The Education Ministry’s sex education program has survived another challenge this week when the courts rejected an appeal to suspend the new classes. A petition signed by more than 300 persons claiming to be parents was filed in February against the program.
The protest claimed the classes will “loosen the reins on promiscuity” in prejudice to public order and health.
The judge disagreed with the protest that teachers “are not academically or professionally qualified to teach (the material) and it is illegal for teachers to impart the classes.”
The petition also claimed that the classes teach that “a student may enjoy sexual relations with anyone of each sex or with several persons at once.” (Ironically, Education Minister Leonardo Garnier initiated the program this year to combat the number of teenage pregnancies.)
Judge Jonatan Canales ruled that not only did none of the petitioners present legal credentials but presented no proof that they were, indeed, parents of students as they claimed to be.
Moreover, the judge found no basis for the description of the class material that was alleged in the petition. He also noted that the Consititutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV) had ruled last August the parents could withhold permission for their children to take the class.
That challenge had been mounted in a campaign by Evangelical ministers to scuttle the sex education program. The classes are new this year. It is present in seventh, eighth and ninth year high school students after a pilot trial in 15 high schools.
Comment: It is difficult to see the sense of this effort. It is as if the 300 signers are saying, “Let’s put sex education back in the pool halls and street corners where it belongs!”
Lawmakers are debating a controversial plan to relieve crowding of jails by liberating some 4,000 of their inmates wearing electronic bracelets or anklets. But already it has drawn the fire of a penal judge who calls it “extremely perilous.”
The plan would put the bracelet on some convicts as well as suspects who would be held on preventive terms before trial. But some, like Judge Carlos Chinchilla, are firmly opposed to letting them out on the streets, bracelet or no.
The bill was introduced by the Defensa Publica (a court agency of public defenders) and the Justice Ministry that administers prisons. President Chinchilla is supporting it.
The devices can be tracked by satellite and if it enters a restricted area (such as near a witness crime victim in an upcoming trial) emits an alarm. It also could be used by a judge as a substitute for prison.
In certain cases, a study by the National Institute of Criminology might determine that a person sentenced to fewer than six years in prison might be eligible for the bracelet. It can also be used for older minors and for women convicts with minor children or who are pregnant.
The bill would also make eligible for the bracelet people with physical, mental or addictive illnesses or those whose illness makes treating them in prison not feasible.
Commentary: This blog finds itself siding with Judge Chinchilla. Costa Rica’s courts are fumble-fingered enough, notorious for losing track of defendants awaiting trial, without this bill making it worse.
The most frequent way of losing track is when the defendant has been judged guilty but is let free with a court date to hear the sentence. Naturally, the convicted felon runs like a rabbit, knowing he will serve time. Some are never seen again.
It is hard to see how electronic surveillance will cure this. Are the 4,000 or so convicts going to be monitored 24/7? Knowing how things go here in this country, it is likely that a felon will escape and the explanation will be, “We don’t have a budget for full time monitoring of the bracelets.”
Moreover, even if police know where the convict or accused is, the bracelets don’t show what they are doing. Hardened criminals do not think as normal persons do and they could be committing a crime while the monitor watches a moving blip on a Google map, without a clue.
Right now, the bill is under study by the court system, with Judge Chinchilla as the one who writes the report. We hope he doesn’t pull any punches in his opposition. We realize that prisons are not an ideal answer. This bad idea is even worse.
We realize that not all those placed in prison are dangerous criminals. But do the courts really have a handle on which are? Somehow, we doubt it.
Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega has been invited to the SICA summit in Costa Rica, however, tense relations between the two countries may make him a no show
The invitation was made, but will he show up, as Costa Rica extends a friendly hand to Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega to sit with U.S. President Barack Obama and the other presidents of Central America during the Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana (SICA) summit hosted by Presidenta Laura Chinchilla in San José.
In this exclusive photo, Daniel Ortega is his trademark informal attire and accompanied by his wife, Rosario Murillo, attended the Chinchilla inauguration in May 2010.
Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister, Enrique Castillo, told Nicaraguan television on Tuesday that his government “has invited president Ortega” by way of Nicaragua’s Ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), Denis Moncada, to be present at the May 4 summit.
Castillo said on Nicaragua’s television channel 15, that his government has yet to send out “formal” invitations to the presidents of Central America, but have all been contacted by telephone. “We hope all SICA countries will be represented at this historic meeting”, remarked Castillo to his Nicaraguan audience.
Tensions have marked relations between Costa Rica and Nicaragua for more than two years due to the border conflict. Presidents Ortega and Chinchilla have avoided been together at SICA summits during this period.
The last time Ortega was in Costa Rica was at the Chinchilla inauguration in May 2010.
The SICA meeting, which will include Presidenta Obama, will discuss development cooperation and bilateral trade in the region. According to Castillo, organized crime, drug trafficking and natural disasters are the main topics of discussion. Plus there will be discussion on immigration reforms, a topic driven by the US president.
Earth science researchers flew small unmanned aerial vehicles in secret into the sulfur dioxide plume of Costa Rica’s volcano Turrialba to study its chemical environment.
The scientists launched flights of small electric aircraft, equipped with cameras and sensors, into the volcanic plume of the Turrialba Volcano reported NASA.
The Dragon Eye UAVs, formerly used by the U.S. Marine Corps, used in the study weigh 5.9 pounds, have a 3.75-foot wingspan and utilize twin electric engines that ingest little contaminated air, the researchers said.
In Costa Rica, 3 Dragon Eye drones did 10 trips to the interior of the volcano creater that is 3 thousand and 340 meters high from the 11 to 14 of march.
Cell number portability is around the corner, almost, with the state telecom ICE the only holdout in the process in signing a contract with the El Corte Inglés that will administer the system.
So far Movistar, Claor, Full Móvil and Tuyo have all signed the deal.
The Asociación de Consumidores Libres last month presented a formal complaint with the Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (SUTEL), because according to them the interests of consumers are being violated as users cannot take advantage of offers in the market.
Number portability will allow a user to switch operator and keep the same phone number.
The El Corte Inglés was awarded the license to operate and maintain the number portability system and be the go between operators in the process if and when requested by a user.
Today Thursday could be another day of vehicular chaos on the country’s roads, this time the porteadores (informal taxis) taking to the streets in protest.
Organizers say the protest will be felt in more than 50 locations throughout the country, as the porteadores demand the government fully implement the law created for the porteo.
The protesters allege the lack of formalization for the permits and will use action to raise their voice agains the recent increases in fuel prices.
Electricity rates will increase between ¢1 and ¢4 kilowatt hour in the coming days, announced the on Wednesday the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep).
María Angélica Carvajal, spokesperson for the Aresep, explained the adjustment relates to an increase use of fuels during th dry season.
The percentage increase for each utility is as follows:
The variable cost of fuel is applied quarterly. The Aresep has projected that electrical rates increase during the first two quarters of the year and decline in the third and fourth.
Costa Rica relies on hydroelectric generation during the rainy season, increasing the use of carbon fuels to generate power during the dry season.
The rise in electrical rates follows an increase in fuel prices of ¢24 and ¢28 colones per litre approved by the Aresep on Monday.
Both increases have to be published in La Gaceta, which is expected in the coming days, before they can take effect.
The Mexican company Sigma Alimentos announced Monday its purchase of the Costa Rican dairy Productores de Monteverde, adding to its presence in the Costa Rican market.
The announcement was made in a brief press release, which did not provide details of the purchase price or the terms of the purchase. Julio Mijares, Sigma’s director of operations in Costa Rica, made the announcement.
For months rumours had been circulating about Dos Pinos looking to aquire Monteverde, in an effort to strengthen its cheese products and compete with European product entry in the Acuerdo de Asociación (Association Agreement) between Central America and the European Union. The agreement is pending first debate in the Legislature.
Sigma has been operating in Costa Rica since 2002, when it acquired Embutudos Zar, producers of packaged meats and Industrias Lácteas Tecnificadas (Inlatec), a cheese specialty company and the main provider to Pizza Hut.
The press release explained that Sigma has operations in 10 countries and in 2012 had sales of US$3.4 billion dollars.
The number of cases of Dengue in the first quarter of the year over has quadrupled over the same period in 2012 and 2011. In the first ten weeks of the year, the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social (CCSS) reports more than 6.000 cases.
In the same period in 2012, the number of cases was 1.437 and 1.158 in 2011.
Catalina Ramírez, head of the Enfermedades Eemergentes y Eeemergentes de la subárea de Vigilancia Epidemiológica (Emerging Infectious Diseases of the Epidemiological Surveillance) at the CCSS, explained that the current rate is the highest seen in the last decade.
Another concern for Ramírez is that the growth is occurring in the dry season when rainfall intensity is very low, a situation that could worsen with the arrival of the rainsy season.
Ramírez says that despite the information and prevention measures, the population remains indifferent to the severity of the virus.
Prevention. Avoid getting infected whether at home on travel…
There are no approved vaccines for the dengue virus. Prevention thus depends on control of and protection from the bites of the mosquito that transmits it. The World Health Organization recommends an Integrated Vector Control program consisting of five elements: Advocacy, social mobilization and legislation to ensure that public health bodies and communities are strengthened, collaboration between the health and other sectors (public and private), an integrated approach to disease control to maximize use of resources, evidence-based decision making to ensure any interventions are targeted appropriately and capacity-building to ensure an adequate response to the local situation.
The primary method of controlling A. aegypti is by eliminating its habitats. This is done by emptying containers of water or by adding insecticides or biological control agents to these areas, although spraying with organophosphate or pyrethroid insecticides is not thought to be effective. Reducing open collections of water through environmental modification is the preferred method of control, given the concerns of negative health effect from insecticides and greater logistical difficulties with control agents. People can prevent mosquito bites by wearing clothing that fully covers the skin, using mosquito netting while resting, and/or the application of insect repellent (DEET being the most effective).
More on the Dengue fever
Dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever, is an infectious tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles. In a small proportion of cases the disease develops into the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and blood plasma leakage, or into dengue shock syndrome, where dangerously low blood pressure occurs.
Dengue is transmitted by several species of mosquito within the genus Aedes, principally A. aegypti. The virus has four different types; infection with one type usually gives lifelong immunity to that type, but only short-term immunity to the others. Subsequent infection with a different type increases the risk of severe complications. As there is no commercially available vaccine, prevention is sought by reducing the habitat and the number of mosquitoes and limiting exposure to bites.
Treatment of acute dengue is supportive, using either oral or intravenous rehydration for mild or moderate disease, and intravenous fluids and blood transfusion for more severe cases. The incidence of dengue fever has increased dramatically since the 1960s, with around 50–100 million people infected yearly. Early descriptions of the condition date from 1779, and its viral cause and the transmission were elucidated in the early 20th century. Dengue has become a global problem since the Second World War and is endemic in more than 110 countries. Apart from eliminating the mosquitoes, work is ongoing on a vaccine, as well as medication targeted directly at the virus.
Signs and symptoms Typically, people infected with dengue virus are asymptomatic (80%) or only have mild symptoms such as an uncomplicated fever. Others have more severe illness (5%), and in a small proportion it is life-threatening. The incubation period (time between exposure and onset of symptoms) ranges from 3–14 days, but most often it is 4–7 days. Therefore, travelers returning from endemic areas are unlikely to have dengue if fever or other symptoms start more than 14 days after arriving home. Children often experience symptoms similar to those of the common cold and gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea) and have a greater risk of severe complications, though initial symptoms are generally mild but include high fever.
Associated problems
Dengue can occasionally affect several other body systems,[8] either in isolation or along with the classic dengue symptoms. A decreased level of consciousness occurs in 0.5–6% of severe cases, which is attributable either to infection of the brain by the virus or indirectly as a result of impairment of vital organs, for example, the liver.
Other neurological disorders have been reported in the context of dengue, such as transverse myelitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Infection of the heart and acute liver failure are among the rarer complications.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of dengue is typically made clinically, on the basis of reported symptoms and physical examination; this applies especially in endemic areas. However, early disease can be difficult to differentiate from other viral infections. A probable diagnosis is based on the findings of fever plus two of the following: nausea and vomiting, rash, generalized pains, low white blood cell count, positive tourniquet test, or any warning sign (see table) in someone who lives in an endemic area. Warning signs typically occur before the onset of severe dengue. The tourniquet test, which is particularly useful in settings where no laboratory investigations are readily available, involves the application of a blood pressure cuff at between the diastolic and systolic pressure for five minutes, followed by the counting of any petechial hemorrhages; a higher number makes a diagnosis of dengue more likely with the cut off being more than 10 to 20 per 2.5 cm2 (1 inch2).
The diagnosis should be considered in anyone who develops a fever within two weeks of being in the tropics or subtropics. It can be difficult to distinguish dengue fever and chikungunya, a similar viral infection that shares many symptoms and occurs in similar parts of the world to dengue. Often, investigations are performed to exclude other conditions that cause similar symptoms, such as malaria, leptospirosis, viral hemorrhagic fever, typhoid fever, meningococcal disease, measles, and influenza.
The earliest change detectable on laboratory investigations is a low white blood cell count, which may then be followed by low platelets and metabolic acidosis.[5] A moderately elevated level of aminotransferase (AST and ALT) from the liver is commonly associated with low platelets and white blood cells.[7] In severe disease, plasma leakage results in hemoconcentration (as indicated by a rising hematocrit) and hypoalbuminemia.[5] Pleural effusions or ascites can be detected by physical examination when large,[5] but the demonstration of fluid on ultrasound may assist in the early identification of dengue shock syndrome.[1][5] The use of ultrasound is limited by lack of availability in many settings.[1] Dengue shock syndrome is present if pulse pressure drops to ≤ 20 mm Hg along with peripheral vascular collapse.[7] Peripheral vascular collapse is determined in children via delayed capillary refill, rapid heart rate, or cold extremities.[8]
Downtown San José was red on Tuesday as thousands of taxi drivers took to the streets to protest the lack of action by the Policía de Tránsito against informal taxi drivers.
The taxi drivers want the enforcement of controls to curb “porteadores” (informal taxis) and “piratas” (gypsy cabs) from taking away their business.
In the commitment received yesterday, the director of the Policía de Tránsito, German Marin, said there will be stricter controls in the coming months, as transit officials will attack the piracy problem.
The ministro de bras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT), Pedro Castro, announced a “brigada anti-pirata” – special police unit to combat the pirata problem. Castro and Marin said the unit will be made up of eight Tránsito (traffic officials) in short term and expanded to 50 officials in the long term.
Some taxi drivers are skeptical that the MOPT will follow through, many agreements have been reached in the past and just as many have fallen by the wayside, forcing taxi drivers to take to the streets again and again.
Porteadores or informal taxi drivers to take to the streets on Thursday
But the street protests are not at an end, the porteadores announced they will take to the streets on Thursday.
German Lobo, head of the Cámara Costarricense de Porteadores, aruges that the under the special law that conferred rights to porteadores, nobody knows who is authorized to perform the paid public service, leading to chaos due to the large amount of informal taxis that cropped up over the last couple of years.
The Cámara Costarricense de Porteadores wants the Consedo de Trasnporte Publico (CTP) to formalize agreement and to detain drivers who work without permits. The Cámara also wants their drivers to be covered by social security.
Up to 4.500 porteadores may take to the streets on Thursday, according to Lobo.
The presidential candidate of the National Liberation Party (PLN), Johnny Araya filed a constitutional motion to bring down a 15-day suspension from his post as mayor of San José, that imposed the Contraloría General de la República (Comptroller General) in 2010.
Araya argues in his action, filed last February 1, the Comptroller cannot administratively remove him without having started a judicial process against him. The presidential candidate is of the opinion, that the suspension “restricts political human righs protected by Article 23 of the American Convention on Human Rights”.
Araya is asking the Sala Constitucional or Sala IV (Constitutional Court) to declare the articles of the Ley General de Control Interno (Internal Control Act) which empowers the Comptroller to order the temporary removal or firing of public officials.
The action was filed by attorney Jorge Leiva, who in the past has filed against the same legislation, for the ministro de Seguridad Publica, Mario Zamora. That complaing served to brake the Araya ad a dozen other state employees, so that the Comptroller’s sanction not become effetive until now.
Costa Rica has obtained authorization from China’s top quality watchdog to export dairy product to China, the Ministry of Foreign Trade said Tuesday.
Anabel Gonzalez, the foreign trade minister, welcomed the authorization, saying it was the result of hard work on the part of several institutions striving to expand trade bonds with China.
“This is important news for the agricultural export sector, which has great opportunities in this market. Last year China imported more than 3.2 billion U.S. dollars worth of dairy products,” she said.
Costa Rica is allowed to export banana, bovine leather and beef to China. It is waiting for approval to export pork, poultry products, seafood, pineapples and melons.
Natalia Santamaria Benavides, marketing and sales manager at Hard Rock Cafe Costa Rica. Photo: La Republica
After facing building permit delays, the first Hard Rock Cafe in Costa Rica is expected to open in the coming months, after the announced January opening got pushed back to March.
In fact, there is still no certainty of the opening date, only that it will be after May. The construction work on the exterior is 90% complete according to the franchisee. The only certainty at this time is that a job fair to hire staff will be on April 14 at 9am a the Wyndham Hotel Herradura convention centre.
Once opened it will be largest Hard Rock Cafe in Latin America, and reflect the spirit of the brand, combined with a local identity. On the official Hard Rock Café website, the Costa Rica location is described as, the “Hard Rock Cafe San José Costa Rica will feature unique design elements, not only to comply with the standards of the company, but also to give customers a little taste of Costa Rica. A unique 360 degree stage ‘imitates’ Costa Rica’s Central Valley and will give guests a perfect view of what’s happening around the Cafe, outside. There will also be two wide-open terraces with fire pits”.
“The different materials, renovations and adaptions are what will make the Hard Rock Cafe in Costa Rica different from others in the world”, said Natalia Santamaría Benavides, marketing and sales manager at Hard Rock Cafe Costa Rica.
Benavides added that the changes has also increased the initial investment from US$2.5 million to US$3 million dollars.
The Hard Rock signature stamp is definitely music and therefore national and international artists are being evaluated, to perform in local concerts.
“These presentations are characterized by their energy and passion, both components of our brand, but there will be a variety of styles and genres, as the music evolves, so do we”, Benavides told La Republica.
“For now we are planning something very special for our grand opening party. We will provide details when they are more concrete”, said Benavides.
The Hard Rock Cafe in Costa Rica will have a capacity for 260 people at 50 tables. There will also be a VIP area that can accommodate 60 to 80 people, for private parties and event. For concerts, the Hard Rock Cafe in Costa Rica can accommodate up to 600 people, that includes the terraces.
The Hard Rock Cafe in Costa Rica is located adjacent to the Wyndham Herradura Hoteal, owner of the franchise in Costa Rica.
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2007, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida. Currently, there are 175 Hard Rock locations in 53 countries with the largest in Orlando.
A Tránsito (traffic official) who tried to take a bite out the wallet of a driver found himself detained by Judicial officials and could end up losing his job.
The victim said he was asked for ¢5.000 colones “for a coffee” by traffic official, Hernán Soto Córdona, to look the other way.
The driver said he took a snapshot (with his cell phone) of the bill’s serial number and then called judicial police to report the “mordida”, a term in Costa Rica referred to a bribe.
Judicial officials took the traffic official into custody for questioning and is sure to be charged with corruption.
The problem is not in the 20lb tanks used for BBQ's, but the larger tall cylinders with the clip-on valve.
The cheap pin type regulator shown in the photo above is actually referred to as the “Central American type”, considered unsafe in the rest of the world.See our report “Cooking Dangerously”.
The Ministry of Environment (MINAE) has ordered bottlers of compressed gas cylinders to change the valves as a condition of renewing their operating permits.
The MINAE said bottlers have three months to make the change which has to be completed before the end of June.
Tomza is the first gas company to already start making the change to one thousand cylinders and says it has purchased two thousand new ones.
Gas Nacional Zeta says it has not started the change as it has not yet received the directive from the MINAE, spelling out the changes being asked. MINAE minister, Rene Castro, says the company has been officially notified.
A study by the Cuerpo de Bomberos de Costa Rica (Fire Department) indicates that nine out of ten emergencies involving gas in the past year were caused by faulty valves.
Bomberos reports responding to 2,091 cases so far this year.
In addition to the valve replacement, gas bottlers are required to dispose of cylinders older than 10 years.
It’s time to start carrying the umbrella as the “transition” period to the rainy season began with the start of the new month.
The Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN) – national weather service – confirmed the start of the transition period began on Monday and is forecasting rainy conditions all week for the Central Valley and Caribbean.
Monday night a light rain fell on San José, while for today (Tuesday) we can expect winds and some rain.
Former president José María Figueres Olsen has given his support to San José mayor Johnny Araya, saying he will join the campaign to ensure an Araya presidency.
Figueres revealed his support for Araya to Amelia Rueda in an interview at the Soda Tapia, a popular restaurant in La Sabana.
For now, Figueres’ role in the presidential campaign is unknown, however, it does not rule out the former president going from community to community drumming up support for Araya.
Figueres and Araya have met regularly to discuss the state of the nation and the current status of the campaign. In the past Araya has been quoted as saying that it was just a matter of time before Figueres would join him in his presidential bid.
Figueres travels back and forth between Switzerland and Costa Rica, arriving Thursday night, in his continuing promottion his project “Via Costarricense”.
Figueres is schedule to leave Costa Rica on Sunday, but is expected back at the end of the month to take part the IV Congreso Latinoamericano de Turismo Médico (Latin American Congress of Medical Tourism), which he will be among the speakers.
Forget the postponed drop in gasoline prices, the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (ARESEP) on Monday approved an increase of ¢28 and ¢24 colones that will take effect later this week.
The increase will shoot up the price of a litre of super gasoline to ¢767 and regular ¢721, while the price of a litre of diesel fuel will drop ¢8 colones.
The following table shows the change in prices:
The price change will take effect the following publication in La Gaceta, which is to take place within five days of the approval.
According to the ARESEP spokesperson Carolina Mora the increas reflects changes in the international prices for crude oil.
The right colour: Ambassador Alvaro Cedeno Molinari speaks about his country’s ‘green growth’ agenda at the Costa Rican Embassy in Tokyo.
Alvaro Cedeno Molinari, Costa Rica’s Ambassador to Japan, says his mission in Tokyo is to deliver his country’s message on green growth and renewable energy — and to develop what he describes as a green growth agenda between his country and Japan.
“My agenda is not a technical one. I’m not a biologist, I’m not an engineer. I’m simply enthusiastic about green growth and climate change, renewable energy, biotechnology, and eco-tourism,” Molinari said — an agenda he says his country has been pursuing for decades.
According to Molinari, renewable energy was initially developed in Costa Rica in 1955 as an opportunity to generate electricity from the abundant hydropower sources provided by the country’s extensive rivers, lakes and waterfalls.
Over the past three decades, Costa Rica has tripled its gross domestic product and doubled its forest coverage at the same time. It is also a “green country,” with 95 percent of its electricity generated from renewable sources, including hydrothermal and geothermal power. Almost 30 percent of its ecosystems are under legal protection, he said.
Molinari said he is trying to convince the Japanese government and businesses to collaborate with Costa Rica on research and development in renewable energy and sustainable development to take advantage of his nation’s rich biodiversity. Such cooperation, he said, will be essential as Costa Rica tries to achieve its goal of “carbon neutrality” — a state where net carbon dioxide emissions drop to zero — by 2021.
The ambassador is also trying to tie Costa Rican institutions with Japanese counterparts to establish a partnership in bio-resources or natural components that could be used to develop cosmetics, food or pharmaceuticals in Japan.
Molinari, 38, said one of his current interests is “bio-literacy.” It means, he said, “to be able to speak the language of life — what are the essential needs for our planet, not only to be sustainable, but to regenerate what has been lost?”
“It’s fifth-grade science. The cycle of water and carbon. Where the soil fertility comes from. Where clean air and water come from. This is very important for us,” he added.
Molinari was posted to Japan only weeks after the Fukushima nuclear disaster triggered by the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami, and he said the whole range of incidents “brought fear” to him.
“I knew it was something that was very serious, something that was going to take a long time to control. But at the same time, I felt it was my duty as a global citizen to be here, and to pay attention to what was happening, and to share whatever I could in the process (of recovering),” he said.
“It makes me wonder: What do the children understand? Not only the consequences. The consequences are very easy to see. But about the causes. It’s more about why it happened. The nuclear technology was not infallible. Today, we can’t tell children that nuclear energy is infallible — at least not in Japan,” he said.
He stressed the nuclear energy technology issue is of critical importance right now for both Japan and the world.
“Nuclear energy was a very good solution for the second half of the 20th century. Now we know that there are cleaner, cheaper, more renewable, safer sources of energy. The obvious question is — how do we move from nuclear to renewable?” Molinari said.
“The energy matrix in Japan relies very highly on nuclear energy. The issue is how much urgency you see in the need to change,” he said.
“I’m very concerned about Japanese children: What they know, what they think, what they feel about (the disaster). This is going to influence the rest of their lives. This is going to transform them into particular citizens, particular professionals, particular leaders of the country,” he said.
He said that the Japanese should remember how the country has valued nature in the past.
“I was very impressed by how nature is treated sacredly here. Japan is the only country in the world that has the Shinto practice. Shinto is essentially a praise for everything that is natural,” he stressed.
Molinari was born and grew up in San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital. After graduating from the University of Costa Rica with a degree in law, he obtained a master’s degree in peace studies and conflict transformation from a university in Norway. A polyglot, Molinari speaks eight languages: Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, German, Norwegian, Mandarin and some Japanese.
He worked for a decade at Costa Rica’s branch of Children’s International Summer Villages, a global nongovernmental organization that engages in training and execution of intercultural competence building and peace education for youths.
In 2006, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Trade as the chief of staff for the minister. Eighteen months later, when Costa Rica established diplomatic ties with China and opened an embassy in Beijing, he was posted there as commercial counselor.
After three years, he quit the ministry and moved to Australia, where he went on to obtain a master’s degree in public policy and management. Then came his second diplomatic mission — to his current position — in 2011.
Molinari’s initial exposure to Japan came at a very young age. When he was 5 years old, he said he became aware that his family’s car was made by a Japanese carmaker. Furthermore, the anime adaptation of the Swiss classic “Heidi” and the popular TV series “Ultraman” — both dubbed into Spanish — were his favorite TV programs.
“At 8, I played my first Nintendo game, and the following year, I got my first Sony radio,” he said.
He said that when he was 11 years old, his father, a business consultant, gave the young Molinari a task during summer vacation: Read a book about Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of Panasonic Corp. “I was reading some very profound business and cultural elements about Japan,” he said.
Later on, he said he became interested in martial arts and took judo and karate lessons in Costa Rica.
In 2004, Molinari visited Japan for the first time as a volunteer at an intercultural competence building program for Asia-Pacific youths and adults held in Fukuoka.
Noting his impression of Japan at the time, he said he thought Japan was a place “where human civilization had reached its most remarkable manifestation in terms of peaceful coexistence.”
“I had the impression that this was the most peaceful place on Earth — in terms of how Japanese culture has managed to build up after the war,” he said.
Molinari lives in Tokyo with his wife, who is a third-generation Brazilian-Japanese, and travels with her about once a month to various parts of Japan, including to Kitakyushu, where his wife’s family has its roots.
“I try to enjoy every day in Japan — as long as this beautiful adventure lasts,” the ambassador said with a smile.
Taco Bell Costa Rica rolled out with Doritos Locos Nachos, something US locations have yet to do. Think Nachos Supreme with all the addicting flavors of their seasoned beef, beans, neon orange cheese “sauce,” tomatoes and of course, sour cream, but swap the plain tortilla chips with Doritos Nacho Cheese-flavored chips.
Oh, and it’s 2 for 1 after 10pm. Reminder, this applies to Costa Rica locations only.
Sigh, we can’t wait ’til the Doritos Locos Tacos get re-reincarnated into tortilla chips here in the US. Imagine that.
If you’re really fiending, you can always DIY it by just asking for the Nachos Supreme toppings , then siphoning it all into a bag of store-bought Nacho Cheese-flavored Doritos. Psh, we got you.
The IMF predicts that in 2013 Costa Rica’s economic growth will surpass the world average. By playing host to numerous leading international corporations in the information and communication technology (TIC) sector, the country has placed itself at an advantage.
His father worked on a coffee plantation a few kilometres outside of San José yet in contrast, he has swapped the green fields for a computer screen. He works for one of the US multinationals that have set up headquarters in this Central American country. His role is to develop and improve wireless networks, work which he carries out in Costa Rica but which serves a worldwide purpose.
In his office his co-workers are both Costa Rican and natives of other nationalities who all form part of the renowned Silicon Valley of Costa Rica. The arrival of international corporations has served as a catalyst for the area. According to predictions made by the World Bank, the Costa Rican economy is set to experience a growth of 4%, a figure which exceeds the Latin American average.
The Prisma talked to Luciano Ciravegna, author of “Promoting Silicon Valleys in Latin America: Lessons from Costa Rica” and professor at the University of London.
Ciravegna reveals Costa Rica’s keys to success in becoming an operations centre for large multinational leaders in the information technology sector.
What is the Silicone Valley effect?
It is the heart of the world’s electronics and software industry, located in the North American state of California. It is renowned for its mass of large and small scale businesses and for its entrepreneurship. It is where many of the leading multinationals in this sector were created. Financially speaking, this cluster of corporations has fuelled the whole of the Californian and US economy.
For this reason, many Latin American countries are looking to follow suit and the majority begin by promoting policies which facilitate the installation of foreign companies specialising in technology.
What are the characteristics of the Costa Rican Silicone Valley?
On a global scale, production levels are not as great as China, Taiwan or South Korea. However, per capita, Costa Rica is Latin America’s primary producer and exporter of electronic and software products. Furthermore, thanks to successful policies for attracting foreign investment, 10% of the workforce (higher than the US average) is employed in this high-tech industry.
Its success is linked to the fact that Costa Rica is seen as a pacific country and has a skilled workforce. Costa Rica is now reaping the rewards of several years of state investment in state education.
What strategy was employed in order for Costa Rica to become an operations centre for large multinationals?
It is important to highlight that success has been achieved in three sectors which are all interrelated; tourism, the software industry and the manufacturing of medical apparatus.
Everything originated from the idea of developing a country brand in order to attract tourism which drew the attention of many American businesses. Despite lower wages, many employees prefer to work in this Central American country than in other parts of the world. Its close proximity to the US, agreeable climate and political stability are but a few of its appealing characteristics. The country has a multinational atmosphere and is home to various immigrant professionals from countries such as Argentina, Venezuela, US, Israel…
How has Costa Rica promoted its country brand?
Let’s just say it has been a long, gradual process. Costa Rica made a significant effort to promote its name amongst potential investors. It has invested a lot in this.. During the 80’s it opened an office in New York and gradually opened up others throughout the United States.
The aim of these offices is to promote the positive aspects of visiting the country. The arrival of the first tourists and mouth to mouth promotion strengthened the area’s reputation. Other Latin American territories have tried to do the same but have encountered difficulties in establishing an image capable of overcoming the notions of instability linked to drug trafficking.
Has the Silicone Valley effect had any impact on other areas in Latin America?
Yes and it has had a significant impact on the economic growth of several countries. Latin America mainly specializes in the services and software sector. These are clean industries as they cause no pollution. The majority of production and manufacturing is carried out in Asia.
The greatest impact is seen in the workforce that this industry employs with qualified and generally well paid jobs.
The biggest advantage is that national industry is benefitted. Brazil began offering its services to the US and the EU but it now supplies the national market. It is important that these countries are not just grain and soy bean producers but that they also invest in high-tech industries.
Is it possible that this current growth might become stagnant or disappear?
I do not believe that production could disappear completely, partly because it is an industry which is constantly being up-dated, each year people are buying new mobile phone models.
Over the last few years innovation has increased resulting in the need to provide customers with the services and electronic components that they demand. Latin America’s challenge is to continue to develop increasingly sophisticated services. Production costs in South America are more expensive than in Asia which means that the country must invest in levels of sophistication.
Is Silicon Valley just a synonym for economic impact?
It has introduced a significant level of education into society, we are dealing with specialized professions. There are individuals who at the age of 16 are already programmers and at 25 years old are sales managers. Compared to my country, Italy, there are a significantly higher number of skilled professionals in these sectors and with large salaries that would be satisfactory for even young Europeans.
Are there many British companies in Costa Rica’s Silicon Valley?
No. The majority are from the US and some from India but there are no British companies in this sector. This is a reflection of the poor economic relationship that exists between the UK and Latin America.
Which country is most likely to repeat Costa Rica’s boom?
Undoubtedly, Uruguay has the most similar characteristics. It has a small and relatively open economy. The population is well educated and it is already home to a significant cluster of technological corporations. This country represents competition for Costa Rica. Chile is another option thanks to its stable economy and success in attracting investors and entrepreneurs through favourable tax and immigration laws.
The days of the credit card’s magnetic stripe appear numbered, with special-chip, or EMV, credit cards poised to immigrate onto America’s payments landscape.
In Costa Rica the BAC San José is the first to use the chip on their cards, several banks in the country will start using the chip later this year.
MasterCard explained that in the case of Costa Rica, at least two entities are migrating to this technology.
EMV-enabled cards, named for developers Europay, MasterCard and Visa, have an embedded microprocessor chip that encrypts transaction data differently for each purchase. Some chip cards require a personal identification number to complete a transaction, while others only require a signature. EMV is widely used in Europe and Asia and is steadily being adopted as the standard type of credit card worldwide.
EMV: Better security than the mag stripe? Proponents of smart cards brag about the security EMV cards offer versus the traditional swipe-the-stripe cards. Because the transaction information is encoded uniquely every time, it’s harder for criminals to pick up useful payment data pieces and use them again for another purchase, says Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance, a nonprofit with a mission of advocating smart card technology.
Compare that with magnetic stripes that contain what Vanderhoof calls “static” data, or payment information that never changes. All thieves have to do is lift that information and create a fake card before going on a shopping spree.
EMV cards nearly eliminate skimming scams, says George Peabody, director of emerging technologies advisory service at Mercator Advisory Group. So no more worrying about a server taking liberties with your credit card after a meal, like the Mugs ‘N Jugs waitress in Florida who was arrested on charges of skimming the credit cards of bad tippers.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland the have branded the EMV smart card “Chip and PIN”, the word “chip” refers to a computer chip embedded in the smartcard; the word PIN refers to a personal identification number that must be supplied by the customer.
Developed well over 15 years ago, one market that resisted the use of the EMV is the United States. However that is changing with the announcement by MasterCard that it’s finally pushing the EMV system across its U.S. By the end of this month (April 2013), MasterCard is saying it’ll have, in the U.S., replaced its existing magnetic strip infrastructure with one compatible with the chip-based technology, where every credit card has a small silicon chip embedded in it.
So who knows? Your next credit card really may be your last, but before the plastic goes it’ll turn digital…and then disappear entirely into the digital ether (with Apple perhaps involved, if Visa doesn’t seal the iPhone NFC deal first).
As had been announced prior to Semana Santa, the “fuerza roja (red force) or taxi drivers, will be protesting on Tuesday, upset about the lack of action by the government, they say, against porteadores and gypsy cabs.
If the protest goes ahead it will unite thousands of taxi drivers from around the country.
The protest will concentrate in San José, though protests are expected in rural areas as well. Reports from the taxi unions indicate that their coordination efforts will ensure a massive protest action.
Expected on Tuesday is not just the lack of taxis, but traffic jams and road blocks.
A last minute dialogue may call off the protest, according to Gilbert Ureña, representing the taxi unions in one united voice.
The problem of porteadores (informal taxis) and gypsy cabs has been ongoin for years. The taxi unions and governments have reached several agreements to solve the issue. The taxi unions, however, say the government has not come through on the agreements and are being forced to take their position to the streets.
The Cruz Roja Costarricense (Red Cross) reports 30 violent deaths and another 73 people requiring hospitalization for their serious injuries as the the tally for Semana Santa.
The number is 13 – 8 deaths and 5 serious injuries – more than the same period last year.
According to Freddy Román, press officer at the Cruz Roja, the actual number of fatalities could end up being higher, considering that some of the injured taken to hospital were in serious condition.
This year the main causes of the deaths were by assaults with knives and guns and traffic accidents.
Román said that the number of aquatic accidents was reduced this year, with only three accidents reported.
All the numbers from the rest of Central America are not yet in, but it appears that Costa Rica will have the highest in the region.
Estimates show that 1.5 millions of Costa Ricans went on holiday in this period, for that reason authorities had called to be cautious, particularly on the roads, to avoid traffic accidents.
At several beaches, signs were placed to warn bathers on the risks of dangerous currents, also the presence of first-aid workers has been increased in the places more crowded.
Traffic jams to enter the Central Valley and capital, drivers negligence and alcohol beverages consumption are the most frequent causes of traffic accidents.
In several regions of the country, alcohol ingestion had been banned during the Semana Santa, but it was allowed in the rest of the country.
Which is the most noted natural resource of Costa Rica?
Hydro power. Hydro power is a very important natural resource in Costa Rica. It is abundant and an example is the Represa of Cachi, that produces this kind of energy.
What is the highest point in Costa Rica?
Cerro Chirripo. Cerro Chirripo’s highest point is 3,819 m or 12,530 ft.
Which provinces are on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica?
Guanacaste and Puntarenas. Guanacaste, Limon and Puntarenas are by the ocean, but the Limon province is on the Atlantic coast.
What is the highest of Costa Rica`s volcanoes?
Irazu. (3,431 m or 11,257 ft).
What is the main army of Costa Rica called?
Costa Rica does not have an army. Costa Rica is known for being one of the few countries that do not have an army. The army was abolished in December 1, 1948 by president José Figueres Ferrer. It was the first country to abolish its army constitutionally. Fuerza Publica is the police organization that protects the country.
Which two countries border Costa Rica?
Nicaragua and Panama. Costa Rica borders Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south.
How many provinces does the country Costa Rica have?
Seven. Limón, San José, Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Guanacaste and Puntarenas.
What is the capital of Costa Rica? San José. San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica. First it was Cartago, but it changed. San José is now the most developed province of the country.
What is the size of Costa Rica’s territory?
In total, Costa Rica comprises 51,100 square kilometres (19,700 sq mi) plus 589 square kilometres (227 sq mi) of territorial waters.
What is Costa Rica’s main religion?
Christianity is the predominant religion, and Roman Catholicism is the official state religion according to the 1949 Constitution, which at the same time guarantees freedom of religion.
How many languages are spoken in Costa Rica?
The primary language spoken in Costa Rica is Costa Rican Spanish. Some native languages are still spoken in indigenous reservations. The most numerically important are the Bribri, Maléku, Cabécar and Ngäbere languages, some of which have several thousand speakers in Costa Rica – others a few hundred. A Creole-English language, Jamaican patois (also known as Mekatelyu), is spoken along the Caribbean coast. About 10.7% of Costa Rica’s adult population (18 or older) also speaks English, 0.7% French, and 0.3% speaks Portuguese or German as a second language.
How literate is Costa Rica?
The literacy rate in Costa Rica is 94.9%, one of the highest in Latin America.
Is Costa Rica in South America or North America?
North America. Coasta Rica would be considered North American, as with all the other Central American countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Belize, and Panama. Central America is not a continent. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America
How do you say hello in Costa Rica?
Hola. Hello in Costa Rica and most Spanish people countries is hola. Make sure not to pronounce the ‘h’ as the ‘h’ is silent in most Spanish words.
What is Costa Rica’s currency?
The Colon. Costa Rica’s currency is the colon. The plural of colon is colones.
Six of the presidential candidates agree that win the 2014 electons they should show who they are, be sincere, no masks or characters.
That is the image that the candidates want to convey, using social netowrks and touring the country to bring home the message.
Regional media may also play an important role for the candidates to let the people know who they really are, what they stand for and their objectives. As the election (February 2014) gets closer all the candidates agree that voters are more informed today.
The presidential hopefuls are: Johnny Araya (PLN), José María Villalta (Frente Amplio), Epsy Campbell (PAC), Juan Carlos (PAC)Mendoza (PAC) and Luis Guillermo Solís (PAC). The PAC has yet to name a presidential candidate.
Four of seven traffic fatalities so far this Semana Satna were on motorcycles.
The latest accident occured Saturday morning in Siquirres, where a young man was driving the motorcycle, with a companion in the back, when it was involved in a collision with a vehicle.
The woman, who was not wearing a helmet, died on the scene. The man was taken to the Siquirres hospital in delicate condition.
Disclaimer: The following article is purely fictional, a satire/parody.
The government of Costa Rica announced a ban of all two wheeled motorcycles on public roads. The ban is immediate and includes all types of motorcycles and scooters. Three wheeled cycles are still OK.
A government source said “they are just too dangerous”.
For the moment bicycles are still allowed. However, the government has commissioned a study to determine if bicycles should also be banned
The transit police said it will start applying the ban as soon as the Semana Santa holidays are over, due to lack of sufficient officials.
This four wheeled scooter would be legal under the ban, while the two wheeled version is not.
The explanation given for the ban is that it will save the state run medical system, the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) or Caja a lot of money. Authorities indicate that motorcycles are involved in the majority of traffic accidents.
The INS, the state run insurance company, is also expected to benefit from the ban. It is not a state secret that the majority of motorcycle owners do not pay the Marchamo, annual circulation permit. By banning motorcycles, owners of motorcycles would buy a four wheeled vehicle and owners of passenger vehicles, trucks etc. pay their Marchamo.
A source close the Q had another theory and more plausible reason for the ban. Gasoline station owners were denied an increase in the profit margin by the regulatory authority. The denial came before Semana Santa when the ARESEP was forced to postpone the gasoline price decrease under the threat of gasoline station owners to shut down the dispensing of fuel.
The source tells the Q that a backroom deal was brokered where the government would ban motorcycles, being more economical and requiring less fuel, forcing consumer to buy more gasoline to fill the larger tanks of other vehicles. So, though the station owners did not get their increase, they make more profits by selling more gasoline.
And the timing was right. What better to do this during Semana Santa while everyone is on vacation!
Whatever the reason behind the ban the question by many motorcycles owners is now, “what do we do with our motorcycles? If we can’t drive them on public streets and there are no buyers, what now?”
One motorcycle dealer says he has he answer: a conversion kit. Yup, the kit converts a two wheeled motorcycle to three or four wheels, which are not banned.
Gitano says he can convert any two wheeler to three, four, five or more. Just bring it in and let him work on it.
The dealer, Gitao, who spoke to the Q, said “If we have to we will do a Macgyver* but guarantee a conversion every time”. The dealer did no provide details on the conversion kit or the cost.
One motorcycle group, “Somos Los Motorizados”, formed quickly in response to the ban, said they will take to the streets in protest. Juan Carlos Campos, head of the group , admitted it won’t be like the past demonstrations since they can’t be out in their motorcycles. Campos says the group is struggling to figure out a way for the people and government to know it is a group of motorcyclists protesting or the teachers or ICE employees, for instance.
SLM, without putting too much thought in the idea told the Q that if this ban sticks they will take it to the Constitutional Court, where hopefully it will be struck down or at least tied up for a few years.
In the few hours the ban went into effect. a poll by the Q revealed that all interviewed were in favour of the ban. To be fair, however, none of the interviewed were motorcyclists. One motorcyclist refused to give her opinion, showing us the finger, leaving it up to interpretation if it as good or bad sign.
* Macgyver: the ability to use a dorito, some duct tape, and a paper clip to create a time machine. I dont know what im talkin about.
The protest claimed the classes will “loosen the reins on promiscuity” in prejudice to public order and health.
