Archive for April 14th, 2009
Tuesday, April 14th, 2009
The International Monetary Fund said Monday it approved a $735 million stand-by loan arrangement for Costa Rica, which the authorities plan to treat as precautionary and draw on only if needed.
The IMF said Costa Rica’s economic fundamentals are “solid” but the global financial and economic turmoil has increased risks for the economy in 2009 and 2010.
Access to IMF financing will boost Costa Rica’s foreign currency buffers and protect the economy from possibly larger-than-expected balance of payments shocks. (more…)
Posted in Costa Rica News | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 14th, 2009
Costa Rica could have a second Nobel Peace Prize winner, this time it could be by former legislator for the Partido Integración Nacional (PIN), Dr. Walter Muñoz, being recognized by the Nobel Foundation for his work to better health for disadvantaged groups.
Each year the respective Nobel Committees send individual invitations to thousands of members of academies, university professors, scientists from numerous countries, previous Nobel Laureates, members of parliamentary assemblies and others, asking them to submit candidates for the Nobel Prizes for the coming year. These nominators are chosen in such a way that as many countries and universities as possible are represented over time.
205 names were submitted for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, 33 of which are organizations.
This is not the first time that Muñoz is connected to the Nobel Peace Prize, being a member of the board of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War that was awarded the Nobel Peace Price in 1985.
In 1987, Oscar Arias Sánchez was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace for his Central American peace plan, efforts which led to the accord signed in Guatemala.
Posted in Costa Rica News | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 14th, 2009
The Costa Rican government plans on collecting taxes from 388 businesses that pollute rivers with sewage water this year and will use the money to improve water treatment systems throughout the country.
The tax will vary depending on the level of pollution and is different for businesses and homes, according to the daily La Nación newspaper.
The Costa Rican government hopes to collect roughly $8 million at the end of this year with the tax, much of which will be used to construct sewage and waste water treatment systems.
Close to 60 percent of the money made will go to improving waste water systems, roughly 20 percent will go toward monitoring existing points of pollution, around 15 percent will go the promotion of environmentally-friendly systems and 5 percent will go to environmental education.
According to José Miguel Zeledón, the director of the water department of the Environment, Energy and Telecommunications Ministry, this plan will benefit towns that don’t have a suitable system for their liquid waste.
Posted in Costa Rica News | No Comments »
