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POLICEMAN's Best Friend: Brenda, a yellow lab who works with the Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) in investigating the cause of fires, yesterday sniffed out a drop of gasoline on the sidewalk to demonstrate her abilities at the Judicial Branch fair. The fair, which is being held near the court buildings in downtown San José through Friday, was organized to give the public information about the judicial system, crime protection and services available. |
| Chelcey Adami | Tico Times |
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| Thousands of Teachers Go on Strike |
Thousands of teachers showed up to their schools as usual yesterday, but instead of holding class, they held meetings to discuss that they call an education system crisis that has gotten this school year off to a bad start.
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| Chamber Denounces Disorder At Liberia Airport |
The National Tourism Chamber (CANATUR) yesterday decried what it called inadequate infrastructure and services at Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, the capital of the northwestern Guanacaste province. |
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| Judicial Branch Fair Provides Information to Public |
Anyone who needs information on denouncing fraud, hiring a lawyer or is just curious about how Costa Rica's judicial system works can talk to numerous experts at a “user's fair” the Judicial Branch is holding through Friday on the pedestrian boulevard between the court buildings in downtown San José.
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| March 22 |
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Sasha Campbell in Concert
Performing R & B favorites, 9:30 p.m., ¢2,500 ($5), Jazz Café, San Pedro, east of San José.
Clown Show
For kids, with balloons and games, 5 p.m.-7 p.m., Multiplaza del Este, Curridabat, east of San José, and Multiplaza Escazú, west of San José.
Universidad Nacional (UNA) Expo
Talks on business, health, veterinary advice, food and more, today through Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Universidad Nacional, Heredia, north of San José. Info: 277-3101.
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Edited By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net
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Thousands of Teachers Go on Strike |
By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net
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Thousands of teachers showed up to their schools as usual yesterday, but instead of holding class, they held meetings to discuss that they call an education system crisis that has gotten this school year off to a bad start.
The National Association of Educators (ANDE) organized the strike to demand that the Public Education Ministry (MEP) take care of what it calls two serious problems: a teacher-placement system that last month left students around the country alone in the classroom, and the ministry's failure to pay teachers' salaries and raises.
At press time, ANDE estimated 80% of the country's teachers had joined in the strike, with some regions including the northwestern Guanacaste province seeing a near 100% participation, according to spokeswoman Karina Murillo. The strike was scheduled to continue through the evening to include teachers at night schools.
Meanwhile, many parents heard about the strike, which has been in the works since Saturday, and kept their kids at home yesterday, she said.
Teachers are frustrated by the chaos surrounding the process of naming them to schools each year, Murillo said. When school began Feb. 7, bureaucratic errors meant that an estimated 4,000 teachers didn't show up for class because they weren't properly notified or assigned (TT, Feb. 16).
This situation is still not resolved, Murillo said. Many classrooms around the country are still missing teachers, meaning others must take on another shift to fill in, or students are missing certain subjects.
Additionally, many teachers have not been paid so far this year.
“It's been almost two months and still nothing,” Murillo said, explaining that this situation is similar to one teachers suffered through in 2003.
Striking teachers have not yet received any response from MEP, she said. |
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Chamber Denounces Disorder At Liberia Airport |
The National Tourism Chamber (CANATUR) yesterday decried what it called inadequate infrastructure and services at Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, the capital of the northwestern Guanacaste province.
Passengers at this airport are forced to wait in long lines under the hot sun and deal with slow service that sometimes means missing their connections, all of which create “great annoyance,” said a statement from the Chamber.
This situation is evident every day and gets worse during the weekends, when more customers are flying in and out. The tourism high season has also exacerbated problems.
Tourists' “discontent is notable and their negative comments harm the image of our country as a vacation destination,” said CANATUR president Gonzalo Vargas. “It doesn't help us at all to offer unlimited attractions if (tourists') arrival is disagreeable.”
An Immigration computer server that malfunctioned because of the heat Saturday resulted in hundreds of tourists waiting hours outside, as planes backed up on the runways.
Vargas lamented that the airport lacks a contingency plan for these types of situations.
“Not having a plan B at these moments when the system fails generates a chaos that, added to the high temperatures of this zone, notoriously affects the spirits of users,” Vargas said.
The chamber is calling for the government to “pay attention to these irregularities” as Easter Holy Week, a busy time for travel, approaches at the beginning of next month. |
-Tico Times
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Judicial Branch Fair Provides Information to Public |
By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net
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Anyone who needs information on denouncing fraud, hiring a lawyer or is just curious about how Costa Rica's judicial system works can talk to numerous experts at a “user's fair” the Judicial Branch is holding through Friday on the pedestrian boulevard between the court buildings in downtown San José.
On the first day of the event yesterday, white tents flapping in the strong winds housed various Judicial Branch department, including the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV), Judicial Services, Values Commission and Psychology office. Throughout the fair's three days, these departments will be offering free talks.
Representatives from the Fraud Department yesterday handed out information about common scams pulled in Costa Rica, such as the falsification of identification cards, or cédulas, and the fabrication of fake money.
Across the way, Brenda, a yellow lab used by the Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) in arson investigations, demonstrated her specialized ability to sniff out gasoline. Her handler, OIJ investigator Christian Corales, began by showing her a bag of dog food, her eventual reward. He then sprinkled a few drops of gasoline on a curb behind Brenda's back and instructed her to sniff the area.
The dog frantically sniffed until she reached the gas-soaked spots and then sat down to signal her finding to Corales and receive her handful of food.
Brenda is one of the OIJ's three dogs used to investigate the cause of fires; seven others are trained to sniff out drugs.
Brenda and many other Judicial Branch workers will be available at the fair from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and Friday. A highlight is scheduled for about 9:30 on Friday, when the OIJ's Immediate Intervention Police Service (SPII) will demonstrate the rappelling techniques they use to descend from helicopters.
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