By: Wilberth Villalobos Castrillo, Voz de Guanacaste -To the amazement and relief of those looking for Dana Colligan, there is good news – the American, who had been a resident Sámara, has appeared and is well.
Colligan communicated by email to her friend, Marina Melachrinos who lives in Sámara, and said she is currently in the United States and in good health.
The American had disappeared nearly three weeks ago and did not notify anyone in Costa Rica of her departure to the United States, which led them to think of a possible kidnapping or worse.
“I communicated with her and she is alright,” said Marina, who said that apparently Colligan will not return to the country.
Génesis says she has two mothers now: Ana Acevedo y Shirley Gómez | Photo: La Teja, AUXILIADORA ZÚÑIGA PARA LT.
Genesis is a young lady in Costa Rica who feels that her life has been filled with blessings -despite the fact that her mother, Ana Acevedo, made a difficult choice 17 years ago: She gave up her baby daughter to Shirley Gomez, an infertile neighbor.
Génesis says she has two mothers now: Ana Acevedo y Shirley Gómez | Photo: La Teja, AUXILIADORA ZÚÑIGA PARA LT.
Thanks to a daily tabloid newspaper in Costa Rica, Genesis traveled to Playas del Coco earlier this year to meet her biological mother and maternal grandmother for the first time in her life.
Sensible readers beware: The story that follows is a weepy.
La Teja is a tabloid newspaper that is known in Costa Rica for its sensationalist news coverage, crude slang and full-page spreads of scantily-clad Ticas in seductive poses. Within the pages of La Teja, however, you will also find compelling human interest stories such as this one.
17 years ago, Shirley Gomez began celebrating Mother’s Day despite never having being pregnant. She is 41 years old today and still gets very emotional every time she hears her adopted daughter call her “Mami,” that endearing Spanish diminutive of “Mom.” You see, to this day Shirley cannot have children; but, this was not yet known to her on the day she met her baby daughter.
At the time, Shirley lived in the Caribbean province of Limon. She was celebrating her 25th birthday when a neighbor approached with an unexpected gift. With a heavy heart, Ana Acevedo turned her baby girl over to Shirley. Genesis was but a few days old when she arrived in Shirley’s life; she was Ana’s fourth child. Shirley’s family knew their neighbor Ana well. They knew about her tribulations and about the man in her life who physically abused her, and yet they were surprised by this gesture.
Shirley took a few days to reflect on this matter. She thought about something some of you may be thinking about right now: What kind of mother gives up her baby that way? The answer is simple: There is no single kind.
In the Hebrew Tanakh and in the Christian Old Testament, the Book of Genesis ends before we learn of a mother who gives up her baby boy to keep him safe from a despot. That boy was adopted and grew up to become Moses, one of the most important prophets in the Judaic, Christian and Islamic faiths. On any given day, millions of children around the world are waiting to be adopted, and many of them were given up by their mothers shortly after they were born. This can happen in Costa Rica or anywhere else.
Poverty and tragedy can hit you pretty hard, and this is what happened to Ana when she was Shirley’s neighbor in Limon. She was going through hard times with no foreseeable ending. Although mothers in Costa Rica enjoy considerable protection and welfare from the government and the community, Ana’s fourth pregnancy left her crestfallen. In her heart, she knew that giving up her baby daughter to be raised by Shirley was for the best for everyone.
The Right Decision
Shirley found out that Ana had somehow slipped out of the hospital with her baby daughter without going through the process of getting a birth certificate. This was in 1996, long before the Responsible Fatherhood Act was enacted in Costa Rica. Shirley and Ana went to the Civil Registry and spoke to officials about the situation. The baby girl was registered as Genesis and took Shirley’s last names.
Ana knew right away that she had made the right decision. Shirley’s family welcomed Genesis and gave her a happy and nurturing home. At the time, Shirley was engaged to Rolando Torres, who quickly accepted his role as a new father. He did not know then that Genesis would become a true blessing and the only daughter he and Shirley could have.
Genesis was still learning to walk when she attended her adoptive parents’ wedding. The family then moved from Limon to Santa Cruz, a district in the Turrialba canton, province of Cartago. Genesis’ biological mother moved to La Cruz, province of Guanacaste. At the time, the two women thought it would be better to cut ties and communication for the sake of Genesis.
Shirley eventually learned of her infertility. She tried different treatments to no avail. Instead of sulking, Rolando and Shirley thanked God for bringing Genesis into their lives and focused on giving her the live that her biological mother Ana knew she couldn’t give her.
The Picture and the Yellow Dress
The only mementos of Genesis’ early days with her mother Ana are a family picture and a yellow baby dress. Shirley kept these items, which one day a curious young Genesis found. The picture is of Ana with her three sons and Genesis. Shirley felt that the time had come to tell Genesis about her true genesis, and she also promised her that one day she would meet her biological mother and her siblings.
Genesis told La Teja that she often thought about her biological mother and her blood relatives. These thoughts would often come to her during rainy afternoons. At the age of 17, her love for her adoptive parent is stronger than even; but still, she wanted to find out about that other part of her life.
La Teja published the story above as part of a series of articles leading up to Mother’s Day, which is one of the most closely observed national and religious holidays in Costa Rica. One of Genesis’ adoptive aunts was acquainted with Marco Tulio Quesada, a man who works as a delivery driver for Grupo Nacion, publisher of La Teja. She wondered if the journalists of La Teja could find Genesis’ biological mother and arrange a reunion.
It so happens that Marco Tulio himself was given up for adoption as a baby as well. He knew exactly how Genesis felt. He took it upon himself to help, and he went old-school with his search. He started with the Civil Registry and ended up looking up old phone books from the Guanacaste province until he found a possible lead in Playas del Coco.
The lead turned out to be Genesis’ maternal grandmother, who never knew about her granddaughter. That phone call from a newspaper delivery driver left her in tears. She agreed to help with the family reunion.
An Early Mother’s Day Gift
La Teja arranged the family reunion to take place in the days leading up to Mother’s Day, but not before warning Shirley about a couple of things.
Since Genesis was given up as a baby, her biological mother Ana gave birth to three more children. None of these three boys were given up for adoption.
There was a chance that Genesis might want to spend a lot more time with her biological mother after the reunion. This could have positive or negative consequences.
Still, Shirley had promised Genesis years ago that one day she would meet her biological mother. Shirley had every reason to be worried; meetings between biological parents and their children can often present issues of disappointment, remorse, conflicts between parents, and more. However, Shirley also saw this as a chance to give Ana an early Mother’s Day gift in return for having given her an opportunity to be a mother, something that Shirley is unable to biologically accomplish.
Deep down, Shirley had thought about this moment. She wanted to thank Ana for giving her the gift of motherhood; what better way would there be to show her gratitude than to show the beautiful young lady that Genesis had grown up to be?
The Reunion
The tears flowed copiously in La Cruz, Guanacaste. Ana was speechless, but after crying and holding on to Genesis for what seemed forever she said:
“I don’t know what to say; I am very happy and grateful.”
It was the photos that did it. Pictures of Genesis when she turner just one year old, then at kindergarten, then First Communion and at her quinceanera (Latin American coming-of-age celebration for young ladies). These pictures really stirred up Ana’s emotions.
Genesis, for her part, was cool about everything.
“I am at peace. I have two moms and I am happy.”
Then it was on to Playas del Coco, about an hour away, to meet her maternal grandmother. Let’s not forget that Maria Acevedo did not even know that her daughter Ana ever had Genesis until a few days ago.
“I love you” were the only words this 62-year old mother of seven and grandmother of many could muster once she saw young Genesis for the first time in her life. She was overcome by a crying fit. Once she regained composure she told Genesis:
“You have here a grandmother who has loved ever since I knew you existed.”
So what about Genesis’ six brothers? She says that she keeps them in her heart and is ready to meet them one by one now that she knows who they are and where they live. Her three older brothers are all family men in Playas del Coco. Two of them live with their father and the youngest is still with his mother Ana, who admits her life has been tumultuous until recently (she found Christianity).
On August 15th, Shirley did what she has always done on every Mother’s Day in Costa Rica over the last 17 years: Thank God and Ana for giving her the chance to hear Genesis call her “Mom.”
APM Terminals held a formal contract signing at the company’s global headquarters with the Van Oord-BAM consortium for the construction of the new Moín (Limón) Container Terminal (called locally “Terminal de Contenedores de Moín” -TCM) now in development on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.
The consortium, comprised of Dutch-based Van Oord and BAM International, has been awarded the contract for the construction of the first phase of the TCM, which is expected to begin in the 1st Quarter of 2014.
Tiemen Meester, Vice President of Business Implementation for APM Terminals, stated: “We chose world-leaders in dredging and construction based on their track record of eco-compliance, the best dredging equipment in the business and engineering/construction expertise. Land reclamation is a success story in The Netherlands and Van Oord and BAM delivered the new Rotterdam Maasvlakte II port facility, on time and on budget, on reclaimed land in the North Sea. We feel confident they can deliver the same success at our Moin Container Terminal – Costa Rica’s largest infrastructure project.”
The new terminal will be built at the Puerto Limón/Moín complex, which handles 80% of Costa Rica’s maritime commerce, and represents a total investment of more than $1 billion by APM Terminals.
The scope of work for Van Oord – BAM consists of the construction of 1.5 kilometres of reinforced shoreline and breakwater protection; reclamation of an area of 40 hectares, including soil improvement works; and the dredging of the access channel and turning basin. Van Oord will deploy a trailing suction hopper dredger, a cutter suction dredger and rock installation equipment. BAM International will construct the 650 meter quay, soil improvement, pavement and associated buildings and all utilities.
Costa Rica is a major exporter of pineapples, bananas and coffee, with Puerto Limón/Moín handling more than 1 million TEUs in 2012.
At present, the port is limited to vessels of 2,500 TEU capacity. TCM is scheduled to open 36 months after construction begins, with six new-Panamax cranes and an initial annual throughput capacity of 1.3 million TEUs, expandable to 2.7 million TEUs at full build-out. With an eventual depth of 18 meters, TCM will be able to accommodate the 12,000 TEU vessels that will be transiting the widened Panama Canal upon the completion of the lock expansion project in 2015.
The Costa Rica government awarded APM Terminals a 33-year concession for the design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of TCM in March 2011. The project’s Environmental and Social Impact Assessment report has been submitted to the government, and is awaiting approval from SETENA, the Costa Rican environmental authority which is expected in Q1 2014.
PANAM Post – Costa Rica is well marketed — and thus internationally well known — for its stunning natural beauty. What isn’t so well marketed is the ugly undertone of xenophobia that exists in the small but opinionated Central American nation.
While discrimination is normally associated with two non-like parties, Nicaraguans in Costa Rica fall victim to the ever-expanding and concerning trend of intra-cultural intolerance.
Ticos still boast that they are ahead of other Central American countries in areas such as education, social security, and health care. However, the formidable issue the nation has had to address is the loss of their advantage, due to declining Costa Rican performance in those areas and other nations catching up.
Costa Rica, in a hearing today, is asking the United Nation’s highest court the International Court of Justice in The Hague (ICJ) to call a halt to construction by Nicaragua of the two canals linking the Caribbeaa to the San Juan river.
The skirmish began back in October 2010 with the alleged invasion of the Isla Calero by Nicaragua, a piece of swamp land Costa Rica claims hers.
Costa Rica’s agent to the court, Edgar Ugalde Alvarez, says his country wants the court to order an immediate stop to Nicaraguan dredging in the new canals, and the withdrawal of all Nicaraguan personnel from the area.
Nicaragua is scheduled to address the court Tuesday.
As we approach the next Presidential Elections in Costa Rica in the month of February, 2014, I believe that it is time to reflect on the type and style of government that is being offered to the people.
Yes, democratic principles are laudable, but when you see one Government Administration after another, supposedly employing such principles in its governance, fail to advance the Country in any meaningful way, being relegated to a position of what has been described as somewhat “managed chaos”, it may be time to reflect on the options available moving forward.
From an economic standpoint, the most effective way to control government and particularly government spending of public funds, would be the “Benevolent Dictator” model. The success of this form of government was borne-out by the success of the Chilean economy under the years of rule of General Augusto Pinochet.
It is true, that General Pinochet was ruthless in the treatment of his opposition, but over-all, ordinary Chileans benefited from his rule, both economically and in the democratic freedoms that they enjoy. I’m not advocating for an “Augusto Pinochet-style” Dictator to head the Government in Costa Rica, but for Constitutional Reform providing for a President with a strong- hand, to be able to govern in certain specified circumstances, by Presidential Decree, thereby avoiding the over-whelming regulations and restrictions associated with the current so-called “democratic process”.
I believe this would allow for a level of efficiency in government which has not existed in the recent past. Costa Rica is currently drowning in its own red-tape and such a change in the ability to govern could move the Country forward at a more acceptable rate of progress.
The problem with instituting such a change is that there currently exists an element of Costa Rican Society, namely the wealthy and influential element which generally holds the “reigns of power”, who benefit personally by maintaining the current state of chaos and corruption.
As I’ve mentioned in some other Articles I’ve written in this forum, the pecking-order of benefiting from public funds in Costa Rican Society, as it is in Latin Society as a whole, by those in positions of power and authority, is firstly their family, secondly their friends, and thirdly, their country; hence corruption.
“La Trocha” is a prime example of this way thinking in action. Until there is a dramatic shift in this manner of thinking within Costa Rican Society, it is unlikely that there will be movement in the direction of governance suggested.
To contact Attorney Rick Philps about hiring him as your Costa Rican Attorney, please use the following information: Lic. Rick Philps – Attorney at Law, Petersen & Philps, San Jose, Costa Rica Tel: 506-2288-4381, Ext. 102; Email: rphilps@plawcr.com Website: www.plawcr.com
By Joanne Blain, Postmedia News – On the secluded Costa Rican beach where I huddle with a couple of friends and half a dozen strangers, it’s pitch black except for some distant lightning and the luminescent crests of the waves breaking on shore. I’ve got a cramp in one leg and unseen insects are feasting on my bare ankles because I’ve forgotten to bring bug spray.
But I’m not budging because we’re told a giant Pacific green turtle, which our guides have been quietly watching in the brush behind us, is digging a nest in the sand and preparing to lay her eggs. Such a sight is fair exchange for a little discomfort and a few bug bites.
When the guides decide the turtle is intent on her task and we won’t risk spooking her back into the ocean, they lead us into the brush with infrared flashlights and we form a half-circle behind her. Her shell is as large as an ottoman. We talk in whispers as she rocks back and forth and flicks up sand with her broad flippers, creating a deep hole for her eggs.
Finally, the turtle stops moving. “It’s OK now, she is entranced,” one guide says as he digs with his hands to widen the top of the hole and then illuminates it with a regular flashlight. We take turns peering in and I see a glistening white egg, the size and shape of a billiard ball, drop onto a pile of others already in the hole.
No one is saying much of anything. Like the turtle, we’re entranced.
I didn’t anticipate that a nocturnal turtle-watching trip would be part of my weeklong journey to northern Costa Rica, but then, I didn’t know what to expect from this Latin American country best known for its coffee. What I discover is two countries in one: a temperate rainforest filled with showy tropical plants and abundant wildlife, and a warmer coastal region of sunny skies and surf-worthy beaches.
The best thing is that we don’t have to choose between the two – jump in a car and you can drive from one region to the other in about five hours. And both are within one to three hours of the international airport near Liberia.
We start our trip near the town of La Fortuna, in the shadow of the Arenal volcano, which erupted regularly until 2010. The Nayara Hotel, Spa and Gardens is our temporary home.
After a breakfast of huevos rancheros, fried yucca and gallo pinto (mixed black beans and rice), we’re offon a floating tour of the Penas Blancas river, about half-anhour from La Fortuna, with Desafio Adventures.
Our guide, José, does most of the work steering our inflatable raft down the river, but he warns us that he’ll need us to pitch in from time to time.
One member of our group is eager to see a sloth and José doesn’t let her down – we spot both the two-toed and three-toed varieties languishing in the dense foliage, along with toucans, kingfishers, egrets, herons and iguanas.
There’s one thing you should resign yourself to when you visit Costa Rica’s rainforest, especially in the rainy season – you’re going to get wet.
But we’re due for a change of scenery and climate. As we cross the continental divide that bisects Costa Rica into east and west, everything changes – the mist that obscured our views for days gives way to clear blue skies, and lush jungle turns into drier ranchland. By the time we arrive in Playa Tamarindo on the west coast, we peel offour rain jackets and slather ourselves with sunscreen. Tamarindo is a typical small beachside town, with a string of restaurants, bars, souvenir and surf shops lining the main drag and one large hotel, the Tamarindo Diria Beach and Golf Resort, on the water’s edge. Within half an hour of arriving, we’re in our bathing suits and on the beach. For anyone who loves to surf – or who has never tried it, this is the place to do it. Boards and lessons are both available through the hotel, as are turtle-watching tours.
For some, rain or shine, that’s the ideal Costa Rican vacation.
Rodolfo Piza was on Saturday chosen as the new presidential candidate for the ailing Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC), this following the off and on and off again by Dr. Rodolfo Hernandez, who for the second time resigned his candidacy three days ago, to join his campaign.
Piza, on being elected, said he recognizes is candidacy is a “un hueso con hormigas” (literal translation: “a bone with ants”), but that the party is united.
In an impromptu press conference in the hallways of the Aurola Holiday Inn hotel in downtown San José, Piza said he considers Dr. Hernandez his friend and would like him to be part of his campaign, though he did not give details in what capacity.
Piza also said he acknowledged the work for the party of three former presidents, Rafael Angel Calderon, Miguel Angel Rodriguez and Abel Pacheco. However, he was clear that both Calderon and Rodriguez should stay away from the campaign because the two still have open judicial proceedings.
Piza acknowledged that there were mistakes made in the party, but “they are in the past.”
To the present, Piza said he still does not have a campaign manager, because of the appointment, but said will have one soon.
Kick-starting his campaigning, the presidential candidate said he will the votes of Costa Ricans with his serious proposals an his credibility and that of his choices for the vice-presidency, Patricia Vega and Carlos Araya.
Piza added that the PUSC wil not lose followers, instead said he felt a winner come February 2.
Rebecca Cliffe on life among the sloths, snakes, spiders and scorpions of the rainforest
Swansea university student Rebecca Cliffe with a sloth on a boat in the Costa Rican jungle, on life among the sloths, snakes, spiders and scorpions of the rainforest.
A Welsh researcher is living a “Lara Croft” like existence in the snake-infested jungles of Costa Rica – in a bid to unlock the secret lives of sloths.
Rebecca “Becky” Cliffe, 23, a zoology student at Swansea University, used a crowd funding campaign earlier this year entitled Save Our Sloths to raised £30,000 (US$48.000 dollars) towards her work.
She has now started the process of placing GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking “backpacks” on sloths whose feeding range and movements are little known.
It will help conservation of the secretive creatures who use camouflage as one of their main survival tactics.
Becky, known as the “Sloth Woman of Costa Rica” is currently studying for her PhD, under the supervision of Professor Rory Wilson of Swansea University – an animal behaviour expert who has pioneered the use of animal friendly tracking devices.
A lead scientific consultant for National Geographic’s Great Migrations series, Professor Wilson’s lightweight trackers using GPS technology have followed the daily lives of creatures such as leopards, sharks, albatrosses, elephant seals and armadillos.
Becky Cliffe has been working at the Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica for some time and, using the money she raised, will now carry out an exhaustive study of the animals in the country’s extensive jungles over the next few years.
Name-checking the adventure-loving games console character who went on to be played by Angelina Jolie on the big screen, Becky tweeted from the jungle: “Feeling a bit like Lara Croft today with a machete stuffed down my snake boot!”
And she told WalesOnline: “Trekking through the jungle is never easy – in addition to the extreme heat and humidity, I have to be on constant guard for snakes, spiders and scorpions that could cause me some serious problems if I accidentally get too close.
“And then there are the huge swarms of angry mosquitoes that no amount of repellent will deter.
“This all quickly fades into insignificance though as soon as I manage to spot the sloth I am looking for, it’s a really great moment that immediately makes everything worthwhile.”
But life in the jungle comes at a price – the lack of home comforts.
“I definitely miss the convenience of life back in Wales,” she said.
“If I want to go to the shops, cinema, or hang out with friends back home then I can just jump in the car and go.
“Life is much more difficult out here living in the middle of nowhere. It certainly has its benefits though, with beautiful weather, gorgeous beaches and of course plenty of sloths to keep me busy.
“I can’t plan too far ahead as nothing ever works out as expected in life.
“Four years ago I wouldn’t have guessed I’d end up where I am today, so who knows what the future holds.
“I think the sloths are going to keep me busy for a long time though, there is so much that we still need to know.”
She added: “Very little is known about how sloths survive in the wild and because of this, the sanctuary here in Costa Rica has never been able to release hand-reared orphans.
“Now with these funds we have the chance to purchase the technology to understand how sloths survive and to reintroduce them back safely into their natural habitat.”
Becky has placed her first GPS locator on the back of Madonna, a pregnant sloth brought to the sanctuary by a local hotel owner after she had fallen out of her tree onto the building roof.
X-rays show she is fit to travel so she will now be released and tracked, leading the way for other sloths to be monitored in the jungles.
This Week in Costa Rica is a weekly radio program broadcast on the Overseas Radio Network hosted by Corey Ryan Coates and Lisle Head, covering a wide variety of expat matters in Costa Rica. With live call-in questions, international guests, and entertaining hosts, this program offers an “on the ground” account of living and working as expatriates in Costa Rica.
This program is targeted specifically at listeners who are on the cusp of making the move to Costa Rica as retirees, expat workers, small business owners… or, simply for those with a taste for adventure and the financial means to live their dreams. Listeners tune in to reinforce and finalize their imminent move by talking live with experienced experts.
The program covers a wide variety of expat matters in Costa Rica. With live call-in questions, international guests, and entertaining hosts, this program offers an “on the ground” account of living and working as expatriates in Costa Rica.
Corey started his ever-winding path as a professional musician, touring and recording throughout Canada and the United States with a long list of prolific (and not so prolific) artists, bands, and singer/songwriters. He moved to Costa Rica in 2006 to embark on a different path teaching English as a second language with Swiss based company, inlingua. Corey became the Regional Operations Director for inlingua Costa Rica and Venezuela. In 2012 Corey accepted the new position of Program Director for the Overseas Radio Network and the re-launch of the radio station from the new broadcast facility in Jacó beach, Costa Rica.
Lisle, co-host of the weekly radio program was born and raised in Fort Bragg, California. In 2005 took a three week vacation to Jaco, Costa Rica that changed his life. Instantly he fell in love with the “Pura Vida” lifestyle and knew that he had found the place where he needed to be. The people were friendly, the cuisine was excellent and it had the same small town values as those that he had grown up to embrace and later seek out. With that he headed back to Sacramento, cashed out some of his investments and proceeded to settle down in Jaco, Costa Rica.
The literal meaning of the term “come huevos” is “eat eggs”. In Costa Rica and Latin America, the term is a derogatory one. However, its literal meaning is applicable here and without the derogatory connotation because, in Costa Rica people do in fact eat a lot of eggs.
[two_third]According to findings of the Cámara Nacional de Avicultores de Costa Rica (National Poultry Chamber), in 2012 the number of eggs consumed per capita in Costa Rica is 16 eggs a month, that is to say, 200 a year. Ana González, an adviser of Avicultores, explains that the average Latin American consumption is about 100 eggs a year, however, Mexico leads with one egg per day per capita.
However, many still restrict including an egg in their diet because it is thought that it can cause cholesterol problems and leads to fatness.
Egg yolks and whole eggs store significant amounts of protein and choline, and are widely used in cookery. Due to their protein content, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) categorizes eggs as Meats within the Food Guide Pyramid. Despite the nutritional value of eggs, there are some potential health issues arising from egg quality, storage, and individual allergies.[/two_third]
An important distinction between Costa Rican eggs and in the United States and Canada is how they are stored, and this ultimately leads back to the question of egg-washing.
Any world traveler has probably noticed that in most countries outside of the US and Canada, eggs aren’t stored under refrigeration.
Whether you are wandering in an outdoor market, shopping in a grocery store or visiting a home, you will find eggs sitting on the counter, at room temperature. Why is that?
The answer appears to be that US & Canadian regulations require that eggs be power-washed, which removes all organic matter (and any harmful bacteria) but also strips the egg’s shell of its protective coating, thus rendering it more porous and open to contamination. A synthetic coating is often applied in commercial operations to combat this but the eggs are still refrigerated. The USDA also requires that eggs be sold under refrigeration, regardless of how they are washed, so even your super-crunchy health food stores are going to keep their eggs in the refrigerator or risk being shut down.
The question is also connected to the health of egg-laying chicken. The commercial chicken and egg industry in the US, as well as the average US consumer, has accepted a certain level of contamination (such as salmonella) in their chickens and have for the most part responded by super-sanitizing the end product (such as pasteurized eggs) rather than addressing the conditions that cause the contamination in the first place. For many people, the idea of not refrigerating eggs just seems to risky.
Which brings us to the cultural component at play. Americans are much more fastidious about their food and have the luxury of easily available refrigeration and the resources to produce the energy to run it. We’ve grown more accustomed to a germ-free environment and in general can be more sensitive to germs and other tummy-upsetting beasties.
Of course, people who raise their own chickens and have complete quality control over the product from start to finish may feel more comfortable deciding not to refrigerate their eggs. I know that in my case I refrigerate my eggs, despite the fact that I purchase eggs from pasture-raised chickens and have complete trust in the farmer who sells them. I don’t feel I have to rush home to get them in the refrigerator, but I still feel a little funny just leaving them out on the counter. Old habits are powerful.
It was a few minutes after 4pm Friday, at the time that when the heavy rainfall began, when one of San José’s most known character, Marito Mortadella, suffered a crisis outside the Correos de Costa Rica (post office).
At first it was believed that Marito had been struck by a car. However, the Cruz Roja (Red Cross) and the Policia de Tránsito (traffic police) ruled out a traffic accident.
Accodring to Angie Meneses, spokesperson for the Policía de Tránsito, Marito was crossing the street at the corner of the post office building, when he suffered an apparent crisis.
Marito was taken to the Hospital Calderón Guardia in a priority (delicate) condition.
Just in case you missed it, today, Saturday, October 12, is a holiday in Costa Rica. No Kidding.
Just look out your window, you will see the streets are bare as if it were a Sunday. No maids knocking the door bell at 7am or 8am. The gardeners aren’t out making the early morning ruckus. The buses are running on a holiday schedule. Riteve is closed. And so on…
The “Dia de la Culturas” is a “no pago obligatorio” holiday. It is confusing. It does not mean it isn’t a holiday: it’s a holiday that you get paid extra if you work it.
Let me explain, if you are a weekly salaried employee and do not normally work on a Saturday (like being a holiday today), no big deal. Now this where it gets confusing. If you are called in on the day off, you get paid 1.5 times your salary. But, if you are a salaried employee paid every two weeks or every month, the you get paid double if you are asked to work the holiday. What is important here is that the boss can’t make you work the holiday if you don’t want to.
Now, if you are not on salary, a day worker for example, and you get called in to work, you get the normal wage for the say. That sucks.
Still confused? That’s because you are neither an employee or an employer, for if you were you would have this down cold.
Putting all that aside, this morning in San José is a gorgeous one. Get out, take in a few rays, for it will rain later!
Miguel Ramirez and Manuel Serrano, former officials of the Consejo Nacional de Vialidad (Conavi) – national roads council – who were arrested last December, are free men this morning.
The two, until last night, were in “preventive detention” on alleged crimes of embezzement in the construction of the border trail road known as “la Trocha”.
According to their lawyer, Jose Miguel Villalobos, the Juzgado Penal de Guadalupe (Guadalupe Criminal Court) denied the prosecutor’s request for an additional five months of preventive detention.
The two men, however, have been ordered to surrender their passports, sign in at the courthouse every week and have a fixed address, according to Villalobos.
The Fiscalía (prosecution) appealed the decision and is now up to an appeals judge who decides if the two men maintain their freedom before going to trial or are back behind bars. The decision is expected in a few days.
The Pirris Hydroelectric Dam in the Southern part of San Jose province, Costa Rica
Costa Rica’s state power utility, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), seeks bids to equip and construct a substation for the 305.5-MW Reventazon hydroelectric project in the Siquirres area of Costa Rica’s Limón Province. Bids are due November 11.
The Pirris Hydroelectric Dam in the Southern part of San Jose province, Costa Rica
ICE took bids in June and July for a hydro consultant panel and for electro-mechanical equipment for Reventazon. It took bids in April for step-up transformers for the project.
With funding from the Inter-American Bank, the US$1.1 billion project is to include a 130-meter-tall dam, a 6.9-square-kilometer reservoir, and a 4.2 km diversion between the dam and powerhouse on the Reventazon River.
ICE now seeks bids for supply, construction, and commissioning of a 230-kilovolt transmission substation. The budget for the work is US$20 million.
Costa Rica has already qualified for World Cup play in Brazil. So, yesterday’s 1-0 loss by Costa Rica’s national soccer team (” La Sele”) to Honduras is of no importance. Nor will it matter what happens on Tuesday against Mexico.
Following Friday’s play, Mexico into fourth place in CONCACAF qualifying, three points ahead of Panama and three points behind third-placed Honduras with one game to play. The top three teams qualify automatically for the World Cup, while the fourth team faces an intercontinental playoff against New Zealand.
In fact, Mexico lays it all on the line to keep its World Cup hopes alive on the road against Costa Rica.
Mexico’s rollercoaster ride in World Cup Qualifying continues and has a clear mission in hostile territory: Win to keep its hopes alive of reaching soccer’s biggest stage.
A win for “La Sele” would be their first in Wold Cup Qualifying over Mexico in more than 20 years.
The Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal (Senasa) – national animal health service – decide that Max, the dog that bit a 11 year old boy on September 2 will not be sacrificed, but the animal must undergo training to treat aggressive behaviour.
So says Allan Sanchez, SENASA’s regional director, explaining that the family has decided to privately seek out professional services for Max, instead of being treated by professionals of the SENASA.
Sanchez says the family was notified of the decision to allow the private treatment, provided the family notifies authorities of the name of the professional trainer and the progress of the treatment. In addition, the dog must be kept behind a gate, to get out twice a week with a muzzle and always on a leash.
Animal lovers have been sitting on edge waiting this decision.
Max, a black and white ‘zaguate’ (the Spanish term used in Costa Rica for a mutt), is property of Edgar Sibaja and Luzmilda Marchena and their children, since they got him when he was only two weeks old. They promised to sacrifice Sibaja’s Christmas bonus to build a gate to keep Max in the front yard in Dos Cercas in Desamparados.
At first it appeared that Max was due for execution. But behaviorist Alejandro del Valle says this is the last resort when all else fails. Moreover, Deborah Portillo’s animal rights organization, Costa Rica Guau, had organized a protest for Oct. 13 to have Max pardoned.
Dr. Rodolfo Hernandez, unless he changes his mind - again - will be returning to the Hospital de Niños (Children's Hospital) in San José.
Today Costa Rica News – Costa Rican presidential candidates criticized harshly the second resignation in less than a week of Rodolfo Hernandez, aspirant to the presidency for the opposition Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC).
Quoted by the newspaper La Prensa Libre, Oscar Lopez, member of the Partido Accesibilidad sin Exclusión (PASE) party, called “this exercise of politics absolutely shameful.”
Luis Guillermo Solis, of Partido Acción Cuidadana (PAC), considered the matter a “novela” (Spanish for Soap Opera) and said it is generating great uncertainty among PUSC followers.
Justo Orozco, of Partido Renovación Costarricense (Costa Rican Renovation) party made statements in that reference. To him, Hernandez’ resignation, his later return and the new resignation “is something really embarrassing.”
Hernandez resigned for the first time on Thursday (last week), after denouncing betrayals by some PUSC leaders, returned on Saturday, and resigned again on Wednesday (this week), after mentioning intransigencies by his party’s executive committee.
PUSC is one of the traditional parties in the country, but has been undergoing a crisis since the government of Abel Pacheco (2002-2006).
General elections in Costa Rica will be held on February 2, 2014 to elect a president, two vice presidents and 57 legislators of the Legislative Assembly (Congress).
Polls show as main favourite former mayor of San Jos33 Johnny Araya, candidate of the governing Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN) and Hernandez in a distant second position.
Costa Rica News – Costa Rica and the other Central American nations are on alert to prevent expansion into the region of cholera outbreak in Mexico.
Due to the outbreak in Mexico, we need the consensus of the region, as national measures are not enough, according to Costa Rica’s ministerio de Salud (Health ministry), a sentiment common to other Health ministries in the region.
For the moment, Costa Rica will maintain only the actions of surveillance.
The concern in Costa Rica is the national soccer team’s game hosting Mexico on Tuesday (Oct 15). Health officials this week launched an anti-cholera campaign in hotels that will be hosting Mexican fans. Health officials took the similar precautions during the 2013 Central American Games in San José last March.
As of last Monday, Mexican health officials had reported 77 confirmed cases of cholera in that country.
No cases of the disease have been reported so far in Costa Rica
El Salvador has not registered cholera cases since 2000, when up to 629 persons were reported with that illness, recalls the newspaper.
Three medical doctors of the Hospital Calderón Guardia and a pizza maker, in San José, were detained by police today, suspected of human organ trafficking.
Authorities say their investigation led to the four suspects, who are alleged to have paid victims between ¢3 and 10 million colones (US$6.000 to US$20.000 dollars).
Two of the doctors are urologists, identified by their last names Anunzia Mauro and Fonseca Guzmán an were arrested at the hospital. The third, a peripheral vascular physician identified by his last names Monge Monge, was arrested while vacationing in Santa Cruz, Guanacaste.
The pizza maker is a Greek national, identified by his last name, Katsigiannis, as his pizza restaurant located diagonal to the hospital.
According to the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), the pizza maker was in charge of finding victims, while the doctors performed the surgical procedures.
Authorities say that as many as 20 people may have received payments for their organs.
Last June 19, the OIJ arrested, Francisco José Mora Palma, the head of the Nephrology Unit at the Calderón hospital and woman police official, suspected of providing organs for Israeli patients.
The detained face each a prison sentence from six to twelve years for the crime of human trafficking for organ removal.
Authorities do not rule more detentions as their investigation into the illegal practice continues.
“It makes no sense that men go to jail for not paying child support”, so says legislator José Roberto Rodríguez in presenting a bill that would see the government lend the money to those who cannot pay and avoid going to prison.
The legislator for the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC) explained that the idea is for the government to make the payment, like a loan, and then get paid back over time.
According to records of the Poder Judicial, in the second of half of 2012, 17.756 complaints of delinquent child support were received.
Tourists and residents of Monteverde have to battle an18 km of road of rocks and gravel road
Tourists and residents of Monteverde have to battle an18 km of road of rocks and gravel road
Monteverde is a very popular tourist destination in Costa Rica, National Geographic calling the “the jewel in the crown of cloud forest reserves”. Newsweek has declared Monteverde the world’s #14 Place to Remember Before it Disappears.”
By popular vote in Costa Rica, Monteverde was enshrined as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Costa Rica, along with Isla del Coco, Volcán Arenal, Cerro Chirripó, Río Celeste, Tortuguero, and Volcán Poás.
However, the bad road conditions – the 18 kilometres (11 miles) between the town limit and the 3 km (1.5 miles) paved portion of the road that leads to the Interamericana – is the memory that most tourists take home.
For more than 15 years the community of Monteverde has struggled to have a proper road. A road merited by such a popular destination, not only for the areas most economic resource, tourism, but also for its residents.
The lack of a good road, locals say, has brought economic losses and unemployment.
Despite the commitment made by ministro de Transportes, Pedro Castro, in June “that the building of the road to Monteverde would initiate promptly”, nothing has changed yet.
At the end of July, the Contraloría General de la República (Comptroller’s office) gave the green light to begin construction, but the CONAVI – the roads council – found a new roadblock, some of the parts of the road were not wide enough for a proper road construction.
And precisely for that reason owners of the area decided to donate part of their land in order to expand the roadway, so that the CONAVI has no more excuses not to build.
The Monteverde community is now demanding that the CONAVI begin construction of this important and badly needed road, otherwise the area’s ecomony will continue to suffer, by keeping tourists away. This week, some residents armed with picks and shovels, began the symbolic construction of the road.
The last word from the CONAVI is that the work will begin next month (November) and that the project will last 10 months to complete, by the end of 2014 if all goes well.
October 12 (or the nearest Monday to it) is traditionally celebrated throughout the Americas as the day Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492.
In Spanish speaking countries, is is known as “Día de la Raza”, in English speaking countries, the day is celebrated as Columbus Day.
In Costa Rica, the name of the holiday has changed over the years, today known as “Día de las Culturas” (Day of Cultures in English).
The official ceremonies to celebrate the day are on Saturday. However, schools and some business will be closed on Monday.
The Ministerio de Trabajo (Labour Ministry) is clear that MONDAY OCTOBER 14 IS NOT A HOLIDAY! The U.S. Embassy in San José, for instance, is closed due to the holiday in the Unite States.
The “Día de las Culturas” holiday is a ‘feriado de pago no obligatorio‘. What does that mean? Employees who are required to work on Saturday will receive their normal pay for the day, meanwhile weekly, bi-monthly or monthly salaried employees required to work on Saturday will receive double pay for the day or another day off.
Background
Cities like Cuidad Colón and the major road into downtown San José, Paseo Colón, keep alive the name of the man who on September 25, 1502 landed on the shores of the Caribbean and rested on Cariay, now known as Puerto Limón. He visited the island called Quiribrí and gave it the name of La Huerta, now known as Uvita island.
This fourth and final voyage was ten years after his first and is more important to Costa Ricans, from where the country got its name “Costa Rica”.
Today, the “Día de las Culturas” celebrates more than Colón, it is also a recognition that since the middle of last century, the country has benefited from European immigration, American, Asian, Hebrew and Arabic, and others.
Heeding to a cease-and-desist order from the U.S. network, NBC, to everyone’s surprise Costa Rica’s cable companies stopped transmitting the signal on October 1.
It appears, the NBC signal being broadcast in Costa Rica was without authorization or “pirated”, according to a report by the Tico Times in a statement it obtained from NBC Universal.
According to the TT report, cable companies like CableTica purchased the signal from a Canadian company, paying it a monthly fee, assuming it had the rights to resell the signal. At it turns out it didn’t.
The U.S. network signal originates from U.S. affiliates.
The decision by NBC means regular U.S. programming is no longer available in Costa Rica.
Many North Americans living in Costa Rica are angered by the decision, on losing their favourite programs like Sunday morning’s Meet The Press, which is not available on other channels in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Humour – A vacation is supposed to be your time away from the crazy. These are actual complaints (and some not) received by vacation operators from dissatisfied customers.
1. “We went on holiday to Costa Rica and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish.”
2. “There were too many Spanish people there. The receptionist spoke Spanish, the food was Spanish. No one told us that there would be so many foreigners.”
3. “The beach was too sandy. We had to clean everything when we returned to our room.”
4. “We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as white but it was more yellow.”
5. “They should not allow topless sunbathing on the beach. It was very distracting for my husband who just wanted to relax.”
6. “No-one told us there would be fish in the water. The children were scared.”
7. “Although the brochure said that there was a fully equipped kitchen, there was no egg-slicer in the drawers.”
8. “We had to line up outside to catch the boat and there was no air-conditioning.”
9. “The roads were uneven and bumpy, so we could not read the local guide book during the bus ride to the resort. Because of this, we were unaware of many things that would have made our holiday more fun.”
10. “It took us nine hours to fly home from Costa Rica to Europe. It took the Americans only three hours to get home. This seems unfair.”
11. “I compared the size of our one-bedroom suite to our friends’ three-bedroom and ours was significantly smaller.”
12. “We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our own swimsuits and towels. We assumed it would be included in the price.”
13. “We had to line up outside to catch the boat and there was no air-conditioning.”
14. “It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel.”
15. “I was bitten by a mosquito. The brochure did not mention mosquitoes.”
Global concerns for welfare of hens fuels market changes
Press Release – SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – On World Egg Day, Humane Society International highlights the growing popularity of cage-free eggs in Costa Rica. Cage-free eggs, known as huevos de pastoreo in Costa Rica, are eggs from chickens who are not confined to cages.
The cage-free trend, which has been growing in Europe and the United States for a number of years, is in stark contrast to the industry standard of egg production in which hens are confined in barren “battery cages” with barely room to move. In these small wire cages, each hen spends practically her entire life in a living area smaller than a single sheet of letter-sized paper. This industrial production is a far cry from the backyard henhouses that many Costa Ricans were familiar with in the past.
In response to the growing public opposition to battery cages, food retail companies around the world are switching to eggs from higher welfare systems. Major multinational corporations, including Starbucks, Unilever, Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Subway, McDonald’s and Kraft, are using cage-free eggs in North America or European locations. Unilever, maker of Hellmann’s, has announced that they will be 100 percent cage-free globally by 2020. Marriott International will also be cage-free by 2015.
A growing number of Costa Rican restaurants are also choosing to serve only cage-free eggs. One recent example of the growing trend is the opening of the restaurant Búlali in Avenida Escazú. The café and pastry shop, which focuses on artisanal and sustainable cuisine, has committed to only serve eggs from cage-free farms.
Alexa Quirós, Búlali’s owner, said: “At Búlali we care about animal welfare and the planet. That is why we only use cage-free eggs.”
Cynthia Dent, regional director for HSI-Latin America said: “We congratulate Costa Rican restaurants like Búlali for recognizing that all animals deserve a more humane treatment, including those raised for food. We know that this cage-free trend will only continue to grow in Costa Rica and we look forward to working with socially responsible restaurants in the country who want to join this movement. All restaurants can improve the lives of laying hens by switching to eggs from higher welfare and pasture-based systems.”
Costa Rica has approximately three million egg-laying hens, many confined in barren battery cages. In these cages, hens do not have enough space to fully spread their wings and are denied nearly all natural behaviors, including nesting, perching and dust bathing, all of which are critically important to the hen.
Eggs that meet higher animal welfare standards, such as those labeled as cage-free, are available at many supermarkets and organic farmers markets, as well as a growing number of socially-responsible restaurants in the San José area and tourist destinations such as Puerto Viejo, Montezuma and Santa Teresa.
Facts:
* Battery cage restrictive housing results in both psychological and physical problems, including osteoporosis, feather loss, and reproductive and liver problems; scientific studies have consistently shown that laying hens suffer in battery cages.
* The European Union has outlawed the use of conventional battery cages for hens. Five states in the U.S. also have passed legislation restricting confinement of hens in battery cages and requiring more space for laying hens. The majority of states in India have declared that battery cage confinement violates their anti-cruelty legislation, and the neighboring country of Bhutan has outlawed the practice.
* In Costa Rica, eggs labeled as cage-free are available at organic farmers markets and supermarkets such as Jumbo, Perimercado, Auto Mercado, Más x Menos, Wal-Mart, Ecomercado, and Green Center. They are also available from delivery services such as Viandas and Orgánico a su Casa.
Video and photos of hens confined to battery cages are available on request.
Humane Society Internationaland its partner organizations together constitute one of the world’s largest animal protection organizations. For nearly 20 years, HSI has been working for the protection of all animals through the use of science, advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide — on the Web at hsi.org<http://www.hsi.org/becrueltyfree.
Yo Yo Politics. For the second time in less than a week, Dr. Rodolfo Hernadenz has quit, again, as presidenital candidate for the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC).
The announcement came shortly after noon today and confirmed to CRHoy.com by the Mario Redonet, president of the PUSC
Last Thursday, the good doctor threw in the towel, alleging betrayal, envy, egotism and backstabbing. He returned on Saturday after stipulating conditions.
According to CRHoy, rumours of a pending resignation surfaced Tuesday night. This morning the news could not be confirmed, however, neither Dr. Hernandez nor any member of the group close to the former candidate would deny it.
The details of the resignation are not yet known.
The resignation leaves the PUSC party with only six days to come up with a new candidate or sit out the 2014 election. The deadline for candidate registration is October 15.
The PUSC is a political party in chaos. In 2010, the party was left in a similar situation when then party president, Luis Fishman, took up the role of candidate, declaring himself the “menos malo” (least bad) of the candidates seeking election.
Valero Energy Corp. has won a bid to supply fuel to Costa Rica’s state refinery, Reuters reports.
Valero will supply Recope with 14.25 million barrels of ultra low sulfur diesel, jet fuel and motor gasoline. The order breaks down to 6.9 million barrels of ULSD; 6.05 million barrels of gasoline and 1.3 million barrels of jet fuel. Financial terms of the agreement were not released.
The tender, which was launched in September, will allow Recope to supply fuel to Costa Rica’s domestic markets while the refinery undergoes a long maintenance project. The fuel is to be delivered over a 12-month period starting in November.
San Antonio-based Valero is the largest U.S. refiner of petroleum products.
Emiliana Garcia, Voz de Guanacaste – Samara residents are currently looking for a missing woman who has being missing for almost three weeks. Dana Colligan, U.S citizen, is a small woman with brown hair in her early 40’s and has lived in Samara for three and a half years.
Colligan is best known for her natural product line sold around Samara and Nosara called “LaPura LoCura”.
According to Louise Tangri, who is helping Colligan’s best friend Marina Melachrinos with her search, “She (Colligan) leaves in the house that a friend of mine manages with 3 or 4 apartments. Last week a friend finally decided to enter the apartment and everything is there, food going bad in the fridge, her contact lenses, glasses all of her personal effects so we know she was not planning on going anywhere”
Tangri and other locals are looking into working with tracking dogs from a trainer in Nosara and also checking for family members although Colligan was “a bit of a loner,” said Tangri.
They have advised the US Consulate and the Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ-Court Police) but so far there is no news.
They are asking to call the OIJ in Nicoya 2685-5328 to give information.
September Earthquakes Released Energy Equivalent to One Million Tons of Dynamite
Marino Protti at the conference “The Nicoya Earthquake: Two Decades Before and a Year After”, on last September 5th
Voz de Guanacaste – The 159 earthquakes registered in Costa Rica this past September did not leave any casualties or material damage but unleashed “seismic energy” equivalent to the “explosion of one million tons of dynamite,” reported the National Seismological Network (RSN – Red Sismológica Nacional).
The average daily number of tremors in the past month was 5.2, but Costa Ricans reported feeling only 14 earthquakes in that time.
The strongest movement (with a 5.9 magnitude) was located in the North Pacific, near the border with Nicaragua, and 15 earthquakes were considered “moderate,” or between 4.1 and 5.9 degrees.
The 5.9 magnitue earthquake corresponded with subduction of tectonic plates and has been the strongest felt in Costa Rica so far this year, as the average magnitude of earthquakes in September was 3.4.
Between January and September, 1,080 tremors were recorded in Costa Rica, though none has caused damage.
The RSN added that in Central America last month there were 16 earthquakes of a magnitude greater than or equal to 4.5, and in the world a total of seven events exceeded 6.5.
This comes a week after Minister of Public Works (MOPT) Pedro Castro journeyed up the hill to the Legislative Assembly to speak against a bill that would force the MOPT to take the recommendations of the Lanamme lab experts.
The bill comes in the wake of two cave-ins caused by the collapse of two culverts on the Circunvalacion in two succeeding years. But collapses came as a surprise to the Ministry due to a lack of vigilance and supervision, although companies had been contracted to maintain the surface of the road.
Lanamme is established by law as a consultant for highways but neither the highway agency Conavi or MOPT are obliged to take the advice of the experts. Recently, the lab warned of further collapses during heavy rains.
A UCR press release explained, “It is based on technology concentrated in fiber optics and other similar applications. Upon detecting risky behavior the equipment will send a signal to a cell phone to notify about the incident.”
Moreover, it will permit making an evaluation of the structure in cases like floods or an earthquake. Roy Barrantes of the evaluation section of the highway network infrastructure program said the lab has “substantial” capital to invest in existing technology that has proven useful in other parts of the world.
Meanwhile, MOPT is considering the bids of five companies to contract the repair of this year’s damage to the highway and to construct drainage to (the Ministry hopes) prevent another collapse like the one last year and the similar one this year.
Companies under consideration are Codocsa, MECO, Hernan Solis, Grupo JCB and the Guatemalan firm Marlin Tower. They are being studied on the bases of technical, legal, cost, finances, duration of work, and if the company intends to install a bridge or another culvert.
Colligan communicated by email to her friend, Marina Melachrinos who lives in Sámara, and said she is currently in the United States and in good health.
