The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, May 29, 2003

HIGH MARKS: U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell gives Costa Rica recognition in rights leadership.
AFP/TT

Education Minister: Salary Glitches
99.5% Solved, Not Going to Resign
Education Minister Astrid Fischel announced Tuesday that more than 99.5% of the country's 54,500 educators have received their full pay for the second May payday.
(Click for more)

Avenida 2 Getting a Face Lift
Wanting a fresh, new look to San José's Avenida Segunda, the city yesterday announced a plan to renovate the main downtown avenue, which runs from Hospital San Juan de Dios to Plaza de la Democracia.
(Click for more)

May 29

Classes at Hebrew Cultural Center
Today at 7:30 p.m., "Sexuality and Psycho Analisis." Register also for the Intensive Course on Hebrew Reading to be held every Wednesday through July 2, at 6:30 p.m. Info: 220-1421, 291-2940.

El Nica
Monologue winner of the National Award as best actor, performed by Cesar Meléndez, tonight at 8 p.m., La Comedia Theater, Av. Ctrl., next to Más x Menos, Cuesta de Moras. Info: 233-2170.

Health Fair
Universidad Nacional invites everyone to have medical check up today and tomorrow, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Doctors will be doing the following tests: Electrocardiograms (˘8,000), lab tests (˘ 8,000), prostate test (˘5,000), sight tests (˘500), hearing tests (˘5,000), dentistry (˘3,500), size and weight (free), blood pressure (free). Info. and appointment at 277-3180, 277-3177.

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Education Minister: Salary Glitches
99.5% Solved, Not Going to Resign
By Fabián Borges
Tico Times Staff

Education Minister Astrid Fischel announced Tuesday that more than 99.5% of the country's 54,500 educators have received their full pay for the second May payday.

She promised that by June 15 100% of all the teachers who have updated their bank accounts (for the direct-deposit payments) will receive their salaries.

On May 6, teachers' unions staged a giant march on the capital to protest payment problems that, in recent months, have left hundreds of teachers with partial or no salaries. Fischel blamed the problem on glitches in the Education Ministry's (MEP) computerized payroll system (TT, May 2, 9).

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 fix the glitches and pay teachers the missing salaries plus interest. Fischel vowed to resign as minister if unable to solve these problems before end of the month.

On May 13, Fischel announced the problems were 99% solved. However, two of the country's largest teachers' unions, the Costa Rican Educators' Union (SEC) and the National Secondary School Teacher's Union (APSE) criticized the government for not doing enough and failing to address long-standing problems with teachers' pensions (TT May 16, TT Daily May 19).

Threatening a nationwide strike, more than 500 teachers marched on the Casa Presidencial on Monday to pressure the government to resolve continued payment problems (TT May 23, TT Daily Page, May 27).

"Today is a day of great joy," Fischel told reporters the day after the march. "The government has honored all of the promises it made to the teachers' unions. We are proud of what we have accomplished in such a short time.

"We have identified about 200 people who are still having salary problems," she continued. "About 130 didn't get paid because they have yet to update their bank account numbers, and we can't do anything to help these people, they have to open the accounts personally."

The list with these people's names has been made public. The moment they fix the problems, they'll begin to receive their full salaries, she said.

"The remaining teachers were rejected by the payroll system because their names or the amount of money they were supposed to receive was entered incorrectly into the database," she explained. "We apologize for this. The problems have been corrected and they will receive their salaries the second week of June."

Last week, the President asked Congress to delay voting on a bill aimed at giving municipalities more control over local schools, a measure unions strongly oppose.

Efforts have also been made to speed up the approval of the Ministry's 2004 budget, which will include special bonuses for teachers as a result of the new 200-day school year. The government also gave local school boards the funds they had requested to pay public utilities, school lunch programs and student busing, Fischel said.

Fischel made clear she has no intention of becoming the next minister to resign.

"I am happy to say we've accomplished our goals as promised," she explained. "I have no plans to resign. As long the President continues to have faith in me, I will continue to serve this country."

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Avenida 2 Getting a Face Lift
By Jon Gambrell
Tico Times Staff

Wanting a fresh, new look to San José's Avenida Segunda, the city yesterday announced a plan to renovate the main downtown avenue, which runs from Hospital San Juan de Dios to Plaza de la Democracia.

The avenue, which officials said is overrun with abandoned storefronts and poorly maintained, will get cleaned up in hopes of drawing tourists to the area.

San José Mayor Johnny Araya said the renovation will help support the culture of the city.

"If this works here, we'll move to other areas," the mayor said. "This will not only benefit tourism, but will also have direct benefits to commercial businesses."

The plan, which was drawn up in April in conjunction with the Ministry of Culture, calls attention to 1.75 kilometers of Avenida Segunda, from Calle 14 at San Juan de Dios Hospital to Calle 21, east of the Supreme Court.

Plans for the renovation include improving lighting with the help of the National Power and Light Company, planting trees and installing more trash receptacles along the avenue. The plan also calls for the cleaning of nearby parks, building more access ramps for the handicapped, controlling street vendors and asking private business owners to paint their storefronts.

Guido Saénz, Costa Rica's Minister of Culture, said the project was long overdue.

"I am an old man who has seen much happen in this city," he said. "Time has changed things. But to think we can't change what is around us is wrong."

Araya said the city estimates spending ˘20 million ($5 million) on the project, asking local businesses to donate money and time. He said the work on the project would take place in August and September.

However, Araya admitted that during the night, some parks along the avenue turn into "chaos." The mayor said a security committee is looking at ways to cut down on the nightly crime and violence.

"This renovation will be a volunteer effort by all people," he said.

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Powell Congratulates C.R.
On Human Rights Leadership

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell last Wednesday sent a congratulatory letter to Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar recognizing Costa Rica's "valuable leadership" in favor of human rights, according to a press release yesterday.

"The valuable leadership exercised by Costa Rica serves as an example for the rest of the world," Powell said in his letter, which was given to Tovar during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva.

The letter of appreciation was in response to the position Costa Rica recently took before the UN regarding rights abuses in Cuba (TT Daily Page, April 21, 22).

Ironically, Powell's letter was given to Tovar on the same day that regional child advocacy group Casa Alianza asked the UN Committee Against Torture to intervene Dundee Ranch Academy, claiming Costa Rican authorities have not done enough to investigate allegations of rights abuse.

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