Sweet Sounds: The renowned Vienna Boys Choir drew crowds to yesterday at La Soledad church in San José, where they performed as part of the Credomatic Music festival.

Exporters from around Central America and the Caribbean Friday issued a plea for Costa Ricans to vote in favor of the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) in a referendum on this trade pact Oct. 7.

Master Cooking Contest
Elimination rounds, today through Wednesday, National Training Institute (INA), Liberia; Aug. 27-31, Inter-American University, Heredia; finals, Oct. 2-3, Ramada Plaza Herradura, Ciudad Cariari, www.maestroculinario.com.

Mundoloco Concerts
Featuring Badu N'Diaye from Senegal, drums, 10 p.m., Jazz Café, San Pedro. Info: 253-8933.

Parts of Costa Rica have begun to experience secondary effects of Hurricane Dean as it hits Caribbean nations.

Areas of the Southern Zone, central Pacific and Central Valley saw heavy rain begining Saturday, according to the daily La Nación. The Southern Zone towns of Pavones, Zancudo, Golfito, Mellizas de Coto Brus, Laurel, Paso Canoas and Ciudad Neily reported intense downpours and electrical storms.

In the central Pacific region, the towns of Quepos and Parrita were also hit with this inclement weather over the weekend.

Beginning yesterday, the National Meteorological Institute (IMN) predicted an increase in rain around the rest of the country.

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) has declared a yellow alert for the Pacific slope and a green, preventive alert for the Central Valley and Northern Zone.

The commission is asking residents hit by heavy rains and strong winds to follow a few recommendations including identifying safe areas they could go in the event of flooding, being aware of threats including landslides, having an emergency plan and keeping emergency goods available, such as candles, flashlights, batteries, first aid equipment and canned food.

On Saturday morning, CNE crews left for the Southern Zone and Central Valley, where the heaviest rains were expected, to prepare for potential flooding.

Emergency workers also headed to the Southern Zone communities of Corredores, Osa, Golfito, Ciudad Neilly and Pérez Zeledón as well as Parrita and Quepos to meet with community leaders to discuss evacuation plans and possible sites of temporary shelters.

The CNE has also established a public information center to provide information in the case of an emergency. Residents can call 210-2718, 210-2721 or 210-2763.

-Tico Times

The Peruvian Embassy in San José says it is thankful for the assistance Costa Ricans have already provided victims of the earthquake that devastated parts of Peru Aug. 15 and is asking for continued support as the country deals with the effects of this disaster.

The embassy has opened a bank account to which people can donate money to aid the country's relief efforts: Scotiabank account number 10301613, according to a statement from the embassy.

Money donated will go toward the country's work in the Ica area and the Cañete province, which were hardest hit by the earthquake. The Peruvian government has declared a state of emergency for 60 days to help victims in these areas.

A Peruvian businessman living in Costa Rica whose name was not mentioned in the statement has donated a large container with some relief supplies and offered to pay to ship it to Peru.

The embassy is rounding up goods to fill the container, and residents of Costa Rica can contribute by dropping off canned food products at certain locations around the Central Valley.

Tomorrow through Thursday, donations will be received at the following locations until 5 p.m.: the Peruvian Embassy in Curridabat, east of San José, (225-9145, 225-1575); Juan Pablo II University in Curridabat (272-4595, 879-7381); Ceviche del Rey Restaurant in Santo Domingo de Heredia, north of San José, (244-2985); Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church in Cartago, east of San José, (272-4595, 879-7381); Hotel Rosa del Paseo in San José (257-3225, 257-3213); Empresa Agrotek SA. in Palmares de Alajuela, northwest of San José.

For additional information on donating money or supplies to earthquake victims, call the Peruvian Embassy at 225-1575 or 225-9145.

-Tico Times

Exporters from around Central America and the Caribbean Friday issued a plea for Costa Ricans to vote in favor of the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) in a referendum on this trade pact Oct. 7.

The Federation of Chambers and Associations of Exporters from Central America, Panama and the Caribbean (FECAEXCA) is planning a meeting in Costa Rica before the referendum to present the advantages it believes the agreement holds for Central American countries, said Mónica Araya, president of the Costa Rican Chamber of Exporters.

Since other Central American countries have implemented CAFTA, they have seen an increase in exports and foreign direct investment, she said.

Costa Rica not ratifying CAFTA would be “critical for the region,” said the federation's president Juan Carlos Paiz, from Guatemala.

“If the result is unfavorable, it would throw off the chains of suppliers and exporters that have developed in the region,” he said.

The group fears that Costa Rica not ratifying CAFTA could also have a negative effect on negotiations the region is carrying out for an association agreement with the European Union.

Vilma de Calderón, president of the Corporation of Salvadoran Exporters (COEXPORT), added that CAFTA presents an “opportunity to conquer new consumer markets with different demands.”

His colleague Enrique Zamora, president of the Nicaraguan Association of Producers and Exporters, said the referendum is “important” because exporting gives countries a chance to build more dynamic economies and combat poverty. Since Nicaragua implemented CAFTA, exports have grown 19.5%, he said.

The federation discussed Costa Rica's upcoming CAFTA referendum, as well as other topics, during a meeting in Guatemala over the weekend.