The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, September 25, 2003

PURA VIDA, MAJE: National Surf Circuit kicks off this weekend in Jacó.
AFP/TT

Arias Slipping in Polls
The most recent CID-Gallup opinion polls published yesterday in the daily La República show that if the 2006 presidential elections were held today, former President and Nobel Peace Laureate Oscar Arias would be the favorite candidate, but might not be able to win enough votes to take the election in the first round.
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Unions Ask for Moratorium on CAFTA
A group of 14 unions yesterday sent a letter to President Abel Pacheco requesting a moratorium on the free-trade negotiations between Central America and the United States (CAFTA) and demanding citizen participation in the process before the pact is signed in December. The union leaders' petition follows on the heels of a similar letter sent to Pacheco Sept. 2 by 23 lawmakers of all three major political parties demanding more transparency in the CAFTA rounds.
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Surf Circuit Opens
Saturday at Jacó Beach
"Pura Vida," Costa Rica's trademark phrase, will likely be worn into the ground this weekend at the Central Pacific beach town of Jacó, which will be hosting the opening of the Costa Rican National Surf Circuit Sept. 27-28.
(Click for more)

September 25

Conference Series
Tonight's talk (in Spanish) is on "Negotiation, Environment and Labor Rights," by Gabriela Llobet, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade at 7 p.m., at Mark Twain Library, C.R.-North American Cultural Center, Barrio Dent. Info: 207-7554.

Film Festival
Tonight's film "El Estado de las Cosas "(German), at 6 p.m. at the Contemporary Art and Design Museum, FANAL, Ca. 15, Av. 3. Info: 257-7202.

Piano Concert
Keren Neeman is performing at 5 p.m. at the José Figueres Ferrer Cultural Center in San Ramón, Alajuela. Info: 447-2178.

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Arias Slipping in Polls
By Tim Rogers
trogers@ticotimes.net

IT'S IN THE BAG: Ottón Solís says beating Oscar Arias in the 2006 presidential elections will be "easy."
AFP/TT

The most recent CID-Gallup opinion polls published yesterday in the daily La República show that if the 2006 presidential elections were held today, former President and Nobel Peace Laureate Oscar Arias would be the favorite candidate, but might not be able to win enough votes to take the election in the first round.

According to the polls, which claim a 2.8% margin of error, National Liberation Party candidate Arias would win 35% of the vote, a six-point drop from his polling numbers last April and five percentage points less than the 40% needed to win the presidency in the first round.

Arias is followed in the polls by Citizen Action Party founder and candidate Ottón Solís, who has remained relatively consistent in the polls for the last six months. Minister of the Presidency Ricardo Toledo topped the list of possible candidates for the incumbent Social Christian Unity Party with 1% of potential votes, trailing National Liberation challenger Antonio Alvarez (11%) and Libertarian party leader Otto Guevara (5%).

While no candidate appears to have the 40% need to win the first round (Dr. Abel Pacheco was the first President in the country's history to not win in the first round), Arias still has a commanding 67% popularity rating to lead all public figures, according to CID-Gallup.

Second in the popularity polls is former President and Social Christian Unity Party boss Rafael Angel Calderón, who is eligible for re-election but has said he will not run. Solís finished third, with a 52% approval rating.

Potential Unity candidates Luis Fishman and Toledo finished 9th and 10th, respectively, with popularity ratings 28% and 21%. Vice-President Lineth Saborío has a 50% approval rating, though she has not demonstrated any interest in running for President.

Solís, despite trailing in the polls to Arias, remains outwardly confident that he can beat the former President in what appears to be shaping up as a two-way race.

Asked by The Tico Times during a recent interview if he thinks he can beat Arias in 2006, Solís, the former Minister of Planning under the Arias administration before resigning due to economic differences, said: "Easily."

Asked how, the Citizen Action candidate said he would get Arias on contradictions regarding his position on the privatization of the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) -- arguably one of the most politically charged topics in the country.

Arias, who in the past was publicly in favor of opening ICE to private investment, apparently changed his mind during the ICE strikes last June, when he said he was against privatization.

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Unions Ask for Moratorium on CAFTA
By Tim Rogers
trogers@ticotimes.net

A group of 14 unions yesterday sent a letter to President Abel Pacheco requesting a moratorium on the free-trade negotiations between Central America and the United States (CAFTA) and demanding citizen participation in the process before the pact is signed in December. The union leaders' petition follows on the heels of a similar letter sent to Pacheco Sept. 2 by 23 lawmakers of all three major political parties demanding more transparency in the CAFTA rounds.

According to the unions' petition, signed by leaders the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), national teachers unions, taxi drivers' union and campesinos, all Costa Ricans have the right to read the documents and participate in the potential $24 billion trade pact before it is signed, not after.

"The great majority of people have wanted to participate in the negotiations and learn what is going on, but we have been unable to do that," reads the union leaders' petition, adding that the process has been more transparent in other countries, such as Honduras and El Salvador.

Among the demands, union leader are asking the government to establish special reading rooms where the public can read the trade texts that are being negotiated. Similar viewing rooms have been created in Nicaragua and Guatemala.

The lawmakers, meanwhile, expressed concern that only four of the 21 chapters to CAFTA have been closed during the first seven rounds of talks, leaving 17 remaining chapters to be negotiated during the last two rounds.

The deputies, who will eventually have to ratify the CAFTA deal, called for added transparency and openness from the central government.

Don't miss Friday's TT print edition for complete coverage.

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Surf Circuit Opens Saturday at Jacó Beach
By Jamie McEvoy
Tico Times Staff

"Pura Vida," Costa Rica's trademark phrase, will likely be worn into the ground this weekend at the Central Pacific beach town of Jacó, which will be hosting the opening of the Costa Rican National Surf Circuit Sept. 27-28.

At least 100 surfers will be competing from all over the world in eight different categories, according to the National Circuit. The "Open Category" is considered the most important draw. Other categories include "Juniors" (under 18), "Grommets" (under 16), "Boys" (under 16), Women, Longboard (longer than 9 feet), Bodyboard and Masters (over 35).

The competition begins in the morning and usually lasts until 5 p.m., with a four to six-member judge panel.

"Surfers get the most points for executing the most radical maneuvers in the most critical part of the wave with the most speed, power and style," explained Costa Rican surfer Federico Pilurzu, who will be competing in the Costa Rica National Circuit between his worldwide-professional surf tour in Australia, Brazil, Europe and Japan.

These rankings will help determine which surfers make the Costa Rica National Team, which will compete in the Pan-American Games next year. Last year, Costa Rica took third place.

Surfers will also compete in categories such as "best wave," "best equipment," and an "expression session," where surfers can show off their artistic talents.
The competitions are also fun for non-surfers. Each competition features a dance, free surf lessons, beach cleanups, and lifeguard demonstrations.

The circuit will continue through April with competitions Oct. 11-12 at central Pacific beaches of Playa Esterillos and Nov. 15-16 at Puntarenas; Nov. 15-16 at Playa Negra, Guanacaste; Dec. 13-14 at the southern Pacific beach of Playa Dominical. In 2004, the circuit continues at Puntareans Jan. 10-11; the Caribbean beach of Puerto Viejo Feb. 14-15; the southern Nicoya beach of Playa Mal Pais Mar. 13 -14; and the central Pacific beach of Playa Hermosa April 3-4.

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