Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, August 17, 2005
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Minister Anticipates Trade
Agreement Will Take Effect Jan. 1
Foreign Trade Minister Manuel González said yesterday he expects the recently approved free-trade agreement with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to go into effect Jan. 1 and provide many opportunities for small producers in Costa Rica.
(Click for more)
Pacheco Wraps Up Visit to
Taiwan
Touting Achievements
After five days in Taiwan, President Abel Pacheco wrapped up his visit yesterday with promises of investment from the Taiwanese government, and was scheduled to leave last night for Japan (TT Daily Page, Aug. 15).
(Click for more)
Authorities Investigate Police
Officer Who Allegedly Made
Arrested Females Dance
The Public Security Ministry is investigating charges against Eliécer León, a police officer who allegedly made arrested females dance in his office.
(Click for more)
August 17
Music and Soccer
Jazz Café in San Pedro invites everyone to enjoy the Costa Rica vs. Mexico soccer game and a concert by Malpaís after the game. Activities start at 6 p.m. Info: 253-8933.
Adelante Muchachas
Documentary about four Honduran female soccer players who are trying to earn respect through sports, directed by German producer Erika Harzer, no entrance fee, Aug. 17, 7 p.m., Centro de Cine, Av. 9, Ca. 11. Info: 222-9329, 232-5533.
VIP Party and Soccer
TOKU Art, Music and Fusion, in Escazú will offer a party for 200 VIPs to watch the C.R.-Mexico game. Those in attendance will enjoy an open bar and bocas 6:30-11 p.m. After the game people will dance to the beat of Requete Group. Info: 377-9097, 228-4091.
Edited By María Gabriela Díaz
Tico Times Staff
mgdiaz@ticotimes.net
Minister Anticipates Trade
Agreement Will Take Effect Jan. 1
By Rebecca Kimitch
Tico Times Staff
rkimitch@ticotimes.net
Foreign Trade Minister Manuel González said yesterday he expects the recently approved free-trade agreement with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to go into effect Jan. 1 and provide many opportunities for small producers in Costa Rica.
Last week, Costa Rica joined Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados in ratifying the trade agreement, which eliminates export taxes on 90% of the Costa Rica products exported to Caribbean countries (TT, Aug. 12).
Although 10 of the 12 Caribbean countries participating in the agreement have yet to ratify it, the two that have done so receive 30% of Costa Rica 's exports to the region. Costa Rica's other major Caribbean trading partner is Jamaica, accounting for more than half of Costa Rica's exports to the region. The trade agreement is now under consideration in the Jamaican parliament, and González said he anticipates its ratification there soon.
Costa Rica exported $75 million worth of products to the Caribbean Community in 2004 and imported $20 million, González said. For the first semester of 2005, exports have reached $45 million, with imports at $5 million.
“This $45 million represents a 34% increase of exports over the first semester last year. This shows expectations are growing among our exporters,” González said during President Abel Pacheco's weekly cabinet meeting, headed this week by Vice-President Lineth Saborío while Pacheco is in Japan.
Fifteen million people live in the CARICOM countries; an additional 5 million tourists visit every year. In some of the countries, the per capita income is larger than that of Costa Rica.
“CARICOM is a very good alternative market for the small producer… particularly for agriculture food products,” González said.
The top exports to the Caribbean include: glass containers (18%), prepared food products (18%) and medicine (16%).
While most Costa Rican products exported to the Caribbean go to Jamaica, most of those imported – 94% – are from Trinidad and Tobago. The principal products Costa Rica imports from CARICOM are natural and liquid gas, as well as iron and steel products.
González said that in structure, the free-trade agreement with CARICOM is similar to the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) and hundreds of other trade agreements among countries around the globe.
“We aren't reinventing the wheel,” González said.
Sixty-seven percent of products will be released from tariffs immediately after the agreement goes into effect; tariffs on other products will be decreased over a period of four years; wheat flour will be released from tariffs over 10 years; and, as in all trade agreements, a number of products are excluded, including milk, fish, chicken (except boneless, which is allowed), bananas, rice, sugar, pineapples, coffee, cigarettes, beer and cement.
The agreement does include something unique: a number of products are free from tariffs only during certain times of the year. These agricultural products are allowed to enter the Caribbean tariff-free only when CARICOM countries are not producing the products themselves.
Costa Rica is the second country to develop a free-trade agreement with CARICOM, after the Dominican Republic.
“Other countries are now showing interest,” González said.
Pacheco Wraps Up Visit to
Taiwan
Touting Achievements
After five days in Taiwan, President Abel Pacheco wrapped up his visit yesterday with promises of investment from the Taiwanese government, and was scheduled to leave last night for Japan (TT Daily Page, Aug. 15).
According to a statement from Casa Presidencial, the plan for a Taiwanese Friendship Industrial Park will become a reality, as the Taiwanese have officially agreed to supply the technology, the capital and the businesses to create the park. Costa Rica will provide the land, located somewhere near Juan Santamaría International Airport, northeast of San José.
The industrial park could bring more investment to Costa Rica from Taiwan. The Vice-President of Japan, Lu Hsiu-lien, mentioned the idea of the park on his last visit to Costa Rica, but this was the first time the presidents of the two countries sat down to talk about it, the press release noted.
The agreement to build the industrial park was one of multiple promises of aid the President achieved on his trip. In the statement, Pacheco also mentioned agreements that Taiwan will aid in the construction of a highway from San José to San Carlos, a mountain city north of the capital, and finance a convention center.
According to the statement, the property for the convention center has already been acquired and is near the Plaza Real Cariari, between San José and the international airport. The next step is for the government to contract a Costa Rican construction company to begin building it.
The President also inaugurated and closed the 3rd Democratic Pacific Assembly, a summit of nations established to create and strengthen permanent cooperation between democratic governments with coasts on the Pacific. Because of Pacheco's involvement, the statement said, the Taiwanese Vice-President announced that the next assembly would be held in Costa Rica.
The President was scheduled to depart last night for Japan, where he will meet with leaders there and take part in the Summit of Heads of State of Japan and Central America, among other activities.
Authorities Investigate Police Officer Who
Allegedly Made Arrested Females Dance
The Public Security Ministry is investigating charges against Eliécer León, a police officer who allegedly made arrested females dance in his office.
“The investigation has not concluded yet, so I cannot confirm that the charges against Mr. León are true,” Public Security Minister Rogelio Ramos told Radio Monumental in an interview.
“As a preventive measure, we decided to transfer Mr. León to another police station so his presence would not exert pressure on other officers being interviewed by the police disciplinarian department,” the minister said.
León, who was chief of police at the Montes de Oca police station, east of San José, was accused by 14 of his subordinate co-workers of allegedly abusing his power to make detained females, some of them minors, take part in immoral acts.
León was also accused of allegedly “going too far” with his female co-workers, to whom he addressed inappropriate jokes and maintained excessive physical contact.
“In the ministry we have a very clear policy: regardless of rank and position, if a police officer commits an act that goes against the law or morals, well, evidently we will proceed to act against him,” Ramos said.
However, “this case is still under investigation,” he added.
León rejected the charges and said, “These accusations against me were made to get me out of there (the Montes de Oca police station).”
-ACAN-EFE
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