Archive for February 22nd, 2010
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
American Airlines plans to expand its international presence in New York with three new routes between John F Kennedy International Airport and San Jose, Costa Rica; Madrid, Spain; and Manchester, England.
The new flights to San Jose will begin on April 6, 2010, while service to Madrid will start on May 1, 2010 and flights to Manchester will begin on May 13, 2010.
The enhanced schedule brings the number of international destinations American serves from New York to 31. American will fly its Boeing 757 aircraft with 16 seats in business class and 166 seats in the coach cabin on the route.
Jim Carter, vice president eastern sales division at American, said: “New Yorkers are international travelers whether for business or leisure travel and we’re excited to add these three great destinations to our schedule. These new flights are perfect additions to our sparkling, state-of-the-art John F Kennedy international airport terminal a major international gateway that provides best-in-class service and amenities for our premium and coach customers from our New York hub.”
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Monday, February 22nd, 2010
The ideal is that drivers adopt a responsible behaviour when they get behind the wheel. But the reality suggests otherwise, according to the director of the Policía de Tránsito, Germán Marín, the country’s top traffic cop.
“We have a situation of road ignorance. We see it every day, dramatic events occur when people drive under the influence of alcohol and committing other actions that many drivers do not consider important”, Marín said in a recent interview with the daily Al Día.
“Responsible drivers do not care if there is a traffic officer nearby or that the fines are too high”, said Marín.
The new Ley de Tránsito that goes into effect on March 1, 2010, has many up in arms that the fines are too high and that the penalties for drinking and reckless driving are too harsh.
Although legislators are currently discussing reducing the fines called for in the legislation that was passed in 2008 and postponed its implementation to September 2009 and then March 2010, the new law will certainly change the way drivers in Costa Rica take to the road.
For his part, Marín is confident that people are ready to assume the consequences of the new rules of the road.
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Monday, February 22nd, 2010
The Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) is getting aggressive in attracting new mortgage customer and is now lending up to 100% of the value.
The program allows home buyers with no down payment, but have the ability to make the payments, to now make that important purchase in their life.
The BCR will lend on mortgages in dollars or in colones for terms of up to 25 and 30 years, respectively.
Interest rates can be on a fixed term or variable.
The loans are open to all Costa Ricans and foreigners alike who are current with their immigration status (legal residency) and have been working for the same employer for more than a year or can show sufficient income to service the debt.
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Monday, February 22nd, 2010
The last few years has not been a good time for municipal mayors, the corrupt ones at least, as the Ministerio Público has been active in investigating complaints of corruption in municipal offices since 2007. A total of ten municipal mayors are currently facing judicial problems, all related to acts of corruption while in office.
The most common practice of corruption is “peculado”(embezzlemen), where local leaders put their hands in the municipal coffers, followed by “cohecho” (bribery) as some form of payment is taken for favours and the act of making contracts contrary to the good of the municipality, among many other acts of irregularities.
Of the ten mayors, two have already gone to trial and convicted, as the case of the mayors of Aserrí and San Carlos; the mayor of Talamanca is still in detention; and the mayors of Santa Cruz and Liberia in Guanacaste were arrested and released on bail, as the case of the mayor of Limón.
Meanwhile, the mayors of Siquirres, Guatuso, Alajueala and Carillo, under investigation.
In those cases, the Fiscalía has raided the municipal offices in search of evidence to complete their cases and bring the corrupt officials to trial.
Of course all the mayors of the focus attention of the ministerio Público all claim their innocence of any wrong doing.
In Alajuela, for example, mayor Joyce Zürcher she is being investigated for abuse of authority and influence peddling with respect to a cement company. Zürcher claims persecution.
In San Carlos, Alfredo Córdoba was convicted this week for defamation. He is appealing. In Aserrí, Mario Morales was sentenced to five years prison for embezzlement, bribery and false statements. Morales assures he will be appealing the sentence.
Carlos Marín in Liberia was reinstated after being suspended last month. Marín is being investigated for not fulfilling his obligations and disobedience to authority. Marín says he is being persecuted by judicial officials who are being spurred by local interest groups.
In Carrillo, Guancaste, judicial officials raided the municipal offices and charge Carlos Cantillo with destroying prime forests and mangroves. Carrillo is being accused of dereliction of duties.
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Monday, February 22nd, 2010
A federal investigation had been ongoing for over a year and it appears that it has uncovered a major online gambling operation. Two men pleaded guilty earlier this month to charges stemming from their involvement in the operation.
On Friday, two more men have now been convicted after pleading guilty. Michael C and Anthony V. Sansone, two brothers, have pleaded guilty. Federal agents conducted raids back in March and arrests were made.
The case had been held up because over a dozen people have refused to testify about the operation. Some of these people have served time in jail for their refusal. Attorneys have argued that their clients have a right to not want to answer any questions.
Computers and notebooks with gambling figures in them were confiscated as part of the raids. Friday, Michael Sansone relinquished his right to $4,038 that was seized and a laptop that was taken by authorities.
The operation is said to have been run in Kansas City, with gamblers placing their bets on the telephone, or, on the Internet. The bets were being routed through Costa Rica, where phone operators and Internet clerks were taking the wagers. Payouts would then be made to those members of the operation in Kansas.
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