Aresep Wastes MORE Money It Made From Increased Fees

This is confirmed by ¢ 9.338 million surplus accumulated so far, although the entity should work based on the principle of service at cost…they don’t.

The amount of the fee comes from the Regulatory Authority for Public Services (Aresep) charges companies under its supervision.

Based on that amount the budget for Aresep is made.

In turn, the fee is financed as public transport fares, electricity and fuel paid by users.

These resources are intended to cover salaries, stationery, rent, consulting and projects related to the regulation.

However, the entity has under-utilized those monies, the fees have been collected but not spent due to the limited capacity to implement their own projects and plans.

On average, over the past three years Aresep received 33% more than they have requested.

These anomalies are contained in an internal audit report of the entity made known to the general regulatory, Dennis Melendez on November 21, 2011.

The document was released Echandi Lourdes Maria, who on Tuesday presented his resignation to the Board. The same criterion exteriorized Emilio Arias, who officially resigned on Friday.

Echandi justified his retirement due to regulatory differences mainly with general management of the entity. He referred to “serious structural problems in the model of regulation of public services” that she has “no opportunity to correct.”

Today, from 10:30 a. m, Melendez attempted to talk about the departure of managers and the allegations, but the chief was not available.

Carolina Mora, press spokeswoman, said the regulator would return the call in the afternoon after the session of the Board, but did not.

Besides the letters of resignation, Echandi and Arias presented a summary of the issues which have had disagreements with Melendez and other officers of the Aresep.

Among them cited the creation of new jobs, royalties, consulting, salaries, rent of the building in the complex Multipark and leasing of the property Aresep in La Sabana, San Jose.

Without return? According to Internal Audit, the Aresep monies collected each year by the canon and not spent in the same period, must return to the correct.

You can do this by a reduction in future projects of fees or allocate specific development plans and the direct benefit of each service, as has required the Comptroller General.

However, the Aresep has ignored or applied minimum returns, for which resources are accumulated each year.

At December 31, 2010, the surplus amounted to ¢ 7.023 million. That balance is scheduled to fund projects for the period 2011 to 2012.

However, as of September 30 last year had not been executed or 50% of that amount.

Just last year the Aresep applied a 106% increase in public transport levy for this 2012.

The bus drivers must pay ¢ 2.305 million. That is, ¢ 507,150 per vehicle.Under pressure from employers and threats of unemployment, Aresep agreed to charge the tax in four parts.

The audit report warns of the administrative and legal until the regulator could face general do proper management of these resources.

For example, you must identify what services and companies are the contributions, the plan that justifies the existence of this fund and define its future use.

This, because, according to the Comptroller, “it is reasonable or legal entity that works on the principle of cost charges are levied on users of public services, which has no reasonable assurance about his possible execution,” said Audit study.