Archive for February 1st, 2010
Monday, February 1st, 2010
The new San José-Caldera highway failed to live up to its promise Sunday when a flood of drivers jammed toll stations and paralyzed traffic.
Sunday was another nightmare for the thousands headed for the Pacific coast using the new San José – Caldera highway, as the traffic jams on the new road began at Piedades de Santa Ana ramp. Although the new road promised a trip to Pacific coast in less than an hour, such was not the case Saturday and Sunday.
Some of the reasons explaining the traffic nightmare combines the thousands of curious with wanting to drive on a road that took more than 30 years to make a reality, the inexperience of the toll booth collectors who were slow to make change, causing back ups at toll stations like Atenas and Guacima and the slow poke drivers, who continue to insist on driving at 45 kph when the speed limit is 80 kph.
Officials of the Autopistas del Sol, the company that privately operates the road under a concession agreement with the government, admit that the number of users this weekend exceed expectations.
The worst congestion was between Escobal and Atenas. Most of this stretch of road is only two lanes – one in each direction – and the toll operators at Atenas are new.
The congestion raised the question of why the road was only two lanes when four lanes had been promised before the concession contract and the high cost of tolls when the trip is no better that going over the Desmonte (Aguacate) or Cambronero to get to the Pacific coast.
As to the tolls, questions again are why charge ¢490 instead of ¢500, when the latter would make it easier for making change and thus reduce congestion at the toll stations.
Some drivers were miffed at the Atenas stations as toll managers decided to allow traffic to use the “quick pass” lane to ease congestion, forcing those few who have the quick pass to line up as well.
Autopistas de Sol officials say this weekend was an “exception”, a situation experienced by many new highways around the world and that the situation will normalize itself with an expected 10.000 or so vehicles daily using the highway.
The number of vehicles using the highway over the weekend was estimated at 25.000 per day.
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Monday, February 1st, 2010
In May 2008 it became mandatory that the persons blood type be included on the drivers license. However, due to protocol and security, doctors do not base their decision on that information when it comes to a blood transfusion.
Furthermore, the Colegio de Médicos (College of Physicians) recommends removing the requirement all together.
On may 10, 2008, any person obtaining a drivers license for the first time or renewing their license is required to provide their blood type test, which is prominently printed on the drivers license, adding between ¢3.500 and ¢8.000 colones to the cost of obtaining or renewing a drivers license.
According to the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT), a total of 107.388 drivers who obtained their drivers license for the first time and 322.741 who renewed their license were required to provide their blood type.
Roulán Jiménez, president of the Colegio de Médicos, is clear that the blood type on the drivers license has no benefit, other than to generate fees for doctors providing exams and an added expense for drivers.
“In the event a person is taken to a hospital, absolutely no one will give you a drop of bolod without doing a blood test first”, Dr. Jiménez told the La Nación in an interview.
“If a patient needs 100 transfusions of blood, they will be submitted to 100 blood tests”, the doctor affirmed.
The requirement of the blood type is based on article 77 of the Ley de Tránsito passed in 1993, but it wasn’t until 2008 that was made mandatory.
Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) officials say they are unaware of the ineffectiveness of the requirements, but nonetheless are obligated to uphold the law.
Hugo Jiménez, director of Educación Vial for the MOPT, said “useful or not we have to respect a mandate by the Constitutional Court”.
Legislators tothe reforms of the Ley de Tránsito that was approved in November 2008 and whose full effect will be on March 1 this year, just changed the number of the article mandating the blood type test.
However, that could change, as legislators are being asked to review a series of changes to the reforms before they go into effect.
In the meantime, the blood test requirement stands.
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Monday, February 1st, 2010
Multinational to exhibit programmes aimed at reducing group’s environmental footprint at Fruit Logistica 2010
Dole Europe has announced that it will use Fruit Logistica 2010 to present programmes that the group has developed with the aim of reducing its overall environmental footprint.
“Respecting the planet is a priority for Dole in every area where its activities are deployed,” said Dole Europe president Jean-Christophe Juilliard.
Dole’s carbon footprint is one of the main areas of focus, with Fruit Logistica 2010 representing an opportunity to provide an update on Dole’s programmes aimed at measuring, reducing and offsetting the company’s greenhouse gas emissions.
One such programme saw Dole sign an agreement with the Ministry of Environment of Costa Rica in 2007, working together on a project aimed at establishing a carbon neutral product supply chain for pineapples and bananas from production in the country to the North American and European markets. (more…)
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Monday, February 1st, 2010
Costa Rica beat Canada in the third-place match of the CONCACAF qualifying competition in Guatemala on Saturday to book their place as the third and final participant from the region at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Germany. Costa Rica join the USA, who finished first in the region later on Sunday, and runner’s up Mexico at the finals.
The Costa Ricans – who lost to the USA in their semi-final match last week – got the better of Canada in Guatemala City, the only goal of the 1-0 affair coming in the 19th minute from a Katherine Alvarado free-kick that Canuck goalkeeper Cynthia LeBlanc misjudged completely. The win means the Costa Ricans will be travelling to a U-20 women’s showpiece for the first time this July.
The representatives from Europe are already known with England, France, Sweden and Switzerland qualified from UEFA. Asia will be sending Japan and the two Koreas, while New Zealand will represent Oceania and Germany participate automatically as hosts. The regional qualifying competitions for Africa and South America will both take place in February and send two teams each to round out the final field of 16.
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