By the
A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Ministry of Culture confirmed
Thursday that Fred Herrera has
resigned as director of the National
Theater* for more than three
years.
Herrera said in his letter of
resignation that "I have fought to
protect the National Theater, and
for the love of that I prefer to
retire now, so that the debates
continue centered on the theme of
the conservation of the national
patrimony. I categorically reject
the false allegations that have
circulated against me, and with
all transparency I will render
accounts of my probity as a person
and public official. "
Herrera refers to the allegations
of sexual harassment made by a
former employee of the theater and
also for the controversy created
by the loan for $31.3 million to
finance the renovations in the
theater.
With respect to the complaint of
harassment, the case is in
the Legal Department of the
Ministry of Culture, in the
Contentious Administrative Court
and in the Civil Service Tribunal.
According to the case, a man
surnamed Castro who worked for the
Ministry, accused the former
theater director of sexual,
psychological and labor
harassment. The specifics are that
Herrera, invited Castro to his
house, and after the refusal
of Castro of the invitation, he
was dismissed by Herrera. The case
continues in investigation by the
ministry.
The polemic generated by the
millionaire loan to remodel the
theater started last April when
the former director and other
officials of the Ministry of
Culture announced the "Integral
Program of Security and
Conservation of the Historic
National Theater of Costa Rica".
That program was a series of
remodels to the theater and areas
where administrative employees
work. "The construction includes
the change of the electrical
system and the fire system, a
technological adaptation of the
stage, building a new
administrative building and a
tunnel that connects the theater
with the administrative
building," according to loan
documents.
The renovations were to
be financed with a loan from the
Central American Bank for Economic
Integration for $31.3 million.
This loan could not be executed
until approval by deputies.
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National
Theater courtesy photo
Herrera was National
Theater director
for more than three
years.
Currently this loan is
still in the analysis
stage by the lawmakers.
Some deputies have made
public their refusal to
approve the loan under
the conditions under
which the agreement was
signed.
According to Pablo
Abarca, deputy for the
Christian Social Unity
Party, "We should invest
in the urgent and
necessary, such as the
electricity system, but
the complete remodeling
project should not be
executed, in a
middle of the
fiscal crisis."
According to the
Ministry of Culture, to
continue in the loan
approval process,
Minister Sylvie Durán
will assume the
presidency of the Board
of Directors and the
vice minister, Max
Valverde, will assume on
an interim and ad
honorem basis the
directorate general of
theater until the end of
January.
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Should the investigation
on Herrera' case must
continue despite his
resignation? We would
like to know your
thoughts on this story.
Send your comments to: news@amcostarica.com
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