The Constitutional Court (SALA IV) has declared the long awaited and hotly disputed Fiscal Plan to be unconstitutional, due to failures in the proceedings leading up to its passage.

Particularly, the court found fault with the “fast track” treatment given to the plan and over 1000 motions filed by opponents. In order to continue, the plan will have to return to the special commission and begin at the point where the judges ruled it violated constitutional procedures.

The principal allegations relate to actions taken May 23, 2005 when the Congress applied article 208bis to “fast track” the plan, which reduced the time to present motions and discuss changes from 4 days to 1 day.  Also the time for speaking was reduced from 30 minutes to 20 minutes for each legislator.  Opponents objected at the time that article 208bis could not be applied to the Fiscal Plan, since some of its clauses require 38 votes to pass rather than a simple majority. The Constitutional Court agreed.

Intel announced this week that it would hire 500 additional workers at its chip assembly plant in Cariari. After 8 years of operation, Intel has invested over 369 billion colones in Costa Rica, about 732 million dollars. The General Manager of INTEL Costa Rica, Bill Abraham, stated that the investment for 2006 would be about $120,000,000 and that the work force would reach nearly 4,000.

“In Intel, training is very important. In 2005, 272 employees were relocated in countries such as Malaysia, Isreal and the US, with an investment of 5 or 10 million dolllars”   According to Abraham, another important factor is that 47% of Intel’s suppliers are Costa Rican companies, which is an additional investment in Costa Rica and creates additional jobs.

The TSE declared the official results on Wednesday and no changes occured in the results of the scrutiny. 21 of the 57 representatives are women, and 4 of the 8 fraction leaders are also female. (Actually the 4 male fraction leaders are the only representatives their party has!)

The lucky winners are:

San José: Francisco A. Pacheco, Silvia Charpentier, Mayi Antillón, Ofelia Taitelbaum, Federico Tinoco, Óscar Núñez y Alexander Mora (PLN). Elizabeth Fonseca, Alberto Salom, Leda Zamora, Ronald Solís y Andrea Morales (PAC). Evita Arguedas y Mario Quirós (ML). Jorge E. Sánchez y Ana H. Chacón (PUSC), Guyón Massey (RN - National Renovation), Óscar Lopez (PASE - Accessibility Without Barriers), Jose Merino (FA - Ample Front), Jose M. Echandi (National Union Party).

Alajuela: Jeanina del Vecchio, Salvador Quirós, Jose Valenciano, Gladys González y Luis Araya (PLN). Sadie Bravo, Marvin Rojas, Nidia González y José Salazar (PAC). Luis Barrantes (ML). Lorena Vásquez (PUSC).

Cartago: Clara Zomer, Francisco Marín y Sandra Quesada (PLN). Elsa Ortiz, Orlando Hernández y Patricia Quirós (PAC). Carlos Gutiérrez (ML).

Heredia: Fernando Sánchez, Hilda González y José Ocampo (PLN). Francisco Molina y Lesvia Villalobos (PAC).

Guanacaste: Maureen Ballestero, Saturnino Fonseca, Gilberto Jerez (PLN), José Rosales (PAC).

Puntarenas: Xinia Nicolás y Olivier Jiménez (PLN). Olivier Pérez (PAC). Bienvenido Venegas (PUSC). Mario Núñez (ML).

Limón: Yalile Esna y Jorge Méndez (PLN). Rafael Madrigal (PAC). Jose Luis Vásquez (PUSC). Ovidio Agüero (ML).

The two largest debtors of the BAC (Banco Anglo Costarricense) were convicted this week of charges relating to illicit loans that led to the closing of the bank. Luis Fernando Chanto Carvajal and Carlos Rodó Ortuño were sentenced to 15 years in jail for the crime of embezzlement in the Tribunal of Justice of the First Circuit of San José.

The three judges found that Chanto and Rodó intentionally executed maneuvers designed to obtain control of public funds or goods. Both used different shell companies to open checking accounts with small balances. Days later the bank deposited millions into these accounts to cover overdrafts.  No studies were ever made as to the solvency of the companies and the transactions were made under the authorization of the bank manager Carlos Hernán Robles Macaya.
In Chanto’s case, the court found that the letters of credit he gave as guarantees for the overdrafts were full of defects and in Rodó’s case nonexistent.

Chanto’s debt is currently ¢1.071 billion, (over $200 million) while Rodó owes ¢962 million, according to the latest report by Vanessa Castro, director of the  Banco Central-Banco Popular Trust, (the entity in charge of collecting the BAC’s bad debts).

Although there are some long faces, as of April 1st legislators and staff will be reprimanded, or even fired, if they use the Internet to play games, shop, view sexually explicit material or download music. Email cannot be used to send mass mailings with “unimportant or distasteful” material.

The sanctions were approved last week by the Assembly Council and are the responsibility of each department head to enforce.

8 million Colones for Makeover - Raises Approved

The executive director of the Assembly, Antonio Ayales, announced that the new representatives will make 1.73 million colones per month, (about $3400) 83,000 colones per month more than the current crew. The Renumeration Law establishes a 5 % increase on May 1st and another on November 1st, the director said.

The offices and carpets in the Assembly will get an 8 million colon touch up before May 1st. According to Ayales, several of the new reps have expressed concern about the building’s deterioration, but nothing can be done “I have explained that we have spent years asking for a project to approve a new building, but no progress is ever made.”

A law punishing abuse of women has been approved in the first debate for the 5th time in 6 years.  It must go to the Constitutional Court now and if passing there may become law if approved in a second debate.

The law establishes a sentence of 20 - 35 years for those convicted of murdering a women, and up to 6 years for anyone convicted of insulting, humilliating, or publicly embarrasing a woman.

12  - 18 year terms are meted out to those who sexually abuse a woman or force her to participate in acts that cause pain or humilliation during sexual relations.

For physical or emotional abuse, the law establishes 6 months to 2 years, and up to 3 years for anyone who by force or intimidation makes a woman provide for them, completely or partially.

In 2005 40 women died due to causes related to domestic violence.