The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, January 7, 2004

GIL, flanked by President Pacheco and Security Minister Ramos, details PANI's accomplishments in combatting child neglect and abuse at a press conference yesterday.
Courtesy Casa Presidencial

Child Welfare Minister Gil:
Only 10 Homeless Kids Left in San José
Child Welfare Minister Rosalía Gil yesterday promised there would be absolutely no children sleeping on the streets of San José by the end of February.
(Click for more)

Costa Rica Complies With
U.S. Air Safety Requirements
Costa Rican Security Minister Rogelio Ramos met with U.S. Embassy officials Monday afternoon to discuss recent "emergency aviation amendments" issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to international airline companies with flights ending in the United States.
(Click for more)

January 7

Quilting for a Cause
Donate your first quilt project to National Children's Hospital in exchange for free instruction in Sabanilla. Info: 225-7879.

Summer Classes
Register your kids for acting, dance and craft-making classes at the free vacation courses at the Skené Theater, across from KFC in Los Yoses. Classes begin Jan. 12. Info: 234-1659.

Rock in Spanish
Marta Fonseca and Bernal Villegas will perform pop and rock in Spanish at 10 p.m. at the Jazz Café in San Pedro. Info: 253-8933.

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Child Welfare Minister Gil:
Only 10 Homeless Kids Left in San José
By Fabián Borges
fborges@ticotimes.net

Child Welfare Minister Rosalía Gil yesterday promised there would be absolutely no children sleeping on the streets of San José by the end of February.

In the coming weeks, Child Welfare Office (PANI) officials and police will work to transfer all of San José's homeless children to the recently opened shelter in La Garita de Alajuela, on the edge of the Central Valley, Gil announced during Tuesday's weekly cabinet meeting.

"We have already transferred 25 children who were sleeping in cardboard boxes on the streets of San José to La Garita," she said. "We estimate there are another 10 homeless children left in the city.

"In alliance with the National Psychiatric Ward, we will subject them to detoxification procedures and then transfer them to the shelter," she said.

Gil described 2003 as a year of great successes in the fight to protect the rights of Costa Rica's children. Last year, PANI received 19,859 reports of violations of children's rights and thoroughly investigated 6,821 cases. Of those cases, 1,737 received immediate attention.

During the year, PANI provided 11,242 minors with integrated health, psychological and legal assistance, Gil said, adding that PANI's shelters provided a safe haven and a home for 558 minors.

Private shelters run by non-governmental organizations in affiliation with PANI housed 1,386 troubled children and teens. Foster homes affiliated with PANI housed 1,242 children. PANI paid each foster home a monthly allowance of ¢15,000 ($36) for each child.

Nearly 900 children previously housed in shelters or foster homes were returned to their parents following evaluations and interventions to guarantee the children's safety and well-being.

"Little by little, we are de-institutionalizing children and taking them back to their homes," Gil said. "PANI is working alongside more than 100 NGOs, community organizations and foster parents to guarantee the country's children have the living conditions they are entitled to under the country's laws."

Publicly funded daycare and lunchroom services benefited 2,805 children throughout the country.

During the year, 148 legal adoptions were performed under PANI supervision -- 120 adopted children went to Costa Rica families through the National Adoption Council and 28 were adopted by foreign families.

"Adoption is a serious issue that needs to be properly regulated," she explained. "This year, we will urge the Legislative Assembly to approve a law to officially make PANI the central institution in charge of regulating all adoptions conducted inside the country."

PANI also aided in the creation of three local child and teen welfare councils, bringing the total in the country to 41. PANI also backed 198 different community development projects and conducted 867 workshops for parents, teachers and psychologists.

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Costa Rica Complies With
U.S. Air Safety Requirements
By Steve Barry
Tico Times Staff

Costa Rican Security Minister Rogelio Ramos met with U.S. Embassy officials Monday afternoon to discuss recent "emergency aviation amendments" issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to international airline companies with flights ending in the United States.

One of the amendments calls for armed, trained government agents on certain flights deemed extreme security risks by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Ramos announced during the weekly cabinet meeting yesterday that he had spoken with TSA officials and asked for six months to prepare and train Costa Rican air guards. He said TSA granted his request and offered their support in training candidates, who will be required to be able to speak English.

The guards, Ramos said, will only be used for TACA-Costa Rica (formerly known as LACSA) flights as requested by the U.S. government, and would be reserved for extreme situations, meaning they would probably rarely, if ever, be used.

For all other flights leaving Costa Rica on which guards are deemed necessary, the guards would be provided by the country of origin of the airline in question.

See Friday's TT Print Edition for Full Story

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Wednesday October 26, 2005