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| A.M. Costa Rica Second newspage |
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| Costa Rica Expertise Ltd http://crexpertise.com E-mail info@crexpertise.com Tel:506-256-8585 Fax:506-256-7575 |
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draw businessmen's fire By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The nation's business chamber has come out against a plan to restrict vehicle access to the central metropolitan area for the whole day. That plan was supposed to start today. The chamber, the Unión Costarricense de Cámaras y Asociaciones del Sector Empresarial Privado, said that the government instead should extend peak hour restrictions to other major urban areas and eliminate highway toll booths. Peak hour restrictions have been in force in the San José metropolitan area since June 26. Based on the final digit of the license plate, some 20 percent of vehicles will be forbidden to enter that area bounded by Calle Blanco to the north, the Circunvalación to the south and east and La Uruca to the west. However, it still was unclear if the executive branch had issued the required decree. It was promised Wednesday. The chamber complained that many companies are located within this area and will have 20 percent of their truck fleets idle every day. The government plan is to save fuel by cutting down traffic congestion. However, economics might have an effect, too. The price fixing authority said that a liter of diesel will go up 88 colons to 710 colons July 15. Gasoline is going up 60 colons more, regular to 704 colons and super to 716. The exchange rate is about 516 colons to the U.S. dollar. The price increase was enough to cause bus operators to threaten a nationwide strike starting Tuesday if the government does not move to cut the fuel prices. Buses are vital to the vehicular restriction plan. For today the forbidden numbers are 1 and 2, at least during the peak hours. Our readers opinions
Surf lover says he's sickat developers' impact here Dear A.M. Costa Rica: I help people plan surf trips to Costa Rica. But now the country is going to shit, literally, as these developers are going in, tapping out the locals water supply, and filling the rivers and beaches with runoff from faulty septic systems. You see all these fancy ads, brochures, and presentations about how eco-friendly these places will be, but yet they clearcut the trees, put in roads, and have no plans for waste treatment. Why do people think they have the right to trash the country because they own a piece of land? Many owners who would never break the law in the U.S. flagrantly disregard it in Costa Rica. The worst part is how gullible the investors are. They have no clue that the plans they were shown did not get environmental permits, and it's never mentioned that their property is in a flood plain or prone to earthquakes, or they don't have access to water. It makes me sick, and I am trying to do something about it. I don't promote or sell ads to developers. I post environmental articles and community events to raise awareness of the issues. And I donate to the Tamarindo chapter of Surfrider which does educational projects, beach cleanups, and water quality testing for their beach. But it is not enough. As surf travelers, if we don't try to curb the destruction of the coastal ecosystem, then I fear the surfbreaks will get so polluted that no one will want to surf them anymore. If you care enough to do something about it, contact me anytime at info@crsurf.com. Greg Gordon
Miami Beach. Does country profit at all from commercial fishing? Dear A.M. Costa Rica: I am curious as to how Costa Rica benefits from allowing foreign, commercial fishing boats, to commercially fish in Costa Rican waters. As your latest articles suggest, allowing commercial fishing of Costa Rican waters appears to be quite devastating to the local sports fishing industry here. The sports fishing industry does, of course, benefit Costa Rica greatly, bringing in substantial dollars from sports fishing tourists, hotels, restaurants, the Blue Marlin bar, etc. I have also been reading the controversy over shark fin harvesting in Costa Rica. I think the rules for shark fin harvesting here are ridiculous and the practice should simply be banned. Why do they allow it? Are there substantial tax dollars involved? I suspect Costa Rica is gaining little and losing a lot. If the government of Costa Rica is not gaining substantial tax benefits from allowing commercial fishing by foreign companies, why don’t they simply prohibit them from fishing here? It appears from your article that these boats feel like they “own” these Costa Rican waters and are becoming more aggressive defending their “piece” of Costa Rica. I am glad to see these things happening and grateful A.M. Costa Rica is making people aware of what is going on. This is the first step to generating interest to make a change here. I hope the government is listening. Edward Bridges
Desamparados
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| A.M. Costa Rica third newspage |
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| A tiny picnic goer considers
her options carefully at the top of an inflatable slide while other
youngsters enjoy a sack race and U.S. Marines down what appears to be a
grain-based health drink. |
 A.M. Costa Rica/Jeremy Arias
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| Lone protester adds spirit of dissent to July Fourth picnic |
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By Jeremy Arias
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff For the most part, the American Colony's July Fourth picnic was a politically neutral, family-oriented celebration of one nation's independence, with liberty and justice for all. Then there was Jock Mitchell. Standing tall and drawing on his memories of the anti-government dissent of the 1960s and 1970s, Mitchell bided his time during U.S. Ambassador Peter Cianchette's speech, and, during a lull, promptly shouted several vulgarities in response to the ambassador's mention of President George Bush. Following the awkward silence in the wake of Mitchell's outburst of anti-administration rhetoric, Cianchette resumed his speech as the tall, lanky protester quickly ducked away from the searching eyes around the back of the crowd. He didn't evade notice for long. A group of up to three men quickly located the lone protester, possibly aided by the upside-down American flag Mitchell wore sticking out of his collar. Following a tense confrontation that almost came to blows, the two parties parted ways, one of the offended men loudly voicing his opinion of Mitchell's attempt to charge the event. “It's inappropriate!” shouted the man as his companions drew him away, “He should leave.” Eventually Mitchell did. Political dissent aside, the 46th July 4th celebration at the Cervercería Costa Rica picnic grounds was a cheerful event full of games and activities for the kids and plenty of beer and hot dogs for the adults. Classic rock poured out of the speakers on the sound-stage up front and periodic John Philip Sousa marches from the band in the back set the tone following the speeches as children ran from the sack races to the inflatable slides and merry-go-rounds. Adults sauntered down the hill |
 A.M. Costa Rica/Jeremy Arias
A friend restrains a man who did not like the vulgarities uttered by Jock Mitchell (wearing hat).from the beer stands to the hot dog tents past the political party registration areas. American citizens (passport required) and their Costa Rican family members appeared energetic and festive as the Costa Rican culture was, at least momentarily, forgotten in favor of a good old U.S. barbecue-style cookout. The celebration, in keeping with local weather conditions, drew to a close around noon. The rock music slowly faded, the inflatable children's attractions slumped and collapsed, and an announcer grudgingly directed the guests, embassy officials and expatriates alike, to the parking lot as Costa Rica took over once more and the dark, ominous clouds of the rainy season closed in and sprinkled the event cleaning crews with the first hints of rain. The fireworks typically displayed in the States were substituted for the distant rolling thunder across the Costa Rican sky. |
| Many in the metro area experience a prolonged dry spell |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
This was the weekend when many Costa Ricans made do with whatever water they may have been handy. Thursday a landslide broke a three-foot pipe in Coris de Cartago, and not until early Sunday did the employees of the Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados get it welded. They had the technical help of experts from the Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo S.A. who are skilled in welding pipelines. Those affected began losing their good humor about Friday evening. Supermarkets were sold out of bottled water in the affected areas, which pretty well duplicated the area that went dry in a planned outage the week before. In downtown San José, businesses like the McDonald's fast food hamburger store and the Gran Hotel Costa Rica received water from private tank truck companies. Many businesses have water tanks on their system, so the loss of water from the main is not quickly seen. |
Several hotels had cautionary signs in rests rooms asking patrons not to be too generous with water. Much of Desamparados had service restored by 7 p.m. Saturday. San Pedro, Curridabat and Hatillo are other areas with dense populations that were affected. In all, the utility company estimated that 400,000 users did not have water for nearly three days. In some case, the water did not flow from the tap until Sunday afternoon due to the configuration of the pipes and the altitude of the user. In other cases the water began flowing only to be cut off again. Acueductos y Alcantarillados is investigating the circumstances leading up to the slide that damaged the pipe. Initially residents were told that a digging machine had hit the pipe. The area around the outage has been shaped and leveled by earth-moving equipment. Water company officials will try to determine if this caused the slippage of the earth. |
| You need to see Costa Rican tourism information HERE! |
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| A.M. Costa Rica fourth news page |
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Nervous neighbors win court appeal to eliminate big tree
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By the A.M. Costa Rica a staff
The Sala IV constitutional court has issued a death sentence against the historic ceiba tree that stand in the southeast corner of the foreign ministry grounds. The ministry officials had trouble getting the tree cut down. They pronounced it sick and in failing health in mid-May, but work stopped inexplicably a few days after it started. The roots are damaged. That made residents of a neighboring building, the national heritage structure Apartamentos Jiménez, nervous. They noticed that the dying tree was leaning in their direction and showed a vulnerability to any strong wind. The tree is nearly 100 feet high. The residents filed a court case asking magistrates to order that the tree be cut down, and the court did just that last week. The neighbors said some that giant branches of the tree already had fallen. The court said that the Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto should immediately get the tree cut. Workmen were on the scene by Friday. They worked all weekend, and they are expected to work at least three more days. Work is slow because each branch at the top of the tree has to be cut off an lowered by crane to the ground. Motor vehicle traffic will be restricted along Avenida 7 that passes in front of the ministry, also known as Casa Amarilla. The tree is historic because it was a gift from former president of Guatemala, Ydígoras Miguel Fuentes, during the visit of John F. Kennedy and other presidents in 1963. |
 A.M. Costa Rica/Jeremy Arias
Workman collect debris from tree trimming |
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Ex-hostage Ms. Betancourt says she will return to Colombia
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By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Former hostage Ingrid Betancourt says she plans to return in a few days to Colombia, where she was held by rebels for six years before her rescue last week. Ms. Betancourt, a citizen of both France and Colombia, discussed her plans in an interview published Sunday in France by the weekly newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche. She said she wants to write a play about her experiences while in captivity. She also sent a radio message from Paris to hostages still in rebel hands, urging them not to lose hope. Radio France International said Ms. Betancourt would send another message to the hostages today. A report in Chile's La Nación newspaper says that country's president, Michelle Bachelet, plans to nominate Ms. Betancourt for the Nobel Peace Prize. Ms. Betancourt is a former Colombian presidential candidate. |
Friday, the U.S. national Independence Day holiday, three American men
freed at the same time as Ms. Betancourt issued a statement of thanks
to the Colombian and American governments. The former hostages called the 40-year struggle with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias rebels a shining testament to the great spirit of the Colombian people. Colombian military officials discovered a ton of explosives Saturday at a residence in a rural area outside the capital, Bogota. Military authorities say the explosives were hidden there by the rebels. Officials in Bogota said Saturday the rebels may have been planning a massive bombing as a reprisal attack following Wednesday's rescue of 15 hostages — 11 Colombians as well as Ms. Betancourt and the three Americans. The rebelsare listed as a terrorist group by the United States, Colombia and the European Union. |
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Plan to tax Argentine grain exports advances in legislature
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By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Argentina's lower house of congress has approved new grain export taxes that farmers have been protesting for months. House members voted Saturday, 128 to 122, in favor of the legislation, after many hours of debate. The bill still requires Senate approval. The head of the Argentine Agrarian Federation, Eduardo Buzzi, vowed to resist the measure in the Senate and in the courts, if necessary. |
President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner had asked Congress to debate
the measure, in an effort to defuse tension exemplified by the outraged
farmers. A series of farm strikes since March, when the government put the new tax system in place, has caused food shortages in Argentina and has disrupted the country's exports. President Fernández has defended the tax increase, saying it will be used to help the poor. The ongoing dispute has eroded the president's popularity and has pushed Argentina's economy into its deepest crisis in years. |
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Security minister kicks off 100-day anti-crime push By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Security minister Janina Del Vecchio, toured the Provincia de Limón Friday as the 100-day initiative aimed at reducing crime in the province officially began. Ms. Del Vecchio met with local and Panamanian border officials, spoke to school children in Sixaola and delivered speeches encouraging the ministry's efforts to rid Limón of its bad reputation as a province plagued by crime and drugs, according to a release from the Ministerio de Gobernación, Policía y Seguridad Pública.. Ms. Del Vecchio took a zero tolerance stance on crime in her speeches while evaluating area border units and police forces. The minister singled out crack cocaine as a major problem in Limón as well as the country itself, the release said. In related news, a spokesperson for the Judicial Investigating Organization said Friday that officials had destroyed a total of about 5 tons and 700 kilograms of confiscated cocaine (more than 11,500 pounds) from June 27 through Friday. Four missing Limón sailors are found near Panama By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
More than 170 hours following their disappearance off Limón, four Costa Rican fishermen were awaiting a transport back to the country from Panamá Sunday. The four fishermen aboard the Costa Rican boat the Chamira were rescued Saturday about 45 nautical miles west of Punta San Blas, Panamá according to a Ministerio Gobernación, Policía y Seguridad Pública press release. They were last seen on June 28. Alberto Marín López, 54, Orlando López, 26, and Alejandro Cris Márquez, Nicaraguans, and Erick Gómez Sáenz, 29, a Costa Rican, were all undergoing medical examination in Panamá as of Sunday, the release said. Their boat is believed to have suffered mechanical trouble. The families of the fishermen have been notified of the good news, and Costa Rica has made the necessary preparations for their safe return. A number of coast guard agencies participated in the search, including the United States, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama the release said. Curridabat shop explodes By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
A store in the Plaza Cristal shopping center in Curridabat exploded Sunday evening about 6 p.m., and two persons were burned, one serious, firemen said. Both were hospitalized. |
| A.M. Costa Rica Sports news local and from the wires |
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