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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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 Ministerio de Agricultura y
Ganadería photo Grower shows the size of typical chiverre
Fair to highlight squash
that's an Easter tradition By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
It is a sure sign that Semana Santa and Easter are coming. The Feria del Chiverre will take place two weekends in Laguna de Alfaro Ruiz, about two miles from Zarcero. The event will be March 24, 25 and 26 and March 31, April 1 and April 2. The hard-shelled agricultural product is the squash from which Ticos make miel de chiverre, a sweet staple of the Easter holidays. The plants are sown in April and May and the squash are ready for market in January and February. No traditional Tico family would be without its chiverre, scientifically a member of the cucurbit family, Cucurbita ficifolia. Producers say that a disease has reduced the available crop this year. In Alfaro Ruiz abut 20 hectares are sown in this crop each year and the usual harvest is about 30,000 chiverre. Another big producing area is around Cartago. The squash sells for between 1,500 and 2,500 colons, some $3 to $5, depending on weight, which can run to 12 kilos, some 27 pounds. At the fair and also at stores and roadside stands all over the Central Valley the processed honey or miel is available as well as the semi-processed vegetable pulp. The conserve is used in empanadas and other baked products. The Asociación de Desarrollo that is putting on the festival uses the funds to help the local school. 20 million colons, some $40,000 was raised last year, the Ministerio de Agricultra y Ganadería said. Rock group to close concerts By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Las Tortugas, a rock group, will play Saturday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the final free concert of the season put on by the Banco Central. The location is th esplanade of the Museos del Banco Central, just east of the Plaza de la Cultura in the center of the downtown. |
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on our real estate page HERE! |
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Third news page |
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| San José,
Costa Rica, Friday, March 17, 2006, Vol. 6, No. 55 |
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| The Broken Window Theory, manners and a play |
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| The Little Theatre
Group of
Costa Rica continues its run of quality productions with the
presentation of “Lettice and Lovage.” The play is about
Lettice Douffet, an aging tour guide to one of England’s most boring
homes. Ann Antkiw, one of LTG’s most veteran actors has turned herself
into Lettice with energy and enthusiasm that is incredible (at least to
me) given that she is onstage for the entire three acts. Vicky Longland makes a perfect foil/match for her as Charlotte Schoen, the person responsible for firing her. Lettice’s problem is that she is wont to embellish, even re-write, history when it is dull. That will not do for some sticklers of history. For her part, Lettice seems to be a stickler for proper behavior (outside of tampering with the past). I particularly noticed the role of British etiquette throughout the play because I happen to be reading a book about good manners and the role they play in maintaining order. I was also thinking about a statement my daughter once made that if people remembered their manners, there would be less crime. I know that over time, little by little, good manners have fallen along the wayside and today, interactions between people are not only more casual, they are often downright rude. I don’t know if that is responsible in any way for the increase in crime in Costa Rica, but presently one of every four households has experienced some sort of crime. Recently there was perspective in the Nación by Professor Mauricio Jenkins. He was responding to a comment by a public prosecutor that he would much rather arrest drug traffickers and child abusers than petty bicycle or jewelry thieves, even though these crimes are annoying to the citizens of San Jose. Professor Jenkins, who teaches Finance at INCAE, maintains that if these petty thieves are not stopped now, they will be the carjackers and drug traffickers and even murderers in the future. Professor Jenkins points to “The Broken Window” theory. Implementing this theory, he maintains, is in large part responsible for the drastic drop in serious crime in cities like New York. The theory compares a city to a building. A well-maintained |
building is less likely to be vandalized than a building in disrepair
with broken windows, peeling paint, etc.
Ignoring petty crimes like pickpocketing would be comparable to leaving
a graffitied building unrepaired and the perpetrator unpunished.
Having gotten away with that, the graffiti artist would soon be
throwing rocks at the windows, and from there to more serious
crimes.
Part of the Broken Window Theory is an attitude of zero
tolerance.
This would require a large, well-funded and motivated police force, but
the rewards would be great. Critics of the claims for the effects of this theory say that
reducing
crime is a combination of things such as prevention and education
(true, but The Broken Window theory is a form of prevention).
They
also say that zero tolerance can lead to police abuse (also
true). But
I am in accord with Professor Jenkins that ignoring the petty crimes to
go after the more serious ones is self-defeating in the long run. When I worked as director of a residence hall for university
students,
and later an International House, we practiced the Broken Window Theory
(not knowing there was such a theory). Small damages, broken furniture,
etc. were immediately repaired and the offending student taken to task,
when possible. For good measure, I also designed a course in etiquette
for the resident advisors. My buildings won accolades for being
the
best-maintained and cleanest on campus. |
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| Ayre off to L.A., but police here are still fuming |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Calvin Ayre, the gambling entrepreneur, has left the country briefly to work on future television show projects in Los Angeles, California, he said via e-mail Thursday. Meanwhile police officials continue to deny his allegations that officers behaved unprofessionally in a raid a week ago on the Ayre mansion by eating food served up in a buffet and by swimming in his pool. Thursday it was Paul Chávez of the security ministry, who directed the police officers on the raid. Chávez said that Ayre, by making his allegations, was simply trying to divert attention from the issue that prompted the raid. Chávez was emphatic that policemen did not eat food that had been laid out for a party at the Ayre home. He said he normally would not comment on such charges, suggesting that he did Thursday because they constituted a smear against the police. Rogelio Ramos, head of the Ministerio de Gobernación, Policía y Seguridad Pública, denied the allegations Wednesday, and the Judicial Investigating Organization issued a denial statement and challenged Ayre to produce videos. |
Ayre, in his e-mail,
did not respond directly to the challenge that he
make available the videos he said showed the police behaving badly. "I am letting it rest," he said. "I made my points related to what was witnessed by those present, and everyone has heard both sides and can make their own conclusions. But we are still evaluating our course visa vis rights abuses of the search itself." Police, prosecutors and a judge thought that illegal gambling was taking place at the Ayre home. The Bodog.com CEO has been participating in a television series featuring his lifestyle and a $500,000 poker tournament. However, Ayre said that the poker sequences had been recorded at the Sabana Oeste studios of Canal 7 in conjunction with Fox Sports. The gathering at his home, he said, was simply a party marking the end of the television shoot. Ayre said he was still interested in doing business in Costa Rica "since I am confident this is just a misunderstanding that has already been corrected." Chavez said that there will be no internal investigation at the security ministry because the allegations by Ayre are so preposterous. |
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Fourth news page |
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| San José,
Costa Rica, Friday, March 17, 2006, Vol. 6, No. 55 |
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Go to third newspage HERE! |
| Some union leaders accept invitations to visit with president-elect |
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By Saray Ramírez Vindas
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff Not every union leader declined an invitation to visit Óscar Arias Sánchez, the president-elect. Neither the location nor differences between the politics of Arias and the position of unions were enough to close the door on dialogue, according to Xiomara Rojas Sanchez of the Sindicato Trabajadores Estatales. She and fellow union leaders spoke with reporters after a Thursday morning meeting with Arias at his home in Rohrmoser. With her were Eugenio Barrantes Espinoza of the Union de Empleados de la Municipalidad and Luis Alberto Arias Sibaja of the Asociación Nacional de Empleados de Correos, the postal union. The union leaders used the two-hour meeting to express their concerns about the free trade treaty with the United State, with social security and with agriculture and health. Absent were Albino Vargas of the Asociación Nacional de Empleados Públicos y Privados and Fabio Chavez of the Frente Interno de Trabajadores del Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad. |
 A.M. Costa Rica/Saray Ramírez Vindas
Xiomara Rojas Sanchez, flanked by Eugenio Barrantes Espinoza
and Luis Alberto Arias Sibaja, discusses the meeting with Óscar
Arias Sánchez.Both declined to meet with Arias at his home because they said they preferred neutral ground. They said this Tuesday. Arias said their actions were like a slap in the face because it is an honor to be invited to someone's home. Still, he said he would meet with them after he takes office May 8 in Casa Presidencial. |
| Bolivia rejects negotiations exploring a free trade treaty with U.S. |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
LA PAZ, Bolivia — President Evo Morales has ruled out a free-trade agreement with the United States, despite an offer of support from Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. Morales vowed Wednesday to refrain from trade talks with the United States, saying a free-trade agreement would harm local producers. Several South American |
countries are negotiating with the United States
on free trade agreements, since a system of preferential trade tariffs
expires at the end of this year. Washington had been giving trade
advantages to countries that cooperate with the United States on
anti-drug efforts. Tuesday, Uribe, who has been negotiating with the United States for a Colombian free trade agreement, offered to assist the United States and Bolivia. |
| President in Ecuador says he will not yield to Indian protests over trade |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
QUITO, Ecuador — President Alfredo Palacio is vowing not to give in to protests by Indians demanding the government end free trade talks with the United States. In a nationally televised address late Wednesday night, Palacio described the protests as an attempt to divide the country. The protests began Monday with blockades of roads and highways. |
Protesters say the trade deal will put them at a disadvantage with U.S. farmers and further disrupt Indian culture. The rallies have taken a toll on businesses, disrupted food deliveries and caused price increases. Authorities also say at least 16 people have been arrested following the rallies and a dozen others injured. The protests have already caused dissension within Palacio's government. Interior Minister Alfredo Castillo resigned Wednesday after suggesting the protests could bring down the government. |
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| A.M. Costa Rica: The modern way to present your advertising message editor@amcostarica.com |
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