Authorities estimate that over 300,000 passengers will pass through Juan Santamaria Airport every day in December.  As many as 45 flights will arrive and depart on any given day.  Adita Blanco, Immigration chief at the airport stated that 15 new officers begin work monday and that they will be distributed over the 6 work shifts.  The idea is that all 11 immigration kiosks are always open.

Customs Director, José Alberto Martínez, stated that a study has been made of the luggage revision process.  Shortly, they should have a diagnosis and be able to implement changes that will increase efficiency of the inspections. Most functionaries consulted concurred that the lack of space in the airport is the reason that they cannot increase the amount of equipment and personnel.

The Labor Court resolved on Thursday that the water workers strike was illegal and that they must return to work. The majority planned to return on Friday. 

The Water Institute may not pay salaries to the workers for the days they were on strike, but instead of deducting those days from upcoming checks, the Labor Ministry and management are looking for other ways to take back the salary.  One possibility is to increase the office hours and have the workers work overtime without pay.

Petty criminals are having a field day ripping off people for between 1000 and 20000 colones through tickets for false raffles or lotteries, and easy financing schemes on PCs or work opportunities.  While each victim is taken for a small amount, the criminals are getting away with large amounts of cash because of the number victims. 

Authorities believe only 2 percent of crimes are reported, since victims either don’t want to go through the procedure for reporting such a small amount, or they feel foolish that they were taken. The delinquents are normally well dressed, well spoken, and have great sales skills. They generally contact their victims by phone, and even set up offices in San José.  One agents said "what they do is look for what people need right now, like trips, computers, food or work. People believe them, even though sometimes they have doubts, and they go ahead. "

Types of Rip Offs

Vacations
The victim receives an invitation to dinner. At dinner, they are offered a share in a beach club.  They will get a few free days in the club as a gift.  The membership can be paid in payments, but they ask for the first installment to be paid by credit card.  The con artists charge the entire amount of the membership to the card.

Christmas Baskets
Door to door, or by phone, they offer a Christmas basket, there are different kinds but normally it is with wine, grapes, pears, and fruit cake. They charge in payments of 2000 colones.   When people call to pick up the basket, there is no reply or they say the company went broke and no baskets are left.

Travel with la "Sele"
When the National Team is about to play, offices promise packages with everything included.  They charge a 20,000 colon downpayment and promise to find tickets, visas and other documents.  Then they disappear with the money.

Computer Clubs
The scamster calls offering a club to buy a computer.  The  victim pays weekly quotas to a messenger that comes to their work or home.  They get receipts, but when they go to buy the computer the company does not exist.

Classified Scam
The criminals look for people who are selling their car in the newspaper.  They ask for a test drive, and along the way they ask to stop at a supermarket or pharmacy.  They ask to borrow money to buy something, then get out and never come back.

"Employment" Agencies
Offer work in Panamá with salaries of $1.500 (¢750k) per month.  In order to get the passport, they ask the victim to meet them at Immigration.  There they ask for up to 25,000 colones, and disappear inside the building, they never return.

MOPT (Ministry of Transport and Public Works) has authorized several companies to begin work on road repairs for 270 kilometers of roadways in Guanacaste (Santa Cruz, Nicoya, Hojancha, Nandayure y Tilarán).  The repairs will cost 545 million colones.

In a strange turn of events, gas prices fell Wednesday.  Although in some quarters it didn’t help much, as gas stations were out of fuel?  Some observers note that it is interesting that in multiple price hikes there was always fuel available, yet when prices dropped at midnight Tuesday, many stations had no inventory to sell at the new price.  Hmmm.

At the Shell station in Moravia only Super was available and at the Total station there only diesel.  Even the Servicentro Cristo Rey, in Ochomogo just a few meters from the RECOPE plant, was "out" of gas Wednesday.  Gas transporters verified that on Tuesday gas stations bought only the minimum amount of gas, so that they wouldn’t lose money when the price fell.  Al Dia visited another ten gas stations in Sabanilla, Tres Ríos, Curridabat, Cartago, Heredia and Desamparados, where all all customers were attended to normally.

The situation will be investigated by ARESEP, since by law the gas stations may not interrupt service.  Berny Ramírez, president of the Costa Rica Fuel Provider’s Association stated that companies involved in this ruse should be sanctioned.  "I believe that it is irresponsible that the service stations didn’t have supplies on hand to meet the demand.",  he stated.