Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, May 14,  2003

Education Minister: Salary
Glitches 99% Solved
Education Minister Astrid Fischel announced yesterday that 99% of teachers received their full pay for the first half of May, and that the ministry has worked out most of the computer glitches blamed for the recent payment problems of hundreds of teachers.
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C.R. Foreign Diplomat Corps in Question
Responding to a report released Tuesday by the Omsbudsman's Office that claimed 69 of Costa Rica's foreign diplomats are technically ineligible for the posts they hold, Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar called a late afternoon press conference yesterday to announce his office is launching a full investigation into the allegations.
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Anti-Oil Exploration Movie to be Filmed Here
Film crews and several acclaimed Latin American actors will descend on the Caribbean beach town of Puerto Viejo next week to begin production on the new movie "Caribe," a film about the anti-oil exploration movement.
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Interpol Captures U.S. Fugitive
U.S. citizen Jean Pierre Harper, wanted in the U.S. on charges of conspiracy and bank fraud, was arrested by Costa Rica police authorities yesterday and being held in San José while the U.S. files extradition paperwork, according to a Security Ministry release.
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Furniture and Decoration Fair
Opens today; don’t wait for the last day to enjoy and buy. Fair runs through Sun., May 18, at Multiplaza Shopping Center, Escazú. Info: 289-9300, ext. 221.

Free Bassoon Recital
The School of Music of the University of Costa Rica and the Alliance Française invite everyone to the Recital offered by the Phoenix Bassoon Quartet at 7 p.m., at the Alliance Française, Barrio Amón. Info: 207-5565.

Moon Eclipse Observation Tour
Call Cientec and see if you still can participate in the experience to observe a total eclipse of the moon. The trip includes transportation, meals, guide, printed materials and access to observation instruments, tomorrow at Punta Coral. Info: 233-7701, 295-6000, ext. 349.

Education Minister: Salary
Glitches 99% Solved
By Fabián Borges
Tico Times Staff

Education Minister Astrid Fischel announced yesterday that 99% of teachers received their full pay for the first half of May, and that the ministry has worked out most of the computer glitches blamed for the recent payment problems of hundreds of teachers.

Critics, meanwhile, claim payment problems still exist, and some teachers are still receiving only a fraction of the money they are owed by the government.

After receiving hundreds of complaints and under pressure from teachers' unions, Fischel last week acknowledged the problem and blamed it, in part, on the previous two government administrations and the company responsible for the computer payment program (TT, May 2)

On May 6, more than 2,000 teachers, union representatives and students marched on the capital to protest the payment problems. Union leaders threatened a general strike if the problems weren't corrected by the May 13 payday. Fischel and President Abel Pacheco met with union leaders and promised to do everything in their power to fix the glitches and pay teachers the missing salaries plus interest by the end of the month (TT, May 9).

Fischel said yesterday that 99% of the 54,015 people on the Public Education Ministry's payroll had received their full salaries by Tuesday. But she acknowledged that some problems still need to be worked out.

"There are two groups of teachers who didn't receive their salaries today (Tuesday)," Fischel explained. "There are at least 400 teachers who need to update their bank account numbers (for the direct-deposit payments) and 1,000 new teachers who were hired after April 28 and don't appear in our database. We urge them to have patience and promise all salaries will be paid in full by the end of the month."

The Ministry claimed it has been in contact with the teachers' unions and, so far, few salary complaints have been reported. The National Association of Educators (ANDE) reported only 10 anomalies. By mid-morning, the National Secondary School Teachers' Union (APSE) had received complaints only from Santa Cruz High School in the northwest province of Guanacaste, she said.

"We are going to check the salaries of every employee at the Santa Cruz school," she promised. "Every complaint we receive will be double-checked to guarantee each teacher is paid in full on the next payday."

Despite Fischel's optimism, more cases of missing salaries were reported in the San José suburbs of Escazú and Curridabat yesterday.

Fischel also announced that the results of the Ministry's audit are ready, but are not yet being released to the public.

"The results are still confidential," she explained. "They reveal several flaws in the system that, once corrected, will allow us to guarantee that teachers will receive their salaries on time.

"These results have also provided us with clues that will help uncover the identity of those responsible for the problems," Fischel added.

Anti-Oil Exploration Movie to be Filmed Here

Jorge Perugorría AFP

Film crews and several acclaimed Latin American actors will descend on the Caribbean beach town of Puerto Viejo next week to begin production on the new movie "Caribe," a film about the anti-oil exploration movement.

Caribe, the first directorial effort of 29-year-old Costa Rican Esteban Ramírez, will star renowned Cuban actor Jorge Perugorría ("Fresa y chocolate"), Spanish actress Cuca Escibano ("Poniente"), Ariel-award winning Mexican actress Maya Zapata ("De la calle"), as well as several young Costa Rican actors and actresses.

"This is a beautiful story portraying Costa Rica's roots," said Zapata. "Plus, I always try to support new directors because they work extra hard to do things right."

Caribe is a film about struggles of several Costa Rican Caribbean communities that unite against the exploration efforts of a U.S. oil company.

"We chose Caribe because there are few things so exuberant as the complexity of biodiversity; but it is also one of the most fragile elements that we need to protect," said Costa Rican actress and script co-author, Ana Istarú.

Ramírez, meanwhile, said his goal is to direct a film that is "made in Costa Rica, but not Costa Rican."

-AFP

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