Archive for August 31st, 2009
Monday, August 31st, 2009
The Juan Santamaría International (San José) airport has been certified by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the United States as a “secure” airport.
The TSA was created following the September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Centre iN New York to protect the US’s transportation systems.
“There is merit to the Seguridad Pública authorities, who have been involved in training staff through Curso Básico de Seguridad Aeroportuaria (Airport Security Basic Course), and choose qualified staff,” said the head of the Policía Aeroportuaria (Airport Police), Glen Pacheco.
viceministro de Seguridad, Oldemar Madrigal, added that it was good to see that implementing measures bearing fruit.
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Monday, August 31st, 2009
The Instituto Costarricense de Electridicad (ICE) assures that there will be no black outs due to the lack of rain this rainy season. ICE president, Pedro Pablo Quirós, that the state institution will not have any problems with supplying the electrical needs of the country.
Quirós said that the institution has the financial resources to continue generating electricity, resorting to bunker and diesel fuel generators, as the heavy downpours this year have been minimal.
ICE counts on the heavy rain for hydro electric generation during the rainy season. However, this year, August has been a practically dry month in compared to past years.
Francisco Garro, director of the Demanda Eléctrica del ICE, assured that the rate decrease that takes effect on Setpember 1, will not affect electrical generation.
The Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN) – national weather service – explains that the lack of rain this season, especially in the Central Valley, is due to the effects of the El Niño.
September and October are traditionally months with heavy downpours. However for this year the IMN is predicting ligther than normal precipitations.
Evelyn Quirós, an IMN meteorologist, Costa Rica has had one of the most severe, intense and prolonged heat waves.
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Monday, August 31st, 2009
It is best take a close look at bank charges, especially when using automated teller machines (ATM’s) of competing banks, as the charges could be as much as us$3 for each transaction. The charge and the amount also depends if a debit or credit card is used to make a withdrawl.
The banks defend that the high cost is due to commissions charged by competing banks and operators of the ATMs.
In Costa Rica there are several networks providing ATMs, the state banks Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) and Banco Nacional (BN), for instance have their own separate networks. The private banks generally fall into two groups, the ones using the “Red Total” operated by the BAC San José and ATH, which connects a number of major private banks like HSBC, Citibank and Scotiabank.
Each network has their own set of guidelines for charges of use by their customers and different for customers using competing plastic. (more…)
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Monday, August 31st, 2009
It’s been nearly three weeks since the search began in Costa Rica for a missing doctoral student from Chicago. On Sunday, the Red Cross ended its rescue efforts, at least temporarily.
On Aug. 11, 28-year-old David Gimelfarb set out for a solo trek through dense Rincon de Vieja National Park, a popular location. His SUV was found by park rangers. Authorities do not suspect foul play.
Roma and Luda Gimelfarb of Highland Park are in the Central American country helping in the search for their son. They saw rescue teams come and go. For several days, the British organization ResQglobal had a team assisting in the effort, but the group pulled out over a week ago.
According to a Facebook page dedicated to Gimelfarb’s rescue, his parents have now hired a group of about 40 local people familiar with the terrain to continue the search.
Park rangers also are assisting in the search.
Friends at Adler School of Professional Psychology, where Gimelfarb is a doctoral student, set up the Facebook page; it now has 2,100 members.
On Sunday morning, Gimelfarb’s mother said on Facebook that “it is not time to give up hope. We must keep looking for David.”
To raise funds to help in the search-and-rescue mission Gimelfarb’s friends are holding a benefit at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Dollop, 4181 N. Clarendon. The open-mike event is a tribute to Gimelfarb’s love of the arts, writes his friend Chris Shaw on Facebook.
“David draws, writes poetry and silly songs,” Shaw says. “And Dollop is one of his favorite hangouts in Chicago.”
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Monday, August 31st, 2009
Costa Rica May Introduce Bill to Tax Online Gambling This Week
According to the Tico Times and other sources, EOG has learned that the Finance Ministry is planning to introduce a bill that would tax online gambling entrepreneurs who reside in Costa Rica.
The bill is scheduled to reach the Legislative Assembly this week and a vote will be forthcoming in the middle of August.
For so many years, online sports betting has been unregulated and untaxed in Costa Rica, making this country the mecca of online gambling worldwide.
If gambling is taxed in Costa Rica, upwards of over 100 million dollars is expected to be generated.
“The principal idea of the bill is to regulate activity. “Gambling is something that we are currently not monitoring and, thus, not taking advantage of. If we can regulate it, it could create millions more dollars for the economy.”
The largest and most established sports betting operation in Costa Rica in terms of bet sizes taken, BetCRIS, Chief Executive Officer, Mickey Richardson, said, “They (The Costa Rican Government) needs to understand our business and the consequences before passing such a law,” “Hopefully nothing will happen. I think they would ask for our input and then we might be more supportive.” It is estimated that the online gambling industry employs as many as 10,000 or more people both directly and indirectly in the nation. “The industry pays above average salaries and contributes substantially to household incomes,” Richardson said.
Although some prominent online gambling businesses have hinted at leaving and heading to Panama if such a bill gets passed, it remains to be seen.
It has been my experience that change occurs slowly in Costa Rica, so although a bill may be introduced next week, it may takes years before we see it executed.
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Monday, August 31st, 2009
President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica has joined the trend in Latin America of calling for a new constitution that would expand executive powers and get rid of “unnecessary checks” on the president’s authority. Although Arias has less than 9 months left in office and can’t run for reelection, his brother and current minister of the presidency — a primer minister of sorts — has openly said he’s interested in running for president in 2014. A new constitution with expanded executive powers would fit him just fine.
Arias’ call has been received with broad skepticism. La Nación, Costa Rica’s leading newspaper, said that trying to make the government more efficient through a constitutional convention was like “killing a mouse with cannon fire.” The newspaper also said that the idea of dismantling the checks and balances on executive power sounds like an effort to create an “imperial presidency.” Maybe we should send our colleague Gene Healy to study the case.
However, the most disturbing aspect of Arias’ call was his harsh criticism of the media. Borrowing from the script of Rafael Correa in Ecuador and Hugo Chávez in Venezuela, Arias described news outlets as “corporations interested in making a profit” that don’t necessarily pursue the “public good.” He asked the media to “tone down” its criticism of government officials, and said that journalists “should understand their role within a higher framework.” He complained that news outlets claim to represent the public interest, without any control or accountability.
That a politician with a thin skin complains about media criticism is hardly news. However, the fact that Arias did it while calling for a new constitution that would change the institutional and legal framework of Costa Rica (including the role of the media) should be interpreted as a threat to freedom of the press.
Most people outside Costa Rica see Arias as an accomplished democrat who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to bring peace to Central America during the 1980s. Most recently he attempted to mediate the conflict in Honduras after Manuel Zelaya was (legally) removed from office. However, many people in Costa Rica fret about what they perceive as an increasingly controlling style of governing by Arias and his brother, intimidating the media, bullying the opposition, crowding key government posts with allies and cronies, and now hoping for a dynastical succession in 2014.
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Monday, August 31st, 2009
We’ve all heard stories about tourists who fall in love with Costa Rica and rush to buy property during their one-week vacation. While many find what they seek, others are disappointed with their hasty decisions. They didn’t know about some common-sense “how-to’s” that would have made their experiences more satisfying.
Costa Rica rightfully ranks high as a favorite place for foreigners to live, vacation and invest. The dream of owning land and building a home continues to lure buyers from the United States, Canada and Europe. They are attracted to Costa Rica’s lush tropical environment, laid-back lifestyle, political stability, warm people and economic growth. In an uncertain world, Costa Rica likely will remain – and even strengthen – as one of the world’s top real estate values and most livable countries.
What makes the difference between heartache and satisfaction in the property-buying process? Many factors are involved, with time and patience as the common denominators. My advice is, take your time to gather information and compare properties. Tempting though it may be, don’t rush into any purchases without all the information. (more…)
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