Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, September 07, 2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oil “Emergency” Spurs
New Efforts to Reduce Use
Starting in November, gas stations in Guanacaste and the Central Pacific will offer gasoline with 10% ethanol as the latest government measure to address rising oil prices, at nearly $66 a barrel yesterday.
(Click for more)
U.S. Issues Travel Warning
for
Nicaragua 's Caribbean Coast
The U.S. Embassy in Managua, Nicaragua has issued a warning to U.S. citizens regarding the “deteriorating security situation on the Atlantic Coast and Corn Islands of Nicaragua.” This area includes the North Atlantic Autonomous Regions (RAAN) and South Atlantic Autonomous Regions (RAAS) and the Corn Islands.
(Click for more)
Rita Marley Trip
to
Costa Rica Postponed
Rita Marley, reggae diva and the wife of the legendary late musician Bob Marley, was forced to postpone a visit to Costa Rica temporarily because of unforeseen circumstances, according to representatives of the Flowers of the African Diaspora Festival.
(Click for more)
Information for Families
of Hurricane Victims
The Costa Rican consulate for the U.S. city of New Orleans advises Costa Ricans seeking to track down friends or family in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina to call its office in the United States at (001) (504) 638-1095, or e-mail consulcrno@hotmail.com or consulcrno@bellsouth.net with the complete name, birth date and, if possible, the location where the family member lives.
(Click for more)
September 07
Conference “New Psychological Strategies to Combat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder”
Presented by the psychologist Esly Carvalho, author of books such as “Family Crisis” and “Women and Self Esteem,” today at 9 a.m., at the Mini-Auditorium of the Social Science School, Universidad Nacional, Heredia. Info: 277-3195, 277- 3199.
Knowledge Fair
Features lots of activities for children, Sept. 7-8, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at CENAC, Av. 3/7, Ca. 11. Info: 221-2154. Free entrance.
Soccer Night
Everyone is invited to watch the soccer game between Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago tonight at 8 p.m., at the Observatorio Bar, Barrio La California, in front of Cine Magaly. Info: 223-0725.
Edited By Leland Baxter-Neal
Tico Times Staff
lbaxter@ticotimes.net
Oil “Emergency” Spurs
New Efforts to Reduce Use
By Rebecca Kimitch
Tico Times Staff
rkimitch@ticotimes.net
Starting in November, gas stations in Guanacaste and the Central Pacific will offer gasoline with 10% ethanol as the latest government measure to address rising oil prices, at nearly $66 a barrel yesterday.
Costa Rica is experiencing an “absolute emergency” regarding international oil prices, President Abel Pacheco said yesterday during the press conference following his weekly Cabinet meeting, where the ethanol solution was discussed.
“It is an urgent situation… We have to take very determined measures in order to survive this crisis,” Pacheco said.
National Oil Refinery (RECOPE) officials, in collaboration with Brazilian experts, have just completed an ethanol study, concluding that Costa Rican cars, without any technological change, can run on fuel consisting of 10% ethanol without damaging cars or the environment.
The mixture of regular gas with 10% ethanol will be available at first in 62 gas stations and then evaluated before it is made available nationally.
Ethanol is a biodegradable alcohol that is generally distilled from corn or sugar. Oil shortages in the 1970s prompted Brazil to begin its ongoing ethanol program. Most of Brazil 's drivers use a fuel that contains 25% ethanol; other new flex-fuel cars can run on straight ethanol. Ethanol sells for approximately 40% the price of regular fuel, although prices have risen because the destruction of oil refineries in the United States in the wake of Hurricane Katrina has also caused increased demand for the alcohol, according to RECOPE officials.
Ultimately, when ethanol is used on a national level, it could result in a reduction in the price of regular gas by about ¢10 ($0.02)/liter, officials said.
To further reduce the country's dependence on oil, the Costa Rican Railroad Institute announced the much-anticipated return of the train between Pavas and San Pedro. The train will begin its weekend runs on Saturday and weekday runs at the end of the month.
In response to suggestions that Costa Rica buy oil at a reduced price from Venezuela, Pacheco said it is impossible.
“What Venezuela is offering is widened credit. It is not true that Venezuela is offering cheaper oil to anyone. The countries that are members of OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) cannot reduce the price of oil,” the President said.
Central American Presidents agreed Monday in an emergency summit (TT Daily Page, Sept. 6) to send their Finance Ministers to Venezuela and Columbia to discuss the fuel situation.
At the start of last month, officials implemented several measures to reduce gas usage by reducing traffic. The work schedule for public employees has been changed to one hour earlier and drivers are not allowed to drive in downtown San José on an assigned day of the week, determined by license plate number (TT, July 29).
These measures have been questioned in recent weeks by press reports that conclude gas use has actually increased in some cases.
Environment Minister Carlos Manuel Rodríguez defended the measures yesterday, saying officials are in the process of studying them and their effectiveness will not be known for several months.
“For the past 10-15 years we have seen an annual increase in fuel use. Every month 7,000-8,000 new cars enter Costa Rican fleet,” Rodríguez said. “It is very difficult to see a change in a month with these measures. Above all, it will take a cultural change.”
If use does not decrease, and gas prices continue rising, Rodríguez said other, stronger measures will be implemented.
U.S. Issues Travel Warning
for
Nicaragua 's Caribbean Coast
The U.S. Embassy in Managua, Nicaragua has issued a warning to U.S. citizens regarding the “deteriorating security situation on the Atlantic Coast and Corn Islands of Nicaragua.” This area includes the North Atlantic Autonomous Regions (RAAN) and South Atlantic Autonomous Regions (RAAS) and the Corn Islands.
The warning, issued Sept. 1, said the State Department is aware of numerous violent crimes against residents and tourists in the area and the national police “lack sufficient resources in the area to adequately respond to the threat.”
The Embassy's Security Office, the statement said, has restricted U.S. government employees from traveling to the area except in special circumstances.
For more information, see the State Department's Web site, http://travel.state.gov or call the U.S. hotline on safety or security at 1-800-407-4747 from inside the United States, or 1-202-501-4444 outside the United States or Canada. Operators are available Mon-Fri, except federal holidays, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., U.S. Eastern Time.
The embassy also encourages U.S. citizens to register with the local embassy or consulate through the State Department's registration Web site, https://travelregistration.state.gov. Citizens can also register in person at an embassy or consulate.
To contact the U.S. Embassy in Managua, dial (505) 266-6010 or 268-0123, or for after hours: 266-6038.
See Friday's print or pdf edition of The Nica Times for more information.
Rita Marley Trip
to
Costa Rica Postponed
By Scott J. Krischke
editorial@ticotimes.net
Rita Marley, reggae diva and the wife of the legendary late musician Bob Marley, was forced to postpone a visit to Costa Rica temporarily because of unforeseen circumstances, according to representatives of the Flowers of the African Diaspora Festival.
Marley, who was originally scheduled to make an appearance at a festival concert on Sept. 3 in front of the National Museum (TT Daily Page, Sept. 2), will instead visit the country later this month on a date yet to be announced.
When she arrives, Marley will tour the country and make speeches to audiences as part of the African Diaspora Festival, according to festival director Carol Britton.
Marley is also the founder of the Rita Marley Foundation, a non-governmental association that works “toward the alleviation of poverty in the peoples of the developing and less developed countries,” according to its Web site.
A free exhibit of African clothing and art at the National Museum, in San José, is on display from now until Sept. 25 as part of the festival.
A fashion show featuring African clothing and body paint will also be held this Friday at 8:00 p.m. at Cine Magaly in downtown San José. Entrance to the event is ¢2,000 ($4.15) for men and ¢1,000 ($2.07) for women.
For more information about the festival, please contact the Art and Culture Association for Development at 375-7182.
Information for Families
of Hurricane Victims
The following information first appeared in the Sept. 6 edition of The Tico Times Daily Page.
The Costa Rican consulate for the U.S. city of New Orleans advises Costa Ricans seeking to track down friends or family in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina to call its office in the United States at (001) (504) 638-1095, or e-mail consulcrno@hotmail.com or consulcrno@bellsouth.net with the complete name, birth date and, if possible, the location where the family member lives.
U.S. citizens concerned about family members in the area can access resources such as the Red Cross Web site, www.redcross.org, which has links to a list of survivors and a missing person registry – or call 1-877-568-3317 for information on missing family members. The Red Cross site also lists ways to donate money to rescue efforts.
The New Orleans-area newspaper The Times-Picayune has information on its Web site, www.nola.com. A third site for finding family members is www.familylinks.icrc.org/katrina/search. For Spanish, go to www.katrina-survivor.com/es/.
See Friday's print or pdf editions of The Tico Times and The Nica Times for more on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Daily News | Home | Top Story | Business News | Central American News
Editorial Cartoon | Weekend | Exchange Rates | Fishing | Culture | Classified Ads
Display Ads | Subscribe! | Travel Guide | Archives | Links | About Us | Newsstand Locations
Contact Us