by Rod Hughes
Two years ago, Costa Ricans were complaining bitterly about illegal immigration, fearing that Nicaraguans would take work away from Ticos who demand and get at least the legal minimum wage. This led to immigration legislation so severe that President Oscar Arias refused to […]
by Rod Hughes
Minister of Health María Luisa Avila has denied the Caribbean port city of Limon a license to hold its annual carnival, the biggest and most colorful civic festival in the country. The reason: an outbreak of mosquito-borne dengue fever throughout the province.
So far, no deaths have been reported but the outbreak has swamped […]
by Rod Hughes
It seems like a “no brainer,” but La Nacion reports today that the flooding metropolitan areas suffered this week is due to antiquated, inadequate storm sewers, exacerbated by a build up of litter and garbage. In San Jose a squad of 30 workers constantly tries to maintain the sewers, to prevent the entry […]
by Rod Hughes
Heavy rains yesterday damaged homes in the capital’s suburbs and in the southern zone of the country. Worse, the Meteorological Institute says more is in store for today and perhaps tomorrow.
In the southern area, several villages were isolated as creebeds overflowed and some bridges were damaged. Some families were forced from their homes. […]
by Rod Hughes
The Ministry of Transport (MOPT) has is so enthralled with its new spacious La Uruca district office building that it is promising the elimination of intermitable lines and license renewal within 15 minutes. The 850-square-meter building was inaugurated yesterday and is located alongside the Banco Nacional bank branch in that district.
It has […]
by Rod Hughes
A bill that would ban foreigners marrying Costa Ricans solely to obtain residency is gathering support in the Legislative Assembly, reports the daily paper La Nacion.
This practice usually takes the form of a foreign man going to a lawyer, who then seeks out a poor or drug addicted native woman for a bogus […]
by Rod Hughes
Perhaps the newspaper Al Dia’s sportswriter summed it up best when he sarcastically wrote that he could scarcely believe his eyes that both teams were on the field but that Heredia appeared to be playing alone in their 1-0 romp over Alajuela.
The way Milton Montenegro wrote it up, Alajuela simply stood around while […]
by Rod Hughes
Costa Rica has long been near the top of the world list for having the most traffic accidents per capita. Today, the daily La Nacion focused on the cost to the National Insurance Institute (INS, the Spanish acronym) that is passed on to the individual policy holder.
Some 60 traffic accident injuries per day […]
by Rod Hughes
On an average this year, 15 children per day are treated in public hospitals and clinics for the effects of abuse, a recent study shows. Abuse is numbered among five reasons for seeking treatment that are required to be reported by hospitals and clinics to the Ministry of Health.
This figure, topping 6,000 so […]
by Rod Hughes
Some 211 school bus routes providing free transport to public school students may be eliminated by the Ministry of Education. But the free ride is not over for the students affected, said Minister of Education Leonardo Garnier. The routes are served by public buses and the ministry would pay the fares. No date […]
