Archive for November 26th, 2009
Thursday, November 26th, 2009
If the national soccer team, La Sele, were to adopt the work rate of the Chinese builders responsible for building its new National Stadium, the next World Cup would be well within reach.
Under construction for just eight months, the 35,000-seat stadium, at La Sabana Park in western San José, is nearing 50 percent completion, and looks well on course to meet its February 2011 finish date.
After much deliberation, Osvaldo Pandolfo, vice minister for sports, announced this week that the pitch would be natural grass, as opposed to the synthetic type that is becoming more commonly used throughout the country.
“It has been decided that a natural grass field, as opposed to a synthetic one, would be more practical,” Pandolfo told reporters Tuesday. “Not only is it some $400,000 cheaper, but it would suit a wider range of athletes.”
The sports official also suggested grass is considered safer than artificial turf.
He added, “What’s more, the best stadiums in the world have grass pitches.”
While the details of the inauguration ceremony in 2011 are yet to be finalized, a match between the Costa Rican and Chinese national soccer teams is expected to be part of the week-long ceremony.
Built by an 800-strong army of Chinese workers brought to Costa Rica by the contractor, Annuli Foreign Economic Construction (AFEC), the new state-of-the-art stadium will boast an electronic retractable roof, shops, an athletics track, a giant screen, 17 table tennis tables and a mini-museum.
Construction of the multi-purpose stadium, financed by the Chinese government at an estimated cost of $60 million, was part of a business agreement signed by President Oscar Arias and Chinese President Hun Junta, during Arias’ first visit to the Asian country in October 2007.
Chinese Ambassador to Costa Rica Wang Xiao Yuan said, “While the stadium has been built to last, we hope our growing friendship with Costa Rica, will outlive even the stadium.”
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Thursday, November 26th, 2009
The front-runner in Costa Rica’s 2010 presidential vote promises to combat drug trafficking and reduce violence and crime, if she replaces President Oscar Arias. Rising crime is a top concern for voters.
Another candidate from the National Liberation Party plans to improve coordination and provide social programs to keep youngsters off the streets.
Laura Chinchilla, National Liberation Party Candidate:
“Most of the violence affecting Costa Rica is related to drug trafficking gangs hitting all of Latin America. During the second quarter, we need to have better coordination among judges and prosecutors to reduce impunity.”
Chinchilla is aiming to leverage her experience as Public Security Minister to gain voter support. She also hopes to seal free trade deals with China, the European Union and Singapore.
Costa Rica is expected to conclude a sixth and final round of free trade negotiations with China just after the February 7th election. Two years ago, the country ended 60-year diplomatic ties with Taiwan, in order to curry favor with the Mainland’s communist regime.
Otton Solis from the Citizens Action Party trails Chinchilla by 18 percent. He was a three-time presidential candidate who Arias defeated in a contested runoff vote in 2006.
Otton Solis, Citizens Action Party:
“Costa Rica believed that by signing legal documents and free trade agreements this would automatically happen. We think we must invest in education to form a productive work force, invest in science and technology and depoliticize the state and make it more effective.”
Two years ago, Costa Ricans narrowly approved the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the U.S. in a bitterly fought referendum. Costa Rica was the last signatory to ratify the accord. Some sectors worry about a flood of cheap manufacture products into the the Central American nation’s tiny economy.
Chinchilla needs at least 40 percent of the vote to avoid a second-round runoff, which would be held in early April. Consecutive term limits bar Arias, who won the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize, from running in this election.
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Thursday, November 26th, 2009
Turkish and Costa Rican leaders said Wednesday the two countries intend to sign a free trade agreement to boost bilateral economic relations and also enhance political ties, Turkish media reported.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul told a joint press conference with his Costa Rican counterpart Oscar Arias that Turkey wants to sign a free trade agreement soon with Costa Rica, which has a sound economy with increasing foreign investment, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
Gul said Turkey has seen great improvement in economic, political, military and cultural ties with Latin American countries “as part of its multidimensional and comprehensive foreign policy,” according to the report.
It said the two countries have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a political consultation mechanism between their foreign ministries.
Arias said he was happy to talk about a free trade agreement with Turkey, noting that his country plans to open an embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara in 2011.
Arias, who is in Turkey this week for a visit upon an invitation by Gul, is the first Costa Rican president to pay an official visit to Turkey. He will conclude his visit on Thursday.
Costa Rica’s Arias awarded honorary doctorate in Turkey
A Turkish university honored Costa Rica’s President Oscar Arias with an honorary doctorate on Friday.
Istanbul’s Bahcesehir University decorated Arias with honorary doctorate for his contributions to peace.
The Costa Rican president received the title at a ceremony during his formal visit to Turkey at the invitation of Turkish President Abdullah Gul.
Arias told the ceremony that nearly 1.5 trillion USD was paid globally for armament every year instead of education and health, adding that his country abolished its army and allocated military funds for education and health services.
He also urged people to elect leaders who could see real needs of their countries.
Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his contributions to lasting peace in Central America. He has received honorary doctorate titles from almost 50 universities including Harvard and Princeton.
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Thursday, November 26th, 2009
Despite every negative thing that has been mentioned about Costa Rica and its good atmosphere for expats and foreign investors, foreigners still choose to stay here and make their investments because of the belief that, by far, Costa Rica remains to be one of the best retirement destinations in the region.
Fortunately, the Costa Rican government, through its ministries and financial institutions, remain to be pro-American. This means that there will be no socialist leader advocating for the demise of the USA while nationalizing most corporations currently in private hands. This makes the Costa Rican business market favorable for most expats and investors.
Furthermore, the Costa Rican government has long aimed to attract hi-tech corporations in the country through the promotion of its highly educated and computer-literate workforce. A modern production infrastructure that is currently being created is also a plus point. Right now, we are seeing a transition from an economy dependent on agricultural goods to an economy that is service-oriented.
No wonder Costa Rica has already gained the nickname “Silicon Valley of Latin America” after companies like Acer, Microsoft, GE, Abbot Laboratories, and Intel Corporation decided to make huge investments here, both financially and physically, with the establishment of some of their production and distribution facilities set up here.
Costa Rica is one of the proponents of continental free trade, and it has every right to do so after making sure that its local economic and political atmosphere are stable and consistent. Costa Rica is creating a competitive advantage for itself, and the world’s financial authorities are not too slow to not notice this.
All this and a lot more reasons make the country undoubtedly a good place to make an investment in.
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Thursday, November 26th, 2009
Thanksgiving Day in the United States is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. The custom of celebrating the harvest goes back to ancient times and remains a widespread custom.
Thanksgiving Day commemorates the celebration held in 1621 after the first harvest by the Plymouth Colony. The Pilgrims who traveled from England on the Mayflower landed on December 21, 1620. The harsh winter claimed about half their number. The local Wampanoag Indians, who were friendly to the newcomers, furnished seeds and taught them how to plant corn. The corn and the crops grown from the seeds they had brought with them produced a bountiful harvest. Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day to celebrate the harvest. The celebration brought together the colonists and the Indians, who were led by their chief Massasoit. The colonists provided water fowl, wild turkey and fish. The Indians contributed deer to the feast.
The tradition of observing a day of thanksgiving spread throughout the colonies, but was celebrated on different dates.
In 1789 President George Washington proclaimed a National Thanksgiving Day in honor of the new United States Constitution.
In 1846 Sarah Josepha Hale, the editor of a magazine called Godey’s Lady’s Book, began a campaign to have the last Thursday in November designated as a national Thanksgiving Day. Her campaign resulted in victory in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln decided that the national Thanksgiving Day would be held on the last Thursday in November.
In 1941 Congress named the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day, which is not always the last Thursday in November.
Today Thanksgiving Day is a time for family and friends to come together to count their blessings by sharing an elaborate meal including turkey and pumpkin pie, to watch parades and football games and to get ready to begin their Christmas shopping.
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