Raising the Roots: A rainbow of color lit up the stage at the Melico Salazar Theater in San José Tuesday when the Caribbean dance group MASAI performed as part of the Limón Roots Afro Cultural Festival.

A U.S. citizen sentenced to 90 days in jail in his country for illegal possession of arms was arrested yesterday in the central Pacific beach of Herradura, according to a statement released yesterday by the international police agency Interpol.

On today's Daily News page, The Tico Times identified the psychologist who testified in the murder trial of Luis Fernando Burgos Tuesday as Yolanda Batrez. Her name is, in fact, Gioconda Batres.

Also on yesterday's Daily News page, we reported that 80 millimeters of rain fell in one hour on Monday, breaking national records by 10 centimeters. This amount is actually 10 millimeters more than the national record.

The Tico Times regrets these mistakes.

Ballet Show
7:30 p.m., National Auditorium, inside National Children's Museum, San José, end of Calle 4. Info: 258-4929.

Gaviota in Concert
9 p.m., Casa Zeller, from Rotonda de La Guacamaya, 500 meters toward San José. Info: 227-1711, www.grupogaviota.com. 

Televised Debate on CAFTA and the Environment
Part of Supreme Elections Tribunal's debate series on the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA), organized by the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences, 7 p.m., broadcasted over Radio Nacional and TV Channel 13.

The Social Security System (Caja) got a big break yesterday when the government announced it will cancel the ¢185 billion ($358 million) debt it has been strapped with since 1994.

This frees up this money for the Caja to build 150 more EBAIS public health community clinics, increasing the system's health care capacity by 20%. It will also be able to offer more medicines and services, according to a statement from Casa Presidencial.

Long waits for medical care and faulty or broken equipment at national hospitals and clinics have long been some of the consequences of the Caja's chronic financial problems (TT, July 7, 2006).

“Today the fundamental principles of social security have been reinforced; the state is going to be able to ensure people in conditions of poverty benefits they have not had for 14 years,” said Caja president Eduardo Doryan.

Finance Minister Guillermo Zúñiga also applauded the act.

“This payment is the most important one made by this government, it strengthens one of the most emblematic institutions of Costa Rica,” he said.

Beginning in 2008, the government will provide the Caja ¢20 billion ($38.7 million) per year for continued improvements, Zúñiga said.

-Tico Times

By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net

Swimmers at the northwestern Guanacaste beach of Tamarindo could soon find themselves with no one to help them if they get into trouble -- a shortage of funds could mean no more lifeguards on this beach, according to Federico Amador, director of the nonprofit Tamarindo Improvement Association, which runs the lifeguard program.

The association has asked local hotels to pitch in for the program, which costs about $6,000 per month and employs four lifeguards along the beach from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day, he said. No hotels have stepped up to help, Amador said.

“They've offered to help with other projects, but none has offered the money needed,” he said, adding that the hotels benefit from safety provided to tourists at Tamarindo.

During the three years the lifeguard program has been around, there has been only one daytime drowning at Tamarindo, compared to several drownings at nearby Playa Langosta, which does not have lifeguards, according to a statement from the association. Tamarindo lifeguards get swimmers out of dangerous situations several times a day.

The association plans to maintain the program through Sept. 15 and hopes that necessary funds will be raised by then, Amador said. If not, it will suspend the program during the tourism low season in hopes of coming up with the money before more tourists roll in around November.

“Time has beat us and the funds aren't going to be enough,” he said. “This is a program that has saved a lot of lives and it's worrisome that there is no consciousness that if we lose it, that could result in an even bigger loss – the loss of a life.”

A U.S. citizen sentenced to 90 days in jail in his country for illegal possession of arms was arrested yesterday in the central Pacific beach of Herradura, according to a statement released yesterday by the international police agency Interpol.

Interpol, together with Costa Rica's Tourism Police and Immigration Police, tracked down Edmond Hudmond Smith, 41, whom U.S. authorities had released from prison in the state of Alabama on “conditional liberty” because of a severe infection in one of his feet, the statement said.

He was ordered to wear an electronic tracking device, which he apparently deactivated, causing police to lose track of him. He was also ordered to notify an appointed police officer of his whereabouts, which he failed to do.

Smith was arrested while driving near Playa Herradura. Upon searching his SUV, police discovered a 45-caliber weapon under the seat of the vehicle he was driving.

He is under the custody of Immigration Police and faces deportation to the United States, the statement said.