Some of the tasks envisaged for the modernization of the Peñas Blancas border include extending service hours, increasing the amount of traffic officers and expanding the highway to four lanes.
This is one of Costa Rica’s most important commercial borders. Examples of this are the $1,362 in exports that went to Nicaragua through this outpost. In turn, in the same period about $675 million worth of imported goods entered the country.
If the plan is approved and proceeds according to the timeframe estimated by the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the first stage of modernization could be ready in early 2012.
An article in Prensalibre.cr states: "... the second phase will include renovating the border, promoting an agreement to ensure correspondence with the Nicaraguan authorities, and the establishment of an administrative scheme to ensure the long term sustainability of the project."
Source: prensalibre.co.cr
More on this topic
August 2011
The action plan is designed to address the state of emergency that has been declared on the border between Costa Rica and Panama.
A press release from the Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Trade states:
“The five month action plan will involve increasing the number of traffic officers, implementing an electronic collection system for fumigation charges, extending opening hours until midnight, contracting a design for the primary zone, implementing a system of international transit of goods, widening the highway to four lanes, and starting the remodeling of the immigration building. ‘Technological tools exist today that allow us to complete formalities in advance. To promote use of these, and to make the Peñas Blancas border crossing a place to pass through and not to do paperwork, we will establish before the primary zone a checkpoint that will to give priority to exporters who arrive with their paperwork already processed’, said Vice Minister, Fernando Ocampo.
July 2010
Next year Costa Rica will begin work to modernize Peñas Blancas customs, which it shares with Nicaragua.
Costa Rica's second vice president, Luis Liberman Ginsburg, unveiled the plans and added that the new buildings to be constructed will house Customs, Immigration and Agriculture offices.
August 2010
The Customs Directorate (DEI in Spanish) has announced that this year it plans to revamp seven customs posts.
Miguel Mejía, director of customs revenues, told a press conference that in the short term the aim is to modernize the customs posts to enable them to provide a more flexible and efficient service.
February 2011
Works on the new customs building shared by Nicaragua and Costa Rica will begin by the middle of the year.
The announcement was made by the Deputy Director of Immigration, Freddy Montero, who added that more staff will be hired in order to make procedures more efficient.
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