http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/ This is a discussion forum powered by vBulletin. To find out about vBulletin, go to http://www.vbulletin.com/ . en Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:07:40 GMT vBulletin 60 http://200.50.224.4/forum/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/ http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/emmanuelgr/314-costa-ricans-owe-more-than-400-000-billion-credit-card-debt.html Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:52:30 GMT This amount includes those who pay the debts at the cut-off date and therefore do not pay interest as well as those using credit card financing. ... This amount includes those who pay the debts at the cut-off date and therefore do not pay interest as well as those using credit card financing.

The sum comes from existing cards (as of October), which are estimated by the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (SUGEF by its initials in Spanish) based on the information given to it by banks and other financial intermediaries.

The figure excludes the amounts owed through card issuers that do not operate as intermediaries, but only engage in loaning, as is the case with Credomatic, the largest issuer in the country.

SUGEF believes that this latter figure is very significant, but is not quantified. The amount owed on cards grew 29% between October 2006 and October 2008, subtracting the amount that corresponds to inflation.

The total number of cardholders only from supervised issuers is about 719,000, which represents nearly one third of the working people Costa Rica.

According to the Ministry of Finance in Costa Rica, interest rates used for funding the cards are up to 50% annually.

The high interest rates influence the debtors into facing payment problems. In October, according toSUGEF, there were ¢47 billion in overdue debts, a 21% increase over October of 2006 (excluding inflation) and nearly and nearly ¢8 billion in judicial payments, a 24% increase over October 2004.

For Cynthia Zapata, executive director of the National Consumer Commission in Costa Rica, the rise is part of the sharp increase that credit for consumption has had in the past four years, which nearly doubled.

In addition, it reflects the difficulties faced by Costa Ricans in managing their finances, because instead of saving seven months to buy an item, they prefer to make payments for two years for buying on credit and paying interest.

The increase in consumption was a phenomenon that shot up over the past two years. Spending on final consumption in households grew by 6% in 2007 compared to 2006, the largest increase in 10 years, according to the measurement done by the Central Bank.

The economic boom of 2006 and 2007 that saw increasing employment and household income, coupled with low interest rates that prevailed until May of this year, the ease with which loans were obtained and low devaluation until July, were factors that shot up consumption.

But now the picture has changed. The bonanza ended, employment and incomes are growing at a slower rate, interest rates are going up and possibilities for credit were restricted.

For Zapata, now it's time to manage finances, pay and/or make arrangements to pay. To accomplish these goals, Zapata recommends developing a budget where people can be clear about their income and expenses.

If people managed their finances, there could be some money left over to pay debt. If not, they can also search for a payment settlement.

“The worst thing a consumer can do when he owes is to hide. I would recommend that you approach us (the National Consumer Commission in Costa Rica) or the financial institution to explain the situation and look for a payment arrangement,” he said.

He also suggested going to the houses of justice at the universities and visiting the website of the commission (Comisión Nacional del Consumidor de Costa Rica) which has examples and cases for making budgets.

In short, for TicosLand.com, this is a disturbing reality because it shows that people in the country do not think at the time of consuming. They buy in an impulsive manner and threaten their financial stability. Not to mention of course, that this also puts the financial institutions at risk, which find it difficult to recover the money they lent. ]]> emmanuelgr http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/emmanuelgr/314-costa-ricans-owe-more-than-400-000-billion-credit-card-debt.html http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/313-work-renewed.html Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:56:28 GMT After 34 years of an intense trajectory, the Costa Rican artist, Guillermo “Chino” Porras, believes that the time has come to explore unknown... After 34 years of an intense trajectory, the Costa Rican artist, Guillermo “Chino” Porras, believes that the time has come to explore unknown creative directions.

Porras began a new phase of his artistic career with an exhibition of recent works at 11-12 Gallery, located in the Plaza Itzcatzú shopping center.

The artist exhibits nine paintings in large format, in which he retrieves the soul and colors of his native Limon, with a language ever closer to abstraction.

“These paintings represent the transition from a descriptive and figurative work, toward one that is more abstract, where the human figure is not explicitly seen,” said Porras.

Thus, the human presence appears hardly suggested with hands or faces that are diluted in a tide of colors and shapes.

Looking back to his roots meant a process of very honest and gratifying introspection. “Limon lives very deep within me, with its great cultural heritage, people, food and natural landscapes,” said Porras.

In his work, Vento Sur, Southern Wind, the artist remembers the windswept Costa Rican Atlantic that would muss ones hair with a poetic imagery.

It is in Manzanillo, south of Limon and amid the splendor of the beach and forest, where Porras established what he calls his personal “refuge.” “In this place, I disconnected from the outside world to delve into my inner world full of illusions, passions, fears, love and disaffection.”

This intimate tour also generated landscapes that seemed taken from the world of dreams as seen in the work, La Visita del Fauno, The Visit of the Faun.

“I like for people to get involved in my work and complete their own stories with the elements suggested in the paintings," said the artist who twice won the National Aquileo Echeverría Award in the painting branch.

This collection of paintings is characterized by the explosion of color, where yellows, reds, browns and blues stand out. The exhibition is open to the public until Dec. 10.

TicosLand.com invites you once again to get close and be able to witness a unique and very high quality creation. Support the national talent and appreciate good art at the same time. ]]> marcob http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/313-work-renewed.html http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/emmanuelgr/312-clashes-over-fta-china.html Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:17:33 GMT The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiation between Costa Rica and China put different chambers of Commerce and Industry on the sidewalks. The... The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiation between Costa Rica and China put different chambers of Commerce and Industry on the sidewalks.

The industrial sector, on the one hand, attacked the Ministry of Foreign Trade for developing an opinion in favor of an FTA with China, which was described as “limited and very general.”

This agreement projects for exports by Costa Rica to grow 11%, while it projects for imports from China to grow 6%, according estimates.

To put the scientific rigor of the study in perspective, the industry believes that it cites agglomerated cork as one of products with great potential to be exported to China, in spite of the fact that this good is only produced on the south of the Iberian Peninsula and in northern Morocco.

The Chamber of Industries said that Costa Rica has little chance of shipping products to China, believing that China already has a competitive manufacturing industry due to low labor costs, investment incentives, high volumes of production and technology incorporated into its processes.

But the Chamber of Commerce, by contrast, is in favor of beginning the talks to sign the FTA, considering it complementary to a series of other treaties.

“It is not the first (treaty). We have one with Mexico, Chile, Canada, Dominican Republic, Caricom, Panama and Cafta and they are part of the model of the opening of the Costa Rican economy," said Oscar Cabada, president of the Chamber of Commerce.

Having a “collection” of treaties was qualified, however as imprudent by Thomas Pozuelo, president of the Costa Rican Chamber of Food Industries.

“We are opposed to more treaties as long as raw materials are protected and finished products are not, which are points on the agenda of competitiveness that are still pending and unresolved in the signed treaties,” Pozuelo said.

“The industry of Costa Rica would only be able to send more products from the free trade zones, such as Intel, but it would be sent to another Intel in China, so it would not provide no advantages as far as tariffs are concerned to the company or the country," said Juan Maria Gonzalez, president of the industrialists.

As to securing tariff advantages, from a legal point of view there is already the World Trade Organization and in this field nothing new would be added to a company like Intel, he added.

From China to Costa Rica, entrepreneurs fear that “adulterated products will arrive, and with sanitary problems, such as toys with lead as was the case with Mattel,” he said.

He also referred to toothpaste that “would have killed many people in Panama” and infant formula as happened with the most recent case of adulteration, in addition to products in the electric field such as lamps and fluorescent lights, which would remove companies such as Seyma and Sylvania from the market.

In the United States 560 Chinese products have been withdrawn in two years due to various problems, and none from Costa Rica. “China also has weak governmental control over its own manufacturers and they would put us at risk with many of these products, which are not only dangerous but fraudulent,” said the industrialist.

However, the vision of the businessmen is different. “There will be some Chinese products that are not up to standard, but it is up to us to establish sanitary, phytosanitary and other quality mechanisms. The important thing is that for a fluid trade of goods and that non-tariff barriers are not erected,” replied Cabada.

He also recalled that there were equally conservative and protectionist voices when they signed a treaty with Mexico, and it was said that “Mexicans were going to invade us with their products.”

The Chinese, he added, are not waiting to try to sell to us because there are already all kinds of products of different sizes and dimensions in the country. Many of them meet international quality standards, said the businessman.

For his part, Gonzalez believes that Costa Rica should not depend on one market, but it is just not the right time to sign a treaty with China.

In the case of a heightened political interest, free trade possibilities should begin to be explored through an agreement of partial scope, he said.

There may be groups that feel threatened, but we think that the treaty is positive, added Cabada, “because it will eventually generate a flow of investment and co-investment, and give us a legal framework to deal in a more structured manner with our Chinese counterparts.”

The trade agreement between Costa Rica and China, which consist of eight rounds of negotiations, will begin on January 19. The idea is to leave it completed and signed before the end of this administration.

At TicosLand.com, we have already said that for a negotiation of this type, very serious negotiations are needed that are not filled with the economic interests of third parties, which only seek benefits for themselves. This type of agreement should be done to improve the country as a whole. ]]> emmanuelgr http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/emmanuelgr/312-clashes-over-fta-china.html http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/311-driver-s-tests-done-only-vehicles-manual-transmissions.html Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:53:35 GMT In Costa Rica, anyone interested in obtaining a driver’s license will have to do the practical test in a vehicle with a manual transmission because... In Costa Rica, anyone interested in obtaining a driver’s license will have to do the practical test in a vehicle with a manual transmission because the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT by its initials in Spanish) will no longer accept automobiles with automatic transmissions. The new provision took effect Wednesday, Nov. 19, according a press release sent by the MOPT.

The authorities argue that the measure will make the process more rigorous and will assess the driver’s ability with the combination of the clutch, brake, accelerator and others.

The communiqué added that a driver who takes the test in a vehicle with an automatic transmission cannot guarantee if he or she will be able to go uphill in a vehicle with a manual transmission. “Anyone who cannot handle hills in a vehicle with a manual transmission will usually go backwards with the car and cause accidents,” the communiqué adds.

The new Transport deputy minister, Rosaura Montero, defended the provision saying, “Sometimes those who do their test in a car with an automatic transmission, once he or she gets the permit, they begin to practice in a car with a manual transmission with the impending risks for everyone,” she added.

These changes in MOPT executive decree 34,865 were published yesterday in the Costa Rican Gazette newspaper, the official government publication.

The measure does not apply to those who made an appointment for their practical test before Wednesday, November 19.

In addition, anyone wanting a C2 bus license must show up for the test in a unit for 45 or more passengers. The C2 for small buses will require a bus with a capacity of 26 to 44 passengers. And finally, those interested in a C2 license to drive a minibus must show up in a unit for 9 to 26 passengers.

At TicosLand.com, we view these changes with a bit of reservation. While it may be true that obtaining a license in a vehicle with an automatic transmission carries the risk that the driver will then attempt to drive a car with a manual transmission and cause an accident, it also limits a Costa Rican’s right to obtain a driver’s license. Therefore, in this case, rather than limit the right to a license, the fines should be steeper as should the revisions made by traffic officers on the road. ]]> marcob http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/311-driver-s-tests-done-only-vehicles-manual-transmissions.html http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/310-large-amount-paperwork-prevents-obtaining-benefits-forests.html Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:48:53 GMT In Costa Rica, excessive paperwork due to political decisions and actions make it almost impossible for entrepreneurs to have access to the benefits... In Costa Rica, excessive paperwork due to political decisions and actions make it almost impossible for entrepreneurs to have access to the benefits for sustainable forest management and the development of forest plantations.

This is what 50 experts, researchers, academicians and entrepreneurs from the sector who participated in a workshop determined.

The workshop was organized by the Tropical Agronomy Center for Investigation and Learning (Catie by its initials in Spanish) and the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS by its initials in Spanish), under the auspices of the Costa Rica-United States Foundation (Crus by its initials in Spanish).

The deputy minister of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications, Jorge Rodriguez, acknowledged the excess of requirements and called for the country to urgently define how to combine conservation and development.

Costa Rica maintains the system of benefits called “Payment for environmental services.” It is funded with money from the oil bill (about 3.5% of the total), international loans, donations and voluntary contributions from businesses.

To obtain the benefits, you are required to meet a series of requisites. Moreover, the Administration agreed to stop granting them for the sustainable forest management but kept them for the plantations in 2002.

The situation caused a decline in forestry activity which forced the country to import a little over 50% of the timber that it requires, for which it must pay about $95 million USD annually.

The purchases abroad are made despite the fact that Costa Rica has all the conditions and competitiveness to supply all the volume of lumber it needs.

Ronnie de Camino, deputy general director and chair of the Latin American territorial forest management for Catie, warned that the country also has adequate laws and programs.

However, the implementation of such legislation in the institutions virtually prevents the development of plantations and controlled handling of the forest.

This situation has the country in an “administrative closed season” or institutional and not legal ban to exploit forest timber and which totally discourages plantation development, warned de Camino in his report.

“If rice, sugar, beans and other food producers had to face red tape equal to what the forest sector faces, Costa Rica would be obligated to import all its food,” said the Catie specialist.

According to the projections made in the document, Costa Rica must import more than 60% of the timber it will need for 2010, with an investment of $ 126 million.

Preliminary figures indicate that over the past year Costa Rica had to import 637,826 cubic meters of the 1,154,697 cubic meters of lumber it used. By 2010, import requirements will reach 738,425 cubic meters, with a total demand of 1,225,374 cubic meters, according to the projection.

Deputy Minister Rodriguez explained that importing the product is not entirely negative. You would have to define the reason why the lumber is imported and what the cost is. He said that many of the imports are timber for construction and while the country imports it at USD $250 per cubic meter, there are some companies that export the finished product for up to USD $3,000 per cubic meter.

Rodriguez admitted an excessive wariness on behalf of those who grant permits. “Cutting down a tree is almost a mortal sin,” he acknowledged.

The whole team at TicosLand.com is in agreement with the processes of forest protection, but as we have said on other issues relating to procedures in the country, we need to have more agile processes to allow greater growth for Costa Rica. ]]> marcob http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/310-large-amount-paperwork-prevents-obtaining-benefits-forests.html http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/emmanuelgr/309-costa-rican-model-philippines.html Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:36:25 GMT After five months of being in Manila, in the Philippine Islands, auditions, advertising campaigns and fashion shows have become the daily bread for... After five months of being in Manila, in the Philippine Islands, auditions, advertising campaigns and fashion shows have become the daily bread for the Costa Rican model Cesar Vargas, who works at an agency in that country.

Although he had the option of traveling to China a few months ago, he preferred to stay in the Philippines, where he has received several job offers and where the publicity and activities were in “high season.”

After modeling for various brands, Vargas participated in Manila Fashion Week in early November. In addition, he continued with his gym training three hours a day to stay in shape and prepare for two commercials, one for a Filipino energy drink and another a chain of gyms, which are forthcoming.

Vargas appears satisfied with what has been achieved, after being the image of brands such as Calvin Klein, Guess, Levi’s, Lee and Bench, among other firms.

“I love working here (in the Philippines). I am pleased to have left Costa Rica at a good level. I am very happy to have been able to pay (with my victory) the people who have directly and indirectly believed in me," said the young man who was runner-up at the show Mister Manhunt International 2008.

The model said that he could travel to China next year and that he would work for another agency there. “I already have the contacts,” said that young man who also stated that it is necessary to have a thin yet toned body, as well as good projection and a lot of discipline, to work as a model in Asia.

Cesar Vargas said later that he would like to have a career in Europe and, although he misses his family very much, he doesn’t plan to return to Costa Rica in the near future.

At TicosLand.com, we send our best wishes to Cesar because we know that it isn’t easy to have a career as a model, especially abroad. When you finally make it, it is because there is discipline work and the will to accomplish it. ]]> emmanuelgr http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/emmanuelgr/309-costa-rican-model-philippines.html http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/308-new-transnational-company-country.html Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:32:42 GMT The U.S. firm Critical Mass joined the Costa Rican group Garnier to open its subsidiary of The Hangar Interactive, an interactive marketing firm that... The U.S. firm Critical Mass joined the Costa Rican group Garnier to open its subsidiary of The Hangar Interactive, an interactive marketing firm that will provide services to companies in North America and Europe.

The firms that resort to interactive marketing use the Internet, e-mail and cell phone as a means to promote themselves and attract more customers.

In the country, The Hangar Interactive will make web sites specifically for marketing and hire 30 people, but it will reach 250 in the next three years, said Gabriela Llobet, director of CINDE, by its initials in Spanish.

The company is part of the digital services, advertising and interactive marketing operations subsector and opened yesterday in the free trade zone called Metro Park in Heredia.

The firm seeks bilingual staff in Costa Rica with studies in digital animation, graphic design, web page development and computer systems and IT engineering.

Those interested can send their resume to the email address: humanresources@criticalmass.com.

The Costa Rican Critical Mass Office will serve as support for its offices in Chicago, New York, Toronto, London and Geneva, said Diane Wilkins, president of the firm.

“We opted for Costa Rica thanks to the talent, creativity and level of professionals that we found in the country,” Wilkins added.

Javier del Campo, manager of The Hangar Interactive, added that services will be only for international customers of Critical Mass and the Omnicom Group, not for local businesses.

Critical Mass is associated with Omnicom Group, one of the largest communications firms in the world. Among the clients of the transnational marketing companies are Rolex, Mercedes-Benz and Citigroup.

We say once again in TicosLand.com that this kind of news is very satisfactory and even more so when there Costa Rican companies are participating. It is a way to generate jobs while showing that our workforce is highly appreciated worldwide. ]]> marcob http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/308-new-transnational-company-country.html http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/emmanuelgr/307-negotiations-free-trade-agreement-china-would-begin-january.html Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:28:59 GMT In two months Costa Rica and China will begin to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The option arose since the establishment of diplomatic... In two months Costa Rica and China will begin to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The option arose since the establishment of diplomatic relations on June 1, 2007, but had not been formalized until now.

The first of eight rounds of negotiations will take place in San Jose next January 19. The announcement was made yesterday by presidents Oscar Arias of Costa Rica and Hu Jintao of China, following the meeting held on the occasion of the visit by the Asian president to Costa Rica.

The agreement for the commencement of the negotiations was signed yesterday by Presidents Hu and Arias, and by Marco Vinicio Ruiz and Chen Deming, trade ministers from Costa Rica and China, respectively.

The authorities of both governments suggest that the agreement be consented to and signed before the end of the current administration and that the legislators for the next government should be the ones who discuss and approve it.

“We have the will to proactively increase the import of Costa Rican products, while at the same time welcoming Costa Rican business to our Country,” said the Chinese President.

“China is Costa Rica’s second major trade partner, so that this FTA is of enormous importance,” said Arias.

An agreement with China will enable the country to have free access to a market of 1.3 billion people, although some Costa Rican industries have already expressed fear. The fear is because of the possible exemption of tariffs on Chinese products would “flood” the local market with less expensive goods than those produced in the national territory, especially those related to sugar and the food sector.

The trading mechanism would broaden the experience that 90 Costa Rican companies already have and give an advantage to at least 12 products from Costa Rica to get into the Chinese market. Among these products are: coffee, electrical equipment, integrated circuits, leather goods, fruit and vegetables, according to a recently conducted prefeasibility study.

“We are not ruling out the meat or textile industries, but these things will be looked at once the negotiations being," said Marco Vinicio Ruiz, Minister of Foreign Trade, who added that the negotiators will be vigilant to safeguard the Costa Rican interests, alluding to the questions that have arisen regarding the health and quality of Chinese products.

Meanwhile, it is estimated that the domestic market offers advantages to eight Chinese export goods, including clothing, footwear, iron and steel products, machinery, electrical equipment and vehicles.

In recent years Costa Rican exports to China have increased significantly. While $1.082 billion USD were exported in 2006, exports reached just over $ 1.409 billion USD in 2007, considering the effect of Intel's involvement in these figures.

Similarly, sales from China to Costa Rica have been growing. In 2006, Asian businessmen placed products worth $618 million USD in the country. In 2007, the figure was $828 million USD.

The team at TicosLand.com feels a bit of unease because serious and well-planned negotiations need to take place because Chinese production if huge and this could place Costa Rican industries at a competitive disadvantage, not to mention the necessary caution with Chinese practices that have caused damage to the health of consumers. ]]> emmanuelgr http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/emmanuelgr/307-negotiations-free-trade-agreement-china-would-begin-january.html http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/306-factors-increase-insecurity.html Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:41:07 GMT In Costa Rica, insecurity is such a complex problem that the solution is everyone's business, not only the authorities’.

Just as there are criticisms of the macroeconomic policies of the governments from which the social gap is said to have increased, negative values have penetrated into the very heart of the family which contributes to criminal behavior

Experts have listed ten ingredients which when mixed together are the breeding ground where crime flourishes.

1. Socio-economic inequality
In 2007, income inequality in Costa Rica recorded its second highest increase in 20 years, and social programs did not reach the poor, said Elizabeth Roman, coordinator of the Social Chapter of the 14th Report on the State of the Nation. “We know very well that there is a relationship between inequality, poverty and crime,” she said.

2. Family Disintegration
In addition to the increased possibility of the loss of parental authority, when combined domestic violence and economic deprivation, the children become more prone to leave their studies and take the wrong path. “The family is the foundation of society,” reinforced Rita Hernandez, academic director Madre del Divino Pastor High School.

3. Education Desertion
Of every thousand children who entered first grade in Costa Rica, only 381 succeed in graduating from high school. “If students stay in school, they would be people who are more capable of facing the labor market," said Alejandrina Mata, vice minister of Education. Dropping out means that revenue must be found in other ways.

4. Drugs
The complaints related to drugs have increased more than tenfold in the last decade. Many addicts rob and assault every day to buy drugs, which led Gerardo Láscarez, former Deputy Minister of Security, to qualify the problem as “a pandemic.”

5. Loss of values
In a society where it seems that the prevailing value is “to have” above “being,” it is becoming more common for many to satisfy their material cravings through illegal means, argues Francisco Escobar, a sociologist.

6. Proliferation of Weapons
The 8551 arms registered last year in Costa Rica were a historical record. It is noteworthy that in ten years the number of deaths by firearms doubled. “It is urgent to restrict access to them,” thought Max Loría, an adviser to the Ministry of Justice.

7. Import of criminal patterns.
Criminal patterns that were once strange are now common. For example, murders for hire which are committed by assassins experienced a rise in 2007, denounced the latest Report on the State of the Nation.

8. Institutional Abandonment.
This was one of the things that most worried Fernando Berrocal when he was Minister of Security. “We find ourselves with a lag of not one but several previous administrations with regards to safety,” he said, and also elaborated on the need to review operational issues, labor and financial resources.

9. Soft Legislation.
Even the policemen are screaming at the heavens in Costa Rica, being that they catch offenders time and again who are then set free a few hours later. The Security Commission of the Legislative Assembly has already implemented reforms designed to toughen penalties and expand grounds for remand.

10. Media Violence.
The normalization of violence through the mass media dedicated to the events and the yellow journalism tone “is worrying.” Part of this vision is shared by Mrs. Elizabeth Fonseca, from the Security Commission of the Legislative Assembly.

At TicosLand.com, we also express the concern that the majority of Costa Ricans feel through the sense of insecurity in the country. The solution is not to stiffen penalties. It is necessary to expand the coverage of social programs, as well as educating the public not to expect to have everything handed to them, but also give them employment options and let them move forward to seek their means of subsistence. ]]> marcob http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/306-factors-increase-insecurity.html http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/emmanuelgr/305-reforestation-through-clean-travel-payments.html Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:36:42 GMT In Costa Rica, the clean travel system is voluntary and allows a tourist or national to travel by plane and pay to offset the emissions of greenhouse... In Costa Rica, the clean travel system is voluntary and allows a tourist or national to travel by plane and pay to offset the emissions of greenhouse gases generated by this type of transport.

This possibility has been available since 2007 and is coordinated locally by the National Forestry Financing Fund (FONAFIFO by its initials in Spanish). It is done through a special website at FONDO NACIONAL DE FINANCIAMIENTO FORESTAL which calculates the amount of C02 a trip produces and how much should be paid to mitigate it.

Alberto Garcia, Arguedas, an official of Resource Management at FONAFIFO, said that as of November 11 this year, this mechanism had successfully carried out 615 “Clean Trips” and mitigated 2165 tons of carbon dioxide (C02).

Among the users of this mechanism, 213 Costa Ricans and 402 foreign users are highlighted. Garcia said that in financial terms, the amount that has been gathered through this “Clean Travel” mechanism is over USD $10,825, or approximately ¢6,062,000.

“These resources are being invested in eight projects in the form of both reforestation of native and commercial tree species,” said the expert.

In Costa Rica there is a reforestation project in Guanacaste, four in Alajuela, one in Heredia, another in Limon and the other in San Jose, explained Garcia.

FONAFIFO gives anyone the possibility to mitigate the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced their flight by paying for it.

Each ton of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere by a trip by airplane has a cost of USD $5, some ¢2,800. According to an international consensus, that amount should finance the conservation of a given forest area in Costa Rica. Forests capture CO2 and convert it into oxygen. Hence, the importance of maintaining the trees to capture this gas and thus combat climate change.

Under this mechanism, a direct trip (nonstop) from Costa Rica to the United States, Brazil or Argentina emits three tons of CO2 per person into the atmosphere. For that reason, if the traveler wants to offset the emissions from that trip, he must pay about USD $15 or ¢8400. By the same token, travel to Germany, Italy or to the Congo emits six tons of CO2 per person and then, to compensate for it, you can pay $30, which is about ¢ 16,800.

In the same way, a trip to Australia which emits eight tons of CO2 into the atmosphere may be offset by the payment of USD $45 or the equivalent of ¢22,400.

Finally, on a trip to Indonesia, Rwanda and Bangladesh from Costa Rica a person emits 12 tons of CO2, which can be offset by a payment of USD $60 for the preservation of national forests, that is, ¢33,600.

The process can be done online from anywhere in the world by visiting the website FONDO NACIONAL DE FINANCIAMIENTO FORESTAL.

“To make the payment, you can use credit cards or Visa or Master Card debit cards (issued by anyone in the world),” Alberto Garcia stressed.

“This service is available this year in Spanish and English,” added Garcia.

At the end of the buying process, each user can choose whether he or she wants a money receipt or a certificate of greenhouse gas mitigation. “In both cases, the payment can be deducted from the income tax in Costa Rica,” the official concluded.

This is a proposal that TicosLand.com supports and we invite all our Internet users, if they have the possibility of traveling, to pay to mitigate the CO2 that such a trip releases into the atmosphere. Although it is a time of financial crisis, we can always do something to protect our environment. ]]> emmanuelgr http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/emmanuelgr/305-reforestation-through-clean-travel-payments.html http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/304-wake-up-call-about-roof.html Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:00:00 GMT Rusted tin sheets, cartons, plastic bags and boards were part of the materials that a youth group from the organization, Un Techo par mi País, A roof... Rusted tin sheets, cartons, plastic bags and boards were part of the materials that a youth group from the organization, Un Techo par mi País, A roof for my country, used to build a "home"in the middle of the Culture Plaza, in the middle of the capital of Costa Rica, on Sunday August 24.

Building this "ranch" in the middle of the capital was a way of saying that "for many Costa Rican families, houses such as these are a home," said María José Jaqueih, director of the organization.

"This is something that is in the city, is in Diques, in Tirrases,Curribadat, and people never stop to look. They are stopping here. It is generating an impact. We want to open people’s eyes and tell them that there are people living in these conditions and no one should live like this. It is motivating them to act," said a 23 year-old man.

They didn’t have to wait for reactions to the makeshift construction. The reactions were curious, some were indifferent, some blamed the government for the poverty experienced in the country, some stopped to ask questions and others also made crude comments such as "this is like my home."

They also wanted to convey some good news with this shack which has been part of their institutional campaign, that there are young people who want to change things and they want to do something regarding the issue of extreme poverty in Costa Rica.

But the denunciation by these people did not stop with the house’s construction. Ten volunteers with around two years in the organization stayed there to spend the night, according Jaqueih. "Clearly, we are going to be in the news tonight, but why aren’t people who live in poverty in the news ever day?" asked the social director.

University students who are part of A Roof for my Country admit to having had a valuable learning experience: "To be more united, to not only think as an individual and understand that teamwork is the answer to many of the problems we have as a society," said Andrea Fernandez, a 24-year-old member.

This is definitely something that we agree with at TicosLand.com. It is very easy to blame people of limited means for theft and a series of situations that are happening at present, but we never see how they live and what they have to face day to day . ]]> marcob http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/304-wake-up-call-about-roof.html http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/emmanuelgr/303-producing-waste-low-cost.html Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:00:00 GMT "We started to seek solutions for materials that are not given adequate treatment." With this initiative, four young men from the UNA (National University) of Costa Rica created Ecomuros, a factory that plans to build containment walls with used tires and other debris as a base
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That’s how Jose Eduardo Mejia, a student of topographical engineering in the UNA in Heredia and one of the creators of Ecomuros, explained it.

"To develop the project, we started from two points, the ecological part which is to stop burning tires and use them to build walls, and the economic part, in which we proved that the cost of erecting a wall is lowered some 60%,” he said.

In addition, Mejia mentioned that "there will be no investment in materials because the tires would be donated by companies that collect them." Natalie Mora, Jonathan Martinez, and Caleb Pichardo are also part of the company.

This is quite an innovative initiative that we in TicosLand.com believe in is of great significance, not only because it allows the reuse of wastes, but also the possibility of changing the way and costs of construction. ]]> emmanuelgr http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/emmanuelgr/303-producing-waste-low-cost.html http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/302-world-music-day-celebration-limon.html Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:00:00 GMT The Santa Eduviges Catholic church in Limon, Costa Rica, will host five groups that use their voices to celebrate world music day. It was... The Santa Eduviges Catholic church in Limon, Costa Rica, will host five groups that use their voices to celebrate world music day.

It was organized by the Limon headquarters of the University of Costa Rica (UCR by its initials in Spanish). The activity will have the participation of the General Studies chorus from UCR Limon and UCR Guapiles, as well as the choral grouping Etapa Básica de Música from the Baptist Church in Limon and from the Sacred Heart Church in Guácimo.

The repertoire of each group will vary, but they generally share the particular Limon flavor. The choral activity in the Caribbean province of Costa Rica is the one that has the most experience at the national level, with a development that has more than 100 years, stimulated mainly by the local churches.

Etapa Básica de Música of the UCR Limon has more than 20 years of being tied to music. This time around, the activity will be devoted to the Magón prize winner from 2007; Maria Eugenia Dengo. The choral gathering will be from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

So then,TicosLand.com invites all those who are able to attend this celebration to go and enjoy Caribbean music with all its blends in a very good way. ]]> marcob http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/302-world-music-day-celebration-limon.html http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/emmanuelgr/300-we-need-more-money-costa-rican-post-office-building.html Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:00:00 GMT The ¢100 million which the Central Post Office building in Costa Rica got by winning the “Save Our Heritage Contest” is a small contribution when you... The ¢100 million which the Central Post Office building in Costa Rica got by winning the “Save Our Heritage Contest” is a small contribution when you take into account that ¢800 million are required to fully restore it.

The figures were given by the winner of the contest, the architect Sergio Arguedas, who stated that the San Jose property requires improvements in all areas: structural, electrical, mechanical and architectural.

Arguedas added that the humidity has caused the growth of moss and trees on the facade, while the mechanical and electrical system must be completely renovated.

The construction also presents severe damage in the ornamentation and the internal walls are extremely vulnerable.

Another factor that worries the authorities of the National Post Office is that although the structure is earthquake proof, it is vulnerable to possible fires due to the lack of a smoke detection system.

Arguedas said they will be able to begin the most urgent measures that the building requires with the award, such as the restoration of the facade, to which a lime-based coating will be added.

There is a also commitment from the Board of the Costa Rican Post Office to get at least ¢300 million more to help with repairs, which will start in 2009.

According to the official minutes of the contest, organized by the Culture Ministry and the Professional Association of Engineers and Architects (CFIA by its initials in Spanish) in Costa Rica, the building was given the award because it forms a joint urban and architectural unit of great cultural value.

The Post Office headquarters also houses the National Philatelic Museum, which is referential a milestone “of the first order” in San Jose and occupies an important place in the architectural memory of the country, reads the minutes from the contest.

As was already mentioned in TicosLand.com, it is necessary to invest more in preserving our heritage, a country that forgets its history is a country that has no chance to grow in the future. ]]> emmanuelgr http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/emmanuelgr/300-we-need-more-money-costa-rican-post-office-building.html http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/301-debt-2-100-families-forgiven.html Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:21:35 GMT The Costa Rican legislature approved a plan to forgive the debts of 2,100 families in conditions of extreme poverty. The debt totals ¢2,300... The Costa Rican legislature approved a plan to forgive the debts of 2,100 families in conditions of extreme poverty. The debt totals ¢2,300 million.

The proposal was submitted by the Housing Mortgage Bank (Banhvi) to the current legislature, in December 2006 and was approved on the first reading with 35 votes.

The initiative authorizes the Banhvi to forgive the debts for mortgage trusts that these 2,100 families made more than 20 years ago with the now defunct ViviendaCoop, CooVivienda and Mutual Guanacaste.

These entities were linked to the disbanded Special Committee on Housing.

These trusts are administered in the Costa Rican Banco Crédito Agrícola de Cartago, Mutual Alajuela, Vivienda Mutual de Ahorro y Préstamo and Banca Promérica.

Some of the beneficiary families now have administrative and judicial processes pending and could have lost their homes.

The amounts of the debts have been accumulating over the years in two trusts which were formed the Banhvi with the Special Commission on Housing, and the also defunct Banco Anglo and the Crédito Agrícola de Cartago.

The reasons why these people did not pay their loans are many. Some didn’t know where they should make their payments when the above mentioned banks disappeared.

Ennio Rodriguez, general manager of the Banhvi, explained that the institutional situation made it impossible to recover the loans.

He added that the process of collection management became highly expensive, from a financial point of view, because the value of recovery is greater than what is recovered in loans of ¢200 or ¢300 thousand.

Rodriguez noted that the issue of costs became a problem because several of these trusts generate negative returns and added: "the nature of the Banhvi is not collecting debts or holding property in its name (such as foreclosed property). “

For Rodriguez this project is done to solve a social problem and "this removes a management problem that did not belong to us," he said.

The Deputy Minister of Housing of Costa Rica, Luis Fernando Salazar, said that this plan is for the benefit of people with very limited resources and "this waiver gives them the possibility of keeping their house with greater peace of mind."

On the other hand, the deputy libertarian Carlos Gutierrez, who voted against the project, found that what it does is "turn poor people into quadriplegics. Far from helping, these loan waivers will become taxes."

At TicosLand.com, we think that while the above may be true, it is necessary to help the poor in some way. However, this should not be converted into a system of giving, but it should also enable them to earn and fight for what’s theirs. ]]> marcob http://www.ticosland.com/forum/blogs/marcob/301-debt-2-100-families-forgiven.html