The landing of Air Force One, the airplane carrying U.S. President Barack Obama, will affect operations at the Juan Santamaría International (SJO) airport from May 3 to May 5.
As reported yesterday by the Dirección General de Aviación Civil (DGCA) – Costa Rica’s Civil Aviation – all cargo operations and private aircraft will be suspended at the San José airport from 6am May 3 and until midnight on May 5.
Aviación Civil also informs that commercial passenger flights will be affected on Obama’s landing day, but did not specify times, saying only the impact will be hours before the arrival of Air Force One.
“Once U.S. authorities confirm the exact time of arrival of President Obama, we will inform which operations (flights) will be affected”, said the statement.
In addition, Aviación Civil says that planning and protocol meetings for the arrival of the U.S. president are continuing. Foreign Minister, Enrique Castillo, confirmed the arrival today of an advance team from the United States to continue working on these issues.
A scam directed apparently against the cell phone service provider Claro has caught some of its customers with blocked phones. La Nacion reported the case of Jessica Zamora who bought her phone several months ago and found it useless recently.
When she tried to check back with the store that sold it to her, she found it closed. Claro officials say an individual bought 1,000 phones for resale but did not keep up the payments, so the phones were blocked.
Edgar del Valle of Claro’s legal department said that the individual had represented himself as buying the phone in a bloc for a corporation. But instead, he sold them to customers at stores.
The blocking of the phones was all per contract if the “corporation” did not keep up its payments, which happened. The lawyers says that the company was astounded when they cut off service to find that they had stuck their foot into a public relations bear trap.
Eduardo Castellon of the regulating agency SUTEL says there is nothing his agency can do for irate customers because the scam was directed at Claro. He says customers should have verified the origin of the phones.
The best he could suggest was that customers file a criminal complaint through the courts. (Another alternative is to file with Consumer Protection from the Economy Ministry.)
But it is unlikely that the customers would know the name of the fraud artist since the phones were sold in stores. It is unreasonable that buyers from a fixed outlet would play detective. They had every reason to believe the phones were legitimate.
Del Valle suggests that the affected customers go to a licensed Claro store and take out a plan with the company to get their phones switched on. But he defended the company’s right to block the service because the phones belong to Claro.
Commentary: Frankly, the attitude of both SUTEL and Claro makes no sense to us. It seems that Claro should have checked the credentials of the man claiming to represent a corporation. They have resources to do so.
A more reasonable tactic, public relations-wise, would be to turn the phones back on for a limited number of months and swallow the loss caused by the firm’s gullibility. Otherwise, we can guarantee that 1,000 persons will never buy another Claro service as long as they live.
A group of 13 Costa Rican companies will participate in the first edition of the International Tourism Fair World Travel Market (WTM) Latin America that kicks off today (April 23) and runs to April 25 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Costa Rica’s tourism board, the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT), will be accompanying the Tico businesses, whose effort is to increase marketing in South America.
The participating companies are: Costa Rica Top Tours, Europcar Rent a Car, Travel Excellence, Enjoy Hotels& Resort, Agencia de viajes Amadeus, Corporación de Viajes TAM, Panorama Tours, Hampton Inn & Suites San Jose Aiport, Costa Rica Trails, Discovery Travel, Asuaire Travel and Swiss Travel.
According to Allan Flores, Minister of Tourism, participating in this fair is part of effective advocacy strategies to captivate relevant markets.
WTM Latin America will be held in Santo Amaro Expocentre Transamerica in Sao Paulo and will feature more than 1150 exhibitors, within the listed tour operators, tourism businesses, institutions, airlines, among others, and wholesalers mainly in Brazil, Latin America and USA.
According to the organizers, they are awaiting the arrival of about 7,000 visitors, 80% from Brazil, 15% of the rest of Latin America and the remaining 5% of other countries.
Growth in Brazilian arrivals to the country has remained constant and even in the year there were 15,071 arrivals. According to the ICT about 69% of Brazilians who visit Costa Rica are for vacation or pleasure, 21% for business, 6% do so to meet relatives and 4% indicated other reasons trip.
The Brazilians traveling to Costa Rica have an average daily expenditure of $134 and stay around 13 nights.
It is unlikely that U.S. President, Barack Obama, will be seen in public during his visit to Costa Rica set for May 3 and 4.
Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister, Enrique Castillo, explained that potentioal protests, as well as security provisions, will probably prevent any U.S. president’s public activities.
Castillo explained on ADN Radio that meetings continue on the President’s public agenda while in the country.
Obama is set to arrive in Costa Rica on Friday, May 3 and will leave the country the following day, on Saturday afternoon.
The Obama visit is to participate in the Central American Integration System (SICA) summit that unites the presidents of Central America and the Dominican Republic.
“We know that there are Costa Ricans who may be planning events that are disrespectful to the [United States] President and we will not expose [Obama] or any other president to that type of situation”, said Castillo during his radio interview.
The comments by the Foreign Minister were before the evening announcement by Presidenta Chinchilla to end the contract concession for the San José – San Ramón reconstruction, and a source of potential protests.
Castillo said that preparations for Obama’s visit are still be organized, and U.S. officials are coordinating closely with local officials.
Due to security reasons, the details of the Presidential visit is being kept confidential. What we do know is that the First Lady, Michelle Obama, will not be accompanying her husband on his visit to Costa Rica.
It was 7:52pm Monday night when Presidenta Laura Chinchilla took to the airwaves, appearing on national television, to announce that the San José – San Ramón concession contract had been “terminated”. The Presidenta told her audience that the decision was by mutual agreement with the Brazilian company, OAS.
In the message that lasted 10 minutes and 5 seconds, the Presidenta did not provide details during the television network announcement, but reconfirmed her government’s policy of continuing the concession model as a way of building public works.
The growing popular unrest and lacking support from different sectors, like business, technical and political, the Chinchilla administration had their back against the wall, promoting a public works project nobody wanted. At least not in the way it was negotiated.
With the cancellation of the contract, the Government seeks to end the growing controversy and the conflicts that could escalate to legal battles and possibly violence on the streets.
Although the Presidenta and her Transport Minister, Pedro Castro, told the public during the past few weeks that there was room renegotiate the contract and including the announcement of a commission to analyze the project, it did not appease opposition groups.
The strategies of the last weeks by the government to reduce social unrest and opposition to the project failed.
Chinchilla said the decision was based on “my repsonsibiliy to ensure social peace and seek a prompt settlement to the project”.
In her television address, the Presidenta said she regretted that the opposition to the project never accepted the invitation to dialogue, to reach an agreement.
Costa Rica’s National Biodiversity Institute (INBio), an ambitious project to inventory all that country’s biota, is in the midst of negotiating its rescue from financial ruin with the Costa Rican government.
The deal entails the government taking over the maintenance of INBio’s extensive collection of specimens, a US$750,000 annual cost savings that will enable INBio to begin to pay off its debts. At issue, however, is what part of the government will actually foot the bill and what will be the ultimate fate of the collections.
Started in 1989, INBio quickly earned international recognition for its approach to cataloging biodiversity and, after a few years, its success partnering with pharmaceutical companies for “bioprospecting,” or searching for new drugs and other useful chemicals in tropical plants and animals. For the inventory, INBio trained dozens of local residents as parataxonomists who collected and did a first pass on identifying all species. The private, nonprofit organization now has about 4 million specimens in its coffers; they represent about 28% of the Costa Rica’s biodiversity.
INBio has run into financial trouble before, yet managed to keep going by expanding its consulting efforts. But for the past 3 years, INBio has had increasing trouble making ends meet, in part because of a $7 million debt incurred to develop a theme park that provides the public with a chance to experience Costa Rican ecosystems. INBio employs 121 people and spends about US$6 million per year, of which US$750,000 per year goes for the collections.
Until now, INBio has been independent of the Costa Rican government. Initially, INBio relied on grants from international agencies such as the World Bank’s Global Environmental Facility and from national governments, such as Norway and the Netherlands. But that support has been declining, in a large part because Costa Rica is no longer seen as a poor country deserving of much international aid, says INBio’s new director, Randall Garcia. Corporate grants now cover about 20% of the budget. The rest comes from services, such as bioprospecting and other consulting arrangements; editorial services; and the theme park income. But it does not generate enough revenue to pay the interest on its debts.
Three months ago, Garcia was quite worried. But last month, INBio gave control of its collections and its theme park to the Costa Rican government. For now, the collections will stay with INBio, but the maintenance bill will be footed by the government. The money freed up by not having to support the collections will be put toward paying down the debt, says Garcia, who plans to reorganize INBio and expand its consulting services. In addition, the government wants INBio to work on a national biodiversity information system, which would provide one-stop online shopping for biodiversity information. Right now, data on Costa Rica’s plants and animals are scattered among INBio and Costa Rica’s universities and natural history museum. Last week, the four public universities agreed to contribute to this new information system, Garcia says.
But INBio is far from being out of the woods, says Daniel Janzen, who is based at the University of Pennsylvania. He helped found INBio and has been a mover and shaker in Costa Rican biodiversity for decades. He worries that the government will not be able to come to an agreement about how it will finance INBio before the country gets focused on next year’s elections; the campaigns will start revving up this summer. “People may drag their feet,” and a change in power may lead to a loss of support, he says. Janzen is also worried about the fate of the collections. The government may decide that, ultimately, they should be given to a university or natural history museum. The situation is “full of catch-22s,” he says, “How it will get resolved, I don’t know.”
The Ministro de Comunicación, Francisco Chacón, confirmed that Presidenta Laura Chinchilla will address the nation on national television tonight at 8:00pm, to speak on the San José – San Ramón concession.
Chacón did not proffer details on what the Presidenta will say, only to confirm that meetings were held this weekend between the Presidenta and representatives of the Brazilian company, OAS, who was awarded the concession contract.
Opponents to the concession say they have filed the legal papers to have the contract annulled.
“The Presidenta asked of us legal reasons to annul the contract and last Thursday we gave 10. We are backing what we say, but will not sit down to negotiate…”, said Paul Brenes, del Foro de Occidente
Costa RicaTravel Guard polled travel agents to learn more about clients who are concerned about eco-tourism and “green” travel.
Environmentally friendly travel has become popular in the industry for some time, according to agents. Twenty-four percent of those who responded said that interest in green travel is currently the highest it has ever been in the last 10 years. Fifty-one percent reported that interest has remained the same throughout the time period.
The majority of the travel agents noted that the most popular eco-tourism activity among their clients is visiting historical sites, followed by wildlife activities. The least popular activities included visiting national parks and learning about local culture by attending community events or visiting villages.
Costa Rica has become known for its offerings in green travel, with almost half of travel agents noting the country as the most popular destination among clients, followed by South Africa, the Galapagos Islands, Peru and Belize.
Eco-tourism travel can be expensive and usually involves a more complicated itinerary. Travelers embarking on eco-tourism trips have a variety of concerns, most notably suffering an injury in a remote location. Other concerns included flight delays or cancellations, inclement weather, contracting a tropical or rare disease or unexpected trip cancellation.
The average age of clients booking an eco-tourism trip was over 45.
Travelers can also get involved in “voluntourism” activities after booking their trip. Volunteers can devote a day or two to participate, but fewer are most interested in trips focused solely on volunteering.
Travel Guard also offers comprehensive insurance plans that come with 24-hour assistance service. Coverage typically includes medical expenses, emergency medical transportation, trip interruption, trip cancellation, and baggage loss, delay and damage. A Cancel for Any Reason add-on that may cover travelers’ last minute trip changes, is also available.
The My Travel Guard plan even lets travelers customize and build their own plan tailored to each trip so that their trip investment is covered.
Despite the government spending more and more on communication, the image of Presidenta Laura Chinchilla continues to “plummet” (en picada).
Between 2010 and 2013 the government has increased its spending by ¢684 million colones to promote the image of the Laura Chinchilla and her government. Despite the bill, the Presidenta’s images continues to fall, according to national surveys.
In 2010, ¢1.125 billion colones, representing 8.58% of the government’s budget, was spent on “communications”. In 2011, the spending increased to ¢1.136 billion and in 2012 to ¢1.193 billion. For this year, 2013, ¢1.809 billion colones or 11.65% of the budget has been earmarked for improving the image of Laura Chinchilla and her government.
Despite the increase in spending, polls results show Costa Ricans have a poor image of their Presidenta.
A 2011 poll by Unimer paid for La Nacion showed in September of that year that 29% of the people saw the Presidenta’s performance as “bad” or “very bad” while in June of that year it had been 25%.
In early 2012, the negative rating had risen to 44% and reached 58% by mid year, meanwhile the approval ratings plummted to a low of only 13% of the population saying the Presidenta is on the right track.
But the image of Presidenta Chinchilla is not only at home. A survey by Mitofsky Consultants show that Costa Rica’s president had the worst rating among 20 American presidents.
At 2 years and 11 months in office, Chinchilla has consumed 95% of the amount spent by her predecessor’s travel over a four year term.
Of the 1075 days, President Laura Chinchilla to April 18 this year, 117of them were spent abroad. That is, the president has traveled for 10.8% of her total time in office.
Chinchilla’s presidential tours have cost the country until March 21, more than ¢ 65 million, only in tickets and travel expenses of the president. However, when considering the total cost of these tours, adding retinues, amounted to ¢ 265 million.
In the first instance the office referred to this medium to look for in the Official Gazette information on the cost-benefit of the presidential tours, citing lack of time and resources to collect the data.
However, Communications Minister Francisco Chacón said that information on Chinchilla travel itself is properly arranged.
However, the count provided by Zapote on the cost of the tours is limited to expenses exclusive of the President.
Taking into account the total budgeted by the Ministry of the Presidency in the transportation and subsistence items abroad, the amount spent since May 2010, grew nearly 300%. Chacon said that these items cover the expenses of all officials accompanying the President on her tours.
The total to date represents 95% of what was done during the four years of the government of Oscar Arias,
Chacón stressed that it is usual for the presidential delegation in international forums is always the smallest. “Inquire how much is the budget of the other countries of Latin America. I’m sure that ours is the smallest for travel expenses, “he said.
In 2010, in constant colones March 2013, Zapote spent almost ¢ 52 million on travel. That grew in real terms at ¢ 87 million in 2011.
For 2012, the budget was ¢ 114 million in constant colones. In total, an increase of 119% so far this period.
For the current year, these items of transportation and travel expenses abroad a total of ¢ 137 million..
The first quarter of this year has been rich in journeys for Chinchilla.
From 21 to 28 January visited Switzerland and Chile. A week later, on February 6, attended Panama where she participated in the playoff game the national football team heading to the World Cup Brazil 2014.
The March 7 travel was to Venezuela to attend the state funeral of President Hugo Chavez. On the 14th of that month she returned to Panama for a day to attend the “International Fair of David”.
Four days later Chinchilla traveled to Rome in the company of the Minister of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC), Mayi Antillon, and President of the Legislative Assembly, Victor Granados, to attend the opening Mass of the papacy of Francis.
Only in the first quarter of 2013, the state spent ¢ 10,750,112 to defray the cost of travel of Chinchilla.
Zapote defends her travels.
Despite the figures, Chacon comes to pass and defends Laura Chinchilla trips. “They are not a luxury, they are a necessity because the President should be in the international forefront to facilitate the attraction of foreign direct investment and promote the country in other areas,” he said.
For the Minister, presidential trips should be looked in the context of what represents Costa Rica in the global community, which aspires to join groups like the Pacific Alliance and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), to name two examples.
“Let’s open our eyes, we being a small country,” he said. With this justification in the suitcase, traveling of the President will continue during her senior year.
The Presidential House reported that this week Laura Chinchilla will leave for a tour of Haiti. Also are planned visits to Davos, Switzerland, where she will attend the World Economic Forum and New York, USA. to take part in the UN General Assembly.
Many in Costa Rica have to work longer hours, salaries below minimum wage and hazardous working conditions to put food on the family table. The lack of a pay stub, minimum wage, overtime and workplace hazards are the major violations found by the Ministry of Labour (MTSS) during its inspections.
According figures released by the Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (MTSS) in the last nine months of 2012 they received a total of 21,893 complaints by employees of abuse by their employers.
The MTSS says the domestic employment, construction and agriculture sectors are the most affected, where employers fail to pay minimum wage and demand long hours of their workers. Items like disability, over time and holiday pay are not part of the compensation for this work force.
“Costa Ricans do not want to perform that kind of heavy work, thus employers take advantage of migrant labourers, who have no knowledge of the law and have significant economic hardship”, said Labout Minister, Olman Segura.
The MTSS figures show that of the 31.275 inspections made between August 2010 and March 2012, almost 91% of the employers had to rectify the situation with their employees.
Adding to the problem is the lack of resources by the MTSS to follow up promptly on complaints and with inspections. Currently the MTSS has only 102 inspectors throughout the country.
Employers are required to provide “comprobante de pago” (proof of payment of salary) to its employees. According to the MTSS report, during the last three years 44.7% of employers did not comply.
The report also indicates that the profile of the worker that is not been paid even minimum wage is that of an unskilled worker under the age of 35, residing in the Central region of the country and has an education level of primary school or less.
Rosita Acosta, founder of the Asociación de Trabajadoras Domésticas (Astradomes) – Association of Domestic Workers – said that, “in the case of domestic workers (maids), there are still employers who take advantage of the ignorance and the lack of education of many”.
Another area of non-compliance is the payment of the “aguinaldo” or year end bonus, which by law has to be paid the equivalent of one month’s salary to every salaried employee.
The MTSS report says that workers in retail, private security, call centres, agriculture and tourism were the most affected – that is not receiving in part or full their bonus.
If you were wondering what all the activity was on Sunday, cars waving flags, people at voting polls and a general air of elections, it was the Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN) party district elections.
Some 250.000 people are said to have participated in electing more than 14.000 people in varying roles within the PLN party politics.
The absence of an election campaign between the candidates was a cooling factor. PLN presidential candidate Johnny Araya, who was acclaimed earlier this year, called the event “luke warm”.
One person visibly absent from the headlines was Rodrigo Arias. You will remember Rodrigo as brother of two time president and Nobel Peace prize winner, Oscar Arias. Rodrigo also served as ministerio de la Presidencia for four years during his brother’s second term (2002-2010).
And since 2010 Rodrigo had been campaigning to be president. Late last year he dropped out of the PLN party nomination race, clearing the way of Johnny Araya.
Yesterday, Rodrigo was clear that he will NOT be joining Araya, saying he’s looking forward to a strong leadership by his former rival.
Arias added that for the moment, he has no intention of meeting with Araya, has not spoken to him, nor plans to anytime soon. Arais said his focus now is to attend to his personal business, is not currently active in national politics, only participating on Sunday to cast his vote, like any other Costa Rican.
Residents of San Ramón and Palmares found a peculiar structure in the middle of the their parks today, a mock toll booth named “Choripeajaes”, best translated into English corrupt toll booths.
The idea of the group is to bring attention to the tolls planned for the concession of the San José – San Ramón road, whose contract was awarded to the Brazilian company OAS and had generated tremendous controversy in the country.
The group responsible is the Foro de Occidente said the campaign is to drive home the message, “pay here and shut up for the next 30 years”.
Randall Vega, representing the group, said this is to “diversify the public demonstrations and to give the community information relaed to the fight against the concession”.
The “Choripeages” will appear in other communities in the coming weeks, according to the Foro.
“The idea is that every weekend there will be activities to reinforce the movement we have undertaken”, said Vega.
Former U.S. vice-president, Al Gore, has been in Costa Rica since Friday to offer a talk on sustainable development to a group of students from Canada and the U.S.
The president of Terra Partners, Javier delCampo, confirmed the visit and that his company had made the invitation.
The students, who have been in Costa Rica this past week visiting places like InBIO Park and EARTH University, listened to Gore’s speech on Saturday.
The American politician was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for his contribution to global action against climate change and also starred in the Oscar winning documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth”.
Gore is expected to leave Costa Rica today, Sunday.
The Nosara Red Cross now counts on the assistance of Dr. Yennifer Jimenez, who came to live in Nosara in November and is volunteering a minimum of 20 hours per month to attend to accidents and emergency situations prior to hospitalization.
“The idea is to give a better focus on the medical attention given here in Nosara and transfer [the patient] in better conditions,” she said, explaining that there is a 60-minute window referred to as the “hour of gold” during which to act in order to avoid worse complications later.
The benefits of having a doctor with the Red Cross have shown in many ways already.
For example, at the beginning of February Jimenez was able to assist a 14-year-old boy who was shot in his left arm in an accident with his brother. Jimenez said the bullet was a kind that explodes, making a deep wound that fractured the bone and ripped the flesh. She related that normally the Red Cross would only be able to bandage the wound and transport the boy to the hospital, but she, as a medical doctor, was able to perform a surgical wash and provide medication for the pain as well so that he arrived in the hospital in better conditions.
The boy is currently at Hospital Mexico where he is receiving additional care so that he won’t lose his arm, she reported.
Jimenez studied medicine at the International University of the Americas in San Jose and has 13 years experience working with the Caja (Costa Rican Social Security) in Siquirres. For the past two years, she also volunteered with Red Cross in Siquirres. However, she decided to move to Nosara because her husband was living and working here and they wanted to be together as a family.
Carlos Gutierrez Hernandez, secretary of the Nosara auxiliary committee, pointed out that having a paramedic in the ambulance is not the same as having a doctor. “She fills a very important spot,” he noted. “Nosara lacks a lot of medical services. It gives us better security, of course.” Carlos Villalobos Espinoza, president of the Nosara committee, said they are seeking permission to make her permanent and noted that they would be the first Red Cross committee in the country to have a permanent doctor.
They met with Red Cross management in San Jose on Wednesday, March 21, to present the proposed work plan for the doctor and are waiting for approval from the National Council of the Red Cross, which should meet by mid April.
The group that filed an objection before the Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo (TCA) – Administrative Court – announced that the “Arias Decree No. 34852-MSP”, that would allow police to use prohibited (banned) weapons to contain demonstrations, is dead.
“With great joy I inform you that the Decree signed by Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias to allow the Ministerio de Seguridad Publica to use prohibited weapons to control demonstrations, rests in peace thanks to the assistance of those who bravely signed the complaint (depsite the storm of criticism), but more especially to the tenacious and tireless work and monitoring by our lawyer Roberto Zamora”, said Flora Fernández, one of the plaintiffs in the case.
Fernández explained that the repeal of the decree was not intended to let the “police forces to fight criminals with ‘toy guns’, as some malicious warmongering, military enthusiasts and lovers of guns and violence said, but to prevent the repression of legitimate protests with banned weapons.”
In the judgement, the Tribunal Contencioso and the Sala Primera recognizes that “police activity and deployment be reasonable according to aggression”, said Fernández.
What it means in real terms is that the decision to use heavy (banned) weapons against defenseless civilians is not up to the simple autorization of a police chief.
The complaint against the state was filed on February 3, 2009 by Flora Fernández Amón, Rodrigo Gerardo Jiménez Vega, Oscar Aguilar Bulgarelli, Juan Carlos Antillón Sargent, Ricardo Jiménez González, Carlos Agustín Páez Montalbán and Fernando Soley Soler. Fernández paid tribue to the memory Dr. Agustín (Tin) Páez, who was plaintiff in the case.
The state telecom, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), has refused to sign the agreement between carriers that would allow cellular phone number portability in Costa Rica.
The SUTEL, the government regulator, had been looking forward to Thursday’s symbolic signing ceremony that would open the telecommunications door further.
Despite the legal and administrative protests, ICE – one of the three cellular telephone carriers in the country – was obligated to sign the agreement. But, it did not. And for now says it will not.
Number portability would give cell phone customers greater control over which plan and carrier, without losing their number. And though there is a cost associated with the switch, it could easily be made up taking advantage of a promotion. In any event, a customer who is not happy with their current carrier could make the switch.
Once again, ICE has shown that it places it’s own interest ahead of the public and that it is not subject to other state agencies, regulatory or otherwise.
Anyone who relies on their cellular phone for business – a great number given the capabilities of today’s smartphones – is unlikely to change carrier and thus a change in phone number, which could result in the loss of referral business.
Since ICE has the largest number of cellular phone customers, the refusal not to port means it (ICE) won’t see a possible massive switch to the competition.
In recent months, through the lens of security cameras, evidence of women committing crimes supports the reports by judicial officials who say the number of crimes committed by organized groups led by women is increasing and nearing that of gangs led my men.
The 2012 census, Estado de la Nación, reveals that 400.000 women or 34.6% of the population are heads of households in Costa Rica, leading judicial authorities to theorize that the trigger to the increase in crimes commited by women is to obtain sustenance for their families.
Among most the notorious of women gangs is “Las Gordas”, a group of women who steal from clothing stores in San José, hiding stolen merchandise under their clothing.
Police say they have seen an increase in reports of stolen milk, school supplies and other staples from local supermarkets.
The National Laboratory of Materials and Structural Models of the University of Costa Rica (LANAMME) says that the San José – San Ramón road design is obsolete, doubting that the road reconstruction as called for in the concession contract will end the problems like congestion on the road.
In the opinion of the LANAMME the design is not the most suitable from various points of view. One point is that the road should be at least two lanes in each direction from start to finish, this would eliminate crossing the median to pass slow vehicles.
The LANAMME feels that the road, as it is currently designed, will be useless in the near future, much in the same way the Ruta 27 (San José – Caldera) has become.
On the Ruta 27, concessionaire Autopistas del Sol, constantly uses “reverse lanes” during peak traffic times, like the start and end of major holidays.
Taking the words from the singer NEK, a website was named “Laura Se Fue”, offering a count down to the second when Presidenta Laura Chinchilla is no longer in charge in Costa Rica.
With the “Trocha” (trail road) as the background image www.laurasefue.com was created by info tech Estaban Cairol, who says that the portal reflects the discomfort of the people of the current government and to infom the public on the upcoming elections and presidential candidates.
On the first day, more than 300 messages were posted and 500 people remained connect for hours, exceeding the expectations of the creator.
The counter is the intial hook, as many just sit there and stare the seconds and minutes count down to the day when Costa Rica is not longer in doña Laura’s hands.
Pedro Castro’s days as Transport Minister appear numbered. His adovcacy of a “ruining” contract, his performance as “representative” to the concessionaire and his “conflict of interest” of having worked with several companies that later became State, are some of the reasons that might lead Presidenta Laura Chinchilla to do “damage control”.
The Presidenta has been doing some side peddling after staunchily supporting the concession contract for the San José – San Ramón road reconstruction and backing the work of her Transport Minister.
Lowering the tolls, offering up the contract to a commission for analysis and saying through her Communications Minister that the government does not rule out the rescinding of the contract, may just be missing one key element in the damage control: the removal of Castro.
Communications Minister, Franisco Chacon – a post similar to a White House Press Secretary – revealed this week that the government will be spending an additional ¢160 million colones to improve the Administration’s image, meaning the image of the Presidenta and her remaining term, wich many view as a futile effort.
The concession contract, a 30 year concession with a cost of US$530 million dollars, has become a political hot potatoe that, well, they only way out for the Presidenta is cutting her minister loose and succumbing to the opposition.
For doña Laura, the current controversy could make her a lame duck president until her term expires May 2014. The series of controversies and allegations of impropriaties – not necessarily hers, but by her underlings – may render her totally powerless to govern a country that, in the words of former president Oscar Arias, “is ungovernable”.
The Presidenta has had to deal with the major corruption scandal of the northern border road with Nicaragua, “La Trocha”, the fallout from a 2010 incident over a historical territory in dispute between Nicaragua and Costa Rica continues to be a compass of relations between the administrations of Costa Rican president Laura Chinchilla and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega.
The hits that the Presidenta has taken include last year removing then Transport Minister, Francisco Jiménez, forced out over another corruption scandal that included the theft of firearms from a MOPT warehouse. And much more. During her term to date, 13 of Chinchilla’s 23 ministers have left their posts.
Public confidence in the Presidenta has continued to decline after beginning her presidency in May 2010 with a strong mandate and clear policy priorities to strengthen environmental protections, security, and family welfare. While she initially enjoyed strong public approval, by July 2011, public confidence in her administration eventually fell due to corruption scandals and the faltering economy. By September 2012, one poll revealed that Chinchilla had the lowest approval rating in the hemisphere – 13 percent.
It is understatement to say the Presidenta has been having some rough times. But, this is politics and in Costa Rica politics the focus of the people’s favour – or disfavour – is just another headline away.
Former President Pacheco says current contract is a “barbarity”
The original contract he signed was “something else entirely different”
The concession contract for the San José – San Ramón road reconstruction goes back a few years to the Abel Pacheco (2002-2006) administration, when the then president signed the first concession contract.
It was during this time that the Consejo Nacional de Concesiones (CNC) – National Concessions Council – awarded the contract to Autopista del Valle, who later would assigned the contract to the OAS, alleging difficulties in obtaining financing for the project.
Speaking with CRHoy.com, Pacheco said he does not remember the details of the contract that bears his signature except that it was “something completely different than that agreed with the Brazilian company, OAS”.
In the interview, the former president said it was his Transport minister, Ovidio Pacheco (no relation to don Abel) – at the time of the signing – who worked out the details of the concession. Don Abel said he called on his former minister, who was in the post only six weeks and his successor, and says he does not remember the details.
Ovidio was followed by Randall Quirós.
“Well, I remember Ovidio was the one who had the contracts and Randall spoke of them and yes, as President and not a specialist in the field, it seemed to it was good…But of course what I’m seeing today is a total ‘barbaridad’ (barbarity), and is nothing like the other contract (the one he signed)”, Pacheco told CRHoy.com
Pacheco emphasized that the persons who would know more on the subject is Randall Quiros and Karla González, who followed Quiros as Transport Minister in the Arias administration (2006-2010).
“No, no, no. I repeat that it was something else entirely different. The cost was an amount that would be ridiculous today; the cost was less than half and for half of the years, but Randall has a very clear mind. Why do you not ask him?”, were the final words in the interview.
The signing page of the original contract back in 2004. Image CRHoy.com
The current concession contract with OAS is for US$530 million dollars and for a term of 30 years. The current Transport Minister, Pedro Castro and Presidenta, Laura Chinchilla, have come under fire for signing the agreement with the Brazilian firm, a and opponents allege improprieties.
The number of cases of Dengue keeps increasing, with more than 7.000 cases so far this year, and the rainy season ahead of us.
Authorites say this year’s number is an increase of 300% over the same period last year.
The concern is that with the rainy season approaching, the number of Dengue cases increase. Authorities are calling on everyone to eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites.
Old tires and stagnant water just about anywhere can easily convert to a mosquito playground.
Dengue symptoms can easily be confused with the common cold: headaches, malaise, sore eyes and joints, etc.
Most of the cases this year have been reported in the Cental Pacific (Puntarenas, Jacó, Quepos, for example) and the Chorotega region.
I love me a good macaroon. And I love me some rich raw desserts. But as I write this post, I am finding it difficult to simply write about the recipes that follow. You see, this week marks the hugest milestone thus far when it comes to my adventures in culinary creative arts and yoga.
Yes, this week marks my official transition from unfulfilled television director with loads of emotional baggage, into full time yogi & raw food retreat facilitator carrying her life in her baggage…as I settle into my new home in Costa Rica.
Say what? Yes indeed, the dream I first dreamed in March of 2010 has come into fruition, and all the work I have put in over the course of the last year-and-a-half has brought me the opportunity of a lifetime — the universe has granted my wish. I have just accepted a position down south and this coming fall will be ditching my apartment, furniture, and life as it exists in Toronto today, to embark on a new and exciting journey in the jungle.
Thinking back to just three years ago when I was in my darkest place, hitting my proverbial rock bottom, I could never have imagined where I’d be today. It was such a place of grief, self-pity and lack, and I definitely had more than just a little bit of trouble keeping the faith. But I did, and I have, and here we are today. It is just astounding what can happen when you simply soldier on.
Today I am filled with an overwhelming feeling of abundance and grace, reeling over the absolute craziness of this life. I am going to celebrate this feeling of plenty (plant-y?) by making a batch of each of the following; two of my absolute fave raw vegan snacks. And when I am done, I will share them, and my gratitude, with all those whom I love.
[colored_box color=”blue”]Chocolate Macaroons Adapted from Cyrstal Bruneau’s recipe, owner of Hacienda Del Sol, a beautiful rustic retreat centre located on the remote Guanacaste Peninsula of Costa Rica, and my new soon-to-be workplace.
3 C of shredded coconut
1 C of raw cacao
1 t lucuma powder
1 t sea salt
1.5 T of maca root powder
3/4 C of raw honey
1/4 C of coconut oil
In large bowl mix all ingredients with a spatula. Create “igloo” shape using an ice cream scoop or rounded tablespoon. Dehydrate until desired texture is reached, anywhere from five to 14 hours!
White Magic Macaroons
3 C shredded coconut
¼ C coconut oil
½ C brown rice syrup (not raw but I like the chewiness it gives. Sub agave if you want)
1 t lucuma powder
Mix. Shape. Dehydrate.
*Oven option: set oven on lowest heat setting, line baking sheet with parchment and spread macaroons evenly. “Bake” for an hour, with the oven door propped open (I used the thin end of my rolling pin to hold the door slightly ajar).[/colored_box]
By Meghan Pearson, Nutritarian, Culinary Nutrition Expert & owner, MAP Wellness
Published originally by the Huffpost Living Canada
The Foro Occidente and Legislator, Luis Fishman, presented on Thursday 10 possible ways the government can get out of the concession contract with the OAS, the Brazilian company awarded the 30 year concession to rebuild the San José – San Ramón road.
Fishman enumerated the grounds he feels would cancel the contract and not cost the people. Of the points the legislator point out that the amount of the contract cannot increase more than 50% of the initial value and that the tolls to be charged on the road must be approved by the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (ARESEP).
On these points, questioned is the US$530 million dollar price tag, a cost many feel is over inflated and that the OAS is the one setting the toll charges.
The legislator added that it was also necessary to have had a preliminary hearing with the institutions involved in the project and that the Contraloría General de la República (Comptroller) wrongly endorsed the awarding of the contract to Autopistas del Valle or OAs.
On the list, the group says the project lacks public interest, then there’s the conflict of interest by the Minister of Transport, Pedro Castro, who is believed to have intervened in the bidding process, for up to 2012 Castro was an advisor to the contract firm.
Speaking on behalf of the Foro de Occidente, a group that has been a vocal opponent to the concession, is calling on Presidenta Laura Chinchilla to do the right thing and cancel the contract.
Come September, if Fedefutbol president gets his way, Costa Rica’s national soccer teams plans to exact revenge on the U.S. team, retribution for having to play in the snow last month, resulting a loss for the Ticos.
The plan? Play the game at the “Monster’s Cave” (La Cueva del Monstruo), also known as the Ricardo Saprissa Stadium, instead of the big and new National Stadium and with its pristine grass turf.
Costa Rica’s players are used to the Saprissa, a stadium that some call a “house of horrors”. Just last weekend the stadium wasn’t functioning properly in a league clash between Saprissa and archrivals Alajulense. Also, there’s the constant issue of illumination problems, among others.
And there’s the stadium fans. “Saprisistas”, as they are called, are fans extraordinaire. Though it is not the Saprissa team that is on the field, there are Saprissa players on the National Team and, most important, it is in “their” stadium.
Add this to the fact that, the artificial turf and proximity of fans to the fields and lockers, the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa has been a nightmare venue for the USMNT.
The Americans have never won there, holding an 0-7-1 record in World Cup qualifying in Costa Rica.
The 2nd Craft Beer Festival (II Festival de Cerveza Artesanal) will take place Saturday, April 20, at Avenida Escazú, providing an excellent opportunity for all in Costa Rica to know the concept of craft beer.
The event is organizrd by the Asociación de Cerveceros Caseros Artesanales de Costa Rica, with the support of Restaurantes Product-C. The event takes place between 11am and 7pm.
This festival is designed to provide the versatility that exists in the world of beer, with an educational approach, while the participants will have fun and relax in a pleasant atmosphere accompanied good music.
Tickets are now on sale. Cost is ¢15.000 colones and you must 18 years of age and over. The price of admission includes:
Tasting of all the beers at the festival (at least 15 different craft beers) in samples of 4 oz
T-shirt, passport, glass commemorative decal.
Access to educational lectures and awards of II National Tournament Homemade Beer
Tickets can only be purchased pre-sale licensed premises. No tickets will be sold at the event.
United Airlines last week began offering non-stop flights from Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD) to three Central American cities.
The airline began offering the flights Saturday to Guatemala City, Guatemala and San Jose (SJO), Costa Rica.
“These new flights strengthen United’s Latin American route network and provide more convenient travel options for our customers,” said Millie Uriarte, director, Latin America Onshore & Caribbean Sales.
More than 630,000 people living in Virginia are of Hispanic origin, according to Creciendo Juntos; of those, it’s estimated 34 percent are foreign-born, according to the Web site.
One of the options being discussed by the government is a renegotiation of the concession contract for the San José – San Ramón reconstruction.
The General Cañas now.
To do that it has to evaluate the actual cost of the work, to determine if it differs from the US$530 million dollars the government has contracted with the Brazilian company, OAS.
Determint the actual cost will be up to the professionals of the Association of Engineers and Architects (CFIA), National Laboratory of Materials and Structural Models (LANAMME) and the Technological Institute of Costa Rica (TEC).
According to the experts, they will be making a technical and financial audit that includes an analysis fo the desigs, calculations and cost of the work that would be done by the OAS.
The president of the CFIA, José Guillermo Marín, said “we called for a technical and financial audit, to that extent the first thing we do is a first exploration of what the scope of these studies and to that extent we will incorporate professionals, essentially the people with experience in roads and road construction. ”
According to Marín, the time to complete the study relies heavily on the information available. To that end, the CIFA board is asking for 100% access to all information, highlighing that this is an analysis of an important road, and not just a common road.
As reported yesterday by the Dirección General de Aviación Civil (DGCA) – Costa Rica’s Civil Aviation – all cargo operations and private aircraft will be suspended at the San José airport from 6am May 3 and until midnight on May 5.
