The government is about to sign a decree that will reduce the deposit required to bring migrant workers from $100 to $20 each. The Minister of Work and Health, Fernando Trejos, said, “This is in response to the demands of exporters, who are concerned about a lack of help for their harvests. The reality is that Ticos don’t like to cut sugar cane or pick coffee. We aren’t taking jobs from anyone, because Costa Ricans are doing other work.”

The deposit is merely to organize the influx and to assure that the workers leave the country after a certain time. Another factor is that these workers should pay taxes to the Social Security system and receive minimum labor rights like wages and hours. The decree establishes methods for these contributions and rights.

The President of the Legislature, Gerardo González, practically buried the tax package yesterday by sending it to 3 rd place on the agenda. He opened the way for discussion of 2 bills, the Popular Initiative Bill and the Public Referendum Act.

The Referendum Costa Ricans would be able to vote for or against initiatives that will become law. They may also defeat existing laws. However, the referendum may not cover budgets, taxes, fiscal or monetary policy, debt or credit, pensions, security, loan approval, contracts or administrative acts. 30% of citizens registered to vote must participate, 40% if the referendum is Constitutional.

Popular Iniciative Allows citizens to present bills directly to the Assembly, if 5% of registered votars sign the initiative. (approximately 123,000 signatures) It may not relate to budgets, taxes, fiscal or monetary policy, debt or credit, contracts or administrative acts. These plans would have priority on the legistlative agenda in commissions and the sessions.

Get Out Rich Boy! Workers at the Legislature chanted and insulted the Minister of Finance, Federico Carrillo, after his presentation of the budget for 2006. Workers blame the Minister for not giving priority to a loan that would have been used to construct a new building for the Assembly.

Going against tradition, Gerardo González - president of Congress, refused to receive the budget. In his place the honors were done by the vicepresident of Congress Juan José Vargas.

Carrillo suggested that the office workers check the facts before blaming him for the loan.
“On the building, this does not have priority on the list compiled by the National Finance Commission. I don’t make this list, the President and Ministers do.”

According to three NGOs - PRETOMA, APREFLOFAS and FECON -, the business of landing shark fins in Costa Rica is not only lucrative, companies involved don’t pay the taxes they should.

ICE announced that telephone books will not be published next year, instead calls to 113 information will be free. Previously each call cost 28.8 colones.

The Comptroller refused permission to ICE’s subsidiary RACSA to contract directly Trejos Hermanos Asesores to publish the guide. This was the company that printed the guides for Verizon before.

According to ICE, they will save $1.3 million dollars by not publishing the directories.

The Minister of Education, Manuel Antonio Bolaños, announced the calendar for 2006 on Wednesday. Classes begin Tuesday, February 7th and end December 20th. The semester break will be from July 3rd to the 14th.

The magistrates of the constitutional court (Sala IV) have decided that the detention of ex-President Miguel Ángel Rodríguez when he arrived here was perfectly legal. The judges declared null a writ of habeus corpus filed on behalf of the president, alleging that the detention was illegal because MAR had immunity until midnight when his resignation as Secretary of the OAS was to take effect.

The Sala decided that there is a difference between an international warrant and one issued here in Costa Rica and that the detention was in accordance with the Penal Code and Constitution.

The twins born on Tuesday are at risk because their hearts share the right auricle, they are also sharing a liver. A team of 9 doctors are analyzing the possibilities for separation. Siamese twins normally die within a few months if they are not separated.

It appears difficult that the operation could be performed here, because of the organs they are sharing. The mother of the babies is not permitting photos or making any statements to the press.

According to the MEIC (Economic Ministry) the device known as Super Fuel Max does not produce the effects promoters claim it does. Based on studies made by the Federal Commerce Commission and the University of Costa Rica, the MEIC rejects claims that the device saves fuel, reduces emissions and increases the octane level.

Ronny Brenes, spokesman for IRD Costa Rica, denied that the publicity is false. “The device increases fuel economy by 27 % and reduces emissions by 58%. “

RECOPE, the national refinery asked for an increase in gas prices again last week, that should take place within 2 weeks. ARESEP has fifteen days to study the application and 5 days to publish the decree.

If approved, which is 99% probable, super will cost ¢ 479, regular ¢ 445 and diesel ¢ 318 per liter. In dollars per gallon, that would be:

479 colones per liter / 485 colones per US Dollar = $ 0.987 per liter

$ 0.987 per liter x 3.785 liters in one US gallone = $ 3.73 per gallon for super

Diesel would cost $ 2.48

This price at the pump includes approximately 33% in taxes for gasoline.