The Tico Times Online Daily Page

NEW PRIORITY. During their meeting in San Salvador yesterday, President Abel Pacheco (Right) and Salvadorean President Francisco Flores (Left) stressed the need for Central American countries to create an emergency plan to prevent a potential Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in the region and define measures to deal with an epidemic if it were to take place. See related story.
Tico Times/AFP

Foreign Ministry Confirms Asylum Request
Made by Indigenous Honduran Women
The Foreign Ministry yesterday confirmed reports that four Honduran indigenous Women entered the Costa Rican Embassy in the Honduran capital city of Tegucigalpa to request asylum, alleging persecution by government officials.
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Monteverde Music Festival:
Manuel Monestel will play his famuse Afro Caribbean tunes tonight at 6 p.m., at the Monteverde Institute, next to the Cheese Factory. Info: 645-5030.

Time's Running Out!
Don't miss the last days of the Spanish Comic and Cartoon Exhibit. It will run through April 10, at the Spanish Cultural Center, Av. 13, Ca. 31. Info: 257-2919.

Fine Art and Plant Sale is Coming
Sat., April. 26 10 a.m.-3 p.m. to benefit the Women's Club charities. 300 m. north of the Banco de San José, Guachipelín Road, Escazú. Lunches & homemade baked goods will also be on sale. Entrance is free. Info: 288-1417, 384-9858.

Bridge Over the Tempisque Opens on Thursday

Life in the northwestern province of Guanacaste will change dramatically this Thursday after the long-awaited 780-meter bridge over the Tempisque finally opens, eliminating the need to take a ferry to get to several of the province's most popular beaches, reported the daily La Nación.

Over the last week, private construction firm Sánchez Carvajal has been rushing to complete the roads connecting the bridge to the national road system before the Semana Santa (Holy Week) holidays next week. Representatives for the company assure they'll be done by Thursday.

During Semana Santa, traveling on the bridge will be free. However, the Public Works and Transport Ministry (MOPT) announced that from then on there will be a ¢200 (50 cents) toll to cover the bridge's maintenance.

This historic moment in Guanacaste history will bring the Nicoya Peninsula much closer than it has ever been to San José and the rest of the country. Using the bridge, motorists will reduce their journey by 96 kilometers on road or will save 15 minutes on the ferry.

The new bridge will mean the death of the ferry, which for over 27 years has served as the main means of travel between Nicoya to Cañas.

The bridge will be fully operational (both lanes will be open) through Semana Santa. From then on, access will be limited while construction crews finish cleaning it, dismantling the steel girder structure and removing the heavy equipment used.

The bridge was a gift from the Taiwanese government. The total cost of the project was ¢10.1 billion ($26.1 million). Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian is expected to personally attend the official inauguration ceremony scheduled to take place at the end of May or the beginning of June.

El Salvador and Costa Rica Declare War of SARS

San Salvador (AFP) -- The Presidents of Costa Rica and El Salvador yesterday stressed the need for Central American countries to create an emergency plan to prevent a potential Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in the region and define measures to deal with an epidemic if it were to take place.

During a meeting this week in San Salvador, Presidents Francisco Flores (El Salvador) and Abel Pacheco (Costa Rica) issued a joint statement in which they "agreed that the creation of a contingency plan aimed at preventing the spread of the disease in the region should a top priority of the Central American Integration System (SICA).

Apart from the pain, suffering and potential loss of life it would cause, a SARS epidemic would likely have devastating for the region's tourism sector, the Presidents stated in a press release.

The Presidents requested the SICA's Central American Tourism Council (CCT), which is composed by the region's tourism ministers, meet in the coming days to draft the "strategic contingency plan."

Among other aspects, the plan must contemplate "the strengthening of security measures at sea ports, airports and border checkpoints," the presidents explained.

On Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) released the latest statistics on SARS cases worldwide. To this day, 2,601 probable cases of atypical pneumonia have been diagnosed, 98 of which have been fatal.