The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, February 16, 2004

VISITING for trade: Florida Governor John Ellis "Jeb" Bush and a delegation of business representatives arrive in Costa Rica today.
TT Photo/AFP

Florida Governor Jeb Bush
Begins Two-Day Visit
Florida Governor John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is scheduled to begin his two-day visit to Costa Rica this morning attending a breakfast with the Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce, at the Hotel Marriott in San Antonio de Belén, Heredia.
(Click for more)

Divorces Doubled
In Past Eight Years
Last year, Costa Rica's Civil Registry registered 24,057 new marriages and received 9,442 divorce requests. Total divorce requests have doubled in the past eight years, according to the Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE).
(Click for more)

ICE Improves Public Phones
For Disabled Users
Costa Rican visitors and residents who use wheelchairs or are visually impaired will now find it easier to use public phones throughout the country, thanks to changes made by the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) in the past year.
(Click for more)

February 16

Celtic Music
Peregrino Gris, one of the most popular groups of the Jazz Café section Mundo Loco, will perform Celtic music at 10 p.m. Before the show, Bernal Monestel will play music from his collection. Jazz Café is located in San Pedro. Info: 253-8933.

Art Show Opening
Kattia Vargas opens her photography show tonight. Show runs until April 16 at the José Luis López Escarré Gallery inside the National Museum, Av. 2, Ca. 3/5 in San José. Info: 221-5103.

Art Video Contest
The Ministry of Culture announces the opening of the Third Central American Art Video Contest "Inquieta Imagen." Works must be submitted May 1-20 at the Contemporary Art and Design Museum, Av. 3, Ca. 15 in San José. Info: 257-7202.

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Florida Governor Jeb Bush
Begins Two-Day Visit

Florida Governor John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is scheduled to begin his two-day visit to Costa Rica this morning attending a breakfast with the Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce, at the Hotel Marriott in San Antonio de Belén, Heredia.

Bush, brother of U.S. President George W. Bush, is in Costa Rica to promote and reinforce the ties between businesses in Florida and Central America, in preparation for the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas.

Commerce between Florida and Central America has reached $11 billon a year, according to the U.S. Embassy. Fifteen percent of Florida's growing international trade is with Central America.

More than 30 U.S. business leaders have accompanied Governor Bush on his trip to Costa Rica, including representatives of FedEx, Motorola Inc., American Express, Bank of America and Gulf Power Company.

This is the second trip to Central America Bush has made this year. In January, he traveled to Guatemala as the head of a delegation representing President Bush when recently elected Guatemalan President Oscar Berger took power.

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Divorces Doubled
In Past Eight Years

Last year, Costa Rica's Civil Registry registered 24,057 new marriages and received 9,442 divorce requests. Total divorce requests have doubled in the past eight years, according to the Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE).

In 2003, there were 488 more marriages than in 2002. The majority of the marriages (15,458) were civil unions, and 8,211 were conducted through the Catholic Church.

Last year, TSE received 1,656 more divorce requests than in 2002. In 1995, it received only 4,502 divorce requests.

During the past decade, 254,325 marriages took place in Costa Rica. Of those, 137,958 were civil unions, 113,450 were conducted through the Catholic Church and 2,827 were contracted outside the country and made official through the country's consulates.

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ICE Improves Public Phones
For Disabled Users

Costa Rican visitors and residents who use wheelchairs or are visually impaired will now find it easier to use public phones throughout the country, thanks to changes made by the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) in the past year.

Although not every public phone throughout the country has been adjusted, ICE has lowered the height of 248 phones and clearly marked them with the universal symbol for handicap accessibility. The changes were made in accordance with the Equal Opportunity for Disabled People Law 7600, according to ICE.

To facilitate the use of public phones by visually impaired clients, ICE is now circulating phone cards with instructions in Braille. In addition, all Colibrí 197 and Viajera 199 cards - cards that must be inserted into the phone - will have a groove in the upper right side to help users properly insert the card into the optical reader.

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Wednesday October 26, 2005