September 28, 2007

Paprika and More: The film “Paprika” is one of several being screened for free at the Calderón Guardia Museum, east of San José, during the Japanese film fest, which is running Saturdays through Dec. 8. Call 222-6392 for more information.

And the Prize Goes To... Tico Times photographer Mónica Quesada won this year's María Roa photojournalism award, presented by the Costa Rican Journalists' Association, for this photo she took during the eviction of the Alajuela shantytown of La Candela, northwest of San José, in May 2006.

Mónica Quesada | Tico Times

Costa Rica Celebrates International Tourism Day

CAFTA Protest Scheduled for Sunday

Groups opposing the controversial U.S. trade pact that will be voted on next week in a nationwide referendum are staging a march this Sunday in a final effort to convince Costa Ricans to vote “no” on the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA).

The protest, which will mark the close of the “no” campaign, is scheduled to start at about 9 a.m. along downtown San José's Paseo Colón, according to a statement from the Patriotic Movement for No on CAFTA, one of several groups gearing up to participate.

The protest is scheduled to cumulate at about 11:30 a.m. on the main stage, next to the Toyota building. Two additional stages will be set up in front of the Mercedes tower and near the pedestrian bridge to hold cultural events including face painting, the statement said.

Traffic Police did not know yesterday whether streets will be blocked off Sunday for the protest; in any case, drivers in San José may want to avoid Paseo Colón.

Smaller protests are also scheduled in major towns and cities around the country.

The “yes” camp also seems to be pulling out all the stops in these final days before the vote. A full-page ad ran yesterday in the daily La Nación with a photo of Costa Rican astronaut and national hero Franklin Chang, who has openly supported CAFTA, beside a photo of outspoken CAFTA opponent and Broad Front legislator José Merino. Readers are asked to choose one of the two sides, Chang's “yes” or Merino's “no”.

Below Chang's photo, he is described as a “Costa Rican astronaut who said ‘yes,'” while Merino is billed as a “Communist leader, friend of Hugo Chávez and Fidel Castro and promoter of ‘no'.”

-Tico Times

Human Development Index
Shows Disparity in Costa Rica

Costa Rica got mixed rankings on the recently released U.N. Human Development Index, which showed some parts of the country on par with developed countries such as Germany and others with human development levels similar to some developing African countries.

U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Costa Rica representative José Manuel Hermida said the index showed great disparity among cantons. It was calculated using data from 2005 on life expectancy, education and economic well-being.

“In general terms, the human development index has improved (since the last one conducted in 2001). There are more cantons on a high level and less on a low level,” he said.

Hermida lamented that the canton of Talamanca, in the Caribbean province of Limón, showed human development levels similar to those of some of the poorest countries in Africa. The canton's largely indigenous population has poor access to health, education and material goods.

Costa Rica has a total of 81 cantons divided into seven provinces, of which six ranked high on the human development index, 34 ranked medium, 40 ranked middle to low and one ranked low.

The 10 cantons that scored lowest on the index were Upala and Los Chiles, near the Nicaraguan border; Matina, Pococí and Talamanca, in the Caribbean; and Buenos Aires and Coto Brus, in the Southern Zone. Some of these cantons were on the same level as Botswana.

High on the other end of the spectrum is the canton of Escazú, west of San José, where real estate development in recent years has attracted businesses and higher income families, as well as nearby Santa Ana and Curridabat, east of San José.

These cantons show human development levels similar to developed countries such as Germany, Hermida said.

Some parts of the country have improved considerably since the last index was calculated, including Santa Cruz, in the northwestern Guanacaste province, and Garabito, in the central Pacific. Hermida attributed this improvement to tourism development, but said poverty still lingers.

“What we have taken is a snapshot, empirical evidence of what exists. To be able to analyze the reasons for these inequalities, it's necessary to research more,” he said.

-ACAN-EFE

Taxi Fares Get a Hike

By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net

Costa Rica Celebrates International Tourism Day

Yesterday was International Tourism Day, and the World Tourism Organization (WTO) declared its theme “Tourism Opens Doors to Women.”

Women hold all kinds of tourism jobs, from artists and guides to administrative advisers, in Costa Rica and around the world, said a statement from the National Tourism Chamber (CANATUR).

“The evolution of the role of women not only brings balance to society, but also reinforces economies and societal structures. The challenges that remain are how to achieve equitable income, improve the quality of jobs and create satisfactory conditions in the workplace,” said WTO secretary general Francesco Frangialli in his commemorative address yesterday in Sri Lanka.

In Costa Rica, about 110,000 jobs are directly linked to tourism, and about 550,000 jobs are linked indirectly. At least half of these jobs are held by women, the statement said.

“We are a country whose economy depends directly on (tourism), since one of every five dollars that enters the country comes from some kind of tourism activity, generating earnings of more than $1.6 million per year,” said CANATUR president Gonzalo Vargas.

-Tico Times

Grow Your Own Bug Repellent with Citronella

Common Name: Citronella grass

Spanish Name: Citronela

Latin Name: Cymbopogon nardus and C. winterianus

Family: Poaceae

Geo-distribution: Originating in southern Asia, citronella is a fragrant grass that has adapted to most tropical countries around the world. It grows well in the coastal and mid-range elevations of Costa Rica.

Botanical Description: Both citronella and lemon grass are members of the Poaceae family and are similar in appearance. However, citronella has a stronger aromatic scent, which most of us are familiar with as citronella oil. Citronella grows much taller (two meters) than lemon grass, and the stems are red at the base of the plant. These plants produce long, flowering stems, which produce seeds annually.

Uses: Citronella oil is obtained from different Cymbopogon species. It is also present in several other plants, including geraniums and basil. The principal compounds of citronella oil are geraniol and citronellol, which are used in perfumes, household disinfectants and soaps, as well as insect repellents. Taiwan, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Brazil, China, Sri Lanka, India, Argentina, Ecuador, Madagascar, Mexico and the West Indies are leading producers of citronella oil.

Preparation:

Household cleaner and disinfectant. Boil several chopped stems of citronella and three lemon rinds in two liters of water. Cool, strain and use for kitchen cleanup and general household cleaning.

Insect repellent. Finely chop one stem of citronella and one small cactus pad (known as tuna in Spanish). Add to one liter of alcohol in a clean glass jar with a tight cap. Shake the ingredients once a day for three days. Strain the liquid into a new container and discard the pulp. Apply generously and frequently to the skin to repel insects.

Citronella candles. Add several finely chopped citronella stems to one liter of melted candle wax. Simmer for several minutes to extract the citronella oil from the stem. Pour the melted wax into your favorite candle molds and discard the chopped citronella stems.

Notes: Citronella plants are sold in many nurseries across the country, or you may come across citronella growing in your neighborhood. In this case, carefully dig away several of the stems and their roots, which grow from the base of the mother plant. Be sure to trim off the leaves, while leaving the main stem intact.

You can plant these stems in plastic nursery bags full of good, fertile soil, leaving them in the shade for several weeks until they begin to form new growth. After several months, they can be transplanted to permanent sites around the house or garden. Citronella does well in full sun and partial shade.

Citronella plants can also be grown in large pots around the home or apartment to help repel mosquitoes. These hardy plants have no significant pest or disease problems and require no special attention.

For more information on tropical gardening, visit www.thenewdawncenter.info or e-mail thenewdawncenter@yahoo.com. We have books and seeds to share with you.