<strong>by Rod Hughes</strong>

The telecommunications bill, one of 13 bills aimed at implementing the Central American Free Trade Agreement, has passed its first test by a margin of 30 votes to 16. the bill is aimed at opening up the Internet access to an open market after years of monopoly by the government agency ICE, which also controls telephone service as well as electrical generation. It is one of the most hotly contested of the CAFTA-related legislation.

All the votes against the bill came from the Citizen Action Party (PAC, for its Spanish acronymn), a bitter foe of CAFTA. PAC will send the bill to the already overworked Supreme Court Constitutional Chamber for review of not only the text but the passage procedure. The bill must endure yet another debate and then a second vote, in which it must muster 38 of the 57 legislators to pass. The coalition mustered by pro-CAFTA President Oscar Arias numbers just 38 an a single absence is enough to derail the process.

The bills, some of which have already passed or are ready for their second test, are needed to bring Costa Rican laws into harmony with the trade pact’s provisions. These bills, fought with a sort of scorched earth retreat by PAC a a few other leftist politicians, have occupied the Legislative Assembly for the first two years of the Arias Administration. Some of that legislation is of great importance such as the comprehensive crime bill.

by Rod Hughes

Air quality in the capital declined last year from 2006, a recent report from the National Autonomous University at Heredia (UNA) clearly shows. The main villain is nitrogen dioxide generated from automobile exhausts, despite a marked improvement over several years due to better vehicle inspections.

The acceptable limit for such emissions is 40 micrograms per cubic meter of air but at many points tested by UNA scientists, the air contained from 40 to 50. Excessive contaminats are blamed for skin irritation, allergic reactions and, of course, respiratory problems.

The country has 1.2 million cars, trucks and buses circulating, as the average person is not surprised to find out because they all seem to be on one’s route when one wants to drive anywhere. Another contaminants are particles emitted from exhausts but these, according to INA’s Jose Rojas, who acceptable limit is 50 micrograms per cubic meter. But particles are up a tirfle but, probably due to Riteve’s vehicular inspections, are not exceeding limits.

At the press conference presenting the report, San Jose Mayor Johnny Araya, weighed in with extensive commentaries, suggesting that people should consider walking or riding bicycles. Araya, a presumptive National Liberation Party nomination candidate for president, is not the one to turn to for a solution, after his countless years as municipal executive and mayor. The capital’s sidewalks remain in as hazardous condition as when he first came on the political scene.

Besides better vehicular inspections, the government has tried to reduce contamination from vehicles stopped at intersections by installing so-call “smart” traffic lights to allow a smoother flow of traffic. While the Ministry of Transport claims it saves motorists millions of colones per year in fuel they do not burn waiting for the light to turn, it is unlikely to make a dent in the pollution. There are just too darned many cars out there and the National Insurance Institute says the number increases 8.5% per year.

by Rod Hughes

Since we reported the story, we have an obligation to update it for you soccer fans: Luis Marin has changed his mind and will stay another year with the Maccabi Netanya club in Israel. Moreover, since he accepted an offer from Costa Rica’s Liberia Mia First Division club, he has reached a preliminary agreement to pay Liberia’s owner, Mario Sotela, a penalty for breaking the new contract.

Marin called his decision to leave the Israeli club “hasty” and said the club officials and especially head coach Lothar Matthaeus persuaded him to stay on. Asked if they gave him a raise, he replied, “Yes, there was an adjustment on the salary part but it wasn’t for this… Although Liberia offered me a good contract, it wasn’t the best decision for me at this moment.” He said that the main factors were a chance to play under the guidence of Matthaeus and to be able to play soccer in the EUFA league.

He added that the club and fans had treated him very well in Israel. Marin is a former Alajuela and Carmelita player and is only one of many Costa Rica soccer stars to have signed with clubs abroad/

May 21, 2008

No matter what strange stories you may have heard about Costa Rica, if you stay here long enough it will happen to you, and you will believe. The ants came today. They have the new house surrounded. They are all around the sidewalk on the ground, and all around the tops of the walls. The line seems to be coming and going from Jose’s lot next door, and going here to the old house. There aren’t many insects for them over there, but I suspect they will do better in the new lawn here. I got a little too close, they seem to spread out when they hit the grass, and two got on my foot. They were the hottest ant bites I have ever had. The little red ants are bad, but these are big ants, and they are moving, not nesting.
I couldn’t get close enough to count them. There was at least a bunch, maybe a bunch and a half. And I can’t find the camera, so no pictures. But it’s just like on tv. I’m keeping the dog in, and I don’t plan to go to close myself.
On another subject, one back window wouldn’t go up last Friday. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong, so Jose and I went to Canas on Saturday. He needed parts for his motorcycle, and I knew two men who did electrical repairs on cars.
Basically, it went well. I went to the shop first. It was closed, and two fellows outside were calling him from their cell phone. They couldn’t reach him. So, Jose and I went for a coffee. The other man works out of his house, and we wanted to wait a while to go there. We walked to his house and he said he would look at it after breakfast. We left it there and walked over for the bike parts. When he was done he did some testing and figured it was the switch in the door. We went to a used parts store and got one that allowed me to close it from the front, but wouldn’t work from the door. We got a reduced price, I drove him home, and we were on our way.
The only thing I don’t understand but, accepted as being normal, is that the guy wouldn’t fix my defrost fan. Jose asked him in Spanish, and I asked him two or three times, including showing him in the car that it didn’t work. I guess I’ll go to Canas again and hope that the shop is open. I’ve tried to find a simple test light. If I can, I should be able to figure it out myself. For now, I’ll carry a towel with me. The windows really fog up when you drive in the rain.
In the time it took me to write this, the ants have arrived at the old house. I think I’ll wait a while to hang up the laundry.