The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, March 21, 2003

TOUGH TALK. President Abel Pacheco spoke-out in favor of the U.S. military campaign against Iraq, requesting Saddam Hussein to abandon power or be solely responsible for the military conflict. Former President (1986-1990) and Nobel Peace laureate Oscar Arias blasted the U.S. decision to unilaterally go to war, calling it a deadly blow against the United Nations (UN).
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AFP/Tico Times

Public Institutions Will Remains
Closed During Holy Week
Labor Minister Ovidio Pacheco announced Tuesday that non-essential government institutions will remained closed during all of Semana Santa (Holy Week, April 13-18) as part of special austerity measures aimed at reducing government spending and fuel consumption.
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March 21

Costa Rican Flower Fiesta (Ficoflor)
Exhibit, sales of garden tools, seeds, paintings, etc., Thurs.-Sat., March
20-22, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., March 23, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Llano Grande, Cartago,
551-2071.

Barranca Abajo
Drama on family relations, Thurs.-Sat., March 20-22, 8 p.m., Sun., March
21, 5 p.m., National Theater, Av. 2, Ca. 3-5, 233-1272.

French Week Closing Activities
Music by Los Franchutes Duo and a dinner including ?moules-Frites? (Belgium
dish), Fri., March 21, 7 p.m., Centro de Cine, Av. 9, Ca. 11, 222-9329.

DJ Pascal and DJ Remy from Paris: Fri., March 21, Café Loft, Barrio Amón,
in front of Hotel Britania, 221-2302.

Creative Spirit Collage Workshop: Achieving self-awareness and health through
the significance and symbolism of your collage, Sat., March 22, 9 a.m.,
249-2158.

Arnulfo and the Wonderful Creatures
Story of fantastic characters that live in an enchanted forest, Sundays,
Eugene O?Neill, C.R.-North American Cultural Center, Barrio Dent, March.
23, 11 a.m., 232-4991.

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Pacheco Justifies War Against Iraq

President Abel Pacheco on Wednesday spoke-out in favor of the U.S. military campaign against Iraq, requesting Saddam Hussein to abandon power or "be solely responsible for the military conflict."

Costa Rica urged Saddam Hussein to comply with the U.S. ultimatum by "stepping-down from power and abandoning the territory," a press release sent by Pacheco and Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar stated. "If he chooses not to comply, it will be dictator Hussein who will be solely responsible for the military conflict in Iraq."

The declaration finally puts an end to the ambiguous and unclear posture Tovar has expressed towards the possibility of war. (TT Daily, Mar. 20)

Costa Rica "reiterates its unequivocal backing of the international coalition against terrorism defined by the acts of Sept. 11, 2001," Pacheco explained.

"Our vocation to peace and neutrality must not be interpreted as indifference towards terrorism, the production and usage of chemical and bacteriological weapons and the systematic violation of human rights," he added.

"The government of Costa Rica continues to demand the prompt, effective and real compliance with the United Nations resolutions on the disarmament of Iraq," Pacheco concluded.

-AFP

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Arias: Attack on Iraq
Is a Blow Against UN

Former President (1986-1990) and Nobel Peace laureate Oscar Arias on Thursday blasted the U.S.' decision to unilaterally attack Iraq, calling it a "deadly blow" against the United Nations (UN).

U.S. President George W. Bush's "arrogant attitude" which prompted him to attack Iraq without authorization for the UN Security Council "is a deadly blow against the United Nations, an international system that has been so difficult to create since 1945," Arias expressed to a local news program from New York, where he is currently located.

Arias urged the President Abel Pacheco to speak out against the war "in accordance Costa Rica's tradition of pacifism."

Arias received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 after negotiating a peaceful solution to various civil wars that were threatening to drag all of Central America into a war.

-AFP

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Union Rejects Request to
Send Tico Nurses to Iraq

The Social Security (Caja) Worker's Union (UNDECA) rejected a proposal to send 100 Costa Rican nurses to the Middle East to care for U.S. soldiers.

"If the trip's objective is to protect and care for members of the U.S. army, we are completely opposed," UNDECA spokesman David Morera stated in a press conference Wednesday afternoon. "We have a position of solidarity towards the Iraqi people. UNDECA's position is anti-imperialist."

Morera, along with representatives from various social organizations, announced plans to organize protests and rallies in opposition to the current U.S. military campaign in Iraq.

In the past, many Costa Rican nurses have been hired to assist the U.S. army.

In Costa Rica, experienced nurses earn about $400 a month. Working for private companies that provide healthcare for U.S. soldiers, nurses receive $35,000 a year, working six hours a day plus additional incentives and benefits including an insurance policy for doing dangerous and risky jobs.

-AFP

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Public Institutions Will Remains
Closed During Holy Week
By Fabián Borges
Tico Times Staff

Labor Minister Ovidio Pacheco announced Tuesday that non-essential government institutions will remained closed during all of Semana Santa (Holy Week, April 13-18) as part of special austerity measures aimed at reducing government spending and fuel consumption.

Traditionally, public sector employees have had to work on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Semana Santa and have received Holy Thursday and Good Friday off. This year, public employees will be forced to take first three days of the week off as part of the yearly vacation time they are entitled to.

"A recent study conducted by the Labor Ministry shows that during Semana Santa the demand for public services decreases significantly," Pacheco explained.

"That week, many employees request vacation time, others ask for leave permits and some pretend to be ill," Pacheco added. "Public employees have many ways of avoiding work that week."

There are also employees that save their vacation benefits for years until they retire. Some employees have up to 10 years worth of vacations saved up. By making them have to take these days off, we'll save on having to pay those benefits later, he explained.

"It's been proven that during Semana Santa productivity at public institutions decreases. Employees work and produce less," he argued. "Economically, it's not sustainable to keep the entire public sector running."

By partially shutting-down the government, millions of colones will be saved on electricity, paper, telephone, and gasoline, he added.

Emergency services, repair crews and other essential services will remain open throughout the week.

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