Thursday, February 26th, 2009
The property news coming out of Costa Rica is by no means a cause for celebration but it is not all gloomy either. Costa Rica still remains among the most popular second home destinations for U.S. citizens. The country has successfully branded itself as a premiere eco-tourism destination and the tourism sector is expected to continue growing. Low cost of living and property taxes still attract adventurous retirees who are looking for cheaper options without too many compromises.
However, the Central American country has not been immune to the global economic crisis and it has been particularly sensitive to the U.S. slowdown. After all, some 60 percent of tourists arriving into the country come from the United States according to ERA-Costa Rica, a global franchiser of residential real estate brokerages. The U.S. also purchases the majority of Costa Rican exports. This makes the country overly sensitive to U.S. economic winds. (more…)
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Thursday, February 26th, 2009
Robert Wilson remembered as ‘decent human being’
Local lawyer Robert Wilson was killed in an apparent swimming accident Wednesday morning while vacationing in Costa Rica.
Wilson, 60, was in the Central American country with his wife, Margaret, said Ontario Court Justice Charles Anderson, a longtime friend and former partner.
Wilson, who was staying at Jaco Beach, had gone out for “just a last splash” when he was suddenly tunnelled over by a large wave, said Anderson. The wave knocked him down and he apparently hit his head against a rock and drowned.
An emotional Anderson was preparing to fly out to Costa Rica Thursday with his wife to help Wilson’s family.
Staff at the Canadian Embassy in Costa Rica referred media calls to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa.
Foreign Affairs spokesman Emma Welford confirmed that consular officials in Costa Rica were dealing with the apparent drowning of a Canadian citizen and providing support to the family, but could not disclose any further information because of the Privacy Act.
Anderson and Wilson went to school together at Queen’s University, quickly became friends and decided to open a practice together while articling at separate firms in Ottawa.
The judge said he learned of the tragedy near the end of his day’s list in Kemptville court and had to stop for the day.
“I couldn’t do it.”
When they started out, Wilson wanted to focus on real estate while Anderson went into litigation, so the two were a good fit, Anderson said.
The pair opened the Brockville firm in 1975 and worked together for 15 years until Anderson was appointed a judge.
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Thursday, February 26th, 2009
Telecommunications companies looking to compete with the state telecom ICE will get their permits in May or June and then have a year to set up shop in Costa Rica.
A total of nine companies are interested in offering telephone and internet services in an open market in Costa Rica, among them are Worldcomm, Amnet, Ticom, R&H international telecom and Intertel worldwide.
All have applied to the Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (Sutel), the newly created telecommunications regulator. (more…)
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Thursday, February 26th, 2009
When Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced in July 2007 that his government would make re-engagement with the countries of the Americas a priority, Luis Kalaff, deputy head of mission at the Embassy of the Dominican Republic, rejoiced.
“It’s a big deal, I think it’s very important,” Mr. Kalaff says. “We can see [already] how Canada takes more time on our country.”
After four and a half years at the embassy in Ottawa, Mr. Kalaff is departing next month to become deputy head of mission at the Dominican Embassy in Costa Rica. He arrived in Ottawa back in November 2004, when Liberal Paul Martin was prime minister. (more…)
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