Archive for June 24th, 2009
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
Costa Rica’s main port on its Pacific coast.
Security here and at other ports and airports across the Central American country isn’t tight enough.
And that’s according to the country’s authorities.
They admit this makes Costa Rica attractive to drug smugglers, says the head of the investigations agency:
[Jorge Rojas, OIJ Investigations Agency Director]:
“There is a lack of control at Pavas airport, so people arrive and take advantage of the situation. This is of great help to drug trafficking. It is the same at some ports. The country needs to pay a lot of attention to this topic because every day we see important shipments are made to Central America, Mexico, the United States and Europe.” (more…)
Posted in Costa Rica News | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
A 55-year-old Florida man accused of supplying cocaine and oxycodone pills to mid-level and street-level distributors in Maine has pleaded guilty to federal drug charges.
Michael Mayer, who was extradited to Maine following his arrest last year in Costa Rica, entered his plea Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Bangor.
The guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute the drugs carries a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life imprisonment and a fine of up to $4 million.
As part of the proceedings, Mayer agreed to pay a $2.64 money judgment and forfeit real estate, automobiles, watercraft and personal property in Costa Rica and Colombia.
Posted in Costa Rica News | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
The Costa Rican Health Ministry said on Tuesday that the country has had a total of 209 confirmed cases of A/H1N1 flu, with 30 new cases confirmed since the previous report.
Among the 30 newly-added cases, 20 were confirmed on Monday, said Health Minister Maria Luisa Avila.
So far the country has detected 2,904 possible flu cases, with 2,520 dismissed after lab tests and 162 still being tested.
Some 75 percent of the infections involved patients under age 30, while there were no obvious differences between patients of different genders, Avila said.
To date, only two out of the country’s seven provinces, namely Limon and Puntarenas, have not reported any flu cases, said the minister.
Posted in Costa Rica News | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
The former first lady of Illinois has lost her chance to be queen of the jungle.
Patti Blagojevich on Tuesday was voted off NBC’s reality series “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!” She lasted through 23 days in the Costa Rican jungle as her husband’s replacement.
Earlier in Tuesday’s show, Blagojevich said one of her favorite moments on the series came when she was tossed into a river and made her own way out. She says another was when she spoke to her family over the Internet.
A judge barred ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich from participating in the show. Patti Blagojevich has said she did the show because of her family’s finances.
Posted in Costa Rica News | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
The government of Costa Rica may be down 17.5 percent in revenues this year and amid a global recession, but it is moving forward with plans to raise salaries of teachers, janitors and security guards by 4.88 percent.
The finance minister signed the pay raise alongside the leaders of 13 unions on Thursday, increasing salaries for non-professionals” (or those with less than a high school education) by more than ¢8,700 or $15 a month.
For an entry level security guard who makes ¢182,000 ($318 a month), the raise would boost his salary to ¢190,700 ($332) According to numbers provided by ANDE, security guards are typically granted an annual raise of ¢4,000 ($6.99) per month. (more…)
Posted in Costa Rica News | 1 Comment »
