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Speaking Out: Hundreds of health care workers in Managua yesterday marched to demand that the National Assembly increase their salaries and allot more money for medicines. |
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Mario López | EFE
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| U.S. Cancels Part of Costa Rica's Debt |
The U.S. government yesterday swapped $12.6 million of Costa Rica's debt for spending on conservation of biodiversity and protected areas in the country.
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| Government Declares National
Emergency to Help Flood Victims |
With waterlogged communities, destroyed roads and lost lives on its hands, the government yesterday declared a national emergency to free up funds to help the 33 cantons recently devastated by floods and landslides. |
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| Car Parts Manufacturer to Invest in Costa Rica |
A German car parts manufacturer is investing $61.5 million to open a factory in Costa Rica. The company, Continental AG, made the announcement yesterday at Casa Presidencial, accompanied by President Oscar Arias and Foreign Trade Minister Marco Ruiz.
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| October 18 |
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Central Pacific Women's Group Meeting
9 a.m., Balcón del Mar, Jacó. Info: 643-2853, christinatruitt@gmail.com.
American Ballet Theatre Studio Company
Today and tomorrow, 8 p.m., National Theater, San José, Ave. Ctrl., Calle 3/5. Info: 221-9417.
Free Dance Show
8 p.m., Eugene O'Neill Theater, Costa Rican-North American Culture Center, Barrio Dent, San José. Info: 207-7554.
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Edited By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net |
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U.S. Cancels Part of Costa Rica's Debt |
The U.S. government yesterday swapped $12.6 million of Costa Rica's debt for spending on conservation of biodiversity and protected areas in the country.
Combined with matching gifts of $2.5 million from global environmental groups The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International, plus interest paid by the Costa Rican Central Bank, the country will benefit from a total of $26.1 million.
The agreement “represents a renewal of U.S. cooperation with Costa Rica,” said Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno, and “reinforces the country's commitment to conservation and its rich natural resources.”
The funds will be managed by a commission made up of a representative from each country, the two environmental groups involved, and a yet-to-be-named national nonprofit, Stagno said.
Priority areas for conservation work include the Osa Peninsula and La Amistad National Park, in the Southern Zone; Tortuguero National Park, on the northern Caribbean coast; Maquenque National Wildlife Refuge, near the Nicaraguan border; and Rincón de la Vieja National Park, in the northwestern province of Guanacaste, according to Environment Minister Roberto Dobles.
Earlier in the week, the Ministry of Energy and Environment (MINAE) unveiled GRUAS II, an innovative biodiversity-mapping initiative that will help the country prioritize conservation areas to be protected by the “debt for nature” funds.
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-Tico Times
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Government Declares National
Emergency to Help Flood Victims |
With waterlogged communities, destroyed roads and lost lives on its hands, the government yesterday declared a national emergency to free up funds to help the 33 cantons recently devastated by floods and landslides.
President Oscar Arias and his brother, Presidency Minister Rodrigo Arias, made the announcement yesterday after the President's weekly Cabinet meeting. The decree will allow the National Emergency Commission (CNE) to take faster action in making necessary repairs and reconstructing damaged areas.
During the past couple of weeks, heavy rains have caused damage to about 75% of the country, driving 1,800 people to 28 shelters and damaging about 1,500 homes, 54 roads and 22 bridges around the country in areas including Atenas, northwest of San José; Acosta, southwest of San José; Parrita, on the central Pacific coast; and the northwestern Guanacaste province.
The CNE estimates damages to total more than ¢35 billion (about $68 million).
The commission is maintaining a red alert for the Guanacaste cantons of Carrillo, Hojancha, La Cruz, Liberia, Nandayure, Nicoya and Santa Cruz, as well as the central Pacific canton of Parrita.
A yellow alert is in place for the northern Pacific cantons of Bagaces, Cañas, Tilarán and Abangares; the central Pacific cantons of Orotina, San Mateo, Esparza, Montes de Oca and Aguirre; the Central Valley areas of San José, Atenas, Alajuela, San Ramón, Grecia, San Mateo, Naranjo, Palmares and Poás; the Northern Zone areas of Upala, Los Chiles and San Carlos Guatuso; the Southern Zone cantons of Osa, Corredores, Buenos Aires, Golfito, Coto Brus and Pérez Zeledón; and the cantons of Oreamuno, Paraíso, La Unión and Turrialba, east of San José, according to a statement from the CNE.
A green, preventive alert remains in effect for the Caribbean areas of Limón, Matina, Pococí, Guácimo, Siquirres and Talamanca, which have been the least effected by recent inclement weather. |
-Tico Times
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Car Parts Manufacturer to Invest in Costa Rica |
By Peter Krupa
Tico Times Staff | pkrupa@ticotimes.net
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A German car parts manufacturer is investing $61.5 million to open a factory in Costa Rica. The company, Continental AG, made the announcement yesterday at Casa Presidencial, accompanied by President Oscar Arias and Foreign Trade Minister Marco Ruiz.
“This is a very important step toward the attraction of high-tech companies,” said Gabriela Llobet, director of the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE), a private organization.
The first phase of the new factory will be up and running by the end of 2008 and will employ 350 people. An expansion of the factory, provisionally planned for completion in 2011, would add another 200 jobs.
The Costa Rican plant will be producing electronic components for export to car manufacturers in the North American Free-Trade Agreement (NAFTA) market (the United States, Mexico and Canada), said Continental Vice-President for Electronics Plants Henner Cnyrim.
Continental AG does more than $21 billion in annual sales, operates in 19 countries including Brazil and Mexico, and employs 89,000 people worldwide.
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