Costa Rican president reshuffles cabinet

Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla Friday reshuffled the cabinet, appointing new heads for the ministries of transportation, labor and housing. The new Minister of Transportation and Public Works, Pedro Castro Fernandez, an engineer by training, is to focus on infrastructure programs. Castro, who is to take office on Oct. 18, is also expected to oversee the legal reforms to make public works projects more efficient. Olman Segura, executive president of the National Learning Institute (INA), will take over the labor ministry from Sandra Piszk, who resigned for personal reasons. Segura will preside over debates on the minimum wages, promote youth employment, and modernize both the pension and salary negotiating systems in public and private sectors. His post at INA will be replaced by his deputy Francisco Marin Monge. The Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements will be headed by Guido Alberto Monge, a veteran in the field. All the new ministers but Castro will take office on Dec. 1.