Vol. VIII, No. 3 - San José, Costa Rica, Wednesday, September 11,  2002

Tica Terrorist Attack Survivor:
Life in NY Getting Back to Normal
Back to work at the Bank of America’s new offices in New Jersey, 25-year-old Karla Pericón says life is getting back to normal after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks claimed the lives of several of her close friends and forever changed her outlook on life. Pericón was one of two Costa Ricans working in the World Trade Center when the planes hit a year ago this morning. With the help of New York firefighters, she was able to escape One World Trade Center shortly before the building came down.
(Click for more)

Tornado Damages
Heredia’s Soccer Stadium
Costa Rica’s top soccer team – Heredia – was left without a home Tuesday afternoon, when a tornado touched down on the team’s stadium and caused extensive damage to the roof over the stands on the south end of the field. The stadium has been closed indefinitely while the damage is assessed.
(Click for more)

Gas Prices Climb Following
Reports of Attack on Iraq
The Costa Rican National Oil Refinery (RECOPE) announced Tuesday that the price of gas will increase at the end of the week, following a news report last Friday in London’s The Daily Telegraph claiming that 100 U.S. and British warplanes were bombing Iraq.
(Click for more)

Government Tax Plan
Close To Becoming Reality
After several meetings with opposition congressional factions and representatives from key interest groups, the Executive Branch is ready to draft the final version of its fiscal reform package. The package will include permanent changes to the tax code as well as several one-time emergency measures to combat this year’s fiscal deficit, reported the daily La Nación.
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Tica Terrorist Attack Survivor:
Life in NY Getting Back to Normal
By Tim Rogers
Tico Times Staff

Back to work at the Bank of America’s new offices in New Jersey, 25-year-old Karla Pericón says life is getting back to normal after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks claimed the lives of several of her close friends and forever changed her outlook on life.

Pericón was one of two Costa Ricans working in the World Trade Center when the planes hit a year ago this morning. With the help of New York firefighters, she was able to escape One World Trade Center shortly before the building came down.

Shaken and confused, Pericón spoke with The Tico Times two days after the attacks, and recounted the terrifying experience (click here for story).

Now, one year later, the young Tica banker is still saddened by the events of 9/11, but has found strength in her faith in God and family.

“I have changed spiritually and emotionally,” she told The Tico Times this week, during a phone interview from New Jersey. “I live life moment to moment, because you never know what is going to come next.

“I am not scared anymore; now I am más tranquila. I try not to think of bad things and I hope that nothing bad will happen.

When talking about the personal significance of the one-year anniversary, Pericón admits it is going to be a very “special day” – a day of tears, reflection, memorial services and prayer.

She asks Costa Ricans to remember what happened, to pray for the victims and family members and to be in union with God.

“We need to live life day to day, and not focus on war, but on peace and union,” she stressed.

Pericón has not had a chance to travel back to Costa Rica during the last year, but anxiously awaits an Oct. 26 homecoming.

Despite the pain of the last year, Pericón is not ready to call it quits with New York yet.

“I like New York a lot and I still have some personal goals I want to achieve here,” she says.

After more than a year in the city, Pericón jokes that she feels like a New Yorker “más o menos,” but stresses that she will never forget her Costa Rican roots.

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Tornado Damages
Heredia’s Soccer Stadium 

Costa Rica’s top soccer team – Heredia – was left without a home Tuesday afternoon, when a tornado touched down on the team’s stadium and caused extensive damage to the roof over the stands on the south end of the field. The stadium has been closed indefinitely while the damage is assessed.

The tornado was first reported to emergency operators at 2:55 p.m., when it touched down briefly in Mercedes Norte de Heredia and damaged the caller’s roof in Urbinización Viviana, according to the 911 transcripts. Several minutes later, the twister touched down again on top of the soccer stadium.

Tuesday’s tornado was the second in four days, according to the Red Cross. A Friday afternoon twister in San Antonio de Escazú reportedly caused roof damage to four homes and knocked out power lines.

Yesterday’s heavy winds and rains also caused serious street flooding in central Heredia and San Joaquín de Flores, posing a serious risk to a bridge and 20 some homes, according to 911 transcripts.

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Gas Prices Climb Following
Reports of Attack on Iraq

The Costa Rican National Oil Refinery (RECOPE) announced Tuesday that the price of gas will increase at the end of the week, following a news report last Friday in London’s The Daily Telegraph claiming that 100 U.S. and British warplanes were bombing Iraq.

Military intelligence denied the reports, but the alleged attack was enough to scare up world prices, according to a RECOPE press release.

The price of crude oil has skyrocketed during the last year, from $19.67 per barrel in Jan. to yesterday’s closing price of $29.73.  However, it is still unclear how much increases in the price of crude will affect consumers at the pump.

RECOPE President Lileton Bolton notes that 66 percent of the world’s oil reserve comes from the Middle East, and the prospect of war there does not bode well for petroleum importing countries such as Costa Rica.

See Friday’s TT print edition for more details.

Government Tax Plan
Close To Becoming Reality