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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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comes from trade treaty fight By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Costa Rica has a new nationwide political party. It is the Alianza Patriótica, which has been certified and the subject of an official notice in La Gaceta, the government newspaper. The Alianza has its roots in the patriotic committees that were formed to fight approval of the free trade treaty with the United States. An announcement said that the party has representation in all the provinces, cantons and districts in the country. It is possible in Costa Rica for a party to be less than national, offering voters candidates in a limited geographical area. Frente Amplio was one such regional party and managed to elect José Merino del Ríos to the Asamblea Legislativa with votes in the Central Valley. But now that party, too, has gone national, and Merino is expected to be a presidential candidate. On the other hand, the Alianza is seeking an agreement with a like-minded political party to join forces in the Feb. 6 national elections. Our readers' opinions
There are obvious reasonsfor the higher prices here Dear A.M. Costa Rica: This is in response to your reader’s opinion on July 8, 2009 titled: Why are many prices here much higher than elsewhere? I didn’t realize how expensive it was to live in Costa Rica until I moved here permanently. Before that, I believed in all the hype. You know, like the most happy place to live, or the person who represents Gallup polls in San Jose who said that the majority of Ticos do now want to live anywhere else. Except when you read his stats you realized he was an expert in “lying with statistics.” A few of the reasons for the higher prices are: 1. Control (control of the low-income masses); 2. Income without responsibility (How do you track the income generated by all the import taxes and then how do you account for the distribution of these monies?) 3. Graft (We’ve all read about the officials working in the public trust who absconded with funds or received extra compensation for providing services beyond their legal authority. Or the judge who rules contrary to evidence and law because one party has more influence (money to contribute) than the other. If the supreme court rules the judge was in error, nothing can be done to vacate the ruling. Couple the shameful legal system and the many fraudulent practitioners, you then understand why there are the few rich who are in control and so many poor who simply give up on improving the system. I have a neighbor who was born in Costa Rica and has U.S. citizenship due to her mother. Last year at age 28 she made a trip to the States, her first trip outside of Central America. To this day she still brags about how inexpensive everything is, how clean it was and how friendly the people were. I live in the hills just above Santa Bárbara de Heredia in a “developed” area. Santa Bárbara is a very old and established municipality. It took me 1 ½ years to get a cell phone, 2 years to get a land line phone. ICE does not provide Internet service here and has no plans to do so. Yet ICE brags about their Internet service and their plans to provide video in some areas. My ICE kilowatt per hour cost is more than I paid in the States. Same is true with the cell and land line phone costs. Even though there is an abundance of rain each year, in the dry months our area runs out of water. The trash procedure and service is a disgrace. Sometimes we go months between pickups. By then every animal in the area has had their pick of the garbage, leaving the remains to pollute the rivers. Costa Rica is now promoting medical tourism. They fail to mention there is no rating system or consumer protection. I know some great medical practitioners and also some who should be put out of business. As an example in stupidity, I wear a knee brace. I have one for activity and one for sleeping. This year when I needed to replace them I checked but they are not available in Costa Rica. So I ordered on the Internet. When ordering there was a special. If I ordered over $100 the shipping was free. To bring the total up I ordered deodorant and bathroom scent. I now find that I can’t have the package clear customs until I get a special permit from the minister of Health because of the deodorant (not the braces) and that I must pay a minimum of 6,000 colons in addition to the normal duty and shipping. These are the same brands of deodorant and scent that I buy locally. Costa Rica states it is a developing country. They’ve been in developing status since 1949. Until they change their legal system, eliminate the horrendous duty system, instill accountability, provide competition for electric, telephone and insurance and eliminate other monopolies, and drastically reduce drug trafficking, their status will not change. The powers in Costa Rica don’t want to change because they are making a great deal of money. Why do I stay? My Tico wife would love to live in the States but doesn’t want to move away from her siblings. Bob Piazza
Birri, St. Bárbara de Heredia Presidential candidate needed to reform the legal system Dear A.M. Costa Rica: In response to : "System is needed to protect honest people," I say shame on Costa Rica. I have been visiting Costa Rica for seven years and (had) intentions of buying property at some point to retire. Lately I have begun checking out Panamá. It seems that the powers within Costa Rica don't care about policing their own. I for one don't have money on hand to give to a judicial system that only care about covering over and protecting a bunch of shady lawyers private or public . Maybe in the next presidential cycle a candidate will come forward and run on a platform of reforming the legal system like the current one did to fix the roads. Heck it worked then, why not now? Howard Daniels
Beacon Falls, Connecticut Small arms world trade jumped 28%, U.N. says Special to A.M. Costa Rica
The value of the global trade in small arms and light weapons is estimated to have risen by 28 per cent between 2000 and 2006 to reach $2.9 billion, according to United Nations customs data presented in the 2009 edition of the Small Arms Survey. The annual report, published by the Geneva Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, says the demand for guns in the United States remains the key driver of trade in small arms. “The United States continues to drive the global small arms trade, remaining the largest importer of pistols and revolvers, sporting shotguns, and small-calibre ammunition. Greater demand for small arms in the United States was responsible for 48 per cent of the worldwide increase in imports from 2000 to 2006,” said a press release issued in Geneva. The top exporters of small arms also include the United States and Italy, Germany and Brazil, followed by Saudi Arabia, Cyprus and Germany, according to the report which is based information from 53 countries. “Current data shows that the global trade in small arms and light weapons is robust and even expanding, and that handguns are driving it,” said Keith Krause, Small Arms Survey Programme director. “We don’t know whether these weapons are destined for civilians, police, or military forces. But it is striking that handguns have outpaced all other small arms and light weapons over the period,” he added.
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| A.M. Costa Rica third newspage |
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 A.M. Costa Rica/Valeria
Morales Espinoza
Zelaya and Arias
Four frustrated protesters
spokesperson Mayi AntillónFabián Guevara Passot, Ignacio González Piedra, Sergio Hernández Pierro and Sebastián Ferrat Robert. |
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Both Zelaya and Micheletti
defer to their designates
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The personal home of Óscar Arias Sánchez leaped to international importance Thursday as the two Honduran presidents came and went. They did not meet. José Manuel Zelaya, the deposed president, was first on the scene with a morning meeting with Arias at the Costa Rican president's home in Rohrmoser. Zelaya wore his signature white cowboy hat. There was a heavy police presence but few demonstrators. One man carried a sign that urged both presidents to think of the children of Honduras. Roberto Micheletti, the man put in the president's job June 28 by the country's congress, arrived to see Arias after Zelaya had left. Arias talked for about three hours with Micheletti. Then Micheletti left the country to return to Tegucigalpa. He left a delegation of four to represent him. Zelaya, too, has his delegation and appears ready to let them do any negotiations. There was little indication that any real negotiations were going to take place. Both presidents appear to be set in their positions. Micheletti has said he is coming to talk and not to negotiate and that he will not consider the ousted president's return to power. Mayi Antillón, the minister of communications for Arias, spoke to the press but there was little to report over and above what was obvious to those watching. She |
characterized a late afternoon
meeting between both delegations as an exchange of ideas and proposals.
She said both delegations were seated at the same table. She said no
date was set for completion. Arias was being assisted by his brother, Rodrigo Arias, minister of the Presidencia; Bruno Stagno, foreign minister, and Viviana Martín, minister of Justicia y Gracia. The Zelaya delegation was Patricia Rodas, the former Honduran foreign minister; Silvia Ayala, a Partido Unificación Democrática legislator; Miltón Jiménez, another former foreign minister, and Salvador Zúñiga, identified as a supporter. Micheletti's delegation included Carlos López, a former foreign minister; Arturo Corrales, a former presidential candidate for the Partido Democracia Cristiana; Mauricio Villeda, judge, and Vilma Cecilia Morales, a former president of the nation's supreme court. Zelaya was ousted in a military-led coup June 28 and the Honduran Congress named Micheletti as interim president. The caretaker government has accused Zelaya of illegally trying to change the constitution in order to extend his term. Supporters from both sides are expected to continue demonstrations in Honduras in the coming days. The United States has opposed the ouster and refused to recognize the caretaker government, despite the interim president's assertion that Zelaya was legally removed. Arias became involved when the Honduran military dropped off Zelaya in pajamas at Juan Santamaría airport. |
| Yes, there are plenty of things to be happy about |
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| Happiness
is an inside job. Or as better put by William Cowper in 1782:
“Happiness depends, as Nature shows, less on exterior things than most
suppose.” I moved to Costa Rica because I wanted to live in a country that had no military and valued peace as a way of life and as the way to further peace. It prompted me to attend a dinner honoring President Óscar Arias of Costa Rica as a Nobel Peace Prize recipient. I also learned that it was a popular destination for eco-travelers. Other than that, my only knowledge of the country was what I could garner in three visits. On the first visit, riding from the airport in a taxi, looking at the scenery and through the open window, feeling a breeze that truly described the word “balmy.” I was surprised to learn that smoking was already being banned in as many places as in the U.S. I thought "yes, I could live here." When I wrote my book, “Butterfly in the City,” my editor Sandy and I struggled over a subtitle and finally came up with the rather innocuous “A Good Life in Costa Rica.” Today I think that describes it pretty well. Now I am receiving e-mails from my readers congratulating me on my wise choice of picking “the happiest country on the planet” as my home. As much as I enjoy the kudos, I think by now most people realize that “happiest” was perhaps a creation of the publicity department rather than of the research group of the New Economics Foundation. (As pointed out in an article earlier this week in A.M. Costa Rica.) Every study has a point of view, even when making statistics. NEF is concerned about the balance between living a satisfying life and making as little a harmful footprint on the planet as possible. Sounds good to me. It is understood that I cannot speak for Costa Ricans. But one of the great attractions to this country is the kindness and friendly helpfulness of Ticos. Some people say it is superficial. However, since most of my interactions with people in stores and banks and on buses are “superficial,” often just in passing, they nevertheless add to a having a nice day more than an angry disdainful encounter does. My Tico friends are kind and cheerfully helpful – and sincere about it. It is not easy to be kind and helpful to others when you are miserable. |
But I do have
access to parks and public transportation, to the symphony and
plays
and movies and to both supermarkets and farmer’s markets, Except
for
imports, I find prices, not cheap, but doable for me. I have never read or heard from Ticos that concern about
medical care
is paramount here. There are no parents who worry about
their sons or
daughters having to go off to war and coming home wounded or dead.
There is no concern that weapons of mass destruction will pollute the
neighborhood. We all do worry about the growth of crime, due, in part,
to the greater availability of firearms and illegal drugs. |
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Decision in Heredia train
case put off until at least July 20
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Anyone waiting for the stalled San José-Heredia train had better find another means of transportation. Although an expert has submitted his report on a controversial cliff along the train route, a judge will not make a decision for perhaps at least 10 days, the Poder Judicial said. That's because the Poder Judicial is about to embark on a week-long midyear vacation. The train is a priority item for the Óscar Arias Sánchez administration. But the passenger service was suspended by a judge who is hearing the case of a landowner who |
complained that a
steep slope presented a danger to his land and to passers-by. In addition to the court-appointed expert, the Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y Arquitectos also has completed a study which has been presented to the court, the Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo. The tribunal did act to reject a claim by the landowner that the tribunal does not have jurisdiction over this type of case. Of course, that opens the door to a prolonged court appeal at another level. Usually the court has 24 hours to study expert reports submitted in a case. But since the court holiday begins Monday, any decision has been pushed ahead to at least July 20, said the Poder Judicial. The train is expected to reduce traffic in La Uruca and Heredia. |
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22-year-old neighbor held in
murder of schoolgirl, 14
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Judicial police detained a 22-year-old agricultural worker early Thursday in the rape and murder of a 14-year-old school girl in northern Costa Rica. The man was identified by the last name of Sandoval. The Judicial Investigating Organization said the Laboratorios de Ciencias Forenses, the crime lab, had produced evidence linking the man with the girl. This is presumed to be scratch marks on the man's face. |
The girl was strangled not far from
her home in broad daylight in
Zapote de Upala near the Nicaraguan border. She had been going to a
nearby store to purchase diapers for a 1-year-old in the family about
12:30 p.m. The murder could be be another failure of the judicial system. La Nación is reporting today that the suspect also is facing an allegation that he assaulted another woman in the same spot two months ago and threw her in a river. The dead girl was placed in a small ditch filled with water and weighted down with rocks. |
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| A.M. Costa Rica fifth news page |
Last month A.M. Costa Rica received 5.2 million hits from interested readers. Shouldn't you be advertising here? (Everyone else is . . .) |
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| G8 leaders move to
include developing nations, too By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Climate change and trade figure prominently on this second day of the G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy, as leaders of the world's most powerful economies expand talks to take in counterparts and representatives of major emerging economies. Summit host, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, welcomed world leaders for a second day of discussions. The agenda items are much the same — the global economic crisis, the environment, climate change and trade. But, Thursday's talks were expanded from the G8 group to include the so-called G5 nations of major emerging economies — China, India, Brazil, South Africa and México. But others were invited to the table as well, along with international organizations. On climate change, G8 leaders agreed Wednesday on new targets to limit greenhouse gas emissions and try to limit global warming to just two degrees centigrade above pre-industrial levels. In announcing that decision, Prime Minister Berlusconi spoke of the need to bring other countries into the process, especially India, China and Brazil. It would be counterproductive, Berlusconi said, if the United States, Europe, Canada and Japan implement strategies to cut emissions if other countries do not. G8 leaders have said the group wants to be inclusive and bring other nations into discussions on global issues. The move is also widely seen as an increasing understanding that while G8 members may be the world's most powerful nations, they cannot solve issues such as the global economic crisis or climate change without the help of others. Gasoline prices going up By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Gasoline prices are going up again. The price regulating authority said Thursday that super would go up 78 colons (about 13.5 cents) and that regular would go up 79 colons. Diesel is going up 62 colons (10.7 cents) once the resolution is published in the La Gaceta official newspaper. The monthly adjustments are based on the value of the colon and the world price of petroleum. Costa Rica imports all its petroleum. The Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos raises or lowers the price each month based on a complecated formula. |
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| Latin
American news digest |
Murdered editor for Forbes remembered five years later By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
July 9 marks five years since the murder of Russian-American journalist Paul Klebnikov in Moscow. At a memorial service near the Kremlin Tuesday, U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns called on Russia to redouble its efforts to bring to justice those responsible for Klebnikov's shooting in 2004. Klebnikov would have turned 46 Thursday. He was gunned down in Moscow as he headed home to his wife and three young children after a day of work editing the Russian edition of Forbes magazine. At the memorial service in Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral, Burns remembered Klebnikov as a skilled, dedicated, and courageous journalist. His killers remain at large. "After five long years, we urge the Russian authorities to redouble their efforts to bring to justice those responsible for Paul's murder," he said. Burns added that Klebnikov continues to inspire a new generation of journalists in Russia and America and all those who seek truth, and justice in Russia, in America and around the world. He authored two books on highly sensitive topics. The first, regarding allegations of massive corruption on the part of now exiled Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky — the second, about organized crime and Russia's war in Chechnya. Two men accused of Klebnikov's murder were acquitted by a jury in 2006. His brother, Peter, told reporters there were multiple obstacles to justice at the trial. The proceeding, as he put it, encapsulated everything wrong with the Russian legal system. "It ranged from a judge who did not have the courtroom under control to a jury that was not provided adequate security and was harassed and intimidated by families and friends of the defendants to numerous procedural violations of the law," he said. |
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