Costa Rican songs
The “Teatro al mediodía” (Theater at Noon) series opens with mezzosoprano Raquel Ramírez with pianist Ramiro A. Ramírez, 12 p.m., National Theater, info: 2221-5341, 2221-5103 or 2221-1329, ext. 214.

Jazz jam session
Jazz Café Trio, 10 p.m., Jazz Café, San Pedro, info: 2253-8933, www.jazzcafecostarica.com.

Medieval and Cardamomo in concert
Celtic and Middle Eastern/Mediterranean, respectively, 10 p.m., Jazz Café, Escazú, info: 2288-4740, www.jazzcafecostarica.com.

The clock continues to tick for Manuel Antonio National Park, which has until Thursday to correct health and sanitary problems or face closure at the hands of the Health Ministry.

Last week, Health Minister María Luisa Avila gave the Environment, Energy and Telecommunications Ministry (MINAET) 10 days to correct the problems at the park, which include mosquito-breeding standing water, a garbage dump within the park and sewage leaks from the bathrooms by the park's most popular beach.

Efforts were underway over the weekend to correct the problems, with the last of the old, rusty cars parked at the dump being hauled away Monday, officials said. But Benefort Cubillo, administrator at Manuel Antonio, said 10 days would not be enough time to correct the sanitation issues, which he said had existed at the park for decades.

“There is no possibility to have a long-term solution” in 10 days, Cubillo said, adding that deliberations within MINAET were ongoing regarding short-term proposals to meet the Health Ministry's demands.

Between 1,000 and 2,000 tourists attend the park every day, generating over ¢1 billion colones ($1.8 million) last year in revenue. That money is put into a general fund and split among the country's national parks, however, leaving meager resources for the country's second-most visited park, Cubillo said.

For their part, officials at the Health Ministry said they would be willing to negotiate short and long term solutions to keep the park open.

“It's very difficult to keep the park open if there is still a health risk,” said Dr. Carlos Manuel Venegas, Central Pacific regional director at the Health Ministry. “It's better that we close it” while problems are taken care of, he said, while adding, “there is no problem with negotiation. Closing is the last resort in this type of situation.”

See the Feb. 27 print or digital edition of The Tico Times for more on this story.

After weeks of negotiations, some of the disgruntled employees from the recently defunct Domino's Pizza chain in Costa Rica are finally getting their piece of the pie.

At least 17 employees, who were owed less than ¢200,000 (about $358), got paid in full last Friday by representatives of the Costa Rican franchise, said Labor Ministry spokesman Giovani Díaz.

On Jan. 30, the companies Grupo de Mozzarella and Senderos de Poás, owners of the country's Domino's Pizza restaurants, abruptly closed the nine pizzerias throughout the greater San José area, leaving more than 120 employees jobless and without any type of remuneration.

The owners gave employees less than a day's notice before closing down the nine restaurants, allegedly citing a fabricated health hazard as an excuse to evacuate the premises so they could empty the locales. The restaurants were cleared out of all their equipment by the next day (TT, Feb. 20).

On Tuesday, 37 employees who are owed ¢200,000 to ¢400,000 (about $358 to $717) by the Mexican group are expected to receive their checks in their entirety.

For the remaining 60 employees, who are owed more than ¢400,000 (about $717 or more), they would receive their first payment instalment covering 50 percent of the total amount this Wednesday.

The payments being made to the employees include vacation time, aguinaldo (end-of-year bonus), severance pay and outstanding salary for the last two weeks worked.

The outstanding total owed will be made in two separate payments: one on March 27 and the final payment on April 27, said Henry Acuña, a former Domino's employee who is acting as the representative for employees of the Escazú branch.

The 38th National Orchid Exhibition organized by the Costa Rican Orchidology Association is set to take place March 13 to 15 at La Aduana, the former Customs building in eastern San José's Barrio La California.

Costa Rica is home to more than 1,300 orchid species, including the guaria morada, the country's national flower.

More than 1,500 plants will be judged in 60 categories by a team of 11 judges from the American Orchid Society over the three-day exhibition. First, second and third place ribbons will be awarded in each category. The event will also feature videos, talks and orchid sales.

The exhibition, the largest of its kind in Central America and the Caribbean, attracts some 8,000 national and international visitors annually. It will be open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and until 6 p.m. Sunday. General admission will cost ¢2,000 ($3.60).

For more information, visit the orchidology association's Web site at www.ticorquideas.com, or call 2240-4269.