Archive for February, 2010
Friday, February 19th, 2010
Charles J. Simone, 24, of Liberty, pleaded guilty today in federal court for his part in an online gambling operation. How it worked: Simone gave his clients a 1-800 number and a Web site where they could place bets. (The phone line and the site were both operated in Costa Rica.) Then Simone would do things the old-fashioned way and pay out or collect money in person.
The operation started up in 2006. Simone says he didn’t get involved in late 2008, and his involvement ended in spring 2009. He’s the second guy to plead to being part of the gambling ring; the other was Michael V. Badalucco, 26.
Longtime readers will recall the feds have been fishing around this particular pond for a few months now. Mark Morris says 10 people, by one count, have been jailed over the past several months for refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating online gambling.
Posted in Costa Rica News | 1 Comment »
Friday, February 19th, 2010
Eco travel is not just about enjoying yourself and thinking only of yourself in the process, it is about advocating eco friendly places that respect their plants, animal and cultural life at the same time supporting the well-being of the locals.
These concepts are primary elements of eco tourism and any traveler can travel with care while enjoying themselves at the same time. Costa Rica and Nicaragua are two of the best countries in Central America for eco tourism and any biology or botany lover will feel right at home there.
No place is better suited for eco friendly tourism than Costa Rica, which ranks number one in the Happy Planet Index as the “greenest” place in the world, while the Environmental Performance Index in 2008 ranked it number five. Its biodiversity is plentiful and all types of forests can be found – rain, dry, cloud and oak forests. The same goes for aquatic habitats which is even professed in the country’s name; Costa Rica is Spanish for “rich coast”.
There are some 13,000 species of plants, 850 species of birds and let’s not even get into the 365,000 insects. Here are some eco friendly parks that are worth a visit in Costa Rica:
1. Corcovado National Park is recognized internationally by ecologists for its amazing biodiversity but what really is of interest here are the big cats like the jaguar and puma. There is also the endangered tapir, and four monkey species including the endangered Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey and the Central American Squirrel Monkey which is only found in Costa Rica and Panama.
2. Tortuguero National Park in English means “full of turtles” and this park is known for the yearly nesting of the endangered green turtle. But other turtles nest here too such as the massive leatherback, hawksbill and loggerheads. Other animals are three species of monkeys, sloths, 320 species of birds and various reptiles.
3. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is excellent for plant lovers as there are 2,000 plant species and hundreds of species of orchids. There are also more than 400 types of birds.
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Friday, February 19th, 2010
Alcatel-Lucent SA agreed to pay $137.4 million and change internal procedures to avoid U.S. prosecution for alleged bribes paid in Costa Rica, Taiwan and Kenya, according to a company regulatory filing.
Under an agreement in principle, the Justice Department would defer prosecution of Alcatel on charges it violated the internal controls and books and records provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, according to the Feb. 11 filing. Alcatel would enter into a three-year probationary period and agree to a French anti-corruption monitor.
Three subsidiaries – Alcatel-Lucent France, Alcatel-Lucent Trade and Alcatel Centroamerica – would plead guilty to violating the FCPA’s anti-bribery provisions, according to the filing. Paris-based Alcatel, the world’s biggest supplier of fixed-line phone networks, also agreed in principle on a civil accord with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“There can be no assurances, however, that final agreements will be reached with the agencies or accepted in court,” according to the filing. “If finalized, the agreements would relate to alleged violations of the FCPA involving several countries, including Costa Rica, Taiwan, and Kenya.”
Under the Justice Department agreement, Alcatel would pay a $92 million criminal fine over three years. Alcatel also would enter into a consent decree with the SEC and pay $45.4 million, according to the filing.
Alcatel fell as much as 2.6 percent in Paris, slipping 0.6 percent to 2.07 euros at 10:23 a.m.
‘Vigorous Compliance’
“Alcatel-Lucent’s new management has implemented vigorous compliance and training programs designed to prevent similar situations from happening in the future,” the company said in an e-mailed statement today. “In particular, within months of joining the company as CEO, Ben Verwaayen announced that we will no longer conduct our business through the use of sales and marketing agents and consultants.”
Messages left at the Justice Department and SEC after business hours weren’t immediately returned.
The Alcatel filing comes amid increased enforcement of the FCPA, a U.S. law used to fight bribery and illicit foreign payments.
On Feb. 5, BAE Systems Plc, Europe’s biggest defense contractor, said it would pay almost $450 million to settle U.S. and U.K. bribery investigations.
Several Years
Daimler AG, the German carmaker, also has agreed to pay about $200 million to settle claims with U.S. regulators over violations of the act, people familiar with the case said last week. The agreement is awaiting the approval of a U.S. judge, the people said.
The Alcatel case has spanned several years and led to criminal charges in federal court in Miami against two former company executives. One of those, Christian Sapsizian, is a former deputy vice president who pleaded guilty in June 2007.
Sapsizian, who negotiated Latin American contracts for Alcatel, admitted that he helped bribe a member of the board of Costa Rica’s state-owned telecommunications authority to secure lucrative cell phone contracts for the company.
Funnel Bribes
Prosecutors said Sapsizian and Alcatel used a consulting company to funnel bribes to a Costa Rican government official, who helped reward Alcatel with cellular contracts. Sapsizian cooperated with prosecutors and is serving a 30-month prison term.
“The investigation has not yet concluded,” prosecutors said in a September 2008 court filing. “This is primarily because of the breadth and depth of illegal conduct around the world by the defendant’s former employer, its subsidiaries, its executives, and its ‘consultants,’ which was uncovered in large part with the defendant’s assistance.”
The Feb. 11 filing by Alcatel also discussed allegations about bid-rigging and illicit payments involving a Taiwan Railway contract.
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Thursday, February 18th, 2010
Three weeks into the AH1N1 vaccination, the ministerio de Salud confirms that it still has 70.000 of the first 200.000 vaccine doses available.
The vaccination program is geared towards those individuals in the high risk group: pregnant women, the obese, the asthmatic, and the hypertense, among others.
Given that there are still doses available, the ministerio de Salud is calling on all those who have been called in to a medical centre to receive the vaccine and have yet not done so.
The AH1N1 flu virus has claimed 50 lives in Costa Rica since its first outbreak last year.
The second wave of the virus was expected in Costa Rica this month. However, Salud officials now say that that will not occur until later this year, possibly in August.
The Ministra de Salud, Maria Luisa Avila, the next two weeks will be key to determine when the second wave will actually hit.
For now, staff at clinics and EBAIS are on the telephone contacting those individuals that have been selected for vaccination, which is free.
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Thursday, February 18th, 2010
Tiger Woods will end nearly three months of silence Friday when he speaks publicly for the first time since his middle-of-the-night car accident sparked stunning revelations of infidelity.
However, his agent said Woods will not take any questions from a small group of media.
“Tiger is reading a statement, a public apology,” Mark Steinberg told FOXSports.com’s Robert Lusetich. “No questions. It is not a news conference.”
It will be Woods’ first public appearance since Nov. 27, when he crashed his SUV into a tree outside his Florida home. Woods’ only comments since then have been made through his Web site.
Woods is to speak at 11 a.m. Friday from the clubhouse at the TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., home of the PGA Tour.
“This is all about the next step,” Steinberg said. “He’s looking forward to it.”
Still, there was strict control over the appearance, typical of Woods’ career.
Steinberg described the gathering as a “small group of friends, colleagues and close associates,” who will listen to Woods apologize as he talks about the past and what he plans to do next.
Sources close to Woods say he is keen to return to playing golf. He is expected to make his debut either at the made-for-television Tavistock Cup, featuring teams of professional golfers from two gated communities in Orlando, or at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, also held in Orlando. The Tavistock Cup is being held March 22nd and 23rd, while the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which Woods has won six times, begins on the final Thursday in March. He is expected to play in the Masters in April.
Steinberg said three wire services have been invited — The Associated Press, Reuters and Bloomberg — and he asked the Golf Writers Association of America to recommend pool reporters.
Only one camera will be in the room to provide live coverage via satellite. Steinberg said other writers with proper credentials could watch from a hotel ballroom more than a mile away.
Steinberg said in an e-mail announcing the public appearance, “While Tiger feels that what happened is fundamentally a matter between he and his wife, he also recognizes that he has hurt and let down a lot of other people who were close to him. He also let down his fans. He wants to begin the process of making amends and that’s what he’s going to discuss.”
The timing is peculiar. It will be held during the Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona, sure to steal attention away from the first big event of the year. Accenture was the first sponsor to drop Woods when he became embroiled in the sex scandal.
PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said he did not think Woods’ appearance was going to undermine a World Golf Championship event.
“We have tournaments every week,” Finchem said. “I think it’s going to be a story in and of itself. A lot of people are going to be watching golf this week to see what the world of golf says about it, my guess is. So that will be a good thing.”
As far as the PGA Tour’s part in the Woods event, Finchem said: “We were asked to make the facility available and to help with the logistics. That’s what we’re doing.”
Steinberg said only that Woods’ appearance during the championship was “a matter of timing.” Asked if it could have waited until Monday, he said, “No.”
Woods made a spectacular fall from his perch atop golf. He was believed to have been the first athlete to gross $1 billion in earnings and endorsements and, at 14 majors, was closing in on golf’s record of 18 majors held by Jack Nicklaus.
It all collapsed the in the morning hours after Thanksgiving.
Over the last few months, Woods has been on the cover of gossip magazines and the butt of jokes on national talk shows.
In the days before Woods’ accident, a National Enquirer story alleged the world’s No. 1 golfer had been seeing a New York nightclub hostess. Following the crash, a stream of women came forward to claim they had romantic relationships with Woods. One woman provided Us Weekly magazine a voicemail she said Woods left her three days before the crash, asking her to take his number off the phone.
Woods admitted to “infidelity” in a statement on his Web site in mid-December and has been on an indefinite break from golf ever since.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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Thursday, February 18th, 2010
Costa Rica’s telecoms regulator Sutel has said it will implement price ceilings for all telecoms providers. According to a statement on the regulator’s website, the legislation is designed to allow service providers flexibility in lowering their prices, if needed in a market which is in the process of liberalization. Currently, the prices of state telecoms incumbent ICE are fixed. The watchdog has not yet decided what the price ceilings will be, but they will apply for all services including mobile telephony, fixed line telephony, international long distance, internet, virtual private networks, VSAT services and text messages.
Currently ICE charges USD19 per month for a 256kbps internet connection. Mobile calls costs 30 Colones (USD.05) per minute at peak rate and 23 Colones at the reduced rate.
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Thursday, February 18th, 2010
The Universidad Fidélitas began yesterday the job fari, Ferio de Empleo IQ, offering some 1.500 positions. The fair continues today until 6:30pm.
Most of the jobs are for “call centre” operators, as well as experts in information technology, telecommunicastions, marketing, accounting, electronics, graphic design, sales and business administration.
Twelve companies including Citibank and Credomatic are taking part in the job fair.
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Thursday, February 18th, 2010
Online Bookmaker Gets Extradited During Planned Vacation in Cancun, Mexico “UPDATE”
Over the weekend it was revealed that the head man at Bet First Class was grabbed by authorities while in Cancun, Mexico on vacation. Mike stated Bet First Class nearly two years ago and, like any new book, they had a few issues out of the gate. Bet First Class has done a much better job over the last year and are generally regarded as an up and comer offshore.
As of today no charges have been filed against Mike. Sources tell the Insider that the arrest had nothing to do with bookmaking or running an offshore sportsbook. Instead, the Feds are looking for back taxes prior to 2007, when Mike left for Costa Rica. The fact that no official charges have been filed as of yet indicate that this situation may be resolved without any sentencing other than the required payments, interest and penalties.
Still, the head man of a smaller operation like Bet first Class, has made some customers nervous – understandable in today’s day and age. But, I spoke with management at Bet First Class who assured us that it is business as usual in Costa Rica. “We can cover all players’ funds and their money is safe,” reported the acting GM. I was also told that players can request their money at any time and that they would be paid as quickly as they have for the last 2 years. So far, hundreds of players have inquired with the book, but we have heard of no further action involving Mike or bet First Class. We also have not heard of any problems with players who have requested to cash out.
Ultimately, here at OSGA, we wish Mike the best of luck in facing any charges. And, we expect this situation to play out very similar to the other recent cases, with little or no interruption of service to their clients.
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Thursday, February 18th, 2010
Costa Rica has been the model country that others aspire to be. The literacy rate stands at 96 percent, it abolished its army in 1949, it is considered the greenest country in the world, it plans to be the first carbon-neutral country by 2021, and 23 percent of the country is designated as a protected conservation site. Today it can add another unique designation, as it put aside gender barriers to elect a female president.
Laura Chinchilla, age 50, married and the mother of a teenage son, became the first woman elected president in the country’s history, and the ninth in the history of Latin America. She is now a member of the growing number of female leaders, dating back to President Isabel Peron of Argentina, Violeta Chamorro of Nicaragua, Mireya Moscoso of Panama, current President Cristina Fernandez of Argentina and President Michelle Bachelet of Chile, whose term began in 2006 and ends next month.
The ascension of Chinchilla, of the National Liberation Party, was a well-planned campaign that was years in the making. Her father was the country’s comptroller for 15 years and undoubtedly taught her the ins and outs of politics as she studied political science at the University of Costa Rica. Chinchilla then went on to earn a master’s degree in public policy at prestigious Georgetown University.
At 35, Chinchilla was appointed vice minister of public security, then two years later became the first female minister of public security, followed by four years as a legislator and then vice president under President Oscar Arias.
(more…)
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Thursday, February 18th, 2010
In today’s health-care debate nobody seems to be talking much about the high cost of dentistry, or the lack of insurance coverage. Maybe you’re lucky and squeak by with a few cleanings and a filling here and there. For those who are not so lucky, the cost of dentistry can be devastating, with bills that can run up to $60,000. What can someone do who wants to keep their teeth but who does not want to empty their bank account?
One solution is “dental tourism,” the act of traveling out of the U.S. to receive quality care, save money and perhaps even make a vacation out of the experience.
The cost of dental care has about tripled in the past 20 years. For the 50% of Americans who have dental insurance, reimbursement is usually capped at about $1,500 a year, as it has been for decades. The 50% of patients without dental insurance (in Seniors that number rises to 80%) may find a trip to the dentist is a trip to the bank.
According to the New York Times, about 40% of people who travel for medical care (a number that continues to increase year to year), do so for dental care. That is not surprising, considering the potential to save 50%-70%, or even more, depending on the country chosen for treatment.
(more…)
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Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
Over 60 years ago, Costa Rican educator, poet and leader, Roberto Brenes Mesén, wrote an epic poem called Rasur. In this poem, a master teacher, Rasur, comes to Costa Rica and silently calls the children from the village of Quizur into a mountain. There he teaches them about the great power that is hidden in the heart of every human being. When the children return to their parents, they have become peacemakers. As a result, the parents also become inspired and realize that “before directing the lightning in the sky, we must first harness the storm in our own hearts.” Their village becomes a culture of peace, thriving with creativity and harmony.
The poem Rasur predicted the destiny of Costa Rica as a model for peace. This prophetic poem was written in 1946, two years before Costa Rica abolished its army on December 1, 1948. The prophecy continues to unfold and serves as an inspiration for the Rasur Foundation to help fulfill this vision. Although Costa Rica is a small, developing country, it has become a significant power for peace in the world.
(more…)
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Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
While still awaiting a Costa Rica court decision on its mine plans near the northern border, the Canadian company Infinito Gold Ltd. is making strides on another gold concession in Nicaragua.
Infinito Gold has signed an agreement with a private individual for further exploration of the Zungano concession near Nicaragua’s Chachagua River in Nueva Segovia, about 25 kilometers northeast of the town of Quilalí, the company said in a recent news release. Part of the 25,000-hectare property lies 10 km from the historic San Albino gold mine.
In a $4.92 million deal, the concession will pass entirely over to Infinito Gold, although the current concession holder will retain a residual royalty of 1.5 percent on gold sales to a maximum of $10 million.
The current land use in the area includes farming on the steep slopes of hills, which are cut by local drainages including the Chachagua River, according to the news release.
Infinito Gold’s mine in northern Costa Rica, in the town of Crucitas, remains a point of contention among environmental groups here and continues to cause tension with neighboring Nicaragua, particularly for fears of contamination to its San Juan River and nearby towns.
In 2005, Costa Rica’s National Technical Secretariat of the Environment Ministry (SETENA) issued an environmental viability permit allowing the company to clear 126 hectares of trees in order to build the Crucitas mine and accompanying facilities. That area was reduced to 50 hectares in February 2008.
Opposing parties argued whether cutting down the trees violated article 50 of the Costa Rican constitution, which ensures a “healthy and ecologically balanced environment” for the nation’s citizens. The Supreme Court halted all activity at the mine in Las Crucitas on Oct. 20, 2008. The high court has still not announced a verdict on whether the mine can start up again.
Story by Tico Times.
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Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
Eco travel is not just about enjoying yourself and thinking only of yourself in the process, it is about advocating eco friendly places that respect their plants, animal and cultural life at the same time supporting the well-being of the locals.
These concepts are primary elements of eco tourism and any traveler can travel with care while enjoying themselves at the same time. Costa Rica and Nicaragua are two of the best countries in Central America for eco tourism and any biology or botany lover will feel right at home there.
No place is better suited for eco friendly tourism than Costa Rica, which ranks number one in the Happy Planet Index as the “greenest” place in the world, while the Environmental Performance Index in 2008 ranked it number five. Its biodiversity is plentiful and all types of forests can be found – rain, dry, cloud and oak forests. The same goes for aquatic habitats which is even professed in the country’s name; Costa Rica is Spanish for “rich coast”.
There are some 13,000 species of plants, 850 species of birds and let’s not even get into the 365,000 insects. Here are some eco friendly parks that are worth a visit in Costa Rica:
1. Corcovado National Park is recognized internationally by ecologists for its amazing biodiversity but what really is of interest here are the big cats like the jaguar and puma. There is also the endangered tapir, and four monkey species including the endangered Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey and the Central American Squirrel Monkey which is only found in Costa Rica and Panama.
2. Tortuguero National Park in English means “full of turtles” and this park is known for the yearly nesting of the endangered green turtle. But other turtles nest here too such as the massive leatherback, hawksbill and loggerheads. Other animals are three species of monkeys, sloths, 320 species of birds and various reptiles.
3. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is excellent for plant lovers as there are 2,000 plant species and hundreds of species of orchids. There are also more than 400 types of birds.
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Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
Telecom operators eyeing Costa Rica for new market possibilities can offer potential customers great deals to attract business, but will have to a abide to a maximum price level for the different services.
The Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (Sutel) – the telecom regulator – announced on Monday that the current rates by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) will be the maximum rates that can be charged.
Currently ICE provides ADSL internet services for us$19 per month for the basic connection in residential homes to us$206.67 for business customers.
The rate for residential telephone service is ¢4.10 colones a minute during peak hours and ¢2 colones during evenings and weekends, in addition to the ¢1.900 colones base rate.
Meanwhile cellular customers pay ¢30 colones per minute during peak hours and ¢23 during evening and weekends, in addition to the ¢3.500 colones base rate that includes 60 minutes of call time. Text messages are ¢1.5 colones per message.
The Sutel said that those rates are the maximum that can be charged by ICE and competitors when they begin operating in the market, possibly by 2011.
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Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
The Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y Arquitectos reports a surge in construction in the first month of the year. The Colegio said that the in January 2010 some 631.000 square metres of construction was approved, 220.000 more than in January 2009.
The majority of the construction is for commercial and residential projects.
Olman Vargas sais that his is the third consecutive month of increases in terms of square metres. In 2009, the construction industry decreased by 40%.
The Colegio indicates that Puntarenas is the province with the single largest increase in the first month of this year.
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