Archive for November, 2008
Tuesday, November 4th, 2008
President Oscar Arias warned that it will impossible to avoid the unemployment resulting from the impact of the international finance crisis. Sooner or later, unemployment is going to increase, a general slowdown is going to be felt, particularly in the construction sector, Dr. Arias added. Sources of the construction sector said that 20,000 workers have been laid off so far this year and that the final figure for 2008 is likely to be close to 40,000.
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Tuesday, November 4th, 2008
Houston Airport System (HAS), which is the new administrator and operator of Juan Santamaria International Airport and is in charge of the revamping of the facility, was also awarded the administration of Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste. According to the Minister of Public Works and Transportation Karla Gonzalez, the initial investment at Liberia will be $35 million. HAS is the fourth largest airport operator in the United States and the sixth worldwide.
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Monday, November 3rd, 2008
Police have arrested two men in the murder of White House Hotel casino dealer Yerlin Marín.
One subject, whose last name is Mora, was arrested when he went to the Public Security Ministry’s San José offices on Friday afternoon to sign parole documents in a separate charge against him of armed robbery, according to the daily La Nación.
The second suspect, Mena, was arrested a few hours later at a house where he was hiding. (more…)
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Monday, November 3rd, 2008
Some relief at the pump is coming this week after a Costa Rica regulator approved a reduction of gasoline prices.
Set to take effect Wednesday at midnight, the prices are to drop to ¢ 687 (U.S. $1.23) per liter for super, ¢ 665 ($1.17) for regular and ¢ 609 ($1.09) for diesel, according to a press release from the Public Services Regulatory Authority (ARESEP).
The latest slash comes as a correction to price increases after Hurricane Ike in mid-September, and will benefit consumers and not affect the finances of (National Oil Refinery) RECOPE, the press release said.
RECOPE had requested a lesser price reduction of ¢24 per liter for super, below ARESEP’s approved ¢35 decrease.
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Monday, November 3rd, 2008
The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of Costa Rica has approved a law which allows the Costa Rica Environment and Energy protection agency (Minae) to stop any real estate development in Costa Rica which puts Costa Rica wildlife, or the environment at risk. News of the new law has real estate developers, investors and local business owners concerned.
Under the new law, real estate development — commercial or residential — can be stopped if someone finds damages to the environment. A request to stop construction can be done by anyone, through the Costa Rica Environment and Energy protection agency (Minae), with signatures of at least 10% of registered voters of the city where the construction in question is located.
Minae would be the entity responsible for convening the popular election to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE).
Real Estate insiders in Costa Rica immediately expressed their opposition to the new law, saying the law can result in numerous investors looking for alternatives to Costa Rica, such as near by Panama.
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Monday, November 3rd, 2008
The Costa Rican government has prohibited a pro-abortion campaign that urges women to use the abortifacient “morning after pill,” according to the Catholic news agency ACI Prensa.
In response, pro-abortion forces within the Costa Rican government began an initiative to legalize the drug, according to local media reports.
ACI Prensa reports that the decision to strike down the campaign came in response to a motion filed by the Association for the Defense of Life (ADEVI) with the Costa Rican authorities, noting that the campaign contradicted the Costa Rican Constitution’s defense of life. (more…)
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