26
May 09
Oscar Arias joins the ranks of several Noble Peace Prize winners in their struggle to impede the trial of fellow laureate Aung San Suu Kyi before the Burmese justice system. The 1991 Peace Prize winner is now threatened with imprisonment over an alleged violation of the home condition forced on her since 2003. Costa Rica has released a statement which denounces the trial as “a mockery of law”.
The list of Noble Awardees includes Desmond Tutu, Jody Williams,Wangari Mathaai, Shirin Ebadi, Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Rigoberta Menchú and a few more. The group wrote a letter to the UN and to the Association of Nation of South-East Asia claiming for intervention on behalf of Suu Kyi and pointing out the absurdity of the case as Burma lacks a proper judicial system.
Concerns have also been raised in regards to Suu Kyi´s health. According to international news agencies, her doctor as well as two other women who looked after her were imprisoned also . Risks of low blood pressure and dehydration are the most stressful and principal arguments presented by Human Rights organizations demanding the release of the Peace Prize winner.
Suu Kyi had received international acclaim for her work in denouncing and fighting the injustices committed in Burma throughout years of political instability and violation of human rights.
24
May 09
The reach of the power of the executive branch of our government falls painfully short as the conglomerate of institutions invested with the care taking of project development fight each other for the paying of responsibility dues in the over-stretched course of preparations for the Free Trade Treaty charter.
The office created specially for the overseeing and regularization of all aspects of the soon to explode offer of private-funded telecommunication companies is even unable to pay the salaries of it´s employees. The SUTEL –initials in spanish for the Regulating Superintendency of Telecommunications- has contested the refusal expressed by the ICE to release about 450 million colones meant for the financing of operations of the recently created and fundamental institution.
ICE’s authorities claim they will not approve the outing of the aforementioned figure as –according to them- the new law that allowed for the existence of SUTEL also failed to properly assign a recipient for the funds intended to finance the regulations of such services. In short, technicalities which stiffen the already paralyzed process much needed to permit Costa Rica to adequate to the fearsome competition challenges.
The long-standing reluctance shown by the ICE to accept the irrevocable fact of private competition to their once holy monopoly market of local telecommunications once contested fiercely the mere likeness of a trade agreement´s existence with the US moving its massive bulk of Union leadership and labour force to the streets of San Jose with failing final electoral results. Notwithstanding, the lingering agenda of obstacles to the full execution of the treaty´s measures makes their resolve not just obvious but some might even quarrel if obnoxious.
23
May 09
However delayed, the train route destined to relieve the over-congested and wanting Heredia-San Jose access line will begin operation during the second half of May –thus having changed the preset date of which we had informed of before. The discordance now appears to root in the lack of proper agreement between Incofer –the Costa Rican Railway Agency- and the Bus Companies that also provide transportation between the capital city and “city of flowers”.
The precise point of divergence being that of the pricing for the new train service, which would come to directly compete with the tolls applies to the existent bus lines. While the price set for the Heredia-San Jose train ticket would be of 355 colones, the majority of companies dealing in the bus service charge an approximate of $320, and if one is to consider the time efficiency offered by the train service´s premise –running to a maximum speed of 25 kph yet spared of traffic disturbances- the threat posed to the financial position of the pre-established services is more than evident.
The ARESEP (literally: Regulating Authority of Public Services) is now evaluating the setting of the starting ticket price for the train service while considering some aspects that were somewhat neglected in the current 355 C. calculation. The offered pricing for example does not consider the investment made in the purchase of the spanish train cars nor other financial technicalities. With the likeness of and adjustment performed to the Heredia Train line the ARESEP is actively attempting to prevent an en economic war between the parties involved in the daily movement of over 50,000 peoples between two of Costa Rica´s largest urbanized zones.
Without further adieu, and in view of the general readiness of our new transportation means we hope to find the service available soon enough, and if any further issues appear we´ll surely inform on them.
23
May 09
While some bus companies had begun using the electronic ID check devise to replace the transportation cost for the aged citizens it had not become fully a reality just until now. The CCSS has stopped the issuing of tickets and discounts destined to the elderly in view of complications the process raises in administration burdens and as it extends over an area of responsibilities which by law do not pertain to the institution.
The application of the special law for the elder person now sees fulfilled one of its most pressing goals: guaranteeing free public transportation to all citizens over the age of 65. As it is disposed, the one thing required from them would be to hand their identification cards to the bus driver so they can swipe it through an electronic device cancelling thus the previous and ancient requirement of an specific toll.
While many companies still have not adhered to the new normative, the CCSS and the National Chamber of Transportation are eyeing possibilities to safeguard and maintain the right of the elderly to travel freely, among them is the chance of actually exercising the usage of over 250,000 tickers that had been issued already for the same means. Other options are also being considered without much detail on them having been released to the press.
The application of this law has been received joyfully by most of the regular users over 65, declaring the sparing of transportation costs does little to alter the difficult financial situation that affects many of them, however dignifies their position as appreciated group within our society. Remains to be seen if similar measures will be taken for the protection of the physically challenged.
22
May 09
The diligence with which the Catholic Church continues to render its influence over social aspects of the national way of life fickles little even when the count of its adherents diminishes with every year that passes to other religious flocks and Atheism. Birth control and the sexual over-exposure of teenagers are not however the only topics over which Monsignor Barrantes daily rules upon but as the trend has demanded also: the crisis is in vogue!.
And precisely on this particular some tension had been raised in past days between President Arias and the local Catholic “high command”: The Church had declared the measures of Plan Escudo wanting and failing to aid in the daily struggles of our people to deal and overcome the crisis –perhaps the one fitting deed the enclave of Saint Peter has committed itself into if not also the only respectable social endeavor in my own personal view-, however paradoxically Barrantes claimed the government had failed to come up with a plan that would successfully stand for the interests of all different groups in Costa Rica. ?
Oh my!, but if ever I saw the Church wishing defend the rights of all members of the flock and not just of its own. President Arias however did not fail to respond at the precise moment with something of a sharp quasi-classical remark: “I´d like to know how much money is the Church spending in helping the poor”. Touché.
In spite of all respectable subjects of discussion raised hereby, the always reliable and ever-watchful eye of Mayi Antillon´s Ministry of State Information has somewhat reshaped and toned down the character with which the President had so “rudely” addressed the situation. Now, they wish only underline the comparable work of both the government and religious entities to halt the recession and aid the community during these so perilous times. Don´t we all wish sometimes real life politics resembled more a Reality TV? (unless one thinks of course of the laughable scenarios of say, the Nigaragua Parliament?).
21
May 09
On Last May 1st (aka Labour Day) a disgruntled group marched to the Asamblea Legislativa –as it has grown to be common thing every first day of Virgin Mary´s dedicated month- to protest the “Plan Escudo” of President Arias intended to fight the current world crisis and it´s repercussions in our country. Apart from the customary reactionary expressions so “a la mode” since Chavez times during the mid 90´s, some hooded individuals also turned to spray on the recently restored walls of the Northern flank of the National Museum.
All this appears to have been caught on video by the surveillance cameras of the Fuerza Publica (Police Force) in staggering detail: while the disenfranchised artists painted away the northern wall, police men in direct proximity failed to react accordingly. The sequence of lawful actions lingered some more; after having dispersed the people involved in the show of political unrest, some 8 people were arrested for the artistic transgression. A Judge soon after decided to let them go under the harsh request that they would not become involved in similar acts for the extenuating period of a SINGLE month.
Oh no!, said the Authorities of the Museo Nacional, and they went on to present a query of complaint to the Ministerio de Seguridad (Ministry of Inbound Security) and to the judge in charge of the coordination/regulation of acts of flagrance/minor felonies. They wish make use of the edict that decreed the building of the ancient Military Headquarters of Bellavista (Modern Museo Nacional) as Architectonic and Cultural Patrimony, thus, cancelling the prior ruling and seeking to charge the actors of the nationalistic? deed with the proper legal implications. The estimated costs in damages come near to 3 and half million Colones.
20
May 09
Despite initial confusion within the administrative bodies of local municipalities, the EU has cleared the air as far as how the funds destined in the URB-AL program are to be spent. This particular plan has as main goal the direct financial assistance to infrastructure development projects from different towns and cities in Latin America.
The interesting and “controversial” factor to the whole idea is the very precise and careful study undertaken by the EU´s regulating authority whenever analyzing the viability of each individual request. Central America had thought the URB-AL plan would simply determine a budget that would apply to each country and region and would thereafter passively monitor the development of the projects funded.
The vision and objective of the EU in this particular is entirely different, they firstly wish to have all the different town organizations and municipalities bring in their plans for infrastructure development before the delegates of the Latin America – EU Aid Commission, and thence, compete with other regional plans for the desired funding.
Mauren Clarke as San Jose´s current Mayor will oversee the direction of the program for our local interests. The URB-AL plan will thus take effect between the present year up to 2012.
18
May 09
Robespierre himself felt the cold blow of the repercussions of turning politics from a popular to a personal agenda even back during the dawn of the French Revolution, for it appears not great multitudinous gain is obtained before a rational humanitarian nerve becomes greatly stricken in the process. France is to this day all but the exception to the rule I´ve defined myself as the “Oh how the League of Nations Issue persists to this day”.
Costa Rica among other members of the Temporary Security Council of the UN pledged their voice of criticism to the stagnant situation of violation to the Human Rights Chart in Western Sahara, while France stood alone in opposition due mainly to an “inappropriate use of terms applied to the crisis”. It is unknown to me what exactly are the interests of France in permitting the claimant rule of Morocco to the Spanish ex-colony and the continuation of the unsustainable situation of over 150,000 refugees in the deserts of Argel but while “diplomacy” mandates over the future of this fated strip of land no solution appears in sight.
While the UN ultimately ratified the maintaining of the body in charge of preparing an eventual referendum in Western Sahara for local autonomy, France questioned and showed displeasure in the term “Humane Dimension” of the crisis included in the final document, preferring to have it be instead “Humanitarian Dimension”.
The eternal flow of “technical problems” in the editing of primary relevance texts has had a staggering legacy in day to day politics in the world for quite some time; and even thou world leaders persist in demanding patience and trust in their capacity to conciliate over matters as serious as these, sometimes I can´t help but feel that direct Medieval action is required –hoping to wipe any concepts of irrationality normally attached to the term and not wishing fall into the same senseless discussion over conceptual correctness- the strength of the anger of masses is the one thing that makes full-suited whisky-chugging diplomats retake notion of their duties. Is there an alternative?
23
Apr 09
The Mexican singer-composer of grand success will bestow the final hours of the Automotive “Las Tres Horas de Costa Rica” Rally with great concert.
The event has been set to take place at La Guacima park, this on the evening of May 2nd, a Saturday –much unlike the fashion in which it had been done on Sundays during past years-.
The prices appear quite accessible to all, so far reported they would range between 4 and 7 k the individual ticket. Syntek`s presentation will begin once the awards have been given, the particular area designated for the concert will be thus open.
23
Apr 09
Thanks to our ever judicious and socially acceptable daily diary “La Extra”, a very infamous incident was made of public knowledge and scrutiny. It appears that during the early hours of Monday March 31st, some doctors arranged for jolly getogether within the Resident premises of the Calderon Guardia Hospital.
Beer and Wine drinking, reprehensible behavior, excessive noise making and even illicit sexual activities took place –allegedly so- while patients of the hospital found it strangely hard to meet with Morpheus appropriately.
The claims –yet unfounded by real proof- reached the ears of the CIPA (Center for Investigation of Administrative Procedures) and has raised the criticism of all related governmental entities. An Investigation is thus due, and results would take a little time in putting out to light the real specter of the affair.
As ever, I will keep all of you posted on this very juicy event.