The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, December 19, 2003

Getting ready: Saprissa plays arch-rival La Liga in tonight's Central America semi-finals for the CONCACAF tournament. The game is being played in Los Angeles, California at eight o'clock Tico Time.
TT Photo / AFP

Congress Refuses to
Let U.S. Boats Dock Here
The Legislative Assembly on Wednesday night voted to reject a request to allow 20 U.S. Coast Guard and Marine vessels to disembark in the country's ports during anti-drug trafficking patrols in coming months.
(Click for more)

Government Salaries to
Increase 3.5% Next Year
The government announced this week that as of Jan. 1 the salaries of all public employees would be raised 3.5%. But the increase fails to counteract the more than 5% increase in prices reported during the second half of 2003, according to the daily La Nación.
(Click for more)

December 19

Memorial Service for Faith Ruhlow
In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to "take an angel" in Faith's name from the Salvation Army list of needy children to receive Christmas presents. Memorial service is 2-4 p.m. at The Little Theatre Group's Blanche Brown Theatre in Bello Horizonte. Info: Wilhelmina Rogers, 293-8379.

Democrats Abroad of Costa Rica Host Holiday Dinner
Includes classical guitar recital and political entertainment, Sat., Dec. 20, 1-4 p.m. in the Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Av. Ctrl./2, Ca. 3/5 in San José. Info: Mr. and Mrs. Sagel, 249-1856, or Ruth Dixon, 494-6260.

Christmas Carol Concert
By Café Chorale, Sun., Dec. 21 at 5 p.m. in the National Auditorium of the Children's Museum, Av. 9, Ca. 4 in San José. Info: 263-5509.

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Congress Refuses to Let U.S. Boats Dock Here

The Legislative Assembly on Wednesday night voted to reject a request to allow 20 U.S. Coast Guard and Marine vessels to disembark in the country's ports during anti-drug trafficking patrols in coming months.

The deputies who voted down the U.S. request said they did it to protest the government's refusal to recall its bills from the legislative agenda. As long as the bills are not recalled, deputies will not be able to take their Christmas break.

The U.S. had requested permission for its boats to dock at Costa Rica's ports between Jan. 1 and March 31 of next year. They are being used as part of joint drug-trafficking patrols conducted by Costa Rica and the United States.

Costa Rica's constitution requires the arrival of all foreign military boats and planes on national territory to be approved by the Legislative Assembly. In the case of regular joint drug patrols, the Security Ministry typically requests permission for periods of three to four months.

Congress also could have begun its vacation by voting to hold an extended recess, which requires a two-thirds majority (38 out of 57 legislators). However, the number of legislators backing the recess was insufficient.

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Government Salaries to Increase 3.5% Next Year

The government announced this week that as of Jan. 1 the salaries of all public employees would be raised 3.5%. But the increase fails to counteract the more than 5% increase in prices reported during the second half of 2003, according to the daily La Nación.

Public sector workers' unions, which by law are guaranteed the right to take part in salary negotiations, did not participate. Union leaders claim the government failed to inform them in time about the negotiations.

The government insists it informed the unions in time and claimed they voluntarily chose not to participate.

"Our objective was to define the salary increase this week. We informed the unions and… they refused to show up," said Vice-Minister of Labor Jeremías Vargas. "Even if we wanted to, we couldn't give them larger raises."

The increase in salaries will benefit 212,069 active and retired public employees.

Rafael Mora, a representative of the Federation of Public Employees, criticized the government for attempting to exclude workers from the negotiations in order to give them a salary increase that fails to cover increases in the basic cost of living.

"They have said inflation during the last six months was 5.16%," Mora said. "That should be a minimum. We're not even getting that."

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Wednesday October 26, 2005