|
Currency | |
|
Dollar Exchange: | |
|
Central Bank | |
|
|
 Sell ¢505.18 |
|
CR Colon: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
US Dollar: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 Mar 2006 |
|
Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, March 22, 2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Domestic Violence Bill
Approved For Fifth Time
The Legislative Assembly voted 32- 17 in first debate Monday night to approve, for the fifth time, the Law to Penalize Domestic Violence against Women. Dissenting legislators then filed a request for constitutional review before the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV), which has a month to deliberate before returning the text to the assembly for a vote in second debate.
(Click for more)
Lincoln School Breaks Ground
on Construction of New School
Ground was literally broken on the future site of Lincoln School's new locale in Santo Domingo de Heredia, north of San José, yesterday as the school's Director Jack Bimrose, Board of Directors president Gloria de Ventura and Ministry of Public Education Vice-Minister Marlen Gómez symbolically thrust shovels into the land.
(Click for more)
Foreigners Get New I.D. Cards
Foreign residents in Costa Rica who need to renew their residency permits can look forward to replacing the inconvenient, oversized booklet used for years as a residency cédula (identification card) with a card that looks much like Costa Ricans' ID cards, Immigration spokeswoman Heidy Bonilla told The Tico Times.
(Click for more)
Number of Nesting
Leatherbacks Doubles This Season
The number of endangered leatherback turtles that crawled ashore to nest doubled during the 2005-06 nesting season in Playa Grande, on the Pacific northwestern Guanacaste province, according a statement released by the Center of Tropical Science (CCT) yesterday.
(Click for more)
March 22
“Mozart, Passion Dancer”
Conference by Juan Manuel Arana, 7 p.m., room 107, University of Costa Rica (UCR) School of Music, San Pedro, east of San José.
Helloween in Concert
8 p.m., Planet Mall, San Pedro. Info: 383-8385.
International Arts Festival, Sabana Park, west of San José and venues around the city, all Costa Rican shows unless otherwise noted. Surprise Performance, Sabana Lake, 6:30 p.m. Folklore Show by Pascale de Oaxaca (Mexico), stage outside of the National Stadium, 9 p.m. La Calle de los Fantasmas (Argentina), puppets, Children's Tent, today and tomorrow, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Play El Festín de las Artes (Mexico), in front of the Costa Rican Art Museum, 4 p.m. Documentary Fiestas y Máscaras, inside the Costa Rican Art Museum, through March 26, 4 p.m. Play La Muchacha de los Libros Usados, National Theater, today and tomorrow, 9 p.m. Latin American Poets Encounter, Mexican Institute, through March 24. My Sister and I (France), Outlet Mall, San Pedro, 4, 7, 9 p.m.
Edited By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff
aroberson@ticotimes.net
Domestic Violence Bill
Approved For Fifth Time
By Katherine Stanley
Tico Times Staff
kstanley@ticotimes.net
The Legislative Assembly voted 32- 17 in first debate Monday night to approve, for the fifth time, the Law to Penalize Domestic Violence against Women. Dissenting legislators then filed a request for constitutional review before the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV), which has a month to deliberate before returning the text to the assembly for a vote in second debate.
If justices determine that the bill violates the Constitution, the text could return to commission for revision and another first-debate vote, which took place after the previous four votes.
The bill, first introduced to the assembly in 1999, is perhaps best known for its punishment of six months to two years of prison for men who “insult, devalue, ridicule, shame or frighten” women with whom they have “marital relations,” whether or not the union is formally declared.
The law would also punish the murder of a female spouse or domestic partner with 20-35 years of prison, and assigns two to four years for the use of threats, violence or intimidation to force a woman to do something she is not obliged to do, according to a statement from the Legislative Assembly.
Much of the disagreement surrounding the bill and comprising the consultations filed before the Sala IV stems from the fact that it applies only to women, which some opponents say is unfair. Miguel Huezo of the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) said in a statement that the legislation “gives big protections to women” and would cause the disintegration of families. He added that penalties for violent men are already included in the country's Criminal Code.
Lincoln School Breaks Ground
on Construction of New School
By Amanda Roberson
aroberson@ticotimes.net
Ground was literally broken on the future site of Lincoln School's new locale in Santo Domingo de Heredia, north of San José, yesterday as the school's Director Jack Bimrose, Board of Directors president Gloria de Ventura and Ministry of Public Education Vice-Minister Marlen Gómez symbolically thrust shovels into the land.
The new school, scheduled to open within one year, will replace the school's nearby Moravia location, which is too small and noisy, said the project's architectural director Federico Amador, a former Lincoln student. The facility will be comprised of seven buildings and have capacity for 1,400 students in pre-kindergarten through 12 th grade.
“This has been a long selection process, and we've conducted studies to locate the best piece of land for the school,” Amador said. Lincoln School has been searching for a new location since 1989 and finally decided on the plot in Santo Domingo in 2003.
Many of the school's 1,200 students from around the San José area will continue to use the school's buses to arrive to the new school, which will be built on seven hectares with views of surrounding mountains.
Since its founding in 1945, Lincoln has prided itself on multicultural education in English.
“We are laying the foundation of an institution that will empower individuals with knowledge, making them capable of leading anywhere in the world … helping build a multicultural, interconnected and globalized society,” Ventura said in both English and Spanish.
Foreigners Get New I.D. Cards
By María Gabriela Díaz
Tico Times Staff
mgdiaz@ticotimes.net
Foreign residents in Costa Rica who need to renew their residency permits can look forward to replacing the inconvenient, oversized booklet used for years as a residency cédula (identification card) with a card that looks much like Costa Ricans' ID cards, Immigration spokeswoman Heidy Bonilla told The Tico Times.
To maximize efficiency, Immigration introduced this card last month to replace the six different documents that varied for refugees, retirees and other foreign residents, Bonilla explained.
This system will make the residency renewal process take about two minutes, she said. Instead of the stamping, sealing and signing previously required, Immigration officials need only swipe the card in a machine to update the information contained in a metallic band along the side.
Because residents will not replace booklets with cards until they renew their residency, the complete switchover process to cards could take up to five years, the maximum amount of time long-term residents have to renew them, she said.
To obtain the document for the first time, foreigners must pay $14 for the plastic card and ¢2,500 ($5) in taxes. Renewals will cost ¢1,250 ($2.50).
Number of Nesting
Leatherbacks Doubles This Season
The number of endangered leatherback turtles that crawled ashore to nest doubled during the 2005-06 nesting season in Playa Grande, on the Pacific northwestern Guanacaste province, according a statement released by the Center of Tropical Science (CCT) yesterday.
In Playa Grande, the main Pacific site in the world where these turtles nest, 107 leatherbacks were recorded to have arrived this season, which lasted from Oct. 1 to March 15; this is 55 more than during the 2004-2005 season. This year in Playa Grande scientists counted 481 nests and another 100 in Playa Langosta, both of which are located in Las Baulas National Marine Park.
The leatherback, which is the largest marine turtle in the world, growing up to two meters long and weighing up to 900 kilograms, is in danger of extinction in the Pacific, where there are only an estimated 2,500 females, compared to the 91,000 females in 1980.
Las Baulas National Marine Park Director Rodney Piedra said the arrival of more turtles is “the most positive accomplishment the work of development institutions has had on conservation in the area.”
The park comprises 73 hectares of land and 20,000 hectares of ocean.
The leatherback's natural habitat is threatened by various factors, including the El Niño weather phenomenon, pollution, urbanization and illumination of beaches.
-ACAN-EFE
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