Forum: ‘Repercussions of the International Crisis'
Jorge Mora, Director of FLACSO (Moderator), ex-Trade Minister Manuel González, Kerstin von Bremen of Fundación Konrad Adenauer, Mónica Araya, President of export chamber CADEXCO; Manuel Rojas, sociologist, politician and researcher of FLACSO Costa Rica, 6 p.m., Mexican Institute, 250 m south of Subaru, Los Yoses. Info: 2224-8059.

‘Young Performers' concert
Pianist María Gabriela Brenes plays Bach's Concierto in D minor, Symphony N. 33 by Mozart and La Chacona del Rey Eduardo by Henry Purcell, 7 p.m., Eugene O'Neill Theater, C.R.-North American Cultural Center, Barrio Dent.

Señor Loop in concert
Panamanian alt rock, tonight at 9 p.m., Jazz Café, Escazú; tomorrow at 9 p.m., Jazz Café, San Pedro, http://jazzcafecostarica.com.

Road workers managed to open up the highways, including Inter-American Highway South and the Costanera Sur coastal road, which were blocked by landslides from daily rainstorms, but the authorities are warning motorists to take caution when driving, the Public Works and Transport Ministry reported yesterday morning.

Landslides persist, such as at Río Claro and Palmar Norte, in the Southern Zone, but are not obstructing traffic, according to a ministry press release.

Some 2,885 people, however, were cut off from aid because of overflowing rivers and crumbling country roads, including 250 indigenous families isolated since Monday in the southern Buenos Aires region, the National Emergency Commission (CNE) said yesterday.

Of those within reach of emergency workers, more than 600 people have taken refuge in 22 shelters, with four new shelters opened yesterday in the northwestern Guanacaste province – two in La Cruz, one in Filadelfia and another in Bagaces, CNE reported.

Emergency officials said they are closely monitoring Guanacaste, after reports of several incidents of flooding near the Tempisque River. The situation there could worsen with a low-pressure system pouring in from the Caribbean coast, CNE said.

The commission is broadened its red alert – the highest warning level – to include, in Guanacaste: Agangares, Bagaces, Cañas, Carillo, Hojancha, La Cruz, Liberia, Nandayure, Nicoya, Santa Cruz and Tilarán.

On the central Pacific: Aguirre, Parrita and Garabito.

In the southern Brunca region: Buenos Aires, Corredores, Coto Brus, Osa and Pérez Zeledón.

In the Cartago province: Cartago, El Guarco, Oreamuno and Paraíso.

In San José province: Acosta, Desamparados, Dota, León Cortés and Puriscal.

Carribean slope towns of Siquirres and Upala.

The rest of the country remains on yellow alert – the second highest, meaning residents should prepare for heavy rain, possible flooding and evacuation, if necessary – except for regions such as San José city, which is on the green (take precaution) alert.

The Costa Rica water authority says it will build a new aqueduct in the Caribbean slope town of Cairo de Siquirres, where residents have depended on water trucks since tests found traces of herbicides in the groundwater there two years ago.

“This project will put an end to the drinking water supply problem suffered by communities in Cairo, La Francia and Luisiana due to water pollution,” said Ricardo Sancho, president of the Water and Sewer Institute (AyA), according to a press release.

The aqueduct is also meant to supply communities in El Peje, 3 y 4 Millas, El Silencio and Bella Vista, he added.

The project is set to cost ¢700 million ($1.2 million) and could be finished by the end of 2009, the release said.

Costa Rica has opened a foreign trade office in Panama, marking a new chapter of commerce between the two nations that awaits the signature of President Oscar Arias.

The free-trade agreement won its second and final approval, unanimously, in Costa Rica's Legislative Assembly on Tuesday night, and Arias is expected to sign the agreement sometime this week.

Panama is Costa Rica's top trading partner in Central America, according to the Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER), which inaugurated its Panama branch yesterday.

Exports to Costa Rica's southern neighbor have increased 35.6 percent this year.

“What's more, surely the growing commercial dynamism between both countries will increase with the opening of this promotion office and the signing of the (free-trade) treaty,” PROCOMER said in a press release.

The treaty, already ratified by Panama's legislature, will allow 94 percent of Tico goods immediate, tariff-free access to the Panamanian market.