Piano Man: Lorin Hollander, a U.S. legendary concert pianist, is giving a concert tonight at the National Theater in San José as part of a visit here during which he has promoted music education.

Presidency ministers from Latin America and Iberia yesterday began a meeting aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of their social policies and improving social cohesion in the region.

French Film Festival
“5 x 2. Cinq fois deux” (2004) by François Ozon, 6 p.m., Alliance Française, San José.

Belly Dance Show
By Aamar Gamal and dancers of O'Fusión Cultural A'mar Academy, 8 p.m., Melico Salazar Theater, San José.

Concert “Music of the 90s”
With 11 singers including Tico Times photographer Mónica Quesada, 9 p.m., Cuartel de la Boca del Monte, Barrio La California, San José.

“Duelo ”
Drama, today and tomorrow, 7 p.m.; also Sept. 2, 5 p.m., Atahualpa del Cioppo Theater, Universidad Nacional, Heredia. Info: 277-3386.

“Un Hombre Ideal ”
Play by Giratablas theater group, through Sept. 2, Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 6 p.m., Giratablas Theater, across from KFC, Los Yoses, San José. Info: 253-6001.

Expo-Honey 2007
Exhibit of honey products, cultural shows, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Paseo de las Flores mall, Heredia.

By Blake Schmidt
Tico Times Staff | bschmidt@ticotimes.net

Her gray hair pulled back loosely, Jane Goodall walked quietly up to the microphone and addressed an auditorium full of 700 students with a belching roar.

"O-o-o-oooo-ooooo-ooouiiiii-ooouuiiiiiiii!"

She filled the place with giggles.

Goodall, perhaps the most famous woman scientist in the world, renowned for living with chimpanzees as part of her research in Africa, yesterday met with students at the Country Day School in Escazú, west of San José. The school is involved in conservation efforts through the Jane Goodall Institute.

Goodall also met with President Oscar Arias yesterday before heading on a tour of the country scheduled to end in the northwest province of Guanacaste next week.

“Costa Rica has been leading the way in environmental protection for quite some time,” she told The Tico Times in an interview. 

Stay tuned to the print or electronic edition of The Tico Times for our interview with Jane Goodall

At least 150 international observers are likely to be watching over the Oct. 7 referendum on the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA), according to a statement released yesterday by the Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE).

A reglamento written by the Executive Branch and published in the official government daily La Gaceta yesterday opened the door for observers be present during this popular vote, the country's first referendum in modern history.

International groups including the Organization of American States, Tikal Protocol, Inter-American Union of Electoral Organisms, U.N. Development Programme, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, as well as the Carter Center and the European Union, are among those that have expressed interest in sending observers.

With the Tribunal's authorization, international observers will be able to witness the different phases of the voting process, the statement said.

The Tribunal's secretariat is responsible for accrediting observers, who must provide their reasons for wanting to observe, credentials and observation plan as well disclose who is financing their work.

Anyone deemed a threat to peace or public security will be strictly prohibited from acting as an observer, the statement said.

On Oct. 7, an estimated 2.6 million Costa Ricans are expected to vote on this controversial trade pact. The Tribunal has ruled that if 40% of eligible voters turn out, the result will be binding.

Costa Rica is the only signatory country that has not ratified CAFTA.

-Tico Times

Presidency ministers from Latin America and Iberia yesterday began a meeting aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of their social policies and improving social cohesion in the region.

Their conclusions and recommendations will be handed over to regional Presidents during the next Latin American-Iberian summit to be held in Chile in November.

During the meeting's inauguration, Costa Rican Presidency Minister Rodrigo Arias remarked that although the region has consolidated its democratic systems and achieved economic growth, it has not succeeded in guaranteeing acceptable living conditions for its people.

Arias said this “contradictory reality” is evidenced by the fact that “four of 10 Latin Americans continue to live in conditions of poverty and one of 10 live and die in homelessness.”

“The region has attracted about $300 billion in investment in luxury, but one in three young people never enters high school. We export more than ever in our history, about $746 billion in 2006, but almost 50% of workers are stuck in the informal sector,” he said.

Edgardo Riveros, Secretary to the President of Chile, shared the same worries, remarking that “without social cohesion the region's democracy is threatened.”

To avoid this, it is important for countries to begin to invest their resources with better efficiency and designate them to key areas such as employment, education, equality and social protection, he said.

Miguel Hakím, Secretary of Cooperation for Latin America and Iberia, said that obtaining better social cohesion is fundamental for the region to increase tax collection, since governments have few resources to fight poverty.

The meeting, which concludes today, gathered representatives from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Cuba, El Salvador, Spain, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Portugal, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay.