The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, February 17, 2003

DEFENSE. Costa Rican player Steven Bryce tries to overcome a Nicarguan defender in Staturday's hard-fought UNCAF game. La Sele struggled to get past Nicaragua's nine-man defensive strategy.
Photo/AFP

U.S. Embassy Will Be Closed On Today

The U.S. Embassy will remain closed on Monday, Feb. 17 for the Presidents' Day holiday. The embassy will reopen on Tuesday Feb. 18 at 8:30 a.m..

February 17

Popular Fair
If you're in the Northern Zone don't miss the closing day of La Fortuna fiesta which includes food, rodeo competitions and more at La Fortuna, San Carlos. Info: 479-8078.

Reserve Today!
Wine lovers rejoice. Vinum La Cofradía will hold an Italian Wine Dinner on Thurs., Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. Info: 289-5917, 289-7763, info@vinumlacofradia.com

Music with the Sea
Professor Renee Fung is dictating a workshop for kids 3 month-6 years old to increase the social, motor, language and cognitive skills on Wed., Feb. 19, at 3:30 p.m. at Librería Internacional, Multiplaza. Register ahead, Hurry call today, 800-542-7374.

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Nicaraguan Childs Rights Minister Recommends
Abortion For Nine-Year-Old Pregnant Girl

Managua, Nicaragua. Feb. 14. Child Welfare Prosecutor of Nicaragua Emilio López last Friday recommended that an abortion be performed on the pregnant nine-year-old girl.

The daughter of Nicaraguan coffee pickers, the girl - dubbed "Rosa" by doctors to protect her identity - is 15 weeks pregnant following an alleged rape by a 20-year-old farm worker in the Caribbean-slope town of Turrialba.

Against recommendations made by Costa Rican doctors and child welfare officials, the girl's parents took her out of the country and into Nicaragua through the border town of Peñas Blancas on Thursday. (TT Daily Page, Feb. 3,10, TT, Feb. 14).

"There is no medical precedent on child pregnancy and births, there are no registries with information or statistics on the matter," López argued. "We're talking about something that, under the human rights doctrine, could be considered forced pregnancy as a result of a rape."

He considered that an exception should be made in the girl's case because "her childhood had been stolen from her" and because "she lacks a fully developed reproductive system and is suffering from two sexually-transmitted diseases" obtained as a result of the rape.

For López, allowing the pregnancy to go continue would mean "putting the life of the girl in great risk."

Nicaraguan law allows abortions in cases where the woman's life is in danger, when the pregnancy is a result of sexual abuse and when there is fetal deformity.

However, Victor Mantilla, director of Bertha Calderón Hospital is against the abortion. In her opinion, as a result of the girl's age and risks associated with infections to her urinary and genital tracts an abortion could put her life in danger.
-AFP

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ICT Gives Tarrazú Its
Blue Flag Award

During the coffee-growing region of Los Santos' Environmental and Health Expofair last Friday, the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) awarded Tarruzú canton - the area where the Costa Rican Electricity Institute's (ICE) Pirrís Hydroelectric project is located - its blue flag cleanliness and environmental protection award.

The annual fair's main goal is to inform the public of efforts and initiatives aimed at conserving and protecting the environment being carried out by non-profit organizations, local development associations, government institutions, and private companies.

The ICT congratulated the Pirrís project for its efforts to protect the environment and educate the general public on the importance of conservation.

Over the last year, the Pirrís project organized an Environmental Education program that included a series of workshops on the topics of reforestation, waste management, erosion control, and the importance of protecting water resources at 37 local schools and high-schools. Representatives for the project also played an active role in a special commission dedicated to protecting and rescuing natural springs and water deposits in the Los Santos area..

Also at the conference, local community leaders signed a Sustainable Development Plan for the area.

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'La Sele' Defeats Nicaragua
In Lackluster Performance

Panama, Feb 16. La Sele - Costa Rica's National Soccer Team - defeated Nicaragua 1-0 Saturday afternoon in the third round of the Central American Nations' Cup (UNCAF).

La Sele delivered a lackluster performance, barely managing to defeat a team that on paper seemed to be mismatched. The game's final outcome and the Costa Rica team's inability to overcome the Nicaraguan defense raises serious doubts about the team's current condition.

Originally favored to easily win the tournament, Costa Rica struggled to defeat El Salvador 1-0 on Tuesday and attain a 1-1 draw with Guatemala on Thursday.

As uninspired as these results were, La Sele is still expected to finish in one of the tournament's top three spots - earning the right to participate in this year's Gold Cup in the United States.

Early in the game Erick Scott managed to score the game's only goal. Little else happened during the remainder of the game.

Despite dominating the midfield, during the second half Costa Rica was unable to overcome Nicaragua's nine-man defensive strategy. Nicaragua limited itself to defending its area and on very few occasions tried to rally any kind of offense against its southern neighbor.

The victory against Nicaragua raised Costa Rica's point total to seven, nearly guaranteeing its participation in the Gold Cup. La Sele will now face regional rival Honduras on Feb. 21 and host Panama on Feb. 23.

The loss virtually eliminated Nicaragua from the tournament, destroying all hopes of qualifying to the Gold Cup. They will face Guatemala on Feb. 18 and Panama on Feb. 20.

-AFP

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