The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, October 28, 2002

HELP ARRIVES: Red Cross delivers building supplies to Orosí mudslide victims. Story below.
photo/ Red Cross

C.R. Voting Goes Digital
By Tim Rogers
Tico Times Staff
When Costa Ricans go to the polls to cast their ballot for the municipal elections Dec. 1, more than 56,000 voters will be given the first-time option to vote electronically, the Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE) announced on Friday.
(Click for more)

October 28

Labyrinth Workshops
Expert Virginia Lonesky will offer the following Classes, Mon., Oct. 28,
Visit to a home in Cot, Cartago and visit to Irazu Volcano; Tues., Oct. 29,
Tour of National Museum guided by Dr. Michael Snarskis, Wed., Oct. 30, 10
a.m., discusion of shamanism. Call Jan 225-0222, Elizabeth 273-2083,
Salvador 386-8613.

Don't Miss These Art Exhibits!
The sculptures of Miguel Angel Brenes and photos of Monteverde by children of the Centro
de Educacion Creativa. Hurry to see
them, both are open through Oct. 31, National Gallery, Children's Museum,
west end Ca. 4, 258-4929, ext. 122.

Independence Guitar Week
Reserve your ticket today to guitar festival featuring guitarists from
around the world, including Manuel Barrueco (Cuba-U.S.),
Aurora Guitar Quartet (U.S.-Brasil), Sumi Guitar Duet (Japan), Eddie Mora
(C.R. directing the Independence Orchestra), Jose Castillo and Pablo Ortiz
(C.R.), Yuri Vasilievich (Russia). Shows are on Tues.-Wed., Oct. 29-30 at 8
p.m., at the Eugene O'Neill Theater, Costa Rican-North American Cultural
Center, Barrio Dent and Fri.-Sat., Nov. 1-2, 8 p.m., National Auditorium,
Children's Museum, west end Ca. 4, www.guitarrayarte.com

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C.R. Voting Goes Digital
By Tim Rogers
Tico Times Staff

When Costa Ricans go to the polls to cast their ballot for the municipal elections Dec. 1, more than 56,000 voters will be given the first-time option to vote electronically, the Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE) announced on Friday.

VOTING MADE EASY: New electronic voting system.
TT/photo Shoshana Ora Cohen

The electronic voting pilot program, to be implemented in 133 voting stations across the country, will give Ticos the opportunity to vote by computer. Those who opt to vote electronically will vote by marking the number key corresponding to their candidate, before printing out the ballot, signing it, and depositing into the ballot box.
A computerized voice will walk voters through the process, and safeguards are in place to make sure Ticos confirm their vote before printing the ballot. Only the number keys corresponding to voting options will be exposed, while the rest of the keyboard will be blocked with a plastic covering. There will also be a key to vote for no candidate -- the blank ballot vote.
Those who vote electronically will have two minutes to select their candidate and print the ballot. The electronic voice will warn voters when there are 40 seconds remaining to vote.
If voters do not finish in the allotted time, the computer will automatically print the ballot. Technicians will be standing by to help those who request assistance.
Oscar Fonseca, President of the TSE, noted that the computer is no different from any PC, making the system user-friendly to everyone who knows anything about a computer.
"Most homes and education centers throughout the country already have computers, so this will not be strange to use for most people," he said.
In the event of a power outage, a back-up battery will keep the computer running until the vote in process is completed.
Fonseca claims the electronic voting system, which costs more than $421,000, will be closed circuit to prevent hackers from breaking in.
At 6 p.m., the electronic voting system will automatically shut down and print out the vote tally for the day, allowing the TSE to have preliminary election results almost instantly.
Fonseca said he hopes the pilot program is a success and well received by voters.
"The process of electronic voting is inevitable," he said, noting that Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela already have similar voting systems. "If this pilot program is a success, we will implement electronic voting in the 2006 presidential elections."

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Red Cross Delivers Aid to Mudslide Victims
Almost two months after a devastating Aug. 31 landslide buried seven people and swept away 13 homes in the Atlantic-slope community of Orosí, the Red Cross last Friday delivered $6,700 worth of construction materials to 50 victims.
Hernán Siles Madrigal, Treasurer of the Orosí Development Association, said the donations will go to the families most affected by the avalanche to help them rebuild and repair their homes.
"I feel very satisfied," said Red Cross President Miguel Carmona. "By donating these building materials, we are complying with our commitment to alleviate human suffering."
While most of the families evacuated from their houses following the landslide have been given the green light by the government to return home, two U.S. expatriates with expertise in geology and natural disasters told The Tico Times earlier in the month that the area is still at high risk of additional mudslides (TT, Oct. 4)
"There is a whole bunch of soil at the top of the ridge (above the original slide) that is about to come down," said John LaTourelle, retired hazard mitigator for the U.S. Federal Emergency Act (FEMA). "It is impossible to predict when, but it could happen during the next heavy rainstorm or during a minor earthquake.
"This is a dangerous situation hanging over the town," he warned.

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Minister Clarifies Misunderstanding on Mine
By David Boddiger
Tico Times Staff

After reading Friday's print edition of The Tico Times, Environment Minister Carlos Rodríguez said he was shocked to realize that during a telephone interview with the paper this week he mistakenly commented not on the Las Crucitas gold-mining project, in northern Costa Rica - as published (TT, Oct. 25) - but rather a different mining project, located in the Pacific-slope town of Miramar in Puntarenas.
Rodríguez quickly called to clarify the matter, and asked for a follow-up interview to explain his reaction to statements made by officials from Industrias Infinitos, S.A., that a recent decision by the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV) gave the legal weight mining officials needed to move forward on the controversial Las Crucitas project.
See the Nov. 1 print edition of The Tico Times for the Minister's full clarification.

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