Archive for October, 2009
Friday, October 23rd, 2009
Zelaya rejects new offer from Honduras coup gov’t
Ousted President Manuel Zelaya on Thursday rejected a new settlement proposal from Honduras’ interim government and said the only way to resolve the country’s political standoff is to reinstate him.
Zelaya being returned to power “is our last proposal,” said Victor Meza, one of Zelaya’s negotiators, who added that his delegation had set a midnight deadline to get an answer.
“If we don’t get it, we will consider the dialogue has ended,” he said.
Micheletti’s delegation answered that they would have an answer by Friday morning, further angering Zelaya’s side.
“When we say today, they say tomorrow. When we say tomorrow, they say the day after tomorrow. It’s a game of delay,” Meza said.
The latest plan proposed by representatives of interim President Roberto Micheletti would permit the two factions to consult whichever branch of government they wished to decide if Zelaya should be restored to office. The coup-installed government didn’t explain how they might resolve the dispute.
Negotiations hit an impasse last week after the delegations failed to agree on who should decide whether Zelaya can resume his post and serve out his term, which ends in January.
Micheletti wants the decision to be made by the Supreme Court, the body that initially ordered Zelaya’s arrest before his ouster June 28 over his attempt to hold a referendum on changing the constitution. The court, which had ruled the referendum illegal, has said Zelaya should not be allowed to return to office.
Zelaya says Congress should make the decision, even though he currently enjoys the support of only about a fifth of the legislators.
The interim government previously has said the crisis would best be resolved by the presidential election scheduled for Nov. 29.
Several international governments, including the United States, have indicated they would not accept the results of a ballot held by the interim government.
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Friday, October 23rd, 2009
Some 150 followers of ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya blocked on Thursday morning a street in the north of Tegucigalpa, to protests against the obstructions of the negotiations aimed to restore Zelaya in charge.
“Zelaya’s supporters went to Norte Boulevard, without producing disturbs and under police vigilance,” Police sheriff Miguel Perez told the press.
“The police set a security operative for the followers of the former president (Zelaya) could protest without generating chaos,” Perez, in charge of the police operative said.
“There is not any kind of restriction; the police only is establishing a security operative, for them (the protestors) and for the people transiting this zone,” Perez said.
The protest was carried after the negotiations, between Zelaya’s delegation and the de facto government, to restitute Zelaya in power were suspended on Monday.
On Wednesday, Honduran police announced restrictions on protests in an effort to quell rallies in favor of Zelaya. They said that protests must be authorized by the government 24 hours in advance.
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Friday, October 23rd, 2009
An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale shook the border area between Panama and Costa Rica late Wednesday without causing serious damage, Panamanian authorities confirmed.
The epicentre of the quake was in Panama’s southern Pacific coast, 10 kilometres below the ground.
Many people poured onto the streets in panic, but no one was reported hurt.
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Friday, October 23rd, 2009
The bandstand in Parque Morazán will be getting a rosy glow tonight as a reminder to women to conduct self-examinations for breast cancer.
The structure, formally known as the Templo de la Musica, will be bathed in pink lights, as part of the current Campaña de Prevención contra el Cáncer de Mama: Aprendo por mi Vida.
The display is a joint project of the Municipalidad de San José, the AVON company and the Compañía Nacional de Fuerza y Luz.
Story By A.M. Costa Rica
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Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
The dockworkers strike that began Tuesday in Costa Rica has shut down the port of Limón, preventing cruise ships from visiting the country.
At least one cruiseliner, the Zuiderdam operated by Holland America Line, with 1.900 passengers has been turned away.
More cruisliners will be affected by the strike of the workers of the Junta de Administración Portuaria y
Desarrollo Económica de la Vertiente Atlántica (JAPDEVA) strike for better wages.
According to JAPDEVA’s union, the strike is by a small group of workers and not sanctioned by the union.
This all at a time when the Arias government is trying to attract private investment of us$900 million dollars to modernize the Atlantic port and bring life back to an area that has been abandoned by prior administrations.
The government’s plan is to attract more investment to Limón, making it a major port and a tourist-friendly destination.
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Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
With tears in her eyes on Monday, legislator and vice-president of the Congress, Mauren Ballestero, apologized for her indiscretions in using an airplane of the Ministerio de Seguridad Pública (MSP) for her own personal use the weekend before last to travel from San José to Liberia and back.
However, that was not the first and only time that Ballestero used tax dollars, as MSP records show that she has taken a total of 287 flights, the majority to Liberia, between February 2007 and October 2009.
An investigative team from Telenoticias, local channel 7 news channel, reports that according to information provided by the Departamento de Operaciones de Vigilancia Aérea, the Partido Liberación nacional (PLN) flew at least 28 times on airplanes provided by the MSP, many travelling alone.
Ballestero last week said publicly that she would be asking the Contraloría General de la República for a cost report of her indiscretion on October 11 (see story) so that she could reimburse the government.
However, it has not been confirmed if the legislator has actually asked for the bill.
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Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
The lack of rainfall this rainy season will cost us all as the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) is readying to request an increase in electrical rates as it faces higher expenditures in the generation of electricity to keep the lights on in Costa Rica.
The lack of rainfall in the Central Valley, Pacific and Northern zone also has farmed and ranchers worried, as they are finding it more difficult every day to feed their livestock and sowing their crops.
For ICE, it has had to spend during the last 18 days in excess of ¢3.3 billion colones on fuel purchases used to generate electricity at its thermal plants, while the hydro plants drop in production due to low flow rates and reservoir levels drop to dangerous lows.
Salvador López, del Centro de Control de Energía del ICE assures that there won’t be any blackouts or rationing this year as in 2007, but that will come at high price and as such ICE will soon be asking the Autoridad Reguladora de Servicios Públicos (ARESEP) for an increase to offset the higher costs this year.
The ARESEP is the same regulating body that sanctioned ICE this week ¢1.5 billion colones for overcharging with its 900 telephone service
“There is a serious shortage of rainfall due to El Niño, in fact in the month of October there was a deficit of 12% in the Central Valley,” said meteorologist Max Mena.
The meteriologist added that the effect of El Niño could affect Costa Rica until next March.
Salvador López of ICE said that the state power utility will need greater budgetary requirements and for that it will need to seek a rate increase to offset the increased costs.
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Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
Following a drop of almost ¢15 colones in the past week, the dollar gained a few colones yesterday, as the Banco Central de Costa Rica (BCCR) – Central Bank – stopped the decline in the exchange rate.
The buy rate this morning is ¢570.03, up from the low of ¢567.01 on Tuesday, and the sell rate of ¢579.43, up from the low Tuesday of ¢576.74.
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Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
Costa Rican authorities say they have granted refugee status to a former Venezuelan state governor who broke with President Hugo Chavez and faces what he describes as politically motivated corruption charges in his home country.
Immigration service spokesman Allen Ulloa says refugee status has been given to Eduardo Manuitt, but he is giving no details because such cases are confidential.
Manuitt is a former ally of Chavez. Several Venezuelan political figures have faced charges after breaking with the leftist leader.
Prosecutors accuse him of pocketing government funds a decade ago during his tenure as governor of central Guarico state.
Ulloa said Wednesday the status had been granted as of Oct. 13.
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Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
An unorganized area of low pressure in the Southwestern Caribbean Sea is producing heavy rains over Costa Rica. According to the National Hurricane Center the chance of this system developing into a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours is less than thirty percent. This is still an area of concern however, because water temperatures are warm in this region and if the disturbance becomes more organized the warm water could serve as fuel for intensification. There are currently no indications of a low level circulation, but if this system does develop it will have a great deal of energy to work with. The CBS4 Storm Team will continue to monitor the disturbance for the next couple of days.
Whether the system develops or not, torrential rains will continue over Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras. Heavy flooding and mudslides are possible.
The 2009 Atlantic hurricane season which runs through November 30th has been relatively quiet. So far this year we’ve had 8 named storms, two of which developed into hurricanes. This is a far contrast from 2008 when we had 16 named storms which produced 8 hurricanes.
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Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
Dr. Orlando Morales is something of a celebrity at Costa Rica’s University of Medical Science, sauntering through the halls in his white lab coat. On a recent walk, students and faculty greeted him with “Feliz cumpleanos, doctor.” He just turned 68.
With the excitement of a young doctor fresh out of medical school, Morales’ eyes light up when he observes the petri dishes that harvest “celulas madre,” or stem cells, from mice.
“It’s practically science fiction,” Morales said of what he considers the medicine’s new miracle worker. Morales is one of the firmest believers around in the power of stem cell treatments.
“After a heart attack, they can begin to make new tissue. In a gland, which for example has to make insulin, the cells begin to create insulin. Nervous tissue, they regenerate it … It’s a panacea,” he said.
An increasing number of foreigners are undergoing stem cell treatment in Costa Rica for ailments from bone fractures to multiple sclerosis. Costa Rican doctors say they are providing these medical tourists with groundbreaking treatments. But stem cell scientists in the U.S. accuse Costa Rica of offering false hope by pushing techniques that have not been scientifically proven. (more…)
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Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
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Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
The pro-animal organization SASY, which stands for Stop Animal Suffering — Yes!, will hold its annual charity auction Nov. 8 from 2 to 6 p.m. The event is designed to raise money for animal welfare programs throughout Costa Rica.
The non-profit organization said it raised more than $40,000 in 2008 and channeled the money to many spay and neutering animal clinics. Tickets are 15,000 colons a person or 25,000 a couple for the auction that will feature 200 high-end luxury items, the organization said. The venue is the InterContinental Hotel in Escazú.
Those interested in attending can call 2249-3722 or e-mail sasyauction09@gmail.com.
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Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
The area known as Paseo de los Estudiantes in downtown San José has been chosen as the site for “Barrio Chino” (Chinatown), in an official ceremony that included Costa Rican president, Oscar Arias, Municipalidad de San José mayor, Johnny Araya and the mayor of Beijing, Guo Jinlong, to place the cornerstone for the project.
Chinatown will include restaurants serving oriental food and retail stores selling oriental artifacts, medication and other products.
The area in the Catedral district between Avenidas 2 an 14, in the area now known as Paseo de los Estudiantes will become Barrio Chino that will include a pedestrian boulevard.
China’s ambassador to Costa Rica, Wang Xiaoyuan, stressed that this is another example of the close ties between China and Costa Rica, who began diplomatic relations in July 2007 after Costa Rica breaking off relations with Taiwan a month earlier.
The government of China will be contributing us$1 million dollars to the project, while the municipalidad de San José will contribute us$300.000 dollars.
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Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
The Autoridad Reguladora de Servicios Públicos (ARESEP) has once again sanctioned the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) for excessive charges, this time for its 900 service.
According to the Aresep, ICE will have to pay ¢305 million colones to Radiomensajes and ¢1.5 billion colones to the Sate for excessive charges to the service that ICE says is not a public service, rather a commercial service and outside the scope of the Aresep.
The sanction stems from ICE’s action of overcharging Radiomensajes that provided business the 900 service line, charging customers ¢700 colones for participating in various contests.
Radiomensajes purchased the infrastructure from ICE which also added the cost of each to call to customer’s monthly bills.
In the deal, ICE would keep 28% of the revenue from the service although the Aresep says the authorized rate for ICE is only 4%.
ICE, as usual, said it will appeal the Aresep decision very closely before making any payments to anyone.
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