The Tico Times Online Daily Page

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

ANNIVERSARY flowers: Costa Rica yesterday celebrated the 65th anniversary of the national flower, the Guaria Morada (Cattleya skinneri), at the State University at a Distance (UNED) with art, poetry and essays praising the beauty of the orchid. The orchid – designated Costa Rica’s national flower June 15, 1939 – grows on trees, roofs and buildings and gets its nutrients from the air, rain, dust and residues on tree trunks. According to Costa Rican tradition, it brings good fortune and hope for the future.
Tico Times/Jeffrey Arguedas

Correction!
Costa Rica is in the Tier 2 category of countries on the U.S. State Department’s annual human trafficking report, not second place on the list as reported yesterday in the article “U.S. Report on Child-Trafficking Ranks Costa Rica Second Among 140 Countries.” We regret the error.

June 16

Editus Trio
Award-winning musical group performs tonight at 10 p.m. at the Jazz Café in San Pedro. Info: 253-8933.

Magnificat U.S. Ballet Group
U.S. ballet group will perform in Costa Rica for the first time, Fri.-Sat., June 25-26, 8 p.m.; Sun., June 27, 5 p.m., at the Melico Salazar Theater in San José. Info and reservations: 259-2404

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Private-Sector Wages
Will Increase by 6.27%

After two hours of negotiations with labor unions and business chambers, the Labor Ministry’s National Salary Council approved a 6.27% increase in private-sector salaries for the second half of the year.

To compensate for the country’s high inflation rate, the wages of many private-sector employees are adjusted at the beginning and the middle of each year. The rate of increase of salaries is decided following negotiations between the unions, business representatives and the Labor Ministry’s National Salary Council.

The Union of Private-Sector Chambers and Associations (UCCAEP), representing the country’s business sector, on Monday had announced it would offer workers a 6.26% salary increase. A week before, workers’ unions had requested a 9.14% salary increase (TT Daily Page, June 9).

The adjustment, in addition to a 4.72% increase that went into effect in January, adds up to an accumulated adjustment of approximately 11.4%.

Originally, the Central Bank had projected 9% inflation for 2004. However, accumulated inflation during the first five months of the year has been 5.14%, according to the National Statistics and Census Institute (INEC).

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Health Fair Offers Discounted
Services in San José

The National Training Institute (INA) is offering free and discounted medical services and tests tomorrow in La Uruca, in northwestern San José, as part of its 7th annual Health Fair.

The fair will feature information on habits for healthy living, health products and services ranging from facials to mammograms.

Dental and eye exams will be free, and special rates will be offered for lab tests such as lipid and glucose profiles (¢5,000), osteoporosis checks (¢3,500) and detection of uterine cancer (¢6,000).

Men over 35 can also have tests done to check uric acid, cholesterol, triglycerides and prostate antigens.

The Health Fair will be held at the INA headquarters from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Suspected Drug Dealers
Arrested in Cartago

Agents of the Drug Control Police detained two men yesterday suspected of distributing drugs in Cartago, east of San José, the Public Security Ministry announced.

According to police, the suspects were apprehended after a several-day investigation that stemmed from various tips from area residents.

The two men were identified by police as having the last names of Motiel and Luna, and are 26 and 24 years old, respectively.

Police said they found 35 doses of crack cocaine, one dose of cocaine, aluminum foil and ¢42,000 ($96) in cash in the suspects’ home, located in a neighborhood called Proyecto Llanos de Santa Lucía.

Both suspects were remitted to the control of the Cartago Prosecutor’s Office.

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Wednesday October 26, 2005