QCOSTARICA BLOGS – As the saying goes, “In the U.S. you die of stress while in Costa Rica you die of frustration.”
Expats are certainly not alone in this piece of advice.
Many, but many Ticos feel the same. Slowness and inefficiency has hurt every part and parcel of our economy to the point that foreign investors are avoiding it altogether for greener pastures and while some local companies have just moved themselves from CR, and shut down.
In addition, educated nationals are leaving for other Central American countries and taking their education with them where life is not so slow.
Over the years, an emanate cause for corruption and bribery is with the motive to,”Move things along,” resulting from the costly intolerable, “Sit Back and Relax” ingrained mentality of Costa Rica.” Developers, business investors will pay, and pay dearly such as in the case with Alcatel just to move the permit process along.
Moreover, we who live here have often times been bewildered by how many times we need to do the same process in duplicate and triplicate.
Today it is was reported in La Nacion a family finally received a death award from ICE after 15 years of hearings. How long does it take to make that type of decision? And, ICE may appeal to a higher level court carrying this out for another 15 years?
Many of the lesser wealthy prisoners are held in preventive detention awaiting trial for two years or more. Recently, an unnamed prisoner was freed after two full years serving time while the prosecution made it’s case. However, the prosecution had no case. It lost the file altogether. The prisoner went home saying, “Thank you,” instead of demanding compensation.
“Relax; Costa Rica has another time set.”
Sometimes that time set gets confused with doing and with caring as in the case of the public medical centers, the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) or commonly known as the Caja. If you are dying, “time” is running out and you will receive attention. Need a hip replacement, there is no time limit. The appointment might be three to four years from now so relax, hobble around and be happy.
And then there is the appeal trial until either a very much wanted guilty conviction gets tired of the nonsense and I add to the costs. This is the case of Ann Paxton accused of killing her husband. Two courts have found her “not guilty” and yet the persecution, I mean prosecution, is thinking seriously about a third trial.
Keep going, it has become a cottage industry and we need a guilty verdict. Sort of like CNN.
Our very own President Luis Guillermo Solís during his inauguration speech and again in November 2014 said that he would go after the incompetent, the corrupt, and the thieving politicians no matter what political party. As of this writing, nobody has been indicted. They must all have or been clean?
We are as far from being a developed country!and as I drive into a “jueco” (hole) the size of a Jacuzzi. I validate we are not about to be developed. While we are encouraged to kick back and relax to a slower pace. Is this a slower pace than the sloth?
There are something’s that cannot wait.
