Outraged: A small group of young men and women threw bags of corn at the door of the Legislative Assembly yesterday, shouting “Patented corn is an outrage!” They were protesting a law required to implement the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) that would give patents to developers of new seed varieties.

The northwestern Guanacaste province shook Monday with five earthquakes during a six-hour period.

The Driver's License Departments of the Public Works and Transport Ministry (MOPT) in the northwestern city of Liberia and the Caribbean port of Limón will be closed today, tomorrow and Friday as the ministry relocates these offices.

“Todos a Escena” Dance Show
7 p.m., National Auditorium, inside National Children's Museum, San José; also Sunday, 5 p.m., Eugene O'Neill Theater, inside Costa Rican-North American Cultural Center, Barrio Dent, San José. Info: 207-7554.

Two Free Film Screenings
“El que Todo Lo Puede,” directed by Florence Jaugey, from Nicaragua, and “La Historia de María Guardado,” directed by Randy Vásquez, from El Salvador, 7 p.m., Sala Calle 15, Ave. 2, Calle 13/15, San José.

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

Though the rainy still season is still fully in effect in Costa Rica, no major storms or pressure systems pose significant threats, so the National Emergency Commission (CNE) yesterday lifted all alerts, according to CNE spokeswoman Rebeca Madrigal.

“At the moment, there is no weather phenomenon threatening the country, but we must remind people not to let their guard down since we're still in the rainy season,” she said.

Earlier this week, the province of Heredia, north of San José, received the latest installment of downpours in what's been a particularly rough rainy season, resulting in flood damage around the country. About 35 houses flooded in the cantons of San Rafael, Heredia Centro and Barva.

A landslide closed one major road in La Valencia, Heredia. The Public Works and Transport Ministry (MOPT) is working to repair damages.

A couple of shelters remain open in the Southern Zone communities of Río Claro de Golfito and Ciudad Neily, where heavy rains forced some residents to evacuate their homes over the weekend, according to a statement from the CNE.

Thirty-three Costa Rican companies yesterday received a Certificate of Sustainable Tourism (CST) for their efforts to be environmentally, culturally and socially responsible, according to a statement from the National Tourism Chamber (CANATUR).

The 25 hotels that earned this award include Sí Como No, Hacienda Punta Islita, Best Western Jacó Beach, Esquinas Rainforest Lodge, Xandari Hotel, Fiesta Premier Resort & Spa, Ocotal Beach Resort Guanacaste and San José Palacio Hotel.

Eight travel agencies received certificates: Travel Excellence, Jacamar Naturalist Tours, Costa Rican Trails, Arenal Mundo Aventura, Gray Line Tours Costa Rica, Sunset Tours, Costa Rica Top Tours and Marbella Tours.

These businesses received their certificates from the National Accreditation Commission, of which CANATUR is a member.

To qualify, they had to meet 108 requisites such as saving energy, controlling emissions, managing wastes responsibly and using biodegradable products, according to a statement from Casa Presidencial.

Tourism Minister Carlos Benavides was among leaders who applauded these companies yesterday, seizing the occasion to tout an 11.3% increase in tourists to Costa Rica so far this year.

-Tico Times

The northwestern Guanacaste province shook Monday with five earthquakes during a six-hour period.

The first quake occurred at 1:39 p.m. and measured 3.4 on the Richter scale. It was felt in the Guanacaste beach towns of Sámara, Carrillo and Nicoya, according to a statement from the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI) based at the National University (UNA), north of San José.

The second occurred at 4:33 p.m., had a magnitude of 3.2 and was felt in Sámara and Carrillo. Shortly later at 5:59 p.m., another quake shook these two towns, measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale.

Two more quakes followed at 6:22 p.m. and 7:27 p.m., with magnitudes of 4.3 and 3.9 respectively. Both were felt around the Nicoya Peninsula.

All the earthquakes originated 25 kilometers southeast of Nicoya.

Yesterday, two earthquakes shook the Southern Zone area of Pérez Zeldon. The first occurred at 12:26 p.m. and measured 3.7 on the Richter scale while the second occurred 22 minutes later and had a magnitude of 3.8.

The Driver's License Departments of the Public Works and Transport Ministry (MOPT) in the northwestern city of Liberia and the Caribbean port of Limón will be closed today, tomorrow and Friday as the ministry relocates these offices.

The new offices will be operating as of Nov. 12. The Liberia branch will be located next to the city's Traffic Police headquarters, about five kilometers from the center of town toward Daniel Oduber International Airport.

The new Limón branch will be in the Sandoval district, next to the Traffic Police headquarters.

Relocating these offices is an effort to provide users more comfortable and safer facilities and optimize human resources and materials, according to a statement from MOPT.