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06 Jan 2006 |
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Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, January 06, 2006
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Civic Movement Plans
Protest
Against Bad Roads,
Vehicle Inspection
Taxi and truck drivers, agricultural workers and other groups united under the Civic Movement announced yesterday they will hold a protest in front of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) office Jan. 16 to demand that leaders repair roads, lower taxes on gasoline and end the monopoly over car inspection required for drivers to attain vehicle circulation permits.
(Click for more)
Cars Without Permits
Get Grace Period
Transportation authorities yesterday granted vehicle owners who had put off renewing their circulation permits, or marchamos, a grace period of one month to complete the procedure, according to Omar Segura, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT).
(Click for more)
Costa Rica Exported $795 Million
Of Fresh Fruit in 2005
Costa Rica exported approximately 2.7 million metric tons of tropical fruits worth $795 million in 2005, mainly to the United States, according to figures from the Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER) released in a statement by the Agriculture Ministry yesterday.
(Click for more)
January 06
Copa del Café Tennis Finals
Jan. 7, all day, ending with the men's final, Costa Rica Country Club, San Rafael de Escazú.
National Surf Circuit 2005-2006
Jan. 7-8 at Playa Hermosa de Garabito, Puntarenas, 363-9921.
Taking Photos of Nature
Trip organized by the Organization for Tropical Studies, Jan. 6-8, Monteverde, 524-0625.
Edited By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff
aroberson@ticotimes.net
Civic Movement Plans Protest
Against Bad Roads, Vehicle Inspection
By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff
aroberson@ticotimes.net
Taxi and truck drivers, agricultural workers and other groups united under the Civic Movement announced yesterday they will hold a protest in front of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) office Jan. 16 to demand that leaders repair roads, lower taxes on gasoline and end the monopoly over car inspection required for drivers to attain vehicle circulation permits.
Eddy González, president of the Costa Rican Mechanics Association, said the government fails to use revenue raised by gasoline taxes and fines of vehicles with outdated permits to improve infrastructure and that inspections standards are too high.
“How can the government demand that we comply with inspections when the roads are in an intolerable state?” González asked.
Civic Movement leaders criticized Riteve, the company in charge of vehicle inspection, and demanded that it leave Costa Rica, calling it a monopoly. Vehicle inspection should be run by the public sector, González said.
The Civic Movement expects between 1,000 and 2,000 people at the Jan. 16 protest, which González called a “the beginning of a fight” and an attempt to open up a dialogue with Minister of Public Works and Transportation Randall Quirós.
If Quirós does not comply with the group's requests, he should resign, González said. Depending on whether MOPT is receptive to the Civic Movement's demands, bigger protests could follow.
Cars Without Permits
Get Grace Period
By María Gabriela Díaz
Tico Times Staff
mgdiaz@ticotimes.net
Transportation authorities yesterday granted vehicle owners who had put off renewing their circulation permits, or marchamos, a grace period of one month to complete the procedure, according to Omar Segura, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT).
Until Feb. 1, Traffic Police will fine owners ¢10,000 ($20.20) but no longer remove their out-of-date plates, as they did at the beginning of the week (TT Daily Page, Jan. 5), he told The Tico Times yesterday.
From Monday through Wednesday afternoon, officers removed 798 plates, which will not be returned despite the grace period, Segura said.
To recuperate confiscated plates, vehicle owners must pay an initial fine of ¢13,000 ($26.26), which increases each day until the circulation permit is paid, in addition to proving vehicle inspection and soliciting an order for a judge to prove all fees have been paid, Traffic Police Director of Operations Juan Rodriguez told The Tico Times.
According to Segura, the plate-removal operation was suspended because of an over-saturation of Riteve stations, the company in charge of vehicle inspection – which vehicle-owners must present to update their permits.
Costa Rica Exported $795 Million
Of Fresh Fruit in 2005
Costa Rica exported approximately 2.7 million metric tons of tropical fruits worth $795 million in 2005, mainly to the United States, according to figures from the Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER) released in a statement by the Agriculture Ministry yesterday.
According to the statement, Costa Rica exported bananas, pineapple, mangoes, avocados and limes, among other tropical fruits.
Costa Rica, which sends almost half of its total exports to the United States, “is the main exporter of bananas and pineapple among U.S. markets, while limes and mangoes also hold significant rankings,” added the report.
Avocado was the most costly fruit, at $1.24 per kilo, while orange was the least expensive at $0.03 per kilo, according to the report.
-ACAN-EFE
