and clear regulations that do not hinder or limit the destination of resources, (… and) guarantee a further provision of funds, which is formal and effective.”
Currently, Costa Rica Postal Law 7768 (2010) implies that the resources of the Parcel auctions, if they occur, would be delivered to the Orphans Hospice of San José, a non-governmental organization of the Vincentian Volunteers already has a agreement with the National Children’s Trust (PANI), receives voluntary contributions and has the interests of a trust.
Paulina Ramírez, representative for Cartago, specializes in Tributes, Taxes, and Consulting prosecutor, has a degree in Public Accounting and has been a university professor, municipal director of Taxes, and deputy since 2014. She is part of the Tax Affairs and Tax Affairs committees of constitutionality consultations of the Legislative Assembly.
During her legislative mandate, she has supported projects such as the Clinic for the Sick Alcoholic (Adepea), the Monseñor Claudio María Volio Jiménez Asylum or the National Hospital of Children, as well as has promoted the Bioeconomy and equality policies.
