The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, September 22, 2003

FREE FALLING: Pacheco's approval rating drops big in polls.
AFP/TT

Strike Ends in Limón
The five-day general strike in the Caribbean province of Limón was called off late Saturday night by union leaders of the Federation of Limonense Workers (FETRAL), who signed an agreement with the government to return to work in exchange for back pay to compensate port workers for unpaid extra hours this year, and a $100-million loan to continue a modernization project of the Costa Rican Oil Refinery (RECOPE).
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Pacheco's Approval Rating
Continues to Drop
After 16 months on the job, President Abel Pacheco's public opinion rating has hit a new low, with 40% of Costa Ricans saying he is doing a "bad" or "very bad" job in office, according to an Unimer poll published yesterday in the daily La Nación.
(Click for more)

3.8 Tremble Shakes Tilarán
A 3.8-magnitude earthquake shook the community of Tilarán yesterday morning at 5:39, but did not cause any damage or injuries, according to the National Seismological Network (RSN).
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September 22

Learn French, Japanese and/or Portuguese
Classes run Sept. 29-Dec. 5, twice a week at 6-9 p.m. Hurry, registration is today 4-6 p.m. at the Facultad de Letras, University of Costa Rica. Info: 207-5196.

National Arts Festival in Limon
At the Stage, Dance by Introspectiva Alba y tempestad," Los Denmedium," "Lágrimas Naturales," Lince "Sub – Terra – Neo," 6 p.m.; Music by Luis Ángel Castro Afro Caribbean music, 9:30 p.m.; Gymnasium, Teatro La Polea "El Nica," 8 p.m. Or go to the High School and enjoy the presentation by Teatro Giratablas "La Ratoncita, La Gata y El Agua Que Desbarata," 9 a.m. Centro Educativo San Marcos, features Traditional Dance Proyecto, 10 a.m.; Teatro Proyecto Educativo Secundaria, Teatro Yicra, play "El terruño de Aquileo, 4 p.m.; Black Star Line, Presentation of Book by Carlos Saavedra, 6 p.m.; Play Dinosaurios, 7 p.m.

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Strike Ends in Limón

The five-day general strike in the Caribbean province of Limón was called off late Saturday night by union leaders of the Federation of Limonense Workers (FETRAL), who signed an agreement with the government to return to work in exchange for back pay to compensate port workers for unpaid extra hours this year, and a $100-million loan to continue a modernization project of the Costa Rican Oil Refinery (RECOPE).

The government did not, however, agree to pay the Atlantic Port Authority (JAPDEVA) $7.5 million in development and infrastructure projects, nor did it agree to compensate union members for work days missed because of the strike or release jailed protestors without charges.

The strike was declared last week by FETRAL, a 4,000-member union made up of workers of RECOPE, JAPDEVA, the Municipality of Limón, the Agricultural Chamber and public hospital employees. The strikers were demanding that the Pacheco Administration comply with a list of promises made last May to help create jobs and improve infrastructure in Limón, as well as compensate JAPDEVA for lost income due to a lowering of port tariffs last year (TT Daily Page, Sept. 16).

The government claimed it had fulfilled its promises, and argued that FETRAL was inventing new demands - such as the $7.5 million JAPDEVA investment - that had not been agreed to last May. The strike was declared illegal, and the government contracted Colombian workers to manage the country's oil supply and principal port in Moín (TT Sept. 19).

With the strike declared illegal and unable to paralyze trade and oil supplies, FETRAL was unable to gain the upper hand during the negotiations with the government.

The strike ended with the signing of a 21-point agreement by leaders of RECOPE, JAPDEVA and the FETRAL union, as well as Labor Minister Olivido Pacheco, Public Works Minister Javier Chaves, Minster of the Presidency Ricardo Toledo and Limón Congressman Edwin Patterson. Leaders of the Catholic Church in Limón helped facilitate the negotiations.

The strike forced President Abel Pacheco to cancel his trip to New York to address the General Assembly of the United Nations.
-AFP

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Pacheco's Approval Rating Continues to Drop

After 16 months on the job, President Abel Pacheco's public opinion rating has hit a new low, with 40% of Costa Ricans saying he is doing a "bad" or "very bad" job in office, according to an Unimer poll published yesterday in the daily La Nación.

Only 28% of those polled said Pacheco is doing a good job as President, down from a 64% approval rating last October. The new poll marks the first time Pacheco has received a negative balance in his approval rating since he took office in May, 2002.

The Unimer poll questioned 1,416 Costa Ricans, ages 15 to 69, throughout the country. The poll claims a margin of error of 2.6%.

Pacheco's Cabinet also received poor marks. Fifty percent of those polled said the Cabinet is doing a bad job, while only 17% said the Ministers were doing a "good" or "very good" job. More than half of those polled said the government "doesn't know how to solve the country's problems."

Pacheco's administration has been plagued this year by protests over his support for the U.S.-led war in Iraq, strikes by the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) and teachers' unions, and a campaign finance scandal. The poll published on Sunday was conducted two weeks before the recent strike in Limón.

The poll found that of the 2006 presidential candidates, former President and Nobel Peace Laureate Oscar Arias leads with an 80% approval rating, followed by Citizen Action Party founder Ottón Solís, with a 68% approval rating.

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3.8 Tremble Shakes Tilarán

A 3.8-magnitude earthquake shook the community of Tilarán yesterday morning at 5:39, but did not cause any damage or injuries, according to the National Seismological Network (RSN).

The quake's epicenter was near Tilarán, 200 kilometers northwest of San José, at a depth of seven kilometers. The quake was caused by a local fault, according to the RSN.

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