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Costa Rica’s Forest Wealth Is Greater Than Expected, Says World Bank

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Q24N
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Costa Rica's beautiful green cloud forest scenery
Costa Rica's beautiful green cloud forest scenery
Costa Rica’s beautiful green cloud forest scenery

QCOSTARICA  via 4traders.com – Costa Rica’s forests are an incredible success story. Following decades of rampant tree clearing for agriculture and livestock production, Costa Rica implemented protective policies in the 1980s that allowed forests to make a remarkable comeback.

Today, Costa Rica is the first tropical country to have stopped and reversed deforestation: over half of its land is covered by forest, compared to just 26 percent in 1983. At the same time, Costa Rica has seen significant growth in sectors like sustainable tourism and hydropower generation.

But the larger story of Costa Rica’s sustainable development doesn’t end there. Urbanization and greater energy needs are putting pressure on Costa Rica’s natural resources, while growing international demand for timber–particularly rare hardwoods–is incentivizing illegal logging. Local timber production, private investments and jobs in the forest sector, and wood craftsmanship have declined significantly. Public budgets for enforcing forest protection policies are being stretched. Due to the limited use of local timber in the construction sector, new houses are often built using cement and metal, which are associated with a high carbon footprint.

Ultimately, forest conservation in Costa Rica will be undermined unless the forestry sector is reformed to address these challenges. Maintaining Costa Rica’s significant forest growth will only be possible if forests are considered a productive asset, and their contributions to the economy accurately reflected in policy.

This is where Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) is crucial in informing policymakers about how forests contribute to the economy beyond what is reflected in GDP.

Since 2012, Costa Rica has worked with the World Bank global partnership on Wealth Accounting and the Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES) to get a more accurate representation of the country’s natural resources – forests, water, and energy – and how they interact with the economy. NCA provides policymakers with better information about the alternative uses of land, the economic implications of investments that degrade natural resources, and how to weigh the potential trade-offs.

With support from WAVES, the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) and the Ministry of the Environment and Energy (MINAE) released Costa Rica’s first forest accounts yesterday. The forest accounts provide data like how much and what types of forest are found in Costa Rica, how much forests and forest products are worth, and how these numbers have changed over time. The results have critical implications for how Costa Rica manages its forest resources, both for conservation and sustainable use.

A major finding from the forest accounts is that forests contribute more to Costa Rica’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) than previously thought: around 2 percent, including returns from timber, other forest products, and economic activities that make use of forest products. This is in sharp contrast to industry figures from national accounts that only consider timber extraction, which alone added just 0.2 percent to GDP in 2011, and just half of that amount in 2013. Since Costa Rica’s forests are more valuable than expected, it will be crucial for forestry policies to be adjusted to effectively protect and build these resources.

Forests’ Contribution to the Economy of Costa Rica (Percentage of GDP)

‘Natural Capital Accounting is particularly relevant for our country, since we depend on natural resources to grow and create new development opportunities. The compilation of environmental accounts by the Central Bank is an important step in the right direction. We need to better understand the interaction between the economy and the environment, and its implication for fiscal and economic policy in general,’ said Helio Fallas, Minister of Finance and first Vice President of Costa Rica.

The forest accounts also confirmed that Costa Rica continues to gain forest cover, reaching 52.4 percent in 2013, in line with National Forests Inventory data. Plentiful natural forests are now growing on lands that used to be dedicated to crops and pastures. Moreover, this new forest growth accounts for an additional three percent in the amount of carbon stored by forests countrywide, which is increasingly important for addressing climate change such as through the government’s strategy for REDD+ program (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). Securing the integrity of Costa Rica’s protected areas and strengthening its Payment for Environmental Services program remain key priorities for maintaining this natural wealth.

As the forest accounts report notes, ‘Viewing forests as a resource allows an appreciation of their value beyond simply being an input for the timber industry’. Providing a value for these resources enables forests to be easily understood as one of many components of a complex economy.

To gain an even deeper understanding of forests’ ‘hidden’ contributions, Costa Rica is currently working on accounts for ecosystem services, to truly capture the value of benefits like water filtration and biodiversity protection. Decision makers will then need to use all of this information in designing policies that put Costa Rica’s forests and its people on a long-term path to sustainable development.

Sources:

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Dont Let Thieves Steal Your Land in Costa Rica (Video)

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Q24N
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1

Costarican property rights are not bullet proof. Learn how to protect your land from thieves with attorney´s Richard (Rick) Philps advice.

Rick is a Canadian citizen, naturalized as a citizen of Costa Rica. He practiced law in Victoria, B.C., Canada, prior to moving to Costa Rica in 1998 an expert with many years of experience in Costa Rica law and contributing author to QCostarica.

Connect with Rick Philps

View all of Rick’s posts on QCostarica.

Visit Rick’s website.

 

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Paul Watson, Founder of Sea Shepherd, Says Costa Rica Charges Are Trumped Up

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Q24N
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‘The camera is the most powerful weapon we've ever invented, so we had to utilize that weapon. That's why we created the (reality) show,’ Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson, shown in 2012, said.
‘The camera is the most powerful weapon we've ever invented, so we had to utilize that weapon. That's why we created the (reality) show,’ Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson, shown in 2012, said.
‘The camera is the most powerful weapon we’ve ever invented, so we had to utilize that weapon. That’s why we created the (reality) show,’ Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson, shown in 2012, said.

(Q24N) Shielded from extradition requests by Costa Rica and Japan, controversial Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson is now living as international fugitive in France, granting him political asylum.

On Interpol’s Red List, Watson is a marine vigilante who’s done jail time for extradition requests. Yet to many, he’s also a heroic marine conservationist who risks his life and those of his crew to save countless endangered whales, turtles, dolphins and sharks from slaughter.

Love him or loathe him, Paul Watson, the 65-year-old, silver-haired founder of Sea Shepherd and co-founder of Greenpeace is now a celebrity because of his job: ramming whaling boats for a living.

Watson has a hit U.S. reality TV series, Whale Wars, that has aired on the Discovery Channel since 2008 about his organization’s fight against Japanese whalers. And his influence reached new heights with the award-winning documentary Sharkwater, which conservationists say resulted in shark finning being banned worldwide.

The tactics have landed him in the legal hot water even as they boost his renown. During an interview with The Associated Press in Paris, Watson — a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen — was stopped four times in the street by fans of all nationalities who asked for autographs.

“The camera is the most powerful weapon we’ve ever invented, so we had to utilize that weapon. That’s why we created the (reality) show,” he said.

Watson asserts that the charges are trumped up. Watson now lives as an international fugitive in a luxurious 18th-century chateau near Bordeaux.

“It’s not bad,” he said with a smile to Associated Press.

Japan says Watson allegedly masterminded Sea Shepherd’s disruption of Japanese whale hunts in the Antarctic Ocean and thus put whalers’ lives at risk during the hunt.

Watson said the original charges from Japan — the world’s biggest whaling nation — date from 2010, when a Japanese whaling vessel cut a US$2 million Sea Shepherd boat in half. The Sea Shepherd captain then boarded the Japanese ship — “to confront the whaler who just destroyed his boat” — and was summarily arrested. Watson claims the captain “made a deal” with the Japanese to suspend his sentence “in return for him saying that I ordered him to board.”

Watson says the Costa Rica request is also trumped up and is linked to the Japanese charges.

“I don’t love the celebrity thing, but it’s what gets the message across,” Watson said, citing supporters including Christian Bale, William Shatner, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Connery and Richard Dean Anderson. “We can’t lose because we’ve got two James Bonds, Batman, Captain Kirk and MacGyver on our advisory board.”

Isn’t he forgetting Robert Redford, who is also on the board?

“Robert Redford wasn’t a superhero in Captain America, he was a villain,” he laughed.

Read the original article at the Calgary Herald.

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Costly Fines Insufficient To Lower Deaths On Costa Rica’s Roads

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Rico
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El desconocimiento en aspectos técnicos de señalización genera acciones como adelantamientos indebidos, que enlutan los hogares de muchos costarricenes. En el 2014 este accidente en la ruta San José - Caldera, dejó tres fallecidos y un herido grave. | ARCHIVO/ALONSO TENORIO
El desconocimiento en aspectos técnicos de señalización genera acciones como adelantamientos indebidos, que enlutan los hogares de muchos costarricenes. En el 2014 este accidente en la ruta San José - Caldera, dejó tres fallecidos y un herido grave. | ARCHIVO/ALONSO TENORIO
Scenes like the 2104 accident on the Ruta 27 (San Jose – Caldera) that left three dead are common on Costa Rica’s roads. Fines and even the threat of jail for drinking and driving and excessive speeding have not had effect on reducing the carnage. Photo Alnso Tenorio, La Nacion

QCOSTARICA – Improper passing, speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs continue to be the main cause of fatal traffic accidents in Costa Rica.

What is clear to authorities is that the severe fines introduced in the reforms of the Ley de Transito (Traffic Act) of 2010 and 2012 have had little effect in changing the behaviour of drivers on Costa Rica’s roads.

The high fines set by Legislators in the first reform of the Traffic Act were deemed “disproportionate” by  Constitutional Court, reduced to the current fines.

For example, driving under the influence comes with a fine of ¢280.000 colones, and even a criminal penalty (with jail time) for a higher degree of intoxication, but it has not reduced the driving and driving problem.

Before the reforms, a typical fine for speeding, for example, was ¢5.0000. Now, although the fine is ten, fifteen or twenty times or more, and even jail for driving at speeds of 150 km/h or higher, it has had no effect on drivers using Costa Rica’s poorly designed and maintained roads as a superhighway.

Although they are called “autopistas”, there are no highways in Costa Rica, only “carreteras” (roads).

“The culture remained the same; the population was scared for only a few months,” said Jorge Ruiz Ramos, head of the Division of Forensic Engineering of the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ).

In 2013, Judicial officials investigated 124 road deaths. In 2014, the number was 140.

For the period of January 1 to December 17, 2015 the Policia de Transito (traffic police) attended to 376 deaths on the roads (from all types of traffic mishaps). That is  more than one person, on average, dying on the roads daily.

Sonia Monge, deputy director of the Policia de Transito, expressed a urgent appeal to values and conscience of all, not just the drivers.

One of major issues pointed out by the official is missing resources. The Policia de Transito is an effective force of only 763 officials patrolling the entire country. At least another 1.100 are needed to efficiently punish imprudent drivers on the roads, stress traffic authorities,

But the money is nowhere in sight.

And cbecause of this, although there are severe penalties in place, drivers feel they will not penalized for the lack of police on the roads. And they are not wrong. This leads to impunity.

A source close to the Q verified that at night only a handful off traffic officials are on duty, mainly to attend to accidents and other emergencies. On long weekends, for example,  manpower is shifted to have a large police presence during peak times.

That means, there are no active patrols at night and other non-peak gtimes. Traffic police spot checks (operativos in Spanish) are infrequent and with the aid of the social networks, they are immediately known. Spot checks by the Fuerza Publica (police), who are empowered to take off the roads drivers under the influence (or driving without license, not having vehicle registration, etc. etc.) are also infrequent.

Driver education is seriously lacking.

William Serrano, judge in the Tribunal Penal de San José is in agreement. Serrano told La Nacion, “negligence and incompetence” mainly of men between 18 and 25 years of age are the cause of most fatal traffic accidents.

Serrano added that the law punishes from six months to eight years in prison for causing a death on the road, but many are resolved through reconciliation through insurance (paying the victim’s family) which leads to few convictions.

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Claro Costa Rica offers businesses local rate calls to US

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Rico
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Claro is the leader in 4G in Costa Rica.

QCOSTARICA – Claro Costa Rica has extended the international calling service for corporate customers, with local rates to the US, reports El Financiero.

claro-crAccording to the operator, corporate customers can talk, text and browse the internet with the same local tariff, in the US (including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico), Mexico and Canada.

As a result, they will be able to save up to 70 percent on the cost of calls.

Corporate customers pay an additional cost of CRC 2000/month for the “Sin Fronteras Norteamerica” option.

Claro had previously provided the same benefits for Central America and Panama.

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Go Out On A Limb: Costa Rica’s Best Tree Houses

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Q24N
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The tree house named El Castillo at Finca Bellavista © Jeremy Papasso / Finca Bellavista

QTRAVEL (Lonely Planet) Sleeping in a tree house is the best, maybe because it is something different, or maybe because the human subconscious understands that a few million years ago it was something normal. Even after our arboreal ancestors stopped living in trees, they still climbed up to sleep because it felt safe.

Lately a lot of places around the world are seeing renewed interest in tree houses, and Costa Rica – with its vast stretches of primary forest and ubiquitous, durable hardwoods – is no exception. These days, visitors are opting to sleep in tree houses not just because it’s awesome, but also because they care about forest conservation. When a tree generates more income standing than felled, people have incentive to keep it alive.

The tree house named El Castillo at Finca Bellavista © Jeremy Papasso / Finca Bellavista
The tree house named El Castillo at Finca Bellavista © Jeremy Papasso / Finca Bellavista

Wherever you happen to be traveling in Costa Rica, you will likely be near a tree house of some kind. There are tree house rentals, tree house hotels, tree house resort communities, tree house restaurants and even a tree hostel. A word of caution though – many internet advertisements for ‘tree houses’ are actually offering regular houses near trees or on stilts. What follows are our picks for the best real tree houses in Costa Rica, but do feel free to branch out.

Kickin’ it in the canopy

For a sense of what its like to live in a primary forest’s canopy, spend the night at Nature Observatorio (natureobservatorio.com) in the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. Getting there involves a 45-minute hike in the jungle, then an 80-foot climb up a rope ladder strung over an old growth Nispero tree. Owner Peter Garcar straps you into a harness for this feat, then sends up baskets with all your meals. The circular, two-level deck sleeps four, and guests often encounter all manner of other tree dwellers, including monkeys, toucans, iguanas and kinkajous. This all-inclusive experience runs for $160 per person.

The tree house at Nature Observatorio requires guests to ascend via rope and harness © Nature Observatorio
The tree house at Nature Observatorio requires guests to ascend via rope and harness © Nature Observatorio

Swiss Family (insert your last name here)

In Costa Rica’s Southern Caribbean, an imaginative Dutchman taught himself architecture and created Tree House Lodge, a collection of whimsical vacation homes just steps from Playa Chiquita. Not all the homes are proper tree houses, but the eponymous ‘Tree House’ accommodation is. The first floor is built around a Sangrillo tree, and the second-story master bedroom is a proper tree room, with a hanging bridge for an entrance. The newest home on the property is also built around several trees and contains a mini-golf course in the living room. This place is amazing, and that’s why it costs $400 a night.

The first floor of the tree house at Tree House Lodge © Tree House Lodge
The first floor of the tree house at Tree House Lodge © Tree House Lodge

Because money doesn’t grow on trees

Arboreal accommodations are undeniably upper class, but there is one spot on Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast where a stay in the trees doesn’t require too many greenbacks. Just a few years ago, the beloved Flutterby Hostel (flutterbyhouse.com) in Uvita constructed three treetop accommodations on its property, including two private rooms and the country’s first tree dormitory. The adorably decorated tree digs go for $50 or $60 a night and dorm beds are $18, which is not a whole lot more than an area dorm bed costs on the ground.

Elevate your palate

In downtown Santa Elena in northwestern Costa Rica, a quaint eatery appropriately dubbed Tree House Restaurant and Café is perched inside an enormous Ficus tree. Guests ascend a staircase up into the dining room and take their seats at tree trunk tables, and although the food is not particularly cheap, you really can’t beat the atmosphere. This is a fun option for families and a great spot for ice cream. Also, if you can’t get enough of being in trees around Monteverde, Hidden Canopy is a boutique stay offering five tree chalets just up the road from the restaurant. The over-sized beds are constructed out of tree roots, and the showers are waterfall-style.

A volcano reTREEt

Near the Arenal Volcano, in a 70-hectare wildlife refuge containing waterfalls, refreshing pools and a river, Tree Houses Hotel (treehouseshotelcostarica.com) offers seven adorable tree houses equipped with air conditioning, warm water showers and even refrigerators. Guests admire birds from rocking chairs on wrap-around decks and often receive monkey and toucan visitors. Prices are a moderate $99-175 a night for double occupancy, including breakfast, and there’s also an onsite spa.

The comfortable interior of the tree house at Tree Houses Hotel © Tree Houses Hotel
The comfortable interior of the tree house at Tree Houses Hotel © Tree Houses Hotel

A village in the trees

Costa Rica’s most ambitious tree house project is the 600-acre Finca Bellavista (fincabellavista.com), an upscale community of tree houses in the vicinity of Palmar Norte on the Osa Peninsula (the exact location is emailed to guests once they’ve booked). Like many vacation home communities, the houses are individually owned and rented out when unoccupied. Unlike many communities, residents and visitors can travel between homes on hanging bridges, and dinner is grown in a garden on the rainforest floor down below. The amenities in each house vary, but the highest end offerings have kitchens, electricity and running water. Prices start at $50 for a single occupancy, and range from $100 to $275 a night for two people, with a two-night minimum.

Article originally published at the Lonelyplanet.com

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Exodus of Nicaraguans Leaving Costa Rica Reported

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Rico
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Mother's Day in Nicaragua is celebrated on May 30 each year
Mother's Day in Nicaragua is celebrated on May 30 each year
Mother’s Day in Nicaragua is celebrated on May 30 each year

QCOSTARICA – What is the big deal at the Nicaragua (Peñas Blancas) border these last few days, is a question repeated by some readers of the Q, of the mild exodus of Nicaraguans heading home.

The constant flow of many Nicaraguans leaving Costa Rica this weekend is on the occasion of Mother’s Day, celebrated in Nicaragua on May 30.

According to immigration authorities and police, so far evertything is going smoothly and no incidents.

The Nicaragua-Costa Rica border on Friday, as many Nicaraguans head home for Mother's Day on Monday, May 30. Photo Prensalibre.cr
The Nicaragua-Costa Rica border on Friday, as many Nicaraguans head home for Mother’s Day on Monday, May 30. Photo Prensalibre.cr

Mother’s Day in Nicaragua is a big deal. This is very important holiday for the Nicaraguans, with preparations beginning early in May.

Mother’s Day (Día de la Madre) in Nicaragua was established in the 1940s by then-President Anastasio Somoza García, designating May 30 as the day of celebration, since it was birthday of Casmira Sacasa, his wife’s mother.

Mother’s day at Little Cob
Mother’s day at Little Cob. Photo from Littlecob.wordpress.com

Mother’s Day celebrations include special gifts for mom. Typical celebrations include a Mother’s Day cake, some say is mandatory for celebration. Cities and towns organizes concerts and different activities.

Nicaraguans in Costa Rica who cannot visit their mother in Nicaragua on Mother’s Day will typically send cash to help out the family celebrate one of the important holidays for Nicaraguans.

Around Latin America, Mother’s Day is celebrated on different dates.

  • In Costa Rica, Mother’s Day, a national holiday, is celebrated every August 15
  • In Guatemala and El Salvador Mother’s Day is celebrated on May 10
  • In Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Honduras, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela Mother’s Day is on the Second Sunday of May
  • Paraguay celebrates Mother’s Day on May 15
  • Bolivia on May 27
  • Argentina celebrates Mother’s Day on the third Sunday of October
  • In Panama Mother’s Day is on December 8
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Bumb & Dumber Part 3

By
Juan Sebastian Campos
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QCOSTARICA BLOGS: Award # 1 Goes to: President Solis, who, on our tax money, might have, as the saying goes, “Pissed off the Pope.”

In Costa Rica it is perfectly polite to be late for just about anything with far-fetched excuses. it is part of the culture. *Have a dinner at 7PM and the 1st guest will usually show up around 8:30 PM. Being the first to arrive, at any event, is not is not socially correct.

Yet, The Vatican and the Pope are different.

In a cultural demonstration, Solis showed up, with family in tow 20 minutes late for his scheduled 40-minute appointment.

And, did anyone know that he is traveling Europe with his entire family on tax payer money?

As the gracious host, Pope Francis put on a smile, did not acknowledge disrespect and welcomed his guests who other than the usual dogma, Solís had nothing new to say, so perhaps being late to meet with the Pope might have been a good thing.

Award #2 Goes to: Airport Orotina.  No, not the community but the brains behind a new, double sized airport that is not even partially thought out. Again bureaucracy wins.

The hype is for jumbo jets and tourists to be closer to the beaches such Guanacaste. The reality is there will a long line of cars trying to get to the airport, to their jobs and finally, home.
Have you seen Route 27, the famed Auto Pista From Hell between 4:00PM and 7:00PM? It is bumper to bumper.

And, what happens when the Autopista is reversed from west to east?

So far, in this lust for tourism, the locals are going to suffer. To catch a 5:00PM flight, One would have to leave downtown San Jose around noon.

No thought so far has been given to ingress nor egress from our most populated city. Plus no money to construct much of anything.

A landing-takeoff pattern over wealthy Escazu would be a real hit with homeowners.

Award #3 Goes to The Ministry of Security. If you have ever wondered why so many policemen are caught robbing, stealing and selling drugs; you need to think about how they have to live in their more remote police stations.

La Nación reports that’s 40% of the overnight police stations outside of San Jose are complete squalor and uninhabitable. One station is nothing more than an empty warehouse in the middle of nowhere with cold water and a mirror to shave and look sharp.

Try living that life for a few days and then ask yourself, “Why not rob, pilfer and plunder?”
The police, no matter how much you like or do not like them deserve better and at least a little dignity.

Award #4 Goes to: AyA Water Works. While we have our water cut because of a shortage, while animals on farms die, while developers are not permitted to develop it has come to light that 40 to as much as 67% of our water is lost every day resulting from leaks in the antiquated underground system that has never been updated.

It is hard to drive on any road without seeing a seeping puddle of water coming from underground.
Usually, that puddle goes with a big “jueco”, or pot hole and at times a sink hole.

The system has never, ever come under critical maintenance and water just flows away while we are either are rationed or simply cut off.

The pothole is repaired like a band aid, using cold asphalt which washes off after the first heavy rain.

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Acoso Callejero (Street Harassment) Happens Every Day in Costa Rica

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Rico
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Screen capture of Telenoticias 7 dias report on street harassmnent
Screen capture of Telenoticias 7 dias report on street harassmnent
Screen capture of Telenoticias 7 dias report on street harassmnent in downtown San Jose.

How sad, this happens every day, and not just the streets of downtown San Jose, “Acoso Callejero” the Spanish term for “street harassment”.

In post on the social media, a woman who considers herself attractive, yet says she doesn’t dress sexy, was recently a victim of street harassment. And of all places, in Escazu, near the country club.

As she relates her story (we’re keeping her name private), leaving her office in Escazu near the country club, a man in a car started leering at her in the creepiest of ways.

Acoso callejero o
Acoso callejero occurs all around the country, from ‘barrios’ to the streets of downtown San Jose to the upper scale areas of Escazu.

“I hope never to see him again in my life and the worst part is that I was completely covers, wearing jeans and sweatshirt, nothing sexy,” the young woman says.

When she got in the cab she says she felt ‘dirty’ from the looks of this pervert, a look that she felt was completely undressing her. And it didn’t stop, even when she pulled our her cellular phone and told him she would record him and post on the social networks.

“Don’t these guys have daughters, nieces, sisters, mothers…for me this street harassment is the worst thing, a psychological trauma that can affect any woman…so sad,” she writes.

The young woman is calling for a need “to educate people in Costa Rica” for there is a lot of sexual abuse, including in families.

“Horrible…and the worst,” she finishes he post.

Acoso callejero has come to the forefront of social conscience since last October , when Gerardo Cruz dared to record the actions of a man seen what appears to be videotaping up a woman’s skirt as she walks the streets of downtown San Jose. Cruz’s post on the social media went viral. The man, in Spanish called “viejo verde” (sexual pervert), assured publicly days later that he was doing no such thing. Cruz, days later was stabbed, dying from his wounds weeks later. Authorities say the two incidents are not related and this past week released a video of one of the two attackers believed to have stabbed Cruz.

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Costa Rica Ranked One Of The “More Peaceful” Of The Countries In The World That Are Actually Free From Conflict

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Rico
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Global Peace Index The world's leading measure of national peacefulness, the GPI measures peace according to 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators.
Global Peace Index The world’s leading measure of national peacefulness, the GPI measures peace according to 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators.

QCOSTARICA – Costa Rica is among “more peaceful” of the 162 countries covered by the Institute for Economics and Peace’s (IEP’s) latest study.

The country ranks 34 out of 162 countries.

The GPI indicators for Costa Rica is 3 out of 5 perceive criminality in society (1 very low, 5 very high) by EIU analysts. 1.0/5 on Intensity of internal conflict, 2.0/5 on violent demonstrations and violent crime, and 1/5 on Terrorism impact.

The country scores poorly, 4/5 on access to weapons. According to the IEP, civilian access to small arms are worryingly high.

Even Switzerland (ranked 5 out of 162) famously detached when it come to any external conflict, the IEP says it  loses a number of points on the overall index because of its proportionately huge rate of arms exports per 100,000 of the population.

The top 5 ranked are: Iceland (1), Denmark (2), Austria (3), New Zealand (4) and Switzerland (5).

The IEP says that for a country to score at the lowest level for all its indicators for conflict, it must not have been involved in any “contested incompatibility that concerns government and/or territory where the use of armed force between two parties, of which at least one is the government of a state, results in at least 25 battle-related deaths in a year”.

The Global Peace Index measures the latest data up to the end of the year before – meaning that the state of international conflict right now is actually even worse than the study suggests.

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Turrialba Volcano May Be Ready To “Blow”?

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Rico
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0
Fotografía de Alberto Alvarado, del volcán Turrialba, tomada 21 de mayo del 2016 a las 6 a.m., desde La Pastora.
Fotografía de Alberto Alvarado, del volcán Turrialba, tomada 21 de mayo del 2016 a las 6 a.m., desde La Pastora.
Photo of the Turrialba volcano by Alberto Alvarado, taken May 21, 2016 at 6am, from La Pastora.

QCOSTARICA – In the last several days the Turrialba volcano has been relatively calm, continuing to spew ash and gases, but, a much reduced rate than the last ‘violent’ eruption Tuesday night.

However, it does not mean we can relax. Nor should we panic.

According to experts, like Guillermo Alvarado, volcanologist for the National Seismological Network and the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (RSN-ICE), who said “the Turrilalba volcano is gradually inflating”.

Alvarado told Turrialba area residents and municipal authorities, to prepare for the worst case scenario. However, he reiterated it is difficult to predict what the volcano will do.

The expert says there is a ‘huge’ accumulation of material and there are two possible scenarios: it will come out gradually (little by little as so far it has been done) or, the volcano is going to “go off” (blow).

One of the questions raised by those attending the lecture held at the University of Costa Rica (UCR), Turrialba campus, is about the possibility that volcanic activity generating an earthquake.

RSN (UCR-ICE) volcanologist Guillermo Alvarado volcanologist, provides talk to communities about the current condition of the Turrialba Volcano. Photo by Reina Sanchez, SINAC
RSN (UCR-ICE) volcanologist Guillermo Alvarado volcanologist,  provides talk to communities about the current condition of the Turrialba Volcano. Photo by Reina Sanchez, SINAC

“There is the possibility of a volcanic earthquake, clearly. But remember that in Costa Rica earthquakes occur every four years, thus we cannot attribute an earthquake only to the volcano”.

The expert also spoke about the possibility that of lava gushing from the colossus.

According to Alvarado, it is already gushing, but as pulverized rock in the form of ash.

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One Boiled Egg All It Takes To Control Sugar In The Blood

By
Rico
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5
There-Is-No-More-Natural-Way-To-Control-Sugar-In-The-Blood-All-It-Takes-Is-One-Boiled-Egg
There Is No More Natural Way To Control Sugar In The Blood: All It Takes Is One Boiled Egg

QHEALTH – Nearly 350 million adults worldwide have diabetes, according to the newest research published in The Lancet, a British medical journal. Over the past three decades, numbers have more than doubled, making diabetes an “epidemic,” say the experts.

In Costa Rica, according to latest figures by the International Diabetes Federation for 2015, 8.6 adults (20-79 years) in 100 are diabetic, in total there were  278,900 cases of diabetes. It is the second most common chronic disease in the country (after hypertension) and one of the major risk factors of heart attacks or strokes.

The figure describes which age groups in the population have the highest proportions of diabetes. The dotted line is the distribution of diabetes prevalence by age for the world; the black line is the distribution for the region; and the country distribution is plotted in the red line. Many middle- and low-income countries have more people under the age of 60 with diabetes compared to the world average. Meanwhile, for high-income countries, a growing population over the age of 60 makes up the largest proportion of diabetes prevalence.
The figure describes which age groups in the population have the highest proportions of diabetes. The dotted line is the distribution of diabetes prevalence by age for the world; the black line is the distribution for the region; and the country distribution is plotted in the red line. Many middle- and low-income countries have more people under the age of 60 with diabetes compared to the world average. Meanwhile, for high-income countries, a growing population over the age of 60 makes up the largest proportion of diabetes prevalence.

Diabetes is a condition in which body cells do not use sugar (‘glucose”) effectively, and blood sugar levels are chronically elevated. Over time, this causes illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, and neurological damage.

Luckily for you, we have an amazing solution which will reduce your sugar levels in no time!

Boil an egg in the afternoon, then peel it and pierce it several times with a fork. After that, put the egg in a larger container, pour vinegar over it and leave the egg overnight.

In the morning, eat the egg with a glass of warm water. Repeat the procedure for a couple of days, then visit a specialist and compare your blood sugar test results before and after the procedure – they should be far lower than before!

Sources: yourhealthymag.com; idf.org

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Great Places To Work In Latin America

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Foto Bloomberg
Photo Bloomberg

QCOSTARICA – Cisco, the information technology company, is tops among the best 25 multinational companies to work for in Latin America, with 1,710 employees in Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil and Chile.

The information was released in a Latin America ranking by Great Place To Work between June 2015 and March 2016.

In second place is Accor, with 11,975 employees in Brazil, Mexico and Peru. Number three is Monsanto with 6,000 employees in Brazil, Panama and Mexico. Fourth goes to Dell, with 6,000 employees in Costa Rica, Brazil, Panama and Mexico. And fifth is SC Johnson with 2,132 employees in Mexico, Brazil and Venezuela.

The companies featured in this ranking have been recognized at the regional level in at least three or more countries to create and sustain a culture consistently job confidence.

1 Cisco Information Technology 1,710
2 Accor Hospitality 11,975
3 Monsanto Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical 5,040
4 Dell Information Technology 6,268
5 SC Johnson Manufacturing and production 2,132
6 DHL Transport 1,731
7 Belcorp Health 6,721
8 Natura Manufacturing and production 1,430
9 JW Marriott Hospitality 2,144
10 Mars Manufacturing and production 2,044
11 Diageo Manufacturing and production 2,513
12 EMC Information Technology 1,222
13 Oracle Information Technology 4,622
14 Hilton Hospitality 2,252
15 3M Manufacturing and production 4,626
16 Atento Professional services
 119,719
17 Roche Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical 2,146
18 Scotiabank Banking and Insurance 26,692
19 Falabella Retail 47,732
20 Cargill Manufacturing and production 10,303
21 Novartis Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical 2,118
22 British American Tobacco Manufacturing & production
 1,115
23 Mapfre Insurance 11,717
24 Teleperformance Professional services 20,545
25 Santander Bank Banking and insurance
 33,830

Source: Great Place to Work

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Karol Cabalceta: “In Any Little Town You Visit, You Will Always Find Talented People”

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Karol Cabalceta
Karol Cabalceta
Karol Cabalceta

QCOSTARICA by Roberto Acuña Ávalos, Vozdeguanacaste.com – The life of Karol Cabalceta is very musical with guitars, marimbas and quijongos (a type of musical bow used by some indigenous groups). At 33 years old, the woman from Hojancha has taken in the sights in Ecuador, Mexico, Italy, Peru and Cuba, among other countries.

In addition to making a name for herself as a musician and composer, Cabalceta is currently the regional advisor of music education for the Ministry of Public Education, where she puts her degree in music education to good use.

Do you think that the marimba is not played as much anymore or is it that there are not many venues to offer traditional music?

There are not enough venues, but also the instruments are quite expensive. There may be performers, but economically speaking, it is difficult to own the instrument and that limits it. In addition, it is not valued. There are men who are paid some small change and a drink to play. An attempt has been made to incorporate the marimba into educational centers, but it is expensive. A tenor marimba can cost 1.5 million colones ($2850).

It is always said that when students participate in artistic activities, they perform better. How do you explain that?

Beyond academic achievement, it is an indispensable tool for taking ownership in the institution, for feeling like part of the institution, and what that does is reduce the dropout rate. The kid might not be someone getting As and Bs, but the kid will be there since he or she has a motivation in the institution. It is the same with sports. You feel part of it and you give your best and you want to stay in the institution.

Do you think that young people from Guanacaste have less opportunities to learn music than the ones in the Greater Metropolitan Area?

We may not have conservatories, we don’t have theaters or venues like that, but in whatever little town that you visit, you will always find talented people. They might not be academic scholars, but what I do believe is that we need to appreciate what we have. I think the biggest challenge facing the province is to revitalize what we have.

Do you think playing the marimba or the quijongo might die out?

With the marimba, I don’t think so. There are many many groups and there are large marimba festivals in the country. What worries me is quijongo. With that [instrument,] we were a small step away from it happening. In the country, there are only three people who play it and they are elderly, but last year we succeeded in holding a workshop with 15 people from across the province. Of those 15 people, maybe not all of them learned to perform in the best way, but we all learned to build the quijongo, which is what is important. I am currently working with my colleague in the advising department to reinforce that kickoff from last year and resume the workshops in educational centers and with music education teachers.

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Bus Companies Servicing Guanacaste Beaches Reinforce Fleets for Mid-Year Vacations

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Photo Ariana Crespo
Photo Ariana Crespo
Photo Ariana Crespo

QCOSTARICA by Henry Morales, Vozdeguanacaste – Mid-year vacations are coming soon and bus companies must work quickly to meet the demand from tourists who hope to enjoy Guanacaste’s national park’s and beaches.

The company Alfaro provides the most service to Guanacaste’s coasts, with routes from San Jose to Puerto Carrillo, Samara, Nosara and Tamarindo. Tralapa serves the San Jose-Flamingo route, while the company Pulmitan offers transportation to the areas around Playas del Coco.

Carlos Hernandez, who works for the Pulmitan de Liberia company, said that in 2014 the fleet was reinforced with 15 vehicles:

“We keep a fixed schedule, but when there are high seasons what we do is put more buses to work. Two years ago we added nine units and the year before that we bought two double-decker buses,” said Hernandez.

For their part, Alfaro and La Pampa do something similar – the bus schedules remain the same, but in the high season they meet demand with extra service.

Buses leave from San Jose daily from the new 7-10 bus terminal, which is located in Barrio Mexico.

ALFARO SCHEDULE

Route Schedule Ticket Price
Samara-Carrillo-San Jose 4:AM- 8:30 AM ¢4.395
Nosara –San Jose 12:30 MD ¢4.725
Tamarindo – San Jose 5:30 AM – 3:30 PM ¢5.540
San Jose -Samara-Carrillo 5:AM-  12:MD ¢4.395
San Jose- Nosara 5: AM ¢4.725
San Jose –Tamarindo 11:30 AM- 3:30 PM ¢5.540

 

PULMITAN DE LIBERIA SCHEDULE

Route Schedule Ticket Price
El Coco-San Jose 4:AM- 8:AM—2:PM- ¢4585
San Jose-El Coco 8:AM –2PM—4:PM ¢4585

 

TRALAPA S.A SCHEDULE

Route Schedule Ticket Price
Flamingo- San Jose 2:45 AM- 9: AM- 3:PM ¢6.045
San Jose- Flamingo 8:AM- 10: AM- 3:PM ¢6.045
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Nosara, The Anti-resort Resort Town

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A surfer rides a wave at Playa Guiones. Credit Toh Gouttenoire for The New York Times
A surfer rides a wave at Playa Guiones. Credit Toh Gouttenoire for The New York Times
A surfer rides a wave at Playa Guiones. Credit Toh Gouttenoire for The New York Times

QTRAVEL – Dozens of surfboards bobbed on the Pacific waves rolling in as the sun came down on yet another perfectly clear, piping-hot day in the Nicoya Peninsula beach town Nosara.

“Costa Rica in my mind, back then, you sum up my impression of the country in three ideas: Closer. Waves. Spanish-speaking people,” says of Costa Rica, John S. Johnson III, the Brooklyn- and Nosara-based co-founder of BuzzFeed, whose great-grandfather started the giant global pharmaceutical and personal care company Johnson & Johnson.

John S. Johnson III, co-founder of BuzzFeed, and his wife, Susan Short, a naturalist and filmmaker. Credit Eric Lipton/The New York Times
John S. Johnson III, co-founder of BuzzFeed, and his wife, Susan Short, a naturalist and filmmaker. Credit Eric Lipton/The New York Times

This hard-to-reach spot has pulled in surfers since American expatriates discovered it in the late 1960s. But something radical has changed on the beach. The $10-a-night flophouses that once housed the bohemian surfer crowd have largely been replaced by high-end boutique hotels, and more than a dozen new restaurants have opened in the last year alone.

They have helped lure affluent travelers to a once-sleepy yet still decidedly laid-back beach town, including waves of families who usually vacation in places like Telluride, Colo., Montauk, N.Y., or the south of France.

nosaraIts natural beauty is the primary draw. Nosara has a virtual amusement park of outdoor activities: some of the world’s best surfing, stand-up paddle boarding in adjacent estuaries, and, in the nearby mountains, one of the world’s longest zip-line tours.

But it is Nosara’s embrace of an eco-friendly, all-natural, organic lifestyle that rounds out its appeal. It is home to a dozen or so yoga retreats, day spas, natural healing classes and a culinary scene that emphasizes super-fresh ingredients like farm-fresh produce and just-caught seafood.

This is the kind of place where a crowd assembles at the beach for the sunset each day, in a Zen-like tribute to nature.

Continue reading at the New York Times

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Costa Rica President Solis Keeps Pope Francis Waiting

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Pope Francis greets warmly President Luis Guillermo Solis' daughter, Inés
Pope Francis greets warmly President Luis Guillermo Solis’ daughter, Inés. Photo Presidencia

QCOSTARICA – Pope Francis got on Friday first hand experience of “tico time” from none other than President Luis Guillermo Solis,  arriving 20 minutes late for his scheduled meeting at the Vatican.

Solis blamed his tardiness on a “misunderstanding between the Vatican and the Costa Rica delegation”, accelerating the protocol, leaving only 20 minutes of conversation time between the Pope and the President.

Could this have been the face of Pope Francis while he waited for President Solis to arrive? Photo for illustrative purposes from the Telegraph.co.uk
Could this have been the face of Pope Francis while he waited for President Solis to arrive? Photo for illustrative purposes from the Telegraph.co.uk

The subjects touched during their talk were the issues of migration, abortion and drug trafficking.

On abortion, a number of legislators had already written the Pope of the Solis administration “possible changes” to legislation. In Costa Rica, abortion is allowed only when the life of the mother is in danger.

The Vatican press office also said that during the meeting mentioned was “the good relations between the Holy See and Costa Rica and appreciation was expressed for the contribution offered by the Church in education, health, promotion of human and spiritual rights and in charitable activities.”

Solis said on the social media to having “many views in common with Pope Francis” and “he felt of the Pope like an old friend I had not seen for many years”.

The president said he left the Vatican very satisfied, recognizing that it was a “very warm” meeting and which, he added, “had an air of a very close relationship, because there is a common language and a regional spirit that embraces us.”

Related :

Solis took the opportunity to invite Pope Francis to visit Costa Rica, telling the pontiff, “I would be very honoreud if you visit”.

“My heart will wait for you, but every country in the world wants to have the pope as guest. Nothing would please me more than in the framework of you international agenda you can make some room for Costa Rica and Central America,” he wished.

Photos by Presidencia of President Luis Guillermo Solis, with his his common-law wife, Mercedes Peñas and their daughter Inés, visit with Pope Francis as the Vatican.

13325601_1307205829308933_7461376626174814483_n 13315413_1307205289308987_3076771314848750271_n 13315250_1307205335975649_7949368246699126416_n 13315642_1307204665975716_7496045291948140570_n 13325558_1307205025975680_7248716579676334176_n 13319803_1307204732642376_7637965765284545676_n 13260090_1307204869309029_4528737927262862295_n 13325636_1307204455975737_3408854528226085243_n

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In Italy, Costa Rica President Urges Italian Businessmen To Invest In The Country

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Costa Rica President is received formally by Italy's president, Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinal Palace, in Rome, one of the three current official residences of the Italian President.
Costa Rica President is received formally by Italy's president, Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinal Palace, in Rome, one of the three current official residences of the Italian President.
Costa Rica President is received by Italy’s president, Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinal Palace, in Rome, one of the three current official residences of the Italian President.

Moving his visit from England to Italy, Costa Rica President Luis Guillermo Solís, highlighted Thursday the “high potential” of Italy as an importer of Costa Rican products and encouraged Italian investors to look closely at the country’s services, tourism and clean energy sectors.

The comments followed a meeting with Italian businessmen in Rome.

Solis’ visit to Italy has two main objectives: advance the level of cooperation and stimulate trade between the two countries by meeting with Italian officials and about seventy entrepreneurs.

As to the first, Italian authorities have agreed to the signing of four bilateral agreements of cooperation: sharing information, extradition, combating organized crime and environmental protection.

But the priority of the Solis administration is to deepen trade links with Italy, the fourth largest importer of Costa Rican products to the European Union (EU) and a country with a commercial presence in Costa Rica and Central America since the nineteenth century.

Solis highlighted the ties between the two countries as “very mature”.

While in Rome, Solis will meet today (Friday), for the first time, with Pope Francis, to invite him to Costa Rica. In the meeting with the Pope, President Solis is expected to address is issues referred to by the pontiff, as his “permanent call for justice for the poorest and excluded”, the defence of the environment and the issue of migration and refugees.

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Legislator Proposes Changes To Child Support Eliminating Jail Time

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Oscar Lopez of the Partido Accesibilidad Sin Exclusión (PASE) is promoting a bill
Oscar Lopez of the Partido Accesibilidad Sin Exclusión (PASE) is promoting a bill
Legislator Oscar Lopez of the Partido Accesibilidad Sin Exclusión (PASE) is promoting a bill that would not sent directly to jail dads who lose their jobs and cannot pay child support.

QCOSTARICA – Legislator Oscar Lopez of the Partido Accesibilidad Sin Exclusión (PASE) is promoting a bill that seeks a change to the Child Support Act (Ley de Pensiones Alimentarias), eliminating ‘direct’ jail for those who lose their jobs and cannot pay child support.

“What we want is to change is a person who is not a criminal going to prison of a person directly, because he cannot pay support, to the ‘dad’ going to prison at night to sleep and be out looking for work during the day,” said the legislator.

Lopez points out that the family courts and child support in the country are collapsed, none or very few cases are solved in real time by the judicial process and with the annual increases in cases entering the courts, the time it takes to resolve even long, threatening the immediate needs of the child or beneficiary.

Resolutions are not and reported promptly and properly, and often threaten the freedom of movement of the person responsible for payment, while limiting the quality of life, especially when amounts to be paid are disproportionate, when changes in economic conditions are not taken into account, explains the legislator.

According to the Ministry of Justice and Social Adaption (prison system), about ¢33,000 colones are spent daily for maintaining each debtor (of child support). That amount was in October 2013 when 263 men were in behind bars.

In the Goicoechea court, the largest single court handling child support cases, handles some 100 orders a day for personal constraints.

“That father is a good father, but lost his job and now going to jail for that, that has to come to an end,” said the legislator.

The bill is now in the Legal Affairs legislative committee. Lopez gave no indication if and when the proposal would reach the legislative assembly floor for voting.

Click here to read the proposed bill (in Spanish).

Source: Prensa Libre

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Arrested 8 Police Officers Suspects Of A Gang Breaking Into Homes

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Rico
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1
Screen capture of the early Thursday morning raid in Alajulita, show live on the 6:00am television news
Screen capture of the early Thursday morning raid in Alajulita, show live on the 6:00am television news
Screen capture of the live television broadcast of the early Thursday morning raid in Alajuelita that resulted in the arrest of 8 police officials, suspected to be part of a criminal gang that broke into homes in San Jose and Guanacaste.

QCOSTARICA – Pretending to conduct patrols a group of police officers were part of a gang that broke into homes in Guanacaste and San Jose.

Their loot included flat screen televisions, portable computers and anything else of value they could carry out of the homes.

In a series of early morning raids this Thursday, in 17 different locations in Alajuelita, Desamparados, Guapiles and various points in Guanacaste, the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) detained the (arrested) eight police officials.

The gang is made up of other members that have yet to be identified. “Among the detained are several officers of the Administrative Police,” confirmed Marisel Rodriguez, head of the OIJ press office.

Security Minister Gustavo Mata said his ministry has cooperated with the OIJ in providing “important evidence to the investigation” and that the eight officers will be dismissed.

“We are ready to fire them, the process is already underway,” said Mata.

Archived photo of police patrolling the streets of downtown San Jose.
Archived photo of police patrolling the streets of downtown San Jose.

Juan José Andrade, chief of the Fuerza Publica (police), said “police must serve with honesty and transparency, we are working with prosecutors and the OIJ.”

 

 

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Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica is ‘killing animals’, former vets say

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This sloth is huddling into itself out of discomfort due to a urinary tract problem Camila Dunner and Gabriel Pastor
This sloth is huddling into itself out of discomfort due to a urinary tract problem Camila Dunner and Gabriel Pastor
This sloth is huddling into itself out of discomfort due to a urinary tract problem Camila Dunner and Gabriel Pastor.

QCOSTARICA via the INDEPENDENT – The Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica is “killing animals” through neglect, illness, poor food and housing, according to former employee vets.

The popular tourist destination and so-called rehabilitation center, featured on the likes of David Attenborough’s shows, has been accused of maltreatment of the solitary animals, including holding at least 200 of them in cages measuring two feet wide.

Sharing small enclosures would often lead to fights between the animals and even violent attacks towards their babies. One sloth called Roxie had her scalp ripped off her head.

“These are solitary animals but they are kept in pairs or up to four individuals per cage,” veterinarian Camila Dunner, who worked at the sanctuary from May 2015 to March 2016, told The Dodo. ”The ones that are lucky enough to be on their own are constantly fighting … with their neighbor. They can bite and pull an extremity through the fence, causing serious injuries.”

She worked alongside fellow verterinarian, Gabriel Pastor, who has also revealed his story to The Dodo.

Ms Dunner agreed to share the photos with The Independent and said that they both had received death threats since revealing their story.

She said the majority of sloths are never released to the wild, and the number of animals at the sanctuary are growing.

Ms Dunner accused Judy Avey-Arroyo, who opened the sanctuary in 1992 with her late husband, Luis Arroyo, of turning the rehabilitation center into a “business”, taking healthy animals and putting them into cages.

slothcage

A sloth can live up to 40 years and therefore can spend decades in a cage.

As reported by The Dodo, the sanctuary has taken in 725 sloths since it opened but has only released 41 rehabilitated animals.

Ms Dunner accused sanctuary workers of illegally cutting down trees and even swimming into rivers to recapture animals who had escaped.

The sloth sanctuary’s own website says several times that the animals cannot be released into the wild, a claim which has been refuted by rehabilitation experts.

The founder, Ms Avey-Arroyo, was filmed in 2013 talking about the center’s aim to release the animals back into the wild.

Ms Dunner said baby sloths, often a result of illegal breeding, would be kept together in plastic boxes with older sloths and would be fed every four hours instead of two, meaning the starving babies would suckle on anything they could grab and end up with jaw deformities.

They were also fed cooked and raw vegetables instead of their natural diet of leaves, and many developed malnutrition, urinary tract problems and some even died.

Animals developed abnormal behaviors as they spent their adulthoods without sun, rain or exercise, and would “eat their own bellies”, hide under blankets, refuse to defecate.

A woman who claimed to be a former volunteer accused the sanctuary of neglect in a blog post in 2012. She named a sloth who was suffering and paralyzed called Ubu – a full three years before Ms Dunner and Mr Pastor convinced the founder to put him to sleep.

Other people have vented their frustration on TripAdvisor.

Gerald Richardson, who handles media inquiries for the sanctuary, is the brother of Daryl Richardson, owner of the Texas’ Dallas World Aquarium, which acquired six sloths from the sanctuary, according to an article in New Republic.

He denied any case of maltreatment.

He told The Independent that the claims by the two vets were “malicious” and they wanted to bring about change “too quickly”, despite “never having seen a sloth before”.

“We had this dilemma of taking in around 150 baby sloths, we didn’t have enough leaves to feed them,” he said, referring to their food-based diet. “So do we euthanize them? Or do we nurse them back to life and teach them how to forage?”

“To [release them quickly] would wreak havoc on the genetic make-up of that species, especially when they’ve been abandoned by their mothers.”

He added that there are “different trees” around Costa Rica, so the animals might be released in a different area to where they were found and would end up not knowing how to forage food.

“They [Ms Dunner and Mr Pastor were young and excited, but they didn’t have the research or the resources to make it,” he said.

Ms Dunner responded that she had carried out internships to work with sloths in Ecuador and Mexico before being a vet at the sanctuary.

Ms Dunner and Mr Pastor wrote on Facebook that they have been “discredited and disrespected professionally” as a result but their mission was to expose an institution that was “diametrically opposed to animal welfare”.

“I really hope that minae [Costa Rica government department] and other authorities take into account our complaint about the many irregularities to the law of wildlife in Costa Rica, and take care of it,” Ms Dunner wrote.

A petition to close down the sanctuary has reached more than 2,000 signatures.

The original article can be found here.

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Costa Rica Explains Anti-Doping Agreement Signed with Cuba

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Maximiliano Moreira, César Sánchez, Carolina Guillén y Allan Rímola integran la Comisión. (Prensa Icoder)
Maximiliano Moreira, Cesar Sanchez, Carolina Guillen and Allan Rimola form the Comisión Nacional Antidopaje - CONAD CR. Photo ICODER press release.
Maximiliano Moreira, Cesar Sanchez, Carolina Guillen and Allan Rimola form the  Comisión Nacional Antidopaje – CONAD CR. Photo ICODER press release.

QCOSTARICA –  The coordinator of National Anti-doping Commission (Comisión Nacional Antidopaje – CONAD CR), Cesar Sanchez, stated today that thanks to an agreement signed by Costa Rica and Cuba, the official drug tests of Costa Rican athletes will take place in a Cuban laboratory.

The CONAD CR has the objective of training athletes, to ensure the purity of fair play in Costa Rican sport.  The commission is also responsible for planning, coordinating, implementing, monitoring and promoting improvements in doping control. Sanchez confirmed that they will be taking some 400 samples in the remainder of the year.

Sanchez stressed that a more proactive vision aims to share the knowledge to athletes, family and leaders, both at the amateur level in schools and colleges and of sports associations and federations.

“With this strategy, we want to change paradigms, be seen as drivers of fair play, of the importance of socializing knowledge, rather than simply collectors or urine and/or blood samples,” said Sanchez

Costa Rica’s Sports and Recreation Institute, the ICODER, has donated US$190.000 dollars to strengthen the Commission’s work.

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History Channel Uses Wrong Photo To Promote San Jose, Costa Rica

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Rico
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The History Channel on its Facebook post used the wrong photo to promote San Jose Costa Rica. The photo is of San Jose, California
The History Channel on its Facebook post used the wrong photo to promote San Jose Costa Rica. The photo is of San Jose, California
The History Channel on its Facebook post used the wrong photo to promote San Jose Costa Rica. The photo is of San Jose, California

QCOSTARICA – Does your San José (Costa Rica) look like the photo published on the History Channel? No? Maybe you’ve been living in the wrong San Jose. Or could the History Channel be wrong?

Promoting San Jose as “the starting point for adventure” and highlighting destinations like Jade Museum and the Plaza de la Cultura and even mentioning Gallo Pinto in the text, the History Channel used the wrong photo.  See the History Channel page here from April 27, 2016.

Thousands commented on the Facebook post for a correction, but hours later after it appeared the History Channelhad not responded.

The image used in the post is of the bay of San Jose, California, which is on sale on Shutterstock, a website that sells stock illustrative images.

Interestingly the History Channel is not the first, and probably won’t be the last, to use the wrong image. In 2105, Food and Travel Mexico made the mistake. Similarly, Mexico’s El Economista newspaper, used the same photo in the travel between Mexico City and San Jose (Costa Rica) article.

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Volcanic Ash From Costa Rica Sold On Ebay. Really?

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turrialba-ash-on-on0ebay
Screen capture of Ebay page offer volcanic ash from Costa Rica’s Turrialba volcano

QCOSTARICA – In the I wouldn’t believe it but it’s on Ebay, you can buy ash from Turrialba Volcano explosion last week.

The ash is being sold for US$15 dollars, plus US$10 for economy shipping. Here is the Ebay link.

The  item descriptions says, “A volcano has erupted in central Costa Rica, belching smoke and ash up to 3,000m (9,840 ft) into the air. People in the capital San Jose, about 45km (30 miles) west of the Turrialba volcano, said layers of ash had coated buildings and cars and there was a fierce smell of sulphur.”

At the time of posting this article only one sale had been made. Will you be buyer number 2?

If you buy today, Ebay will deliver to the US (estimated) between Thu. Jun. 9 and Fri. Jun. 17. The seller will ship within 4 business days of receiving cleared payment.  The seller has specified an extended handling time for this item.

The purchase is final as the seller does not offer returns.  However, Ebay has your back, you are covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee if you received an item that is not as described in the listing

 

 

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Costa Rica Enables Stolen Phones Online Check (UPDATED)

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Rico
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Dial *#06# to check your phone's IMEI (identification number of a mobile device), unique to every cell phone.
Dial *#06# to check your phone’s IMEI (identification number of a mobile device), unique to every cell phone.

QTECH – You just found a great deal on that smartphone you’ve had your heart on. What a great price. It must be my lucky day. But, it is really  great deal or just a scam?

Any smart consumer should have doubts when considering buying a used cellular phone in Costa Rica, especially in a private deal (non retail).

That great phone at that great price may be such a great deal when you find out that it has been blacklisted by one or all three of the networks in Costa Rica: Kolbi, Movistar and Claro. That is, the device, like your iPhone, does everything it is supposed to do except make or receive phone calls.

So, how do you know if the phone is blacklisted? Enter the Sutel, the Superintendency of Telecommunications which is now making available online the blacklist registry: enter the phone’s IMEI  (identification number of a mobile device) and be immediately notified if the phone is blacklisted. Or not.

Results of the IMEI check on the Sutel website
Results of the IMEI check of my iPhone on the Sutel website. Click here or image to check your phone.

To obtan the IMEI of any cellular phone dial *#06#  and get the IMEI, then key in that number on the (“El Sistema de verificación de dispositivos” in Spanish) Sutel’s webpage – after which the system will indicate the make and model of the device and alert if it is on the “black list” of reported stolen phones.

The blacklist is updated by operators as part of the GSMA‘s international campaign.

UPATED: May 26, 2016 – A cellular phone that is for example blocked by Kolbi (for non-payment or whatever other reason) does not appear on the IMEI blacklist and can be used on Claro or Movistar and any other network around the world. Thus, before buying a used cellular phone privately, ensure that the device can connect to your network (Kolbi in the above example) and others if you are contemplating a change in the future.  A blocked devive from a network will show the network name maybe even a bar or three, but will not place or receive calls from that network.

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The iPhone SE Now Available In Costa Rica

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Apple's iPhone SE now available in Costa Rica
Apple's iPhone SE now available in Costa Rica
Apple’s iPhone SE now available in Costa Rica

QTECH – Kölbi (ICE) and Movistar (Telefonica) are the first two to bring the Apple’s new smartphone, the iPhone SE, to Costa Rica.

The new phone comes in two versions, 16Gb and 64GB, in silver and grey.

The SE is the same size and body of the 5S, but it packs a punch inside. While from the exterior the only indication that it is the new iPhone it has the “SE”, inside works the same as the 6S, that is three times faster than the 5S.

The camera is a 12 megapixel (the front only 5 with flash). Yes, with flash. When you click the button for the front camera, the screen goes white for an instant – that is the flash – for a great selfie.

The SE also records video in 4K, has touch ID and all the great features of the 6S.

The cash price of the new iPhone is ¢274,900 for the 16GB and ¢344,900 for the 64GB. Both Kölbi and Movistar offer the device on 12 and 24 month plans, but be careful, it can really end up costing you a lot more than you expected.  Claro (America Movil) says it will have the phone available next month. No details on pricing was provided.

At the Costa Rica authorized Apple store (iCon), the price of the SE is US$545, with easy payments starting at US$45 monthly. (iShop, the other authorized store does not yet stock the SE.)

Before you start ranting on the prices in Costa Rica, consider that the SE it is priced about the same as in Canada, which is 45% more than Apple sells the device in the U.S.  See the article Canadians may pay 45% more for Apple’s new iPhone SE

I purchased my SE 16GB in Canada earlier this month for CA$579. The price, when converting Canadian Dollars eh, to U.S. Dollars, to Colones was the same. Before doing the math (I know you can’t resist), keep in mind that the prices in Costa Rica include tax (impuesto de venta incluido – IVI), in Canada not.

And works great on all three networks in Costa Rica:  Kölbi, Movistar and Claro.

PS, although it is often referred to as the 7, the iPhone SE is not the iPhone 7, which will be out later this year.

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Xiaomi Smartphones Now Available in Costa Rica

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Rico
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xiaomi-smartphone
Xiaomi smartphones now available in Costa Rica

QTECH – Looking for a new smartphone and on a budget? Xiaomi may be your choice, with its entry in the Costa Rica’s varied smartphone market, with models starting at ¢119,900 colones.

The MI4i, and Redmi Note 4G are the first models available now. The and MI5i will come in June and in July, the REDMI3 and REDMINOTE 3 will also be available.

Haven’t heard of Xiaomi before?

Xiaomi, the Apple of China, made its name producing attractive, quality smartphones at affordable prices, is the world’s 5th largest smartphone maker. In 2015 Xiaomi sold 70.8 million units and was countable for almost 5% of the smartphone global market share.

The Xiaomi Mi4 is part of Xiaomi’s mid-range smartphone line, and was released in April 2015. The Xiaomi Mi 4i has a 5 inch fully laminated touchscreen and ships with MIUI V7, Xiaomi’s variant of the Android operating system. The user interface of MIUI is based on the concept of direct manipulation, using multi-touch gestures. Interface control elements consist of sliders, switches, and buttons. Interaction with the OS includes gestures such as swipe, tap, pinch and reverse pinch, all of which have specific definitions within the context of the Android operating system and its multi-touch interface.

The Xiaomi Mi 5 flaunts a 5.15-inch display with a full HD screen resolution. The Xiaomi Mi 5 is a perfect combination of elegance and power. The phone has a 3D ceramic glass with a metal frame with an elegant and slim look. The device protects your personal data with fingerprint scanner embedded on the home button. Apart from fingerprint sensor, the phone comes with sensors like Accelerometer, Barometer, Compass, Gyroscope, IR Gesture and Proximity sensor. The phone is equipped with a 16MP autofocus main camera with Exmor-RS CMOS sensor and optical image stabilisation which assist in snapping quality pictures.

 

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Walmart Costa Rica Looking To Hire 1,500 For Instore Changes

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Rico
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Image for illustrative purposes
Image for illustrative purposes
Image for illustrative purposes

QCOSTARICA – “Demostradora”, “promotora”, “impulsadora”,  and “displays” are some of the job descriptions used for the people you see in the aisles of retail stores (mainly supermarkets) giving out free samples or explaining the product as you go about your shopping.

In most cases, these people do not work for the supermarket, rather they are outsourced, employees of an agency, supplier or product distributor working under contract with the retailer.

The Walmart company, that includes Walmart, Masxmenos, Maxi Palí and Palí chain of supermarkets announced Tuesday that it will make changes and hire staff directly to service the points of sale, especially in high traffic locations and times.

The company said it will be hiring 1,500 people for all its stores, with the aims of improving sales.

In a statement, the company explained that those interested can apply at the website www.miempleowalmartcr.com.  Applications can also be left at any of the company’s 185 stores across the country.

Walmart (Mexico and Central America) says that currently some 500 outsourced people fill the aisles of its stores daily, which may choose to apply for a direct job with the retailer.

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Costa Rica’s State Water Utility Loses Up To 67% Of Its Water To Leaks

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Rico
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A water leak in Bello Horizonte de Escazú, in January 2013. AyA says that scenes how are you will decrease thanks to an investment plan to seal leaks in coming years. | ADRIANA ARAYA.
The water leak in Bello Horizonte, Escazú, is typical of what occurs on many roads around the greater metropolitan area of San Jose. Photo Adriana Araya, La Nacion
The water leak in Bello Horizonte, Escazú, is typical of what occurs on many roads around the greater metropolitan area of San Jose. Photo Adriana Araya, La Nacion

QCOSTARICA – You’ve seen it. It may be even in front of your house. You can’t drive a street in San Jose and surrounding areas without seeing a watee leak or signs that a repair recently took place. Am I exaggerating? No.

According to an analysis by the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep) – regulator of public prices and services, has found that the state water and sewer utility, the Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AyA) loses between 47% and 67% of its water.

The water distribution network with the greatest losses in 2015 was in the Greater Metropolitan Area of San Jose (GAM), Chorotege and Brunca, with losses between 47% and 50%.

In the Central Pacific and Central East regions, the loss was between 50% and 57%. In the Huetar Atlantic region, the loss was as high as 67%.

The study reveals that the percentage of loss to leaks remains practically the same as in 2014.

In contrast, the ESPH (the water utility in Hereida) has a loss rate of 33%, a six point drop compared to 2014.

Sergio Núñez, AyA deputy manager of systems for the GAM admitted the leakage problem, but said improvements are underway. The official said the state utility has borrowed US$160 million dollars to finance a major project to seal most leaks and better control distribution resources to consumers. The project is a six year program.

The Aresep study also looked at water quality. The regulator said good water is coming out of pipes in Costa Rica, but stressed deficiencies in sewage and water treatment, the levels very similar to that of four years ago.

ARESEP expects improved results in 2016 with the start of operation of the new sewage treatment plant Los Tajos in La Uruca (San José).

Núñez said that plant is already treating 8% of the wastewater from the GAM and expects the level to rise to 20% within two years.

Source La Nacion

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Turrialba Erupts Violently Tuesday Night

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Rico
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May 24, 2016 9:45pm eruption of the Turrialba volcano.
May 24, 2016 9:45pm eruption of the Turrialba volcano.
May 24, 2016 9:45pm eruption of the Turrialba volcano.
May 24, 2016 9:45pm eruption of the Turrialba volcano.

QCOSTARICA – Following 24 hours of relative calm, at 9:45pm Tuesday the Turrialba volcano blew its stack in what is being called a “violent” eruption lasting almost 30 minutes, spewing out a column of ash of some 3,500 metres (3.5 kilometres).

Coronado, Guadalupe, Heredia, Alajuela, Desamparados and San Jose are areas most affected by the ashfall, which is expected to reach the Central Pacific coast.

The Comisión Nacional de Emergencias (CNE) – national emergency commission – recommends wearing clothing that covers most of the skin, use respiratory protection such as masks, protect water for human and animal consumption, and not expose pets to ash.

The CNE is also calling for calm.

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The Calm Before The Storm? Turrialba Volcano Temporarily Halted Emanations Of Ash

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Rico
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The Turrialba volcano continues spewing gases and water vapor, but no ash since Monday night. Photo RSN
The Turrialba volcano continues spewing gases and water vapor, but no ash since Monday night. Photo RSN
The Turrialba volcano continues spewing gases and water vapor, but no ash since Monday night. Photo RSN

QCOSTARICA (6:17pm May 24, 2016) – The Turrialba volcano has gone almost 24 hours without the constant ash emissions that continued non-stop since last Friday.

The Red Sismológica Nacional (RSN) reports the ash emissions stopped around 9:45pm Monday. However, experts believe this to be a temporary lull, the colossus at any moment could resume eruptive activity.

Meanwhile, the Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica (Ovsicori) at 9:30am Tuesday reported the volcano remains emanating gases and water vapor, sometimes reached 1,000 metres (one kilometre) above the crater.

While for the last few days the winds blew ash across the north and west of the volcano, affecting greatly higher altitude areas like Coronado and Tibas, the ash reached San Jose and further west to many area of Alajuela, including Naranjo and Atenas.

However, Monday’s winds blew the ash east to places like Guapiles, in the canton of Pococi, Limon.

Since Friday morning at 7:27am, the Turrialba spewed ash for some 86 continuous hours.

For now, there is a two kilometre perimeter restriction around the crater and five kilometres where access is only for those who work in the fields and duly authorized personnel are allowed.

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Eight Signs that Show the End of Venezuela’s Regime Is Near

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Q24N
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Closed roads in Caracas come in response to domestic gas shortages. (Runrun.es)

Closed roads in Caracas come in response to domestic gas shortages. (Runrun.es)

(by By Ángel Oropeza Z. Panampost.com) Anyone paying attention to the news in Latin American can see that Venezuela’s Maduro–Cabello administration is soon to be no more, as it is headed down an irreversible path toward self-destruction.

But how sure can we be about this?

Reviewing the literature about the topic of failed regimes allows us to identify eight symptoms of a ruling party’s terminal phase of power:

  • A breakdown of the moral authority to govern.
  • A significant weakening of popular support.
  • A deteriorating international image and difficulty in achieving support and understanding for other countries.
  • The inability to guarantee public peace and the security of individuals
  • Symptoms of ungovernability (understood as the inability to control the economic or social trajectory of the country).
  • Internal fracturing.
  • Systematic violation of the Constitution to hold on to power and maintain privileges.
  • Recurring repression: threats and fear tactics as a last resort to keep society under control.

There is no doubt, upon reading through this list, that the Venezuelan government already qualifies. Even though the regime is in its death throes, that does not mean that an end to the crisis is certain or that it cannot keep itself alive artificially.

Yes, the Maduro-Cabello admnistration is in “terminal” phase, but the word conveys a set of conditions — the eight symptoms — rather than a point in time or a concrete result. The outcome will depend on the regime’s response to the crisis, and above all on the opposition’s response along with the people’s support of that political alternative.

In accordance with the last symptom, the ruling elite has just announced that the country will be entering into a “state of emergency” that is nothing more than a desperate attempt to take refuge within the last redoubt of power remaining to it: the ability to repress.

When a government resorts to repression and militarization, it’s usually a sign that none of the usual democratic mechanisms based on voluntary obedience and legitimate authority are functioning.

This strategy can certainly be effective with part of the population, who may wrongly believe that the barking threats are a demonstration of strength. But one must remember that dogs bark from fear, too.

The most important symptoms, and which we must continue to monitor, are the repression and the constant violation of the Constitution — the traits that currently define the Maduro-Cabello administration. These measures are being rejected not only by the ruling party’s grassroots, but by army officers and other members of the state bureaucracy.

Many of them resent having to play the role of the sad henchman and endure, like the rest of us, the tragedy brought upon by the ruling elite’s delusions of power.

– – – – – – – – – –

Ángel Oropeza Z. is a Venezuelan psychologist. He holds a PhD in Political Science and teaches at the Simón Bolivar University and at the Andrés Bello Catholic University in Caracas. Follow him on Twitter: @angeloropeza182. This article was originally published in El Nacional.

 

Read more about Venezuela at TodayVenezuela.com

Article originally appeared at Today Venezuela Click here to go there!

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