rong>by Rod Hughes</strong>

Once upon a time (35 years ago, when the U.S. dollar was King of Currencies) then-President Jose Figueres (1970-74) was given a $10,000 donation for the National Symphony Orchestra. For some time, it disappeared and Figueres was not forthcoming about the matter. When cornered by reporters, Figueres told them, "I bought candy with it," then scuttled away.

What happened was that he bought three farms with the money, a healthy sum in those days. And he put them under the name of a foundation for the orchestra with (naturally) Figueres himself as foundation president. In 1986,when national figures put pressure on the ex-president to cough up the titles to the farms for benefit of the orchestra, they were merely put under the name of another association, also under direction of Figueres.

The terms of these associations was limited and the association ceased to exist but (now you see it, now you don’t) mysteriously yet another association was created in 1997 with another 10-year span. This one is about to expire but his heir, daughter Kristin, still refuses to give the farms up. During the years that all this slight of hand was going on, no one seemed to think of developing the land and, as far as is known, they have produced no income.

Now, Kristin Figueres has produced another association out of the hat, this one to terminate in 2015 and the National Symphony is no closer to getting its donation than it was in 1973. But the daily<em> La Nacion</em> turned up evidence last September that, by law, the land should have been turned over at the end of the first limited-time association in 1987. Not unreasonably, Minister of Culture Maria Elena Carballo wants the land at the disposition of the orchestra as was intended from the first.

When <em>La Nacion</em> consulted Kristin Figueres, her lawyer Mario Soto replied loftily that the land "belongs to the Association" and that it just is not right to order a private association "how to dispose of its possessions." As might be imagined, the interchanges between the National Music Center that administers the orchestra’s resources and Figueres’ association have been acrimonious.

Historical note: Although Jose "don Pepe" Figueres is a national hero and was an upholder of democracy in Latin America when most Latin nations were administered dictatorially, historians generally recognize that Figueres blotted his copybook during his final term. His questionable decisions not only involved this donation but included his harboring of fugitive multimillionaire Robert Vesco. Knowing Costa Rica, we are in for a long saga before the three farms issue is resolved.

by Rod Hughes

When the Sele, the national soccer team, meets their El Salvador rivals Aug. 20 at Ricardo Saprissa Stadium, exspect tight security. FIFA, the international monopoly on soccer competition in the world, has warned local officials that they are watching.

Some months ago, The Tico Times English-language weekly published an article noting that incidences of hooliganism have increased in recent yours in Costa Rica, a fact that evidently has not passed unnoticed by FIFA. Only last year, for example, the regional soccer federation CONCACAF levied a sizeable fine against Alajuela due to unruly fans throwing debris on the pitch and invading the field during a regional tournament match. Saprissa has also been fined more than once.

Rowdiness has not yet reached the level of Liverpool of a few decades ago. In fact, it has not reached the depths of Liberia some years ago when fans burned cars in a riot outside the stadium. But it is still worrisome where, despite some crime concern, people still do not expect sport to become a street brawl. So expect FEDEFUT, the Costa Rican soccer organization, that the Salvador contest is “high risk.”

A great deal is riding on the Salvador test, since it is a CONCACAF elimination match leading up, the national team hopes, to its representing the region in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Salvador is considered Costa Rica’s only real danger of an upset in the second round.

by Rod Hughes

The big purple “S” came home from its exhibition soccer match with Mexico’s Chiapas club, the Jaguars, with a clean win, 3-2, Wednesday at the Olypic Stadium in Tapachula. Saturday, Saprissa intends to hone its teeth further on the “Hidrorayos” from Nexaca, hoping for a sweep from its Mexican tour.

Ever Alfaro appears to be finding his groove again, scoring two goals early at minutes 12 and 17. Armando Alonso nailed the Jaguar hide to the wall shortly before the first half ended with a goal. Saprissa dominated play throughout.

Meanwhile, Alajuela’s new coach, colorful Argentinian Marcelo “Popeye” Herrera, complains that he finds his players with “big technical limitations” with few exceptions. He made his remarks on a sports program on TV Channel 7. He says he can make something of his older players but it is in the minor leagues that he hopes to develop the really fine material.

Raise them up early, train them young, seems to be his strategy. This will put pressure on Alajuela’s director of its minor league farm clubs, Chilean Maruicio Benavides. Al Dia sportswriter Alexander Aguilar commented that Herrera’s comments could apply well to all the First Division players in Costa Rica.

Liberia’s owner, businessman Mario Sotela, seems to have a different view. With a ready checkbook he’s trying to lure veterans from Alajuela and Saprissa instead of raising the young sprats up right. Mentioned on his shopping list are Liga (Alajuela) players Victor Nunez, Harold Wallace and Pablo Salazar, Saprissa’s Allan Aleman and Heredia’s stylish goalie Alvaro Mesen. All are mainstays of La Sele, the national All Stars.