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San
José, Costa Rica, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 200
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 Dr. Carlos
Collado Martínez
Italy remembers
Tico who died,
executed as partisan by Nazis By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Costa Rican Carlos Collado Martínez went to Italy to become a physician. He did, but he is being remembered this week more as a partisan fighter against the Nazis. Collado was among 13 partisans killed by Nazi solders Oct. 10, 1944. He began his studies in 1938 at the iversità di Bologna and another institution. He was a student of Professor Armando Businco, according to the foreign ministry here in a summary of his life. He appears to have been an excellent student and won a major prize for his graduation thesis. After Businco was arrested by the facists, Collado was detained and interrogated. The experience was enough to radicalize him and he joined the 63º Brigada Bolero Garibaldi and a doctor, according to the Associazione Nazionale d'Amicizia Costa Rica. He was captured with other partisans, tortured and then killed in the plaza of Casalecchio di Reno. There is a monument there now commemorating the sacrifices. According to the Costa Rica Embassy in Italy, there will be another ceremony in the Italian town Thursday. There also is a concert tonight and a photo exhibit through Saturday. Native group near la Fortuna plans festival this Sunday By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
San Rafael de Guatuso will be the venue Sunday for the Festival Cultural Maleku 2013 sponsored jointly by the Asociación de Desarrollo Maleku and the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud. The Maleku are one of the pre-Columbian groups that still live in Costa Rica. Most are on a reserve. The event will be at the Palenque Margarita, one of the villages. It is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The culture ministry promises traditional foods, crafts and a display of Maleku costumes. The community is near El Tanque and La Fortuna de San Carlos. The ancestors of the current residents controlled a vast section of land to the north and west. Investigators locate mom of baby found in vacant lot By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
A baby's cries alerted neighbors that the child had been abandoned in a vacant lot in Hoyón de Pérez Zeledón Tuesday morning. Cruz Roja rescue workers took the child to Hospital Escalante Pradilla where attendants said the child was in stable condition. The Judicial Investigating Organization said it had located the baby's mother by questioning residents of the area. The 18 year old has been entered into a judicial proceeding.
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| San José, Costa Rica, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 200 | |
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Stately homes built for the rich like this one can be found in Barrio Escalante in the eastern part of San José. The barrio is now mixed use with some of the homes turned into commercial use and new commercial constructions going up where some homes have been demolished. |
 Alianza Francesa photo
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| A jewel of a barrio is on the agenda for
a walking tour Oct. 19 |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
There is a jewel of a barrio that has not yet been traversed by a troop led by Andrés Fernández, an architect and historian. But Barrio Escalante is on the agenda for Oct. 19. Fernández is the man who has led walking tours of the capital's churches, barrios Amón and México and Los Yoses. The emphasis is on the architecture, the origins of the residential areas and the history. The expeditions are sponsored by Alianza Francesa, the French cultural organization. According to an announcement, Barrio Escalante was founded by a family of that name around 1940 when the land began to change from coffee farms. The tour also is part of the celebration of the 200th birthday of San José and begins at 9 a.m. Prior registration with Alianza Francesa is required, and the fee is 18,000 colons for the public |
and 15,000 colons for Alianza
members. That includes brunch at the Bar Buenos Aires at Avenida 11 and
Calle 23, just north of the Santa Teresita church and at the western
border of Barrio Escalante. The barrio is one of the few to have its own Web page. Today it has mixed commercial and residential use. In the 1940s it was to where the rich moved, and the architecture reflects this. The barrio is some 52 blocks bordered on the north by the Río Torres, on the east by Calle 37 and to the south by Avenida Central. The barrio contains the Antigua Aduana, which has been reborn as a place for dance, theater and exhibitions. The barrio also is known for the Farolito, the street lamp in a traffic circle that is used as a point of reference, as well as Parque Francia. Reservations can be made at the Alianza Francesa locations in Barrio Amón, la Sabana or Heredia. The organization plans a similar tour in Santo Domingo de Heredia Dec. 7 |
| Jacó will be getting tourism boost
with four-day music festival |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Jacó will get a truism boost in January with Jungle Jam IV. Organizers said that 2,000 persons showed up last year, and they expect even more this year. The event is from Jan. 16 to 19, and a four-day pass is $149. Organizers said Tuesday that these groups have agreed to participation: G. Love and Friends, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Dumpstaphunk, Max Creek, The Expendables, Nicki Bluhm And The Gramblers, Oteil Burbridge, Zach Deputy, Ryan Montbleau Band, Kung Fu and dopapod. Another headliner is Slightly Stoopid. Said the festival organizers: "The one-of-a-kind music and camping festival in Jacó, Costa Rica, is hosted by the beautiful DoceLunas Resort Hotel and includes concerts at multiple locations in the area, including |
beachfront venues, late night clubs
and local theaters, all designed to create an up-close and personal
concert experience. It is not unusual for bands to play multiple
days at Jungle Jam. Nor is it unusual for sets to turn into big jam
sessions." “This year’s line-up represents a mix of genres and styles that fit in perfect harmony with the culture, surroundings and the vibe of Costa Rica. Roots Reggae, Funk, Soul, Hip Hop, Fusion, Americana, Jam and Electronic it's all here,” aid Eric Freitas, event producer for Jungle Jam IV. Organizers have set up a campground for visitors, but they also promote a string of local hotels. Most Jungle Jam IV performances will take place during the evenings allowing attendees the opportunity to take advantage of all that Costa Rica has to offer from zip line adventures across the rain forest, boat cruises to see crocodiles, surfing lessons, day trips to Manuel Antonio National Park and much more, said organizers. The event has set up this Web site. |
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| You need to see Costa Rican tourism information HERE! |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 200 | |||||
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| Three killings results in three separate arrests, including
that of security guard |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
A security guard is accused of shooting a co-worker in Guadalupe, and judicial agents discovered the body of a man tied hands and feet in Desamparados. And in Alajuelita agents detained a man who is a suspect in a drive-by motorcycle murder in the same community. All this happened Monday. The case of the security guard took place in El Carme de Guadalupe. Dead is a 34-year-old man with the last name of Marín. He died about 5 p.m. Monday from a bullet to the head. Agents confiscated a .38-caliber firearm from the 27-year-old security guard. A woman also was in the workplace when the shooting took place, but she was not injured, said the Judicial Investigating Organization. Agents are unsure of the motive for the murder. |
The Desamparados
case began when agents said they received a confidential tip that a man was hiding a body in a dwelling. The victim in this case was identified later by the last name of Pérez. He was 43, agents said. After getting the tip, agents watched the home in which the victim had resided. When the suspect emerged from the home Monday, agents said he matched the description given by the confidential caller. They detained him on the public street and then entered the home. Inside the home they found the body tied hands and feet with blood on the head. But there was no indication immediately on how the man died. In the Alajuelita case, two men on a motorcycle gunned down the driver of a sports utility vehicle about 8 p.m. Monday. The victim, subsequently identified as a 27-year-old man with the last name of Delgado, was dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds. Not long afterwards, the Fuerza Pública and judicial agents detained a motorcycle driver who matched the description of one of the assailants, they said. That was in Aurora de Alajuelita. Agents said they also confiscated a firearm. |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
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| A.M. Costa Rica's Fifth news page |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2013, Vol. 13, No. 200 | |||||
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 University of Washington graphic
Cyclops is designed to be the
first submersible with a hull made from carbon fiber and glass.U.S. university
constructing
its own deep diver submarine By
the University of Washington news service
For the past 70 years, students and professors at the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Laboratory has conducted ocean research and engineering. Now they are teaming up with a local submersible company to build an innovative five-person submarine that would travel to almost two miles below the ocean’s surface. When completed in 2016, it will be the first deep-sea manned submersible project for the university. “What a terrific asset for the UW to have access to one of the few available manned submarines in the U.S.,” said principal investigator Robert Miyamoto, who directs the lab’s industry and defense programs. “If someday students routinely had the opportunity to go on a manned sub, I think the research in deep-ocean science would explode.” The submarine, named Cyclops, has a carbon-fiber hull that can take passengers to 3,000 meters (9,842 feet) – deeper than all but a handful of existing subs. “Most people don’t appreciate there are not very many private or commercial subs,” said Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate Inc., an Everett, Washington, company that charters submarines. He says there are about 600 military subs worldwide, but only about 100 certified civilian subs, and most of those are on private yachts or in storage. For the past year and a half, members of Miyamoto’s team have leased a campus lab with OceanGate. The group has gone through more than 20 prototype designs before settling on the recently unveiled plan. The carbon-fiber hull is shaped like a bullet that can plunge down to depth in less than 60 minutes. Once the vessel reaches depth, it rotates to its cruising orientation. The passenger seats pivot in order to stay upright. The Boeing Co. worked with OceanGate and the university on initial design analysis of the seven-inch-thick pressure vessel. The design uses a strategy where each strip of carbon fiber and resin is precisely placed to ensure that there will be no gaps or weak points. The battery will be a lithium-polymer design that will also make the sub lighter and able to dive longer and faster than traditional subs. The front viewing area, for which the vehicle is named, is designed as a 5-foot-wide dome of 4-inch-thick glass. Passengers will sit inside the dome to have a 180-degree view. The collaboration was worked out through the university's Center for Commercialization. For OceanGate, the university offers ocean engineers who are used to working on challenging problems and access to wider campus expertise. For the university, it’s a chance to test new sensor, manipulators and control systems, and give researchers and students a front-row seat to explore the deep sea. Miyamoto and Rush say they plan to integrate modern control systems into the vehicle, replacing the many dials and levers used on today’s submersibles with joysticks and more automated control systems that allow it to operate with a single pilot. “It’s like going from Model T to the Tesla,” Rush said. The university portion of the project is funded by a $5 million industry grant from OceanGate. Democratic congressmen held after rowdy immigration march By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Thousands of people have marched on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to demand that Congress pass a measure that would overhaul the U.S. immigration system, and in particular, provide a path to legal status for illegal immigrants. Capitol police Tuesday arrested nearly 200 people, including eight members of Congress, who allegedly engaged in acts of civil disobedience as part of the rally. Those arrested included Democratic congressmen John Lewis, Luis Gutiérrez, Raúl Grijalva, Keith Ellison, John Crowley, Charles Rangel, Al Green, and Jan Schakowsky. Prospects for passage of a comprehensive immigration bill appear dim. A bill passed by the Democratic-controlled Senate and backed by the White House includes billions of dollars for border security as well as a 13-year path to citizenship for those already in the U.S. illegally. Most House Republicans have rejected this comprehensive approach, and it is unclear if they will ever pass legislation that could form the basis for a final deal with the Senate. The rally was held even though the National Mall is officially closed due to the partial government shutdown. The National Parks Service said the immigration rally is being allowed because it is considered an act of free speech protected by the Constitution. New alliance seeks to spread net to underdeveloped lands By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Millions of people around the world are being left behind, unable to get the information they need to better their lives because they cannot afford internet access. Now that is about to change. The newly launched Alliance for Affordable Internet aims to drive down the cost of broadband Internet access in developing countries. The alliance, which is backed by 30 companies and organizations such as tech titans Google, Microsoft and Facebook as well as the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of State and the UK Department for International Development, wants to help broadband Internet access prices fall to below 5 percent of monthly worldwide income. The group says this would allow two-thirds of the people currently not connected to connect. The alliance says that in developed countries the price of fixed broadband as a share of per capita gross national income has dropped 823 percent. Those costs represent only 1.7 percent of monthly income. In the developing world, the price of broadband is a staggering 30.1 percent of average monthly incomes, the alliance reported. “The majority of the world’s people are still not online, usually because they can’t afford to be. In Mozambique, for example, a recent study showed that using just 1GB of data can cost well over two months’ wages for the average citizen, said Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the Web and founder of the World Wide Web Foundation. He added that “the result of high prices is a digital divide that slows progress in vital areas such as health, education and science.” “With the advent of affordable smartphones, new undersea cables and innovations in wireless spectrum usage, there is simply no good reason for the digital divide to continue. The real bottleneck now is anti-competitive policies that keep prices unaffordable. The alliance is about removing that barrier and helping as many as possible get online at reasonable cost,” Berners-Lee said. The alliance cites some startling statistics about the digital divide. In the developing world, only 31 percent of the population is online, compared to 77 percent in the developed world. Ninety percent of households not connected to the Internet are in the developing world. In Africa, for example, only 16 percent of people are using the Internet, half the penetration rates of Asia. To bridge the divide, the alliance says it will start with in-country engagements with three to four countries and will expand to 15 by the end of 2015. The group plans to issue an annual affordability report starting this December. “Nearly two out of every three people don’t have access to the Internet. This is a massive challenge that can’t easily be solved by a single solution or player,” said Jennifer Haroon of Google. “The world needs technical innovation and vision to bring more people online, but we also need a strong policy foundation that allows new ideas to flourish. By working alongside alliance partners, we can help lay the groundwork needed to drive innovation and bring the power of the Internet to more people," she said. Cosmetic survey notes show Marilyn Monroe had chin fix By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
A physician's notes on Marilyn Monroe that indicate that the Hollywood sex symbol had undergone cosmetic surgery will be up for sale next month along with a set of her X-rays, an auction house said Tuesday. The set of six X-rays and a file of doctors' notes that offer a partial medical history of the “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” actress from 1950 to 1962, are expected to fetch between $15,000 and $30,000 at auction Nov. 9 and 10, said Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills, California. The notes, written by Hollywood plastic surgeon Michael Gurdin, appear to confirm speculation that Ms. Monroe, who epitomized glamor and set a standard of movie star beauty during the latter part of Hollywood's golden era, went under the knife for cosmetic reasons. The seller, who is so far unnamed, received the items as a gift from Gurdin. “Nobody really thought about Marilyn Monroe having plastic surgery. It was always speculation. Did she or didn't she?” said Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien's Auctions. “They thought she was such a natural beauty, they didn't want to believe.” Gurdin's notes include references to a 1950 cartilage implant in Ms. Monroe's chin, which he observed to have slowly begun to dissolve. Monroe's biggest films, such as 1953's “How to Marry a Millionaire,” 1955's “The Seven Year Itch” and 1959's “Some Like It Hot,” were all shot after 1950. “Also at that time, going back to the 1950s, people didn't go for plastic surgery procedures,” Nolan added. “This is very, very new.” The X-rays are dated June 7, 1962, after Ms. Monroe saw Gurdin following a late night fall and two months before the actress would die at age 36 from an overdose of barbiturates. The death was ruled a probable suicide. Ms. Monroe would also be fired by studio 20th Century Fox from the unfinished film “Something's Got to Give” the following day for her constant absences. The X-rays include Monroe's frontal facial bones, a composite right and left X-ray of the sides of her nasal bones and dental X-rays of the roof of her mouth. A set of three chest X-rays of Monroe from 1954 sold for $45,000 at a 2010 auction. A self-published memoir by Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Norman Leaf in 2010 claimed that Ms. Monroe underwent cosmetic surgery on her chin in 1950, citing the same notes made by Gurdin, Leaf's medical partner. Leaf also states in his memoir that Monroe underwent a slight rhinoplasty procedure on the tip of her nose. A radiologist's notes included in the lot determined that there was no damage to Monroe's nose from the fall, but a recent evaluation of the X-rays found a minute fracture, the auction house said. Doctors used the name “Joan Newman” as Ms. Monroe's alias on the X-rays which list her height as 5 feet, 6 inches (1.68 m) and her weight as 115 pounds (52 kilos). Gurdin's notes were first drawn up in 1958 when the actress complained about a chin deformity and the note listed her married name, Marilyn Miller. She was married to playwright Arthur Miller from 1956 to 1961. The notes also indicate that Ms. Monroe suffered from neutropenia, a low level of a white blood cell type, in 1956 while in England and had an ectopic pregnancy in 1957. Scientists discover secret of super swimmer jellyfish By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Those jellyfish seemingly floating and bobbing along with the waves have a secret. New research shows the gelatinous creatures are among the best swimmers in the ocean, which could be an important reason they have been so successful as a species. “We find that jellyfish exhibit a unique mechanism of passive energy recapture, which can reduce metabolic energy demand by swimming muscles,” write the researchers in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “Contrary to prevailing views, this contributes to jellyfish being one of the most energetically efficient propulsors on the planet.” Researchers said the results show why medusan swimmers – a name given to creatures like jellyfish that resemble Medusa of Greek mythology – thrive despite their simple body plan. They added that the research could have implications for bio-inspired design, where low-energy propulsion is required. Previous theories about the success of jellyfish assumed the creatures were about to adapt to changing water temperatures and take advantage of a decline in other potential predators due to overfishing. Brad J. Gemmell at the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole in Massachusetts and a team of other researchers studied the movement of jellyfish with funding from the U.S. Navy, which had expressed interest in non-traditional propulsion. The key to Gemmell’s findings lies with the jellyfish’s second thrust when moving. Scientist have long known jellyfish move by squeezing water through the bell that forms ahead of their body. Scientists have also understood that jellyfish derive some forward momentum when the bell refills with water, but until now, it hadn’t been understood how much propulsion this secondary thrust generates. As it turns out, the second thrust accounts for 32 percent of the jellyfish’s forward movement, and the kicker is it requires no energy. It’s a purely mechanical movement, like a rubber band snapping back after being stretched. The findings could lead to more efficient underwater robots that could ostensibly prowl the seas for years, sending back data. Obama again declines to talk unless shutdown is terminated By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
U.S. President Barack Obama says he is open to broad budget talks and a potential short term debt limit deal. But he says he will not sit down with Republicans while a government shutdown continues and Americans are subject to what he calls extortion by extreme elements in the Republican Party. Obama spoke Tuesday after telephoning House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, to reiterate an offer to negotiate, but not while the partial government shutdown continues, or under the threat of a potential default. He said he recognizes the difficulties of working together in a divided government and remains willing to work through a range of issues and negotiate on any topic. But he said he will not continue a pattern in which lawmakers hold Americans and the economy hostage to specific demands. "We're not going to pay a ransom for America paying its bills. That is something that should be non-negotiable, and everybody should agree on that. Everybody should say one of the most valuable things that we have is America's creditworthiness. This is not something we should even come close to fooling around with," said Obama. Speaker Boehner Tuesday renewed his appeal for negotiations over Republican demands that have included dismantling or delaying key parts of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, which took effect Oct. 1. Boehner said nothing would be off the table in any negotiations. But reacting to Obama's remarks, the Republican lawmaker suggested that the president is not providing room for compromise. "What the president said today is, if there is unconditional surrender by Republicans, he will sit down and talk to us," said Boehner. On Capitol Hill, Rep, Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, accused Republicans of ignoring poll numbers showing Americans are impatient with Republican tactics. "We should be talking about strengthening the economy and building a stronger middle class. Instead, we are trying to figure out why Republicans won't let us have a vote on reopening our government," said Becerra. As the Oct. 17 deadline approaches for Congress to increase the government borrowing limit, the stalemate is fueling speculation that new so-called grand bargain deficit talks may be required. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell: "This is not 2009 and 2010 when our friends on the other side had a total hammer lock on all the government. We now have divided government. It means we have to talk to each other and get to an outcome." Obama reacted skeptically to a House Republican proposal to establish a House-Senate working group to seek further deficit reduction, modeled on a so-called super committee in 2011. "What is not fair and will not result in an actual deal is ransom-taking, or hostage-taking, and the expectation that Democrats are providing ransom or providing concessions for the mere act of reopening the government, or paying our bills," said Obama. The president also spoke about global implications for U.S. credibility of the political stalemate, and the potential of default. He noted that the U.S. government shutdown forced him to miss attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Indonesia. "I had to miss critical meetings in Asia to promote American jobs and businesses. And although as long as we get this fixed, that is not long-term damage, whenever we do these things it hurts our credibility around the world, it makes it look like we don't have our act together," he said. Obama said there were lost opportunities in the short term with countries that welcome the U.S. economic and strategic pivot to Asia, but he believes leaders understand that resolving the U.S. budget dispute is important for them. |
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Genetically modified corn called safer for environment By
the Entomological Society of America news service
A new study finds that genetically-modified sweet corn is better for the environment and safer for farm workers. Since 1996, corn containing a gene that allows it to create a protein that is toxic to certain insects, yet safe for human consumption, has been grown in the United States. However, most of this Bt corn has been used for animal feed or processed into corn meal, starch, or other products. Although varieties of sweet corn have existed since the late 1990s, relatively few acres have been planted. Due to pressure from activist groups, some grocery stores have refused to carry Bt sweet corn. However, a new study published in the Journal of Economic Entomology suggests that Bt sweet corn is better for the environment because it requires fewer pesticide applications than conventional corn. "Our data suggest that using Bt sweet corn will dramatically reduce the use of traditional insecticides," the authors wrote. "Based on the performance of Bt field corn, growers should realize increased profits and there will be less risk to non-target organisms, including natural enemies that help suppress pest densities." The study, "Multi-State Trials of Bt Sweet Corn Varieties for Control of the Corn Earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)," analyzed the performance of Bt sweet corn, comparing its rate of infestation and marketability to genetically identical varieties that lacked Bt proteins. In 2010 and 2011, sweet corn trials were conducted in New York, Minnesota, Maryland, Ohio and Georgia, locations that differ in climate, management practices and pest pressure. The authors found that for pest management of the corn earworm, Bt sweet corn consistently performed better than its non-Bt counterparts, even those that were sprayed with conventional insecticides. "Across multiple states and multiple years, Bt sweet corn performed better and required fewer sprays to meet market standards," said Cornell University entomologist Anthony Shelton. "One of the most spectacular examples occurred in New York plots in 2010: the Bt sweet corn had 99 to 100 percent marketable ears without any sprays and, even with eight conventional insecticide sprays, the non-Bt corn had only 18 percent marketable ears. This wasn't much better than the 6 percent marketable ears produced in the plots that received no sprays at all.” The authors predict that growers could realize increased profits with Bt sweet corn because of lower inputs and higher marketability, while simultaneously conserving populations of beneficial insects that keep damaging pests at bay. "The use of Bt vegetables could significantly reduce the use of conventional insecticides and, in turn, reduce occupational and environmental risks that arise from intensive insecticide use," Shelton said. Lawyer is now on radio with opinion and advice By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Costa Rican lawyer Gregory Kearney Lawson is now a radio personality. Kearney said that he has been sharing the microphone with journalist Fernando Arias for a show three times a week, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday on Sonora Radio 700 A.M. at 3 p.m. The show is titled "El Pellizco," the pinch in English. Kearney said that the show received callers and there is discussion and opinion on news events of the day. He also said he gives legal advice and some information in English while his associate announces electronic classified advertising for listeners. Kearney also is a legislative candidate for the new Partido Advance Nacional for San José province. |
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| From Page 7: Chamber survey: Lower confidence by operators of commercial enterprises By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The commercial sector is counting on the Christmas season to give the economy a boost. The boost appears to be needed because confidence of business people is at a three-year low, according to a survey by the Cámara de Comercio de Costa Rica. The results of the survey, reflecting hopes and aspirations past the end of 2013, were released Tuesday. The chamber cited data from the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social that showed the commercial sector had lost 1,644 jobs so far this year. The survey considered four variables, the economy, the respondent's firm, employment and sales, based on the results of the last six months and the hopes for the next six months. Francisco Llobet, chamber president, said that despite the results, the organization believes that increased sales over Christmas will raise the overall level of confidence. The survey showed that only 19 percent of the firms surveyed plan to increase their investments in the short term. And those that said they would do so are the larger companies, according to the survey. Some 23 percent of the firms said they would reduce the workforce, compared to 18 percent that plan increases in employees. The employer lack of confidence appears to stem from the assessment of the current state of the economy and a perception that exports are slowing down, said the chamber. |
