On the Job: An 11-year-old boy sold fruits in the streets of San José yesterday, World Day against Child Labor. According to UNICEF Costa Rica, child labor rates decreased by two-thirds in Latin America and the Caribbean between 2000-2004; however, in Costa Rica, an estimate 50,000 children ages 5-14 are still working despite laws forbidding child labor.

A new study reports that 28% of Costa Rican businesses are getting ready to hire. The study, carried out by temp agency Manpower Costa Rica, found that almost a third of Costa Rican businesses plan on adding to their work forces in the third quarter of the year. Another 6% plan on making cuts, and 1% didn't have clear plans.

Free Central American Film
With the Honduran production “ Limpiando chaquetas ” by Mario Jaen, fiction, based on the maras (gangs) problem, and the documentary Entre gallos y medianoche by Canadian Nadja Drost, film about pollution, June 13, 7 p.m., Sala Calle 15, Av. 2, Ca. 15.

Fashion Show
Featuring work of Costa Rican clothing designer Sonia Chang, proceeds go to victims of Alzheimer's and other brain disorders, June 13, 7 p.m., Costa Rica Country Club, Escazú. Info: 208-5000.

Avishai Cohen Trio
Jazz, June 13 and 15, 10 p.m., Jazz Café, San Pedro.

By Katherine Stanley
Tico Times Staff | kstanley@ticotimes.net

Across the globe, many governments are not ensuring their disabled citizens have access to quality education – and with 120-150 million disabled children worldwide, and 80-90% of those children living in poverty in developing countries, that's a problem the developing world can't ignore.

That's the message Vernor Muñoz, the U.N. Rapporteur on Educational Rights, brought to Costa Rican officials and other listeners yesterday when he presented his report, “Educational Rights of People with Disabilities,” in San José.

Muñoz, himself a Costa Rican and also an employee of the Ombudsman's Office, emphasized that he is not an expert in Costa Rica's efforts in this area, but told The Tico Times the country has a long way to go on this issue.

“What Costa Rica has is a very serious implementation problem,” he told The Tico Times. “We have very good laws and very poor practices.”

A top priority for education for special-needs students here include better teacher training, according to Muñoz. He said that “inclusive education,” where students join mainstream classes with additional support – rather than “special education,” which often implies separating disabled students into their own classes – should be the goal.

According to the study, net enrollment in primary education in the developing world has increased to 86%, but the number of disabled children attending school in those nations ranges from only 1-5%.

“This is because there aren't public policies that show interest in improving these (students') situation,” Muñoz said.

By Dave Sherwood
Tico Times Staff | dsherwood@ticotimes.net

Six green turtles barely escaped the dinner table Monday morning, after National Police officers in Limón, on the Caribbean coast, chased off poachers who'd caught them in nets at sea and were preparing to load them in a vehicle.

The turtles were being removed from a boat in preparation for loading into a parked car beside the road at a stretch of coastline near Limón known as Barra de Matina.

“We received a call from someone who saw this taking place, and said the turtles were going to be killed and eaten,” said Didier Mora, of the National Police.

The police arrived just as the last two turtles were being carted out of the boat. The poachers fled upon seeing the authorities, Mora said, and the turtles were saved. Green turtles, like all of Costa Rica's sea turtles, are considered to be a threatened species, and are protected by law from harvest.

According to Didier, June marks the beginning of the turtle-breeding season in the region, and complaints about turtle poaching are common this time of year.

“We were fortunate that none of the turtles died,” he said, adding that upon receiving permission from the Environment and Energy Ministry (MINAE), authorities safely returned all the turtles to the water.

A new study reports that 28% of Costa Rican businesses are getting ready to hire. The study, carried out by temp agency Manpower Costa Rica, found that almost a third of Costa Rican businesses plan on adding to their work forces in the third quarter of the year. Another 6% plan on making cuts, and 1% didn't have clear plans.

Sectors that reported an intention to hire included construction, transportation and communication, while the manufacturing sector reports weaker expectations.

In May, Manpower released a different study that said high employment demand wasn't necessarily being met: 93% of the Costa Rican companies responding to that survey reported difficulty finding qualified people to hire.