Archive for August 4th, 2009
Tuesday, August 4th, 2009
Following news over the past two weeks that the Government of Costa Rica is considering taxing online gambling firms operating in that country, operators have said they would leave if push comes to shove.
On Tuesday, July 21, Finance Minister Guillermo Zúñiga announced that the Finance Ministry will introduce a bill in the Legislative Assembly to impose a special 2 percent tax on gambling revenues – online and offline – earned in Costa Rica, according to the Tico Times. The bill is set to reach the Legislative Assembly on Monday, Aug. 3, and a vote on its approval is expected to be held sometime in mid-August.
The Finance Ministry estimates that the proposed 2 percent tax will generate $85 million in government income.
“The principal idea of the bill is to regulate activity,” Zúñiga said. “Gambling is something that we are currently not monitoring and, thus, not taking advantage of. If we can regulate it, it could create millions of dollars for the economy.”
But those numbers are unrealistic should much of the online gambling sector bolt. Costa Rica’s land-based casinos generate very little revenues in comparison.
“They (The Costa Rican Government) needs to understand our business and the consequences before passing such a law,” said Mickey Richardson, CEO of BetCRIS.com, the largest and most established sports betting operation in Costa Rica in terms of bet sizes taken. “Hopefully nothing will happen. I think they would ask for our input and then we might be more supportive.” (more…)
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2009
Perhaps one of the important change in the “nueva ley migratoria” (new immigration law) is the closure of the loophole that allows foreigners to marry with a Costa Rican to obtain residency and remain in the country legally, even though they do not know their spouse, other than a name and photo of a cedula provided to them by the lawyer or notary who arranged the marriage of convenience.
The loophole, according to immigration authorities, has been used by organized groups to set roots in the country or used in the trafficking of persons, who mostly end up in prostitution or criminal activities.
Currently, since the new immigration law has only been passed in first debate more more than a week ago, any foreigner can enter into a marriage contract with a Costa Rican, who by way of a lawyer or notary files the document with the Registro Civil and then makes an application to the immigration service for residency.
The marriage, even though immigration officials know well is one of convenience and that the two parties do not know each other, are prohibited from investigating and denying residency. (more…)
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2009
Several towns and districts outside the Costa Rican capital will be without drinking water Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are: Mora, Santa Ana, Alajuelita, Desamparados, Ciudad Colón, Piedades, Río Oro, San Marcos, Lindora, Forum, Pozos, San Felipe, San Josecito, Concepción and San Rafael Abajo de Desamparados, Bello Horizonte, San Antonio and Bebedero in Escazú.
According to the Costa Rican Water and Sewer Institute (AyA), the National Power and Light Company will conduct electrical work that will shut off electricity in the sections of San Rafael of Alajuela, northwest of San José, and Calle Potrerillos. AyA has water pumps in the area and, due to the electrical work, much of the greater metropolitan area will be without drinking water from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“If we do not have electricity, our teams cannot pump water to the systems that depend on us,” said Guillermo Arce, general manager of AyA. “This means we cannot provide service to the thousands of Costa Ricans that live in the western sector of San José.”
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2009
The PacSun USA Surf Team continued its dominance through day two of competition at the 2009 Billabong ISA World Surfing Games. Five of the six USA athletes won their heats again, while Sage Erickson advanced in the Qualifying Round with a second place finish in her heat.Again, the heat radiated intensely throughout the day, while the crowd of spectators who visited the contest site on the narrow black sand beach swelled to well over twenty thousand.
Both Cory Lopez and Nat Young broke their boards during their victorious heats as the hollow set waves at Playa Hermosa provided a fun and power-packed playground for flaunting their huge floaters and robust maneuvers.
Austin Ware and Ben Bourgeois both had tight, challenging heats. Austin, sitting in third through most of his heat, fought his way back through two intense paddle battles late in the contest to claim the win and advance to the next round.
The PacSun USA Surf Team heads into day three with only the Men surfing between 8:00 and 10:00 am. The remainder of the day will consist of repercharge heats for both men and women divisions. This will give the team a chance to have a quiet afternoon off and re-energize for the heightened intensity of the later rounds.
The Longboard Division is slated to begin on Wednesday, August 5th. The PacSun USA Surf Team longboarders are Tony Silvagni and Steven Newton. .
“I’m pleased with the effort so far,” said Ian Cairns, PacSun USA Surf Team Coach. “The Team is staying focused and we’re positioned well with everyone still in the Qualifying Rounds. Where mistakes have been made, the Team is learning from them. Some of our guys got behind in their heats and had to fight their way back. It’s good to see them bringing that passion and intensity forward as we move toward the later rounds.”
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