The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, December 15, 2003

A street performer blows fire for an impressed crowd Saturday night during the Festival of Light, San José's annual Holiday parade featuring floats and bulb-decked vehicles from around the region.
TT/Jeffrey Arguedas

Pacheco to Visit Flooded Limón
President Abel Pacheco plans to visit the Caribbean province of Limón today to assess the damage caused by intense rains that have pummeled the region since Wednesday.
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December 15

Caribbean Dance Show
Feel the vibes of the Caribbean Zone tonight at 8 p.m., at the National Theater, Av. 2, Ca. 3/5 in San José. Info: 221-1329.

Nativity Scenes Workshop for Kids
Let your children ages 6-12 learn about one of the most important traditions of Costa Rican families, Dec. 15-19, 1-4 p.m. at the Costa Rican Art Museum in La Sabana Park. Info: 222-7155.

Theater Workshop
Children ages 7-15 are welcome to develop their acting skills in these theater classes, Dec. 15-19, 1-4 p.m. at the Costa Rican Art Museum in La Sabana Park. Info: 222-7155.

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Pacheco to Visit Flooded Limón
By Tim Sparkman
tsparkman@ticotimes.net

President Abel Pacheco plans to visit the Caribbean province of Limón today to assess the damage caused by intense rains that have pummeled the region since Wednesday.

The President, who just returned from a trip to Miami, is expected to visit the heavily damaged bridge over the Reventazón River near Siquirres, followed by a tour through the heavily affected cantons of Batán and Matina.

According to information released this weekend by the National Emergency Commission, 2,005 people were evacuated to 17 shelters since the government declared a state of emergency for much of the Caribbean region on Thursday. The Commission reported that 14 shelters remain open with more than 1,000 refugees from Matina and Siquirres, located about two to three hours from San José.

The daily La Nación reported that hundreds of others returned to their ruined homes Saturday after the rains and flooding diminished.

A boy, whose name and age were not released to the press, drowned late Friday after falling into a drainage ditch, and 55-year-old Carlos Leitón remained missing after he fell into the swollen Chirripó River on Thursday, according to an AFP report. No other casualties have been reported.

Emergency officials are asking area residents to remain cautious because of imminent flooding, because some rivers still are at dangerously high levels and the region's soil is saturated.

The National Meteorological Institute's forecast for the Caribbean region calls for light rains in the morning and afternoon today, with showers into the evening that could precipitate a return of the floods. Meteorologists are forecasting sporadic rains throughout the rest of the week for the affected zone.

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Cellular GSM Lines Almost Gone

Only one year after contracting 400,000 phone lines for use in the Global System of Mobile Communications (GSM), Costa Rica's quota is about to run out, said sector representatives on Friday.

Demand for the few remaining lines increased in the last few days, in keeping with the traditional surge in business before Christmas.

The state-owned Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) bought the lines a year ago from the French firm Alcatel. The system is favored because it allows users to access the Internet from their telephones and transmit information at high speeds. GSM technology shares the Costa Rican market with TDMA, an older technology. About 150,000 TDMA lines remain available.

ICE has contracted another 600,000 GSM lines from the Swiss firm Ericsson, but they will not be available for another six months.
-AFP

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Women Environmentalists Request
Access to CAFTA Texts

Women in the Costa Rican Federation for the Conservation of the Environment (FECON), one of the country's largest environmental groups, and other citizens and environmental activists have published a list of demands in reference to the Central America Free-Trade Agreement (CAFTA).

The group, which calls itself "The Women," published a six-point list of observations and requests related to the regional trade agreement. The Women join various other groups, including lawmakers and labor unions, who in recent months have called for increased civil participation in the ratification process.

The ninth and final round of CAFTA negotiations are expected to end today in Washington D.C.

The women environmentalists say the negotiated texts must be made public before they are sent to the Legislative Assembly for ratification.

The also say progress must made in the regulation of Costa Rica's water resources before the country ratifies to a treaty that could privatize water services and stand in the way of the fundamental human right of access to clean water.

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