The nation's drug problem is the top concern among Costa Ricans today, according to a new survey by the National University (UNA).

In response to a question about “the most urgent situations that must be tended to in Costa Roca,” 90 percent of Costa Ricans indicated that drugs are on their list of worries.

The second most urgent situation for Costa Ricans, according to the survey, are robberies and assaults (86 percent) followed by organized crime (81 percent).

The findings represent just one section of the study – called Explaining the phenomenon of immigration and human trafficking from a focal point of wellbeing: The case of Costa Rica – carried out by UNA's Institute of Social Studies of the Population.

UNA researchers conducted phone interviews with 800 people from rural and urban areas ages 18 and older between April 20 and May 3.

Their feet may roll over pavement not ice, but that's not stopping Costa Rica's ice skaters from competing for gold medals abroad. And, with the completion of an outdoor roller rink on a wing of San José's La Sabana Park, they now have the training grounds to get them there.

The new complex sits on the park's southeast corner and consists of a 200 meter track, with an internal concrete field for figure skating and other recreational activities.

“I assure you that this new National Skating Rink will be reflected in the gold medals and new records in the upcoming National Games and in the next Olympic games in London,” said President Oscar Arias, who inaugurated the ¢335 million ($588,000) rink Saturday.

According to Osvaldo Pandolfo, deputy minister of sports, the roller rink meets all requirements for international competition and is the best track in Central America.

The facility's first competition is planned for September, when Costa Rica will host the 14th Central American Student Games. Until then, the complex will be open to the public.

“We want to help our athletes and not hinder them,” said Arias. “Sports are one of our priorities and, even in times of economic crisis, we have refused to cut funding to them. Instead, we have built new facilities.”

That same day, Arias inaugurated a renovated fencing hall and sports conditioning center.

Looking on the bright side: The Trump Ocean Club continues its upward climb amid other skyscrapers in Panama.

Tim Rogers | Nica Times

PANAMA CITY, Panama – After Several years of explosive economic growth, Panama is starting to show signs of wear from the world economic crisis.

The economy, which was growing at near double-digit rates a year ago, registered a more modest 2.5 percent growth rate for the first quarter of 2009, according to government figures released last week.

Leaders of the real-estate development sector, which has powered the country's economic expansion for the past five years by producing more than $1 billion in new construction annually, now predict as many as 60,000 workers could be out of a job by the end of the year.

But Panama isn't panicking. In fact, thanks to its solid banking system, geographical position and perhaps a dose of good luck, Panama expects to ride out the crisis better than its neighbors and come out the back end of the storm stronger than it went in.

See the June 26 print or PDF edition of The Nica Times, a publication sold with The Tico Times, for more on this story.

Change has been slow-coming in the face of economic hardships, and small businesses have especially felt the pain of the credit crunch, but governmental programs to help these businesses are demonstrating results.

The Costa Rican Bank System for Development has given loans to 243 small businesses, totaling just over $2.8 million since it was assigned that task in April 2008, said Esteban Arrieta, a spokesman for the executive branch.

The system, which was put in place prior to the economy's recent contraction, has proven a valuable asset in providing a much-needed line of credit to smaller businesses, which, in turn, saves jobs, experts say.

“Small businesses have always had little access to credit,” said Carlos Arguedas, an economist with the National University. “So, more than anything else, when some of the bigger businesses are cutting employment to cut costs, it's significant for employment.”

With the size of the loans averaging close to $11,500, it's not likely the results will show up on a macroeconomic scale, said Eric Vargas, the strategy manager for Aldesa, a financial consulting firm in San José.

Nearly three-quarters of the loans went to small agricultural and livestock operations, the government said. Of the rest, 19 percent was given to commercial businesses, while tourism, services and industry divided the remaining bit.

The weight given to the farming sector could reflect the government's attitude toward the loans – seeing them more as a welfare effort, Vargas said.

“The amount is relatively small,” Vargas said. “But it can be a sign that this program is growing and continuing.”

It may be helping maintain jobs, but the amount isn't one that would allow for great expansions, which is what Vargas says should be the eventual goal.

“We need to take into account that small and medium businesses are facing a strong head wind right now, and the faster we can advance these measures, the better prepared they will be,” Vargas said.

The long-term goal of providing small- and medium-sized businesses with access to loans is one of the most important initiatives in strengthening the Costa Rican economy. That, in turn, will loosen the hold that foreign direct investment and tourism currently have on the country, Vargas said

“If we're able to do this in larger amounts, then we'll be taking a big step forward,” he said. “Then we'd be giving much more ownership to Costa Rican citizens, which will make us a lot more competitive.”