Costa Rica will present a case before the International Justice Court in the Hague regarding the treaty with Nicaragua on the Rio San Juan. Ex-president Arnoldo Aleman of Nicaragua unilaterally suspended the right of Costa Rican police officers to navigate the river with firearms in July of 1998.

This decision was widely seen as an attempt to deflect criticism and inquiries into his finances. In September of 2002 Presidents Pacheco and Bolaños signed an agreement to look for a peaceful settlement, this agreement has now expired.

The Cañas-Jeréz Treaty of 1858 gave the San Juan river to Nicaragua, but Costa Rica retained rights to navigate the river. Costa Rica will ask the court to fortify the rights in a decision: “Costa Rica asks that the court obligate Nicaragua to permit Costa Rican vessels and their passengers to freely navigate the river for commercial purposes, including tourism and passenger transport.”

The document also asks for permission to land freely on either side of the river, without duty or fees, except those negotiated between the governments.

The final point, which addresses directly the cause of the dispute, asks the the rights of official vessels be respected including “for resupply and change of personnel in the frontier posts along the river, with their official equipment, including ammunition and arms necessary for self-defense”.

Sentences of the International Justice Court are obligatory an without appeal.

Nicaragua Reacts
The Nicaraguan government stated that they “will not permit foreign armed forces” to navigate the river and ordered the army to be extra vigilent. Currently Costa Rican police take alternate routes to resupply posts and change personnel. The Congress passed a bill that imposes a 35% tax on Costa Rican products that enter the country.

47,163 educators received an extra bonus of 168% of their monthly salary on Monday. The bonus was instituted in 1998 when the school year was extended to 200 days. 7000 teachers did not qualify because they were absent too many days from classes.

Taiwan’s President Chen Shui-bian announced a $150,000 donation to Costa Rica in order to help victims of flooding caused by Rita on the Pacific Coast.

Apparently vacation days were more important to the ICE workers than opening themselves to competition. Carlos Manuel Obregón, general manager at ICE, sent a memo stating that sanctions would be implemented for those employees participating in the strike. Which means that workers would have to take a vacation day in order to receive pay.

Although, Jorge Arguedas, of the Internal Worker’s Front (FIT), sent a counter memo, many workers did not participate and services that should have been inoperative (like information) functioned normally. The strike was to pressure the Legistlative Assembly on opening the “ICE Fortification Bill” to input from social sectors and to bring it out of commission.

Watch out if you have to go to the airport this week or next. The toll booth was damaged in an accident and will be repaired from 9-6 (overnight) in the next 15 working days. (2-3 weeks) Although work won’t be done in the daytime, some lanes could be closed or rubberneckers could cause delays.

Are you an architect or builder or home owner? As of this week, you can send your construction plans for approval over the Internet. Every plan must recieve approval from the Federation of Engineers and Architects, which normally meant turning the plan into the office in San Jose, no matter where the construction was to happen.

Now you can send in your plans from anywhere in the world.

All 3 Costa Rican teams did what they had to do to get to the semifinals of the UNCAF tournament. Perez Zeledon tied 2-2 with Firpo of El Salvador to advance 6-2 in the global score.

Alajuela swam to advancement after a 1-0 loss to Municipal in Guatemala. The game was played in a severe rainshower, although the field at Mateo Flores held up well, the puddles made the going tough.

Saprissa survived a hijacking in Honduras to advance. Evidently the real Saprissa players (the ones that won 4-0 last week here) were snatched upon arrival and some imposters were played by the coach. Those clowns lost 4-0 to Marathon and the series had to be decided by a penalty shootout. Each goal keeper stopped 2 shots in the mandatory 5 shot shootout, but in the tiebreaker the Honduran player struck the crossbar and Gerald Drummond of Saprissa put his shot through to clinch the series for Saprissa.

Olimpia of Honduras plays at home tonight against Suchitepéquez de Guatemala, they are winning 4-1 from their victory in the away match. Saprissa will face the winner of this series.

Pérez Zeledon and Alajuela will play in the other semifinal. Saprissa and Perez will be hosts in the opening matches on Octubre 18 & 19 , the return matches will be played on the 25th and 26th.

Gustavo Monge has invented an electric tricycle that uses a 450 watt motor or pedal power to transport the user in the city. The battery allows for up to 15 kilometers of range, plus any distance that the user pedals, or any distance downhill where the vehicle doesn’t use energy and even generates it.

The prototype was developed for 1 million colones (less than $2000). After a period of modification and testing with the prototype, Monge plans to manufacture a final version that will sell for about $1300.

The battery recharges in less than 3 hours in any outlet, it has disc brakes, a cover that protects the rider from moderate rain, a brake light and a small headlight. The gears are the same as any mountain bike, so the vehicle can be easily repaired.

Gustavo Monge can be contacted at 384-1312 or gusmonge@gm…

The City of San Jose is opening a new market today in the Old Civil Registry (located at the beginning of Second Avenue, near the San Juan de Dios Hospital and La Merced Church - Park)

The market provides a space for the street vendors that are no longer permitted in the downtown area, so if you want to help eliminate congestion, please visit the new market and keep them off the streets!

The City of San Jose is opening a new market today in the Old Civil Registry (located at the beginning of Second Avenue, near the San Juan de Dios Hospital and La Merced Church - Park)

The market provides a space for the street vendors that are no longer permitted in the downtown area, so if you want to help eliminate congestion, please visit the new market and keep them off the streets!