Archive for June 25th, 2008
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
Costa Rica’s National Salary Council on Monday green-lighted a 6.58 percent increase on minimum wages in the private sector for July 1, which the Labor Ministry says should help recuperate the purchasing power of the nation’s lowest earners in the face of a rising living costs.
On top of that, an added ¢5,000 ($9.60) should go to unskilled low-wage earners such as cleaning staff and car wash attendants and an extra ¢4,000 will go on the pay checks of semi-skilled workers, including drivers, shop attendants, guards and lower-earning office personnel.
Some labor leaders, however, are not content. They say the raise from ¢164,007 (about $315.60) a month to less than ¢180,000 ($346.40) just scrapes the surface of what is needed. (more…)
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Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
Traffic Accidents are One of the Main Causes of Death in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica’s roads are infamous and, though often riddled with potholes, these long stretches of asphalt and dirt are the only way to wind your way through magnificent rural hills and beachside towns. However, as many tourists and new residents quickly discover, Costa Rica’s roads are not just a comedic exercise in dodge-the-crater, but are also quite dangerous, causing too many fatal accidents each year. To combat the country’s rate of road fatalities, the General Comptroller (the organization that distributes governmental funds) has approved a ¢500 million ($1 million) grant for road security construction projects.
Traveling almost anywhere in Costa Rica — from hidden Corcovado, to the festive Caribbean, and onto quiet Monteverde — you will have to pass through one of the country’s many small cities and towns. The newly approved upcoming road projects will invest money into streets in the capital of San José, and those that connect them with Puriscal, San Carlos, Turrialba, Golfito, Pérez Zeledón, Esparza, Los Chiles, Guatuso, Nicoya, Bagaces and Santa Cruz, in addition to smaller, more rural areas, as well. (more…)
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Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
Costa Rican coffee farmers are facing threats from climate change but the rising temperatures are also expanding high-altitude regions where the country’s most prized beans are grown.
Human emissions of greenhouse gases could cause the earth’s surface temperature to rise anywhere between one and six degrees Celsius (1.8 and 10.8 degrees Fahrenheit) over the next 100 years, according to the United Nations, forcing growers of all crops to adapt to new weather conditions.
In Costa Rica, the temperature increases may help transform mountainous land that was once too chilly for delicate coffee trees into prime coffee-planting territory.
The strictly hard-bean Arabica coffee sought by specialty roasters is only found at high altitudes, so the shift could mean more opportunities for a country already known for its quality coffee. (more…)
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