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Banco Central Spends US$185 Million To Shore Up Dollar Exchange

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The Banco Central  de Costa Rica (Central Bank) this month has doled out US$185 million dollars to shore up the dollar exchange. The objective of the Central Bank’s intervention is to not allow the dollar to drop below ¢500 colones.

To avoid a drop the Central Bank says it has had to buy up a lot of the dollars that have flooded the economy this past month.

The amount the Central Bank has spent in the first 20 days of this month is 13 times the amount the month earlier, according to the ElFinanciero.cr.

Experts believe that the Central Bank’s intervention policy will maintain the exchange rate to very similar levels as last year.

Mario Rivera, general manager of the Banco de Costa Rica (BCR), the exchange rate “will remain relatively stable”.

The Costa Rica exchange rate varies daily; it could go up or down a few colones or cents every day.

Financial experts say solutions being employed as a remedy for the distortions caused by the flood of speculative capital in the Costa Rican economy, have a common factor: they fix one end of the problem and exacerbate another. Many believe Costa Rica’s economy should be dollarized.

The Chamber of Exporters of Costa Rica (CADEXO) has detailed the losses by the sector caused by the significant appreciation of the colon in the last three years.

As explained by CADEXCO, producers of meat, sugar and coffee suffered more than ¢70,000 million colones in losses, while for the banana industry is it calculated at US$0.80 per box exported.

In the pineapple sector, meanwhile, the calculation is of a direct impact of more than 15%, mainly due to higher exchange rate via payroll taxes, wages and electricity, among other things.

According to an article in Crhoy.com the real exchange rate in Costa Rica has depreciated by over 30% in a short period, removing a significant margin of profit for exporters.

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San José – San Ramón Expansion Will Be Only For 2 Kms

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Rico
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The Consejo Nacional de Concesiones (CNC) – National Tender Board – confirms that the expansion of the San José – San Ramón road, will be only of two kilometres.

Before meeting with representatives of the communities opposed to the road, Edwin Rodríguez, secretary of the CNC, ackowledged that the expansion will only be between the La Sabana park and Pablo II bridge, where the autopista General Cañas will go from two lanes to four in each direction.

“We are focuing on safety, that includes some 22 pedestrian overpasses and 40 bus bays”, explained Rodríguez.

A group of community leaders met with Rodríguez on Thursday to obtain drawings and explanations of the contract award to the Brazilian company, OAS, that will maintain the road under a 30 year concession contract.

Under the concession, the 58 kilometres from La Sabana and San Ramón will become a toll road that will cost some ¢2.000 colones in each direction.

Opponents to the concession insist that there will not be any significant expansion and charging tolls is abusive.

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ARESEP Beats To The Drums of Interest Groups

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Rico
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ARESEP Heavily Criticized For Postponing Gas Price Drop

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Rico
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The  Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (ARESEP) – Regulatory Authority of Public Services – has come under heavy criticism for backing down to the threats of gasoline station owners.

Days ago the ARESP approved a drop in gasoline prices of ¢6 colones for a litre of super and diesel and ¢5 for regular. The decrease came as a surprise to gasoline station owners who not only ask for a roll back on the decrease, but also an increase in their profit margins.

QTOONS:  ARESEP Beats To The Drums of Interest Groups

Gasoline station owners publicly said they would literally shut down their stations and layoff workers if the price drop was to take place. Under this threat the ARESEP caved in and suspended the decrease.

santos-editIgnacio Santos, news director at Telenoticias (channel 7 news), said his editorial,  “authority is just in the name”.

The ARESEP decision was not welcomed by consumers and businesses, some accusing the ARESEP as being a puppet to interest groups.

The social networks – Facebook, Twitter, etc- were abuzz with all types of comments, none in favour of the ARESEP.  A commentary by Andrés Chacón said, “we are governed by lobbysts. How can you not stay firm in your decision, very disappointing“.

The ARESEP denies political pressure. “It is very dangerous to make those claims (shut down sales) and the criterion of the board was to prevent further damage and ask for time consider the appeal”.

The regulatory authority said it would study the proposal of gasoline station owners.

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14 Municipalities Say NO To Prohibition For Semana Santa

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Rico
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San José among municipalities not applying prohibition for Semana Santa


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The list of municipalities not prohibiting the sale of alcohol during Thursday and Friday of Semana Santa is growing.

As of Thursday night, fourteen municipalities have said the taps will flow within their jurisdictions, joining the municipality of Nicoya, in Guanacaste, the first to say prohibition would hurt local tourism.

Not applying the “ley seca” (dry law) this year are the municipalities of: Guatuso, Osa, San Ramón, Coto Brus, Parrita, Cañas, Talamanca, Corredores, Curridabat, San José, Nicoya, San Ramón, Aguirre, Monteverde and Guácimo.

The new Ley de Regulación y Comercialización de Bebidas con Contenido Alcohólico  (Regulatory and Marketing Act of Alcoholic Beverages Act) that went into effect last year gives each municipality the power to decide to maintain prohibition or allow the sale of alcohol during Holy week. Municipalities have up to Wednesday, March 27, to decide.

In municipalities that decide to keep prohibition, supermarkets, bars, restaurants, etc, are prohibited from selling any alcohole – beer, wine and liquor – from 12:01am Thursday to 12:01am Saturday.

The fines for breaching prohibition are stiff and can include the revoking of a liquort license.

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2014 U-17 Women’s World Cup Back in Costa Rica

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Rico
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The International Federation of Football Association (FIFA) overturned its decision to take away Costa Rica’s status as host of the 2014 U-17 Women’s World Cup, giving the country a second chance.

FIFA said it was withdrawing Costa Rica as host of the cup last February, after confirming delays in the construction of two stadiums, one in Jacó (Central Pacific) and the other in Liberia (Northern Pacific). The decision was made at a FIFA Executive Committee meeting in Zurich.

The Costa Rican government and Costa Rican Football Federation (Fedefutbol) then announced a “last ditch effort” to recover the event.

“With pride and satisfaction, I can announce that the World Cup is returning to Costa Rica. I thank FIFA Vice President and Concacaf President Jeffrey Webb for his unconditional support,” Fedefutbol President Eduardo Li said.

Carlos Ricardo Benavides, Costa Rica’s Minister of the Presidency, said the World Cup returns after several meetings with FIFA representatives in Miami and Chicago, where the tournament’s action plan was reviewed.

Costa Rica decided to abandon the building of a new stadium in Jaco, and the venues that will host the games will only have to be remodeled, including Edgardo Baltodano Stadium in Liberia and Ricardo Saprissa Stadium in the capital San Jose. San Jose’s National Stadium will serve as the event’s main venue.

The government has pledged to contribute three million U.S. dollars to complete the remodeling effort, while Fedefutbol raises another four million dollars.

Sports Minister William Corrales said a FIFA delegation is expected to visit Costa Rica in April to inspect the renovation work.

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Vamos a Turistear

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Rico
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“Vamos A Turistear” Is Back

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Rico
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“Vamos a Turistear” is back, the program by the tourism institute to draw the attention of national tourists for this holiday period.

The objective of hte Instistuto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) is for Costa Ricans to get out and know their country, offering contests and promotions.

Using the social networks like Facebook  and YouTube, the ICT is promoting new tourist locations, focusing on culture, tourism and education.

The strategy also aims to include the indigenous sector and artisanal fishing among others.

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Poll: Majority Of Costa Ricans In Favour Of Prohibition

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Rico
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The so-called “prohibition” on the sale of alcohol during Semana Santa (Holy Week) has been around since September 26, 1993 when Ley 7633 came into force, stating that alcohol beverages could not be sold during Thursdays and Fridays of the Holy week.

This year there is a change in the law, but not necessarily in the attitude of the people.

The new law, “Ley de Regulación y Comercialización de Bebidas con Contenido Alcohólico”, gives each municipality the power to regulate the sale of alcohol and consumption during civic events, parades and cantonal activities and can limit the scope.

Therefore, municipalities, for the 2013 Semana Santa must decide.

The decision by municipalities, however, may be based more on people’s opinion and traditions than law.

A poll by channel 7 television news, Telenoticias, indicated that more than 60% of the callers are in favour of maintaining prohibition, that is continuing the ban on the sale of liquor during the holidays.

So far only the municipality of Nicoya, in the province of Guanacaste, has decided to allow remove prohibition this year while others like San José, Alajuela and Heredia – three major cities in the Central Valley – and coastal towns like Quepos and Puntarena have yet to announce a decision.

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Government Continues To Pour Money Into La Trocha

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Rico
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La Trocha, the northern border road, has been mired in controversy for all kinds of corruption. And now the government will continue to pour even more money, another ¢146 million colones, into the project, making it the all time “chorizo” warranting a statue!

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Getting Around Prohibition

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Rico
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Although the year is 2013, and municipalities now have the power to be “dry” or not, for the most part Costa Rica appears to be still pretty “dry” during this Semana Santa.

Imperial-beer-590x442Unless a local government dictates otherwise (Nicoya is the only one so far to say no) the annual prohibition of the sale of alcohol starts at 12:01am (just after midnight) on Thursday until I believe 12:01am (just after midnight) – Saturday.

During the this period supermarkets LITERALLY cover up their liquor and beer sections, including the coolers; bars have to lock up their liquor cabinets; and restaurants can only offer their patrons non-alcoholic beverages with their meals. Liquor stores close up entirely.

Costa Ricans are used to this and know how to get around it, well, are prepared for it. For visitors – tourists – it’s another matter, most are caught by surprise at the prohibition.

Say what? But I’m on vacation!!!

Here’s how to work around it.

1. Get your alcohol at least the day before and bring it with you to your vacation spot. The earlier the better, as lines at cash out get longer as the prohibition hour nears.

2. Many bars (IF they’re open) and restaurants will allow you to bring your own – but for their sake (because fines are VERY HIGH if they break the law – including being closed down for a period of time), please bring some sort of cup that doesn’t show what’s in it and do NOT leave the bottle out. BUT ASK FIRST!

3. Some places (mainly places geared towards tourists) will get creative and “get around prohibition” by offering some sort of all-inclusive PARTY/Fiesta with a set price for food and drinks (not cheap usually as it is often an open-bar).

Costa Rica seems to take these 2 holy days quite seriously (well – at least in MOST businesses) – practically shutting down towns not relying on the tourist $$!!!

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Nicoya Says “No” To Prohibition For Semana Santa

By
Rico
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Usually with the arrival of Semana Santa, municipalities across the country take the necessary measures to prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages.

This year, changes to the Ley de Regulación y Comercialización de Bebidas con Contenido Alcohólico  (Regulatory and Marketing Act of Alcoholic Beverages Act), allow local municipalities the decision to keep the traditions of the “Ley Seca” (Dry Law) or allows the taps to flow.

nicoya-churchWhile the prohibition is no longer compulsory, the tradition of Thursdays and Fridays of Semana Santa (Easter Week) as “dry” days in Costa Rica,  seems to continue when supermarkets, restaurants, bars, etc. have to hide away their liquor and suspend their sales from 12:01am Thursday to midnight Friday.

So far the town of Nicoya on the Pacific coast is the only local government decided against the prohibition.

This year, residents of the Guanacaste town can buy alcoholic beverages through the “Holy” days. Marco Antonio Jiménez, mayor of Nicoya, using the new law and justifies the decision by saying that the prohibition would negatively affect the local economy.

“The tourism industry is very important in our county where every year during this period hotels, cabins and hundreds of other businesses such as restaurants or sodas welcome thousands of national and foreign visitors, therefore, we consider that this measure (no prohibition) helps the local economy,” said Jiménez.

For the mayor, removing the prohibition it will also help local tourism recover from last year’s September 5 earthquake that hit Nicoya the hardest.

Jiménez added that this (the removal of prohibition) will be a show of confidence that the town can celebrate religious ceremonies in moderation.

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Enjoy A Great Cup of Java and More This Weekend In Los Santos

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Rico
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Los Santos is holding its first coffee festival – Festival del Café – this weekend, where you can enjoy a variety of local dishes made with coffee, a “barista” competition, dances and masquerades.

The coffee producers of the cantons of Dota, Tarrazú and León Cortéz, came together to rescue the culture of its world famous coffee.

For the 50.000 inhabitans of the area coffee is the economic engine.

Presidenta Laura Chinchilla will be the opening act at the Festival del Café, that will take place Friday, March 22 at the  San Pablo de León Cortéz park.

The barista competition will take place on Saturday at 1:00pm. For Sunday, organizers have planned an exhibition of largest coffee blaster in the country

For more info on the festival write to festivalculturalcafe@hotmail.com mail or call 2551-6892.

581px-MAPA_ZONA_DE_LOS_SANTOSLos Santos
Also called Zona Santa, or ‘Saint’s Zone, ’ this region of redolent coffee plantations and cool cloud forests isn’t exactly a destination, but rather a collection of highland villages at the heart of relaxed, rural Costa Rica. They famously bear sainted names: San Pablo de León Cortés, Santa María de Dota, San Marcos de Tarrazú, San Cristóbal Sur, San Gerardo de Dota.

Barista
The word barista is of Italian origin, and in Italian, a barista is a male or female “bartender”, who typically works behind a counter, serving both hot drinks (such as espresso), and cold alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, not a coffee-maker specifically. While the title is not regulated, most coffee shops use the title to describe the preparer of coffee and operator of an espresso machine.
Good espresso-making is essential to a barista’s role.

Baristas generally operate a commercial espresso machine, and their role is preparing the shot and pulling the shot; the degree to which this is automated or done manually varies significantly, ranging from push-button operation to an involved manual process.

baristaPreparing the shot involves adjusting the grind of the beans, dosing (the amount of coffee used in the shot), tamping (pressing down the espresso in the basket), and often other preparation of the grounds (such as leveling, tapping, or stirring), with the goal of obtaining a desired extraction.

The barista usually has been trained to operate the machine and to prepare the coffee based on the guidelines of the roaster or shop owner, while more experienced ones may have discretion to vary preparation or experiment, and a seasoned veteran will of course need little training beyond specifics of equipment and beans used and the shop’s preferences.

Formal barista competitions originated in Norway, and today the most prestigious is the World Barista Championships, held annually at varied international locations. Baristas worldwide compete, though they must first compete in a competition held in their own country to qualify to enter in the WBC.

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MEP Employee Fired For Alcoholism Must Be Reinstated

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Rico
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Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court or Sala IV has ordered the Ministerio de Educación Pública (MEP) to reinstate an employee who was fired for alcoholism.

The woman, in her appeal, claimed she was fied for absenteeism due to her illness and that she was never given a chance to rehabilitate.

The Head of Human Resources at the Education ministry, Juan Antonio Gómez, said the next step is to reinstate the woman and submit her to the Health Department.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) lists alcoholism as a mental health disorder.

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Gasoline Price Drop PUT ON HOLD!

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Rico
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If you were looking forward to saving a few colones on the price of gasoline, hold on. The  Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep) announced Wednesday the postponed of the gas price drop that was expected to take effect on Saturday, due to threats of a strike by gasoline station owners

The reduction would have seen the price of gasoline drop ¢6 colones per litre on super gasoline and diesel fuel and ¢5 for regular gasoline.

Gasoline station owners are upset with the ARESEP for not approving their request for an increase to improve their margins on sales, in fact the regulatory body not no did not approve the hike, but rather a drop.

Gasoline station owners had threatened a nationwide strike, closing down gasoline stations and laying off workers, at the same time of the start one of the busiest travel season in Costa Rica, Semana Santa.

The president of the Cámara de Empresarios de Combustible, Antonio Galva, they would fight “to the last drop” after an appeal to the Intendencia de Energía was rejected.

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New Methods of Money Laundering in Costa Rica

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Rico
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A new method of money laundering coming from drug trafficking is evident in some hotels in Costa Rica, which have reported high income and low occupancy, the digital newspaper crhoy.com reports.

lavado-de-dineroThe online newspaper quoted a judicial source linked to the subject, which suggests that the financial crisis in local tourism, could be exploited by criminal organizations.

An expert from the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ) related to the topic, said that this method is not new in the world of money laundering, but noted that there are no specific cases so far.

He said that one way to “launder” the money is to justify the large sums of deposits in banks, reporting a total occupancy of the hotel, but in reality there are empty rooms.

The OIJ is investigating whether the murder last February of Geovanny Soto, 52, and his sons Maurice and Emmanuel, 29 and 20 years, respectively, could be linked with such facts, because the family owns the Mountain Paradise Hotel, in the northern city La Fortuna de San Carlos.

Gustavo Araya, vice president of the Costa Rican Chamber of Hotels, said that they know of two or three hotels, located in La Fortuna de San Carlos, which could be related to that illegal activity.

Araya explained that in 2007 some peoplpe were offered very low interest loans by some businessman, but one of the conditions was that they should receive money in Guatemala, one of the persons who accepted such loans was riddled with bullets later.

Reynaldo Velasquez, chief of the Money Laundering Unit of the OIJ, said in January that Costa Rica is a haven for money laundering, which is evident in the rapid growth of the real estate industry in coastal areas, encouraged by the arrival of capital flow whose origin is unknown.

He said it is very difficult to investigate this type of crime because Costa Rican law indicates that it is necessary to establish the illegality of money and then determine whether it comes from money laundering.

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ICE Announces 4G For Year End

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Rico
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4GThe current trend in mobile communications to use devices connected to the internet full time is forcing carriers in Costa Rica to move forward to the newer technology known as ‘4G’. So far, ICE, operating under the Kolbi brand, is the only carrier to announce plans for a 4G network.

TDMA was the first cellular technology used in Costa Rica. It was replaced by GSM,  a standard in the country for years and later by UMTS/HSPA (High Speed Packet Access), better known as 3G.

José Pablo Blotta, director of ICE Mobile Division, would not disclose when the 4G will be launched, only to say that the implementation of the technology is advancing rapidly. Blotta talks abouts bandwidth close to 100 Mbps.

Everything You need to know about 4G

What is 4G?
4G is a lightning-quick internet connection for mobile devices – the fourth generation of wireless mobile communications technology, set to usurp the current 3G network in use today.

How fast is it?
It is said to offer speeds of up to 20Mb per second, faster than many home broadband connections but way behind current home fibre optic offerings which provide speeds of up to 100Mbps.

4G means you will be able to download and stream music and videos easily while on the go – a standard definition movie will take just 10-15 minutes to download via 4G. The faster connection also means mobile gamers will be able to enjoy richly detailed and complex online multiplayer games.

Is the iPhone 4G 4G? Simple answer is no. Click here for more.


Who is offering it?
No one yet, but ICE could be the first before the end of 2013.

Will consumers have to pay more for 4G than 3G?
ICE will not talk about its 4G plans at all at the moment, but industry insiders think customers will have to pay more to enjoy the faster mobile connection speed.

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Will I need a new phone?
Yes, you’ll need a 4G-capable phone.

Are they available in Costa Rica?
Yes. The iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy SIII, Nokia Lumia 920, all available in Costa Rica, are examples of LTE cellular phones.

iPhone5-CWill data be capped under a 4G plan?
This is the big question. There’s not much point taking out an expensive 4G plan that allows you to download and stream huge amounts of data if the provider then caps the amount of data you can stream/download.

Mobile phone networks tend to charge a premium for data compared with fixed-line broadband, coupling low download limits with hefty fees for breaching your data cap. Any 4G plans that are launched could potentially come with a more generous download limit than current 3G options, but an unlimited data allowance would be the preferred option allowing customers to make the most of a 4G service.”

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Is the iPhone 4G 4G?

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Rico
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iphone-4sIt’s becoming increasingly common to hear phone makers and mobile phone service providers hype their networks or phones as 4G (or sometimes 4G LTE). But what does that really mean? The iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S are sometimes referred to as the iPhone 4G, but does that mean that the iPhone 4 is a 4G phone?

The short answer is no, the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S are not 4G phones.

At least they’re not when by saying “4G” you mean the 4G or 4G LTE cellular network standard (the successor to the 3G standard used by the iPhone 4 & 4S) that most phone companies are referring when they say 4G. To understand the confusion, though, requires understanding what people mean when they say something is 4G. The confusion happens because there are two different meanings for the term 4G.

4G = 4th Generation Cellular Network
When most companies, and some people, talk about 4G, what they mean is a phone that is compatible with a 4th generation (i.e. 4G) cellular phone network.

4G networks, also called LTE Advanced or Mobile WiMAX networks (among other names), are next-generation wireless networks used by mobile phone companies to transmit calls and data to mobile phones. Just like the current 3G name means that something is a third-generation network, 4G networks are newer, more advanced, 4th generation networks that will replace 3G networks.

4G networks are faster than 3G networks and can carry more data:

4G network speeds: up to 1 GBit/second download; 500 Mbits/second upload
3G network speeds: up to 14.4 Mbits/second download; 5.8 Mbit/second upload.

While some 4G networks exist in limited implementations or implementations limited to some areas, most large-scale 4G network deployments will take place in 2012.

4G = 4th Generation Phone
The confusion about this question comes as a result of people sometimes using the term 4G to mean all fourth generation products generally, not 4G networks specifically. The iPhone 4 is, as the name would suggest, the 4th iPhone model, making it the 4th generation iPhone. But being a 4th generation phone is not the same thing as being a 4G phone.

The iPhone 4 Is Not a 4G Phone

4G phones are phones that work on 4G networks. The iPhone 4 is not compatible with 4G networks (the same is true for previous models). Because the iPhone 4 works on 3G and EDGE networks only, the iPhone 4 is not a 4G phone.

Neither Is the iPhone 4S

The iPhone 4S can download data at a faster speed than the iPhone 4 (up to 14.4 Mbps). While this isn’t 4G speed, some cell phone companies may promote the iPhone 4S as being a 4G phone or close to a 4G phone. Technically, this isn’t true. As noted above, 4G requires a particular type of cell phone network and chips in the phone. The iPhone 4S doesn’t have this chip. Some of the phone companies that offer it in the U.S., most notably Verizon, have extensive 4G networks, but the iPhone doesn’t take advantage of them.
How About the iPhone 5?

4G phones are notorious battery hogs and don’t deliver much use before needing to be recharged again. Giving the iPhone a long battery life is very important to Apple; battery-life concerns are probably what kept 4G LTE support out of the iPhone 4S.

Thanks to the iPhone 5’s larger dimensions, and engineering changes by Apple, the iPhone 5 both offers 4G LTE networking and solid battery life (Apple claims that the battery life is as good as the 4S, or better in some cases). So, if you want to get 4G LTE for the fastest cellular data experience, pick up an iPhone 5.

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UPDATED: Gasoline Price Drop In Effect Saturday. Maybe.

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Rico
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The expected publication of the price drop in La Gaceta did not occur on Tuesday as had been expected, but will be on Friday, says the government.

Thus it will be on Saturday when the Autoridad Reguladora de Servicios Publicos (ARESEP) approved drop of ¢6 colones per litre takes effect a the gas pumps.

But, there is wrinkle. The reduction has generated controversy among gasoline retailers, who had asked for an increase to bolster their profit margins.

The ARESEP did not agree and approved a reduction that will see the price of a litre of super from from ¢735 to ¢729, regular ¢693 to ¢688 and diesel fuel from ¢656 to ¢650 Natural gas, kerosene and aviation fuels will also drop.

Meanwhile, gasoline station owners announced that if the price drop goes into effect they will close for business and layoff employees, as a means to protest the ARESEP.

Although the threat of closure may be to force the cancellation of the reduction, a closure of gasoline stations could paralyze the country as it heads out for the busiest travel period of the year,  Semana Santa.

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Once Again, it is Time to Play “Name That Vacancy Rate”

By
Juan Sebastian Campos
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If ever any person ever wished to be in the tourism business, never believe the numbers. That might well be the only truthful statement made.

There is only one thing more devious than tourism numbers and that’s its kissing cousin; real estate.

Tourism looks good on paper, as does real estate. This is especially true if you factor in laundering dirty money for which Costa Rica has some fame for doing. It is easy if the laundering client can absorb a little hit on the profit, perhaps 10% maybe 15%.

The dirty money either buys the small hotel, yacht, bungee jump, etc.  Or rents out the rooms but never occupies them.  Ergo, the hotel is full up and that looks good to the tourism agencies but there are literally no hotel guests.

The launderer rents the rooms at $200 each and gets 90% or so back. In one location, it is reported that the phantom guests even purchase meals and drinks. After all, drinks have this high end profit margin so the dirty money, even with a 10% – 15% haircut, can show a small profit.

On the legitimate side of tourism, the industry is in great shape if you want to believe the Costa Rican Chamber of Hotels (CCH). On the other hand Camera Costarricense de Hoteles, similar but not the same as the CCH expects only a less than 70% occupancy rate nationwide during this high season.

To confuse things further, right after Semana Santa and Spring Break, the ICT translated to Costa Rican Tourism Board will release its findings and they are always positive. After all, this is a government agency and needs to hustle for funding. (The true goal of any bureaucracy.)

To the land of Pura Vida come Mr. and Mrs. Jones who are intent on getting in on the action.

Second to owning a restaurant, being an hotelier is second on the list, especially a romantic B&B like those we see in Vermont with the change of season and the startling multi colored trees. But, in Costa Rica the only change of season is dry to wet and that’s about it. That translates to brown to green which is indeed spectacular.

The typical expat who goes into the tourist biz has “lust”, not “love” and knows little if anything about the country and its business climate.

In tourism, except for ancillary offerings, this is a nation limited to the big boys. The all inclusive resorts seem to do well (Who really knows?) and tourists seem to be safe as they emjoy select, guided tours, get to see rent-a-monkey from the hotel and eat appealing food fit for a king.

The little guy, or boutique offers truly personalized services and appreciates every customer. It is either that or perish.

Some hotels and B&Bs are so small and the boutiques that they cannot afford even security guards which are essential in Costa Rica. They might be a spa, but that does not mean they are making a profit.

“Yes,” all the ingredients are here but they never seem to mix well except for the major resorts players.

Perhaps the number one malfunction is the dollar to colon exchange rate.

Tourism earns its money in U.S. dollars but pays its bills in highly inflated Costa Rica colons. A loss no matter how you look at it. Ergo, the rates for hotels, meals, etc. need to also appreciate in order for the providers to find a profit, or in the case of the last two years: breakeven.

The choice of the new found tourism entrepreneur is fight the tide or sell out to laundering drug money. Not “good” no matter how you look at it.

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License Plate Changeover By Mid Year

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Rico
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0

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The Dirección de Servicios del Registro Nacional announced that the planned license plate changeover will start by the middle of the year. The plan is to replace some 1.7 million license plates within the next three years.

The new license plates have been popping up on vehicles for months, mainly for new vehicle registrations.

At the moment a vehicle owner can request the new and more secure license plates. The new plates have a vertical security bar on the metal plate and a sticker that is to be placed inside the front windshield, making difficult to counterfeit.

While license plates for new vehicles have a three letter (no vowel) and three number combination, the replacement plates will be with the original registration.

At the moment, any vehicle owner can request of one the new plates. Starting in a few months, however, the changeover will be compulsory for all older style license plates.

The cost of the new plates are ¢15.000 colones for the pair.

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All The Way To The Vatican To Give An Invite?

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Rico
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Presidenta Laura Chinchilla is being raked over the coals by CRHoy.com in this Toon.

The captions
Doña Laura: “Holy Father, we planted a tree for your visit next year, hoping to perform a small miracle to better my image”.

Pope Francis I: ” You came only to invite me? Don’t you have an ambassador here at the Vatican…? He could have have done so or is here only for memos?

CRHOY-caricatura-19-03-2013

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United States Hits Costa Rica Court Corruption Control

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Rico
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The U.S. State Department strongly criticized the Costa Rican courts’ internal corruption controls in its latest International Narcotics Control and Strategy Report.

Tipping-the-Balance-of-Power3According to the report, the courts simply lack the proper machinery to adequately deal with cases of corruption of national public officials. The report added that even the courts lack resources to police themselves.

The hard-hitting report said, “Despite measures adopted to investigate and combat corruption, Costa Rican governmental institutions — particularly the judicial branch — lack adequate internal controls and processes to prevent, detect, and investigate corruption of public functionaries.”

The report cites deficienses in the Judicial Inspection Tribunal, “the agency charged with investigating and sanctioning bad conduct in the Judicial branch.” It cited the example of a judge who placed two Mexican drug traffickers under house arrest instead of preventive detention.

The judge, noted the report, only received a suspension for a month for this serious error. Moreover, states the report, cases where court decisions “influenced by intimidation or (bribery)” have been investigated with the court finding no corruption but errors of procedure.”

Jose Manuel Arroyo, chief judge of Sala III, denied this was true. He pointed out cases where errors of judgment or negligence have been sanctioned.  He admitted that there was room for improvement since the courts confront “new and sophisticated forms of criminality…”

Judge Arroyo would like to see all judges, not just the top magistrates, make public a report on their individual income and goods.

But Adriana Orocu, president of the Costa Rican Association of the Judiciary is not content that the courts investigate themselves. She notes that in other courntries an independent body investigates judicial corruption charges.

The report did praise national efforts in tracking money laundering but even there would like to see investigations make more use of witnesses, confidencial informants, and such techniques as electronic data gathering.

Another impediment to anti-narcotics prosecution, says the report, is a pondrous bureaucracy that plays into the hands of the lawless. It recommends passage of specialized laws against organized crime.

The report does recognise that this countrty has limited resources to put into play against the well-financed international drug cartels. But, say its writers, that means it should make better use of what it has.

Comment: There is little doubt that the courts show a definite reluctance to sanction their own. The press such as La Nacion and the old Tico Times print edition has done its best to report the most notorious cases.

But this reporter speaks from experience that the court restricts information that it shares with the press, available only when a case goes to trial. Many accusations do not get that far, being swept under the rug.

The courts jealously protect their own and could use more transparency. Moreover, a model 1902 press law that stifles investigative reporting does not help matters. A “none of your business” attitude prevails that is positively anti-democratic.

With something between anger and despair this reporter has reported on cases where “an error” has freed drug thugs before their trials, alloowing them to flee the country and avoid justice. And the whole newsroom knew that the judge would happily count his bribe during his one or two month suspension.

Most judges are honest and honorable. The court owes it to them — and the country — to clean out the bad apples.

From iNews.co.cr

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“You Are A Woman Of Courage”, Pope Tells Costa Rica Presidenta

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It was a brief meeting, a few seconds, on Tuesday at the Vatican where the exchange between the new Pontiff and Costa Rica’s presidenta took place, among the usual exchange of greetings and protocol.

Doña Laura Chinchilla Miranda was in Rome to attend the inauguration of Pope Francis I. After the brief meeting the Presidenta said the new Pope conveyed great serenity.

After the meeting doña Laura tweeted, “Mi saludo al Papa: Afectuosos saludos de un pueblo q ha crecido en el espíritu franciscano. Un pueblo humilde, protector de la naturaleza”. (My greetings to the Pope: “Warm greetings from a humble village that has grown in the Franciscan spirit. A humble people, protector of nature).

The exchange took place minutes before 5:00am Costa Rica time and broadcast on national television. Teletica ran the broadcast, though without audio.

More than 100.000 people packed St. Peters Square for the first mass of the new Pope.

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The Benefits of Eating Like a Local in Costa Rica

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Eating like a local is one of the best ways to keep your cost of living low in Costa Rica. And for dining out that means frequenting your local soda, the equivalent of a diner or neighborhood restaurant in the United States and Canada.

They serve simple, nutritious food, including the casado, the unofficial national dish, which runs from ¢2.000 to ¢3.000 colones (US$4 to US$6). The base is rice, black beans, a side of plantains, cabbage or green salad. Then you have a choice of fish, beef, chicken, or pork.

A casado (Spanish, “married man”) is a Costa Rican meal using rice, black beans, plantains, salad, a tortilla, and an optional entrée that may include chicken, beef, pork, and so on.

The term may have originated when restaurant customers asked to be treated as casados, since married men ate such meals at home. Another theory is that the rice and beans and/or the grouping of dishes are married, since they are always together.

At first glance, seems boring… bland. Rice and beans is rice and beans, right? But each soda does it a little different, adding their own special touch.

My hands-down favorite restaurant serving comida tipica (traditional food) is Rancho Nelson in the Central Valley town of Grecia. They add fresh avocado slices and a savory casserole of either chayote or potato, depending on what they cooked up that day. They serve very generous portions. I usually have enough to take home. Just $5.

As an added bonus, it’s a family-run place, like many sodas. Kids do homework at one of the tables while mom works the kitchen. An uncle mans the register. And the family patriarch—since passed away—watches over everything from family photos on the wall.

Come in more than once and you get a friendly handshake and greeting every time you walk through the door.

We recently tried a new soda in Santa Cruz, a town in the northwest corner of the country, near the Pacific coast. We were in town running errands when we spied a rustic looking building just off the main road. Farm implements hanging from the walls… mismatched plastic chairs… crowded with locals, all regulars who shouted their order as they walked in… All good signs.

What made the difference here was the sauce: it was a little sweet and a little spicy—scientifically formulated to liven up rice and beans!

I couldn’t resist. I asked the waiter if I could take home a bottle. He wouldn’t betray the secret but let on it was a mix of white wine, cilantro, hot peppers, and spices. As we paid the bill he dropped off an old wine bottle full of sauce—$5—just made in the kitchen. It’s had an honored place at my dinner table since then.

And one last thing…

Skip the soft drinks. Try a refresco natural, tropical fruit mixed with ice, water, or milk. You can usually get pineapple, blackberry, or strawberry. But why not be adventurous and try guanabana, tamarindo, or cas—tropical fruits you really don’t see much in North America but are sweet, refreshing, and delicious.

Not every soda is special. But do some searching. Once you find your place you’ll go back again and again.

Posted  by Jason Holland on International Living

Samples of the different casados

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Starbucks Plans To Buy Costa Rica Coffee Farm

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The Seattle coffee store chain Starbucks announced it plans to buy its first coffee farm, a nearly 600-acre estate on the slopes of the Poás Volcano in Costa Rica. It would be the first farm the chain purchases.

Starbucks on Monday said it plans to convert the farm to an agronomy research and development centre working on climate change mitigation, long-term crop stability and other programs. It did not disclose terms of the deal, which is expected to close in May.

The centre “will support the resiliency of coffee farmers and their families as well as the one million people that represent our collective coffee supply chain,” CEO Howard Schultz said in a news release.

Starbucks’ farm also could be used to experiment with new types of coffee, he said.

Over the past 40 years, Starbucks has invested more than US$70 million on programs that support farmers’ livelihoods and help ensure the long-term availability of high-quality coffee.

The chain has farmer support centres in China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Rwanda and Tanzania. Their agronomists and other experts provide farmers with expertise and training in soil management, field-crop production and milling processes to improve the quality and size of their harvests.

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Tigo Announces International Calling Number For Costa Rica

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Rico
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web banner IOD-01Families and friends separated by distance, can now communicate more easily and at more competitive prices, thanks to the introduction of the “Número Internacional Tigo” (International Number by Tigo).

The service consists of the purchase of a phone number abroad that, when dialed from the chosen country, on a landline will ring Tigo in Costa Rica.

For example, if someone in Costa Rica has a family living in Rome, Italy (Spain, the United States, etc) with Tigo they can active the international number service and purchase a Rome (Madrid, New York*) local number and the family can call at any time, with local rates of that city and the call received in Costa Rica.

The service, for now is available, only for home (landline) phones.

For now the countries included in the Tigo plan are:

tigo-rate

*Excluding Manhattan

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Everest, Kilimanjaro pop up on Google Maps Street View

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Google released a way to visit the tallest of the Seven Summits. The world’s biggest mountains are starting to come into view on Google Maps, including Mount Everest, Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, and Mount Elbrus.

“While there’s nothing quite like standing on the mountain, with Google Maps you can instantly transport yourself to the top of these peaks and enjoy the sights without all of the avalanches, rock slides, crevasses, and dangers from altitude and weather that mountaineers face,” the company said in a blog post.

Google also posted a gallery of some favorite images from the company’s mountaineering photo shoots, and a separate blog post from one of the members of the team who went on the journey.

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It’s Vacation Time in Costa Rica. Government Employees Off All Of Semana Santa

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In a few days Costa Rica goes into “holiday” mode as Semana Santa rounds the corner. And while most businesses close only a few days during the holiday week, the Central Government (Ministries) will be off the entire week.

Most autonomous and semi-autonomous (like ICE, INS, etc) will be on vacation at the same time as the Central Government, however, it will be up each agency to set holidays for their employees.

The Central Government announced that civil servants will be off Monday (25), Tuesday (26) and Wednesday (27).  Thursday (28) and Friday (29) are legal holidays.

So, in effect public employees will be off at the end of the work day Friday (22) and return to work Monday morning (April 1).

As to Thursday (28) and Friday (29) of Semana Santa, the Ministro de Trabajo reminds all employers that employees required to work on those days are entitle to double pay.

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No Left Turn From Sabana Sur

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Starting Wednesday eastbound traffic along the Sabana Sur, the road parallel to the Ruta 27, will no longer be able to turn left onto Avenida 10 and Paseo Colon.

The change in signalization will begin on Wednesday by the Ingeniería de Tránsito. The change was needed as many drivers would literally stop on the train tracks waiting for the light ahead to change.

With the change, eastbound traffic will move straight ahead past the Universal and McDonalds and be able to turn left several blocks away, in front of the CNP, then to the right for Avenida 12 or one block north to Avenida 10.

Sabana Sur traffic headed for Paseo Colon and the autopista General Cañas – past the Nissan – will either have to go past McDonalds, make a right, a block down, another right, another block and another right, to head north again, OR a right at the Universal, a block down, a “legal” U-turn and head back north.

Tránsito says it will take three days to complete the changes at the intersection, with work being carried out between 9:00am and 5:00pm Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

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One In Four Inmates In Costa Rica Appeal For A Bed

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One in four inmates who made an appeal since 2009 was to get a bed, this according to the Sala Constitucional (Constitutional Court). In the last four years, the Court says it resolved 78 appeals with respect to overcrowding in the country’s prisons, of which 19 were requesting a bed because the inmate was sleeping on the floor.

The prison with biggest overcrowding problem is La Reforma in Alajuela..

Magistrate Fernando Castillo, said that the Court receives constant appeals from inmates for the poor living conditions in the prisons.

According to the Ministerio de Justicia (Ministry of Justice), the prison system is experiencing a 34% overpopulation. Currently there are 14.000 inmates in a system that is equipped to handle some 11.000 prisoners.

Justice Minister, Fernando Ferraro, said that the situation, the distribution of the “colchonetas” (mats) has improved, this due to a new contract with the supplier.

To mitigate the overpopulation, Ferraro said the bidding process for the construction of 2.700 news spaces is underway. Without providing specific details, the minister said the spaces will be added in various prisons and funded with a loan of US$132 million by the  Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID).

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Costa Rica Central Pacific Top Tourist Destination For Semana Santa

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Semana Santa is big for tourism in Costa Rica, both for national and international tourists, as hotel operators and businesses ready to welcome the thousands of tourists that will be visiting them. Two of main tourist destinations are Jacó and Manuel Antonio, in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific coast.

One of the big attraction is the Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio (Manuel Antonio National Park), just south of the city of Quepos. Established in 1972 with an area enumerating 4,014 acres (16.24 km2) (the smallest of any Costa Rican national park), it is the destination of as many as 150,000 visitors annually and well known for its beautiful beaches and hiking trails. In 2011, Manuel Antonio was listed by Forbes among the world’s 12 most beautiful national parks.

800px-Cebus_capucinus,_Costa_RicaThis park has one of the most impressive landscapes of the world and has several coves with many white sand beaches and lush foliage amidst great mountains and forests that reach the beaches. Additionally, it is located in the tropical forest.

It has a large land and marine biodiversity with beautiful coral reefs.

Entrance to the park is ¢1.600 for nationals (Costa Ricans and residents) and ¢5.000 for foreigners.

Four beaches are contained within the limits of the park: Manuel Antonio, Espadilla Sur, Teloro, and Playita. With their large light sand berms, it is easy to see why they attract beach goers of all ages.

Closest to the Central Valley and perhaps the “most” visited beach is Playa Jacó, south of Puntarenas and north of Manuel Antonio.

Jacó is a sanctuary for surfers and fun-lovers – but most of all, fun-loving surfers! Jaco is also one of Costa Rica’s Top Ten Beaches.

Jacó was once an archetypal sleepy beach town. But it wasn’t long before Jaco Beach’s excellent waves began to draw foreign surfers in exponential numbers, especially because of the Costa Rica beach’s proximity to the San Jose (less than two hours).

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Along with the surfers came the need for nightlife. Now, Jacó is Costa Rica’s wildest party beach, and a top destination for wave-worshippers and land-lubbers alike.

For visitors who want to be close to the action in Jacó but prefer a mellower stay, there is Playa Hermosa (not to be confused with Hermosa in Guanacaste) and Playa Herradura.

Hermosa is imediately south of Jacó and where most hardcore surfers head to take advantage of its consistently large waves. Playa Hermosa also holds an international surf convention each year.

Herradura is immediately north, offers an escape to Jaco’s boisterousness and home to the Los Sueños development that includes the five start Marriott and a marina.

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