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When President Abel Pacheco told the tourism industry Tuesday that a giant increase in visitors was likely by the year 2012, he was using a highly optimistic scenario. He predicted that 2.3 million international tourists would visit here
in 2012.
However, the general plan for tourist development, released last month, has a lot more wiggle room. The plan, contained in a slick, colorful 100-page book, estimated that there will be anywhere from 1.4 million to 5.3 million international tourists in 2012. By contrast 1,113,359 international tourists came to Costa Rica in 2002 and only 471,383 tourists were from the United States and Canada. The difference in the estimates is so large that no serious planning
can be based on the numbers. And it appears from the plan that the numbers
were generated mathematically and not from a
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The understanding that the numbers
approach simple guesses is critical to the tourism industry because investments
are being made on the strength of the predictions.
Pacheco, for example, told the inaugural crowd at Exportur Tuesday that he sees 18,000 new hotel rooms and 50,000 more employees in the tourism sector by 2012. However, if the less ambitious predictions prove to be true, the tourism industry will be heavily overbuilt. The government’s plan, the "Plan General de Desarrollo Turística Sostenible," also will guide planners in making investments in infrastructure, such as water lines, clinics, landfills and similar. The more optimistic predictions in the plan, that Costa Rica will host 5.3 million tourists in 2012, for example, seem to run counter to the increased competition in the tourism market. A number of sun and beach destinations are reaching the North American market with coordinated campaigns. The possible opening of Cuba within the next 10 years could reduce the number of visitors here. Cuba, now off-limits to most U.S. citizens, is only a few miles from the U.S. mainland. |
Metaphysical author
will lecture here By the A.M. Costa Rica staff George Green, who wrote the book "Handbook for the New Paradigm," will host a seminar Saturday at 3 p.m. in Mike’s Private Dinner Club in Los Anonos, Escazú. His visit is being sponsored by an informal group who arranges seminars on spiritual topics. Said an announcement: "Green will speak about the current situation on the planet, who and what we are, what the world players are doing, and what is going on in the economic, political, and spiritual realms, including the part each person must play." A Web site featuring the book says it is composed of several volumes of messages telepathically received from an advanced other-dimensional race. Green’s talk for which donations will be accepted will be followed by a prime rib dinner for which reservations are required and a 7,000 colon (about $18) fee will be charged. Reservations may be made with Karen Butler at 289-6333/821-4708 or with Bonnie Dumas 282-7795/833-1366. Mike's Private Dinner Club may be reached for directions at 289-6087. Peru’s military goes
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services LIMA, Peru — The nation’s armed forces have cracked down on local protests after President Alejandro Toledo declared a state of emergency Tuesday to curb a wave of labor unrest. Soldiers Wednesday tore down barricades of rocks and burning tires that were blocking major highways. They also peacefully dispersed teachers who were protesting outside the Congress building in Lima. Toledo declared the 30-day nationwide state of emergency to curb a growing wave of protests against his government. The measure suspends civil rights such as the right to hold public meetings and to demonstrate. The protesters, made up of teachers, farmers and health workers, have vowed to continue their demonstrations to demand higher pay and lower taxes. Teachers went on strike almost three weeks ago, demanding salary increases. Farmers later staged a walkout calling for lower taxes on their crops and protection from imports. On Tuesday, they were joined by judicial employees and thousands of doctors, nurses and other health workers who walked off their jobs to demand higher wages. Amnesty bemoans
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services In its annual report on human rights, Amnesty International says the war on terrorism in the Western Hemisphere has undermined civil liberties and human rights across the region. Tightening security has led to hundreds of unlawful detentions in Colombia and torture of prisoners in a dozen other countries. In its report on Colombia, Amnesty says security measures under the current president exacerbated the already appalling political violence. By Amnesty's count, more than 4,000 civilians were killed for political reasons in 2002, while more than 2,700 were kidnapped by guerrilla groups or paramilitary forces. Amnesty says torture and ill-treatment of prisoners and unlawful killings by security forces have been recorded in a score of countries, from Mexico to Patagonia. It accuses police in Jamaica of killing at least 133 people, and security forces in Argentina and Venezuela of shooting political demonstrators. Peru, according to the report, continues to hold a number of political dissenters in jail, while Cuba has recently imprisoned dozens more. Prison conditions in those countries, and a dozen others, the report says, are very poor. On the plus side, Amnesty said some countries, including Chile, Argentina and Uruguay, have made progress in investigating past human rights abuses and punishing violators. Jury convicts Ochoa
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services MIAMI, Fla. — Colombian drug lord Fabio Ochoa has been convicted here on charges of trafficking cocaine to the United States in the late 1990s. Jurors reached their verdict Wednesday after spending several hours deliberating the fate of Ochoa, a former leader of the now-defunct Medellin cocaine cartel. Ochoa is the most prominent drug figure to be brought to justice on U.S. soil since Colombia and the United States adopted a new extradition agreement in 1997. Ochoa has been jailed in Miami since he was extradited from Colombia in September 2001. Prosecutors say Ochoa returned to the illegal drug trade after he was released from prison in his homeland in 1996. They also say he conspired to ship up to 30 tons of cocaine per month to the U.S. market from 1997 until 1999. Ochoa denies the allegations and is expected to appeal the verdict.
Ochoa faces possible life imprisonment when he is sentenced Aug. 19. Key
evidence in the case included conversations secretly recorded by Colombian
police, who spent several months monitoring the office of another accused
cartel member, Alejandro Bernal.
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Guatemalan twins
are making progress By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Doctors have said the Guatemalan twins who were born joined at the head are making progress after being flown to the United States for medical treatment. The medical staff at a hospital here say 22-month-old Maria de Jesus Quiej Alvarez is in good health after recent convulsions. Doctors say her sister, Maria Teresa, is in stable condition and will have surgery Thursday to place a new valve in her brain to drain fluids. She contracted E-coli meningitis last month. Doctors in California separated the twins last year. The girls returned to Guatemala in January, but were flown back to Los Angeles last week after becoming ill. Chile and U.S. ready
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services WASHINGTON, D.C. — Bush administration officials say the United States and Chile will sign a free trade agreement at a ceremony in Miami June 6. Officials said Tuesday that U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and Chilean Foreign Minister Soledad Alvear will sign the accord. The two countries completed negotiations on the agreement in December. The trade pact is the first of its kind between the United States and
a South American country. The accord will lift or lower tariffs on as much
as 85 percent of goods from both countries. The agreement must still
be approved by the U.S. Congress before it can take effect.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Western Hemisphere transportation ministers have pledged to work together to combat all forms of terrorism, adding that they condemn, "in the strongest terms, the misuse of any part of a country's transport system or its infrastructure for acts of terrorism." In a joint statement released following their meeting in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Mexico, the ministers said they resolved "to take all necessary measures within our respective authorities to prevent a reoccurrence" of terrorist attacks similar to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks against the United States. The ministers added that in "recognizing the challenges" facing the region's transportation systems, and in recognizing also the importance of awareness and preparedness, "we reiterate our commitment to work together to improve transportation safety and security" through the Western Hemisphere Transportation Initiative. In making that commitment, the ministers said they will continue to "pay particular attention to the needs of small, island, and developing states." The initiative is a product of the Summit of the Americas process, which provides the United States and its hemispheric partners a way to address common political, economic, and social issues. Brazil is the current chair of the initiative, with co-chairs United States and Costa Rica. |
Representing the United States at
the recent Mexico conference was Deputy Secretary of Transportation Michael
Jackson. During the conference, Jackson held talks on transportation
issues with his colleagues from Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras, Nicaragua, and Mexico.
Besides the transportation ministers from the countries of the hemisphere, conference participants included the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Organization of American States. In their statement, the ministers said that a transportation network that is "efficient and integrated, free of avoidable safety and security risks, and sensitive to the environment" is "essential" for improving trade and providing for basic services, "and thus to [regional] prosperity and economic development." The ministers also acknowledged that the environmental effects of transportation can have serious implications on public health and quality of life, as well as for trade opportunities. In particular, they said that since emissions from motor vehicles "are one of the principal sources of air pollution, we encourage the development and application of environment-friendly technologies in road transport, and express our commitment to adopt and adhere to the highest practicable vehicle emissions standards." |
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