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A.M. Costa Rica
Your daily English-language news source Monday through Friday |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
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| A.M. Costa Rica's Second news page | |||||||||
| San José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, Vol. 12, No. 171 | |||||||||
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Marine Corps League plans
to mark Sept. 11 this year By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Marine Corp League in Costa Rica will take the lead Sept. 11 in marking the anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the United States. A spokesman said that the memorial service will be at 11 a.m. at the Sept. 11 park in Sabana Norte. This is the park that was refurbished and renamed in the wake of the terrorist attacks. The location contains a monument to those who died that day when terrorists used passenger jets as weapons. The ceremony will be at 11 a.m. The day is a Tuesday. The announcement said that everyone is invited. A Marine Corps League spokesman said that the Marines took the initiative when it appeared there might be no ceremony. A U.S. Embassy spokesperson said Monday that embassy staffers would join with the Marines in the ceremony. The Marine Corps League is made up of mostly expats who served on active duty with that branch of U.S. services and also supporters who may not be Marines. Canada and Costa Rica go back to negotiating table By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Today Costa Rica and Canada will begin what is expected to be the fifth and final round of negotiations to update the free trade agreement between the two countries. The two countries have had a free trade agreement in place since 2002. However, delegates from both nations are working on updating the treaty to include products, services and industries that have developed since then. “What we are trying to do is make it more modern because it was one of the first trade agreements we had,” said Sofia Castresana, a press officer with the Ministerio de Comercio Exterior, in a telephone conversation. One way in which both countries seek to modernize the treaty is by rewriting it to include technological services and products that either had not yet been invented or had not reached the level of use that they currently enjoy. Telecommunications is one area that has changed dramatically and the new treaty is supposed to take into account changes in this industry and others like it, said Carlos Umaña, a consultant to the ministry, by telephone. In addition, the countries are trying to update the treaty to make it more clear, straightforward and easy to follow, according to Ms. Castresana. “We are trying to make it as simple as possible,” she said. Although this was planned to the last round of negotiations, Umaña said that there will likely be other issues that need to be discussed and settled after the round has concluded. “This week is supposed to be the last round, but still there are issues that need to be negotiated,” he said. The fifth round of negotiations is scheduled to begin today in Ottawa, Canada, and will continue until Friday, Sept. 31.
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
| The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río Colorado 2012 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details | ||||||
A.M. Costa Rica Third News Page |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, Vol. 12, No. 171 | |
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| Security ministry debuts high tech center
for police data |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Security officials formally inaugurated a new data center that will be in operation 24 hours a day and 365 days a year to link the major agencies electronically. The data center is part of the Ministerio de Gobernaicón, Policía y Seguridad Pública. Much of the description given Monday was technical and included the types of servers and backup devices. However, officials also said that the data center will link regional offices of the Fuerza Pública, the Dirección General de Migración and the Ministerio de Hacienda. That ministry includes the customs agency whose agents have police powers. The data center also has closed circuit television, and a screen showed the downtown pedestrian mall. The Municipalidad de San José has an extensive number of cameras monitoring high traffic areas. The data being stored in the centre includes a summary of criminal records, arrest and detention reports, an electronic list of holders of weapons permits and information on security firms. The center has Internet access with Radiográfica Costarricense S.A. and the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad. Radiográfica Costarricense, known as RACSA, maintains a data base of foreigners who are legally in the country. The center cost 235 million colons, about $470,000. There is space for 12 employees, bathrooms and a dining area. The center is under high security. The center also has a backup generator, a fire suppression system. |
 Ministerio de Gobernaicón,
Policía
Screen shows the downtown area.y Seguridad Pública/Jorge Alonso Alvarez v |
| Firms involved in medical tourism plan a
meeting Thursday |
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By
Kayla Pearson
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff The Cámara National de Turismo and the Promoción Internacional de la Medicina de Costa Rica will host a business meeting Thursday in the hopes of opening more spaces for chain businesses and creating more opportunities for new businesses. Health and tourist companies will be able to offer their products to more than 50 employee associations in exchange for a training talk about medical tourism and marketing packages during the program called "Rueda de Negocios & Actividades de Encadenamiento," the organizations said. "Business chaining is a smart strategy that benefits tourist business. We definitely consider that solidarist associations play an important role as an ally in the exhibition of the national tourist product to a fundamental market for the activity as a domestic tourist," said Juan Carlos Ramos, president of the chamber. The purpose of the meeting is to provide a gateway for tourist operators to negotiate with markets that don't get a lot of business. |
Experts who focus in medical tourism
and the creation of tourist
packages will give the training lectures with the intent of providing
tools and transmitting knowledge that will contribute to the
competitive development of the tourist industry of the country,
reported the chamber. Brad Cook, owner of Medical Tours Costa Rica, will be exhibiting on international patient care. Luis Carlos Eduarte, general manager of the Hotel Bougainvillea will explain successful medical tourism, and Rafael Gallo, owner of the tour company Ríos Tropicales, will talk about creating tourist packages. "One of the determinants that has allowed the country to be recognized as an attractive tourist destination has been the preparation of the human resource of companies, so we seek constant training of professionals in tourism to continue to provide a highly competitive product," said Ramos. Since medical tourism is a market that attracts international patients and involves national services that include health, accommodation, transportation, food service and tours, organizers said they believe this meeting is important. The meeting will be in Hotel Radisson Europa from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call 2234-6222. |
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| You need to see Costa Rican tourism information HERE! |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
| The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río Colorado 2012 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details | ||||||
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| A.M. Costa Rica's Fourth News page | |||||
| San José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, Vol. 12, No. 171 | |||||
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| Business sectors invited to comment on
Colombian trade pact |
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By
Aaron Knapp
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff As negotiations between Costa Rica and Colombia continue and come closer to a final set of agreements, the Ministerio de Comercio Exterior will hold forums over six days to hear comments and concerns from interested parties. The sessions start Sept. 5. The ministry will devote one hour periods to specific products, goods and services, during which time members of that industry will be able to formally explain how the treaty will effect their businesses and what would be best for the industry. “The idea of these meetings is to take into account priorities and interests,” said Carlos Umaña, a consultant to the ministry. “It's to listen to the sector.” Sofia Castresana, a ministry press officer, explained that this is a normal part of the process for each treaty that Costa Rica develops with other nations regarding international commerce. |
“With every trade agreement, we call
all of the different sectors and
get their feelings,” said Ms. Castresana. “It's not unusual.” The free trade treaty with Colombia has already generated controversy over certain products. For example, the chamber representing the Costa Rica food industry criticized the ministry late last month for excluding sugar from the treaty in the first round of negotiations. Discussions on the food industry alone will take up three days of the forums ranging from topics as specific as sugar, coffee and beef as well as more general topics like glass, plastic and metal products. Similar to when U.S. administrative agencies call for public comment when they are changing rules, members of the industry can go to the forums to explain how a particular good or product is relevant to them and why that product should or should not be included in the treaty. The forums or consultations will conclude Sept. 13. Each day the forums will run from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. |
| Retailer seeks old appliances and
computers to recycle |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Gollo, one of Costa Rica’s largest home and electronic appliance vendors, announced that the company will collect and properly recycle old machines like computers and refrigerators and dispose of them in a way that is safe for the environment and for other people. Trying to catch families, especially mothers, who received new appliances and gadgets for mother’s day, the announcement urged people to not leave the old electronic equipment in the yard or on the side of the road like normal trash because this equipment may disperse harmful metals, chemicals and toxins if exposed to the elements. |
Instead, Gollo urged people to take
their old electronic equipment to
one of their 116 stores across the country. From there, the Gollo will
take them to collection centers where another company based in Canada
will properly dispose of these products, according to the announcement. Gollo boasts in the release that its electronic recycling program has collected more than 30 tons of electronic equipment over the past four months and they plan to keep up the program’s momentum. The company will accept all old electronics regardless of whether or not they were purchased at Gollo, and will also accept tires in order to prevent discarded tires in dumps from collecting water where dengue-carrying mosquitoes can breed. |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
| The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río Colorado 2012 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details | ||||||
| A.M.
Costa Rica's Fifth news page |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, Vol. 12, No. 171 | |||||||||
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| Farmers
harvesting early because of drought in U.S. By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The worst drought conditions in a generation are sending some U.S. farmers into their fields early to harvest corn. In the Midwest state of Illinois the poor condition of the corn is cutting into farmers' profits and is driving global prices higher. The only thing farmer Bruce Nation sees in his cornfields outside Taylorville, Illinois, is heartache. “This stuff is depressing here. This is hard to look at for me,” he said. Most of the ears of corn that managed to grow in his fields are much smaller than normal because of the drought. Smaller corn means less to sell, which cuts into Nation’s bottom line. “Probably, maybe 30 kernels on that whole thing. This is what we are up against,” he said. Nation was also up against the risk that comes with planting and growing when the cost for seed and fertilizer are at all time highs. “You are at the mercy of Mother Nature. Some people ask me why I do not gamble. Why, I gamble every day," he said. "That is just the way it is when you farm.” As he takes to the fields to harvest — this year about a month ahead of schedule because of the drought — Nation is watching that gamble in real time. Thanks to an Internet connection in his tractor, he keeps a close watch on the rapidly-changing price for his corn and soybeans. “I watch them every day," Nation said. "I have a consultant who helps me on my marketing. He watches it every hour.” Commodity traders on the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade are also keeping close watch over the rapidly changing prices, including GrainAnalyst.com’s Matthew Pierce. “The drought concerns this year have expanded exponentially as we have approached harvest, and some of the pro-farmer numbers we have seen recently have shown much more damage than was even expected just a month ago,” he said. Pierce says the outlook for both corn and soybeans gets worse by the day, and has global implications. “The U.S. exportable surplus is dwindling by the day," he said. "And China, Japan, South Korea, Mexico are going to be most directly affected by that. “We are at all time highs on both corn and soybeans, and that hurts everything over the long, long haul," Pierce continued. "Everybody is going to feel this effect.” Everybody, including Nation’s neighbors, will feel it. He says they will see an increase in the price of their groceries in about six months. But despite all he faces, Bruce Nation will not call this year’s drought a disaster. “I would not say a disaster. I would say a setback," he said. "It is going to set every body back a little bit. But the farmer has a heck of a human spirit to him, and he is going to go right on plugging. And that is all you can do, keep swinging.” Refinery continues to burn in western Venezuela By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Venezuelan firefighters struggled Monday to extinguish a blaze sparked by a massive explosion that ripped through the country's largest oil refinery. The blast Saturday killed 48 people and critically injured numerous others. The fire continued to burn in two fuel storage tanks. President Hugo Chávez, in the midst of a re-election bid, visited the Amuay facility Sunday and declared three days of mourning. He rejected suggestions that negligence caused the explosion and fire. Venezuelan officials say they suspect a gas leak caused the explosion. The blast and fire damaged hundreds of nearby homes and businesses. "We can't even reach ground zero for anybody to say it was caused by lack of maintenance," said Chávez. "I am aware of who is saying that, but I won't lower myself to their level. I repeat, I would rather keep my spirits elevated and call on everybody to lift the human spirit above any political interests or what have you." The Venezuelan explosion and the shutdown of U.S. Gulf Coast refineries with the approach of Tropical Storm Isaac helped boost gasoline prices to near a four-month high. Oil prices initially rose, but then retreated on speculation that the storm's effect might prove to be limited. |
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Food |
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Jo
Stuart |
| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
| The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río Colorado 2012 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details | ||||||
| A.M.
Costa
Rica's sixth news page |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, Vol. 12, No. 171 | ||||||||||
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Latin America news |
Coalition to protest killing
of dolphin by Japanese By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
A coalition of Costa Rican environmental groups plans to protest Friday at the Japanese Embassy over the slaughter of dolphin and similar species in that country. The town of Taiji, Japan, is well known as a place where dolphin and other sea mammals are rounded up into a bay and then killed for meat. Protesters said the group is the Coalición Costarricense por las Ballenas. The group estimated that the Japanese kill 23,000 dolphin a year. The Japanese report the number is much lower. The killings in Taiji traditionally start Sept. 1 each year, so protesters plan their demonstration Friday at 9 a.m. The embassy is in Sabana Norte across the street from the national stadium. U.S. Embassy staffers to visit Pacific coast By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Representatives from the consular section of the U.S. Embassy will be available to both Puntarenas and Liberia to answer questions related to passports and visas. Types of questions the members will answer include how to apply and renew passports and how to receive documents for a new spouse or a baby born abroad. However, the representatives will not conduct interviews necessary to qualify for non-immigrant visas. They will, on the other hand, accept documents related to immigrant visas. “It's not that they are going to issue visas at this time. They are just going to provide information,” said Evelyn Ardon, an embassy spokesperson. Those U.S. citizens wishing to vote absentee in the 2012 elections can also receive forms and information packages about voting abroad. The sessions will be Wednesday from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Hotel Boyeros in Liberia and Thursday from 8 to 9:30 a.m. in Hotel Alamar in Puntarenas. No appointment is needed. All services that require it must be paid in cash. |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
| The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río Colorado 2012 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details | ||||||
