INTERPOL To Be Asked To Give Figueres Notice to Return
The International Police organization (INTERPOL) is expected to give former Costa Rican president, José María Figueres Olsen, notice of his new date of appearance before the Comisión de Ingreso y Gasto Público del Congreso, or at least that is the intent of the Ministerio de Seguridad Pública, who is making it's request to INTERPOL.

The request spearheaded by members of the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC) political party as a "salute to the flag" following the refusal of the former president to return, preferring to remain in Switzerland where he lives and until recently was head of the World Economic Forum, than face the questions in Costa Rica over his receiving of us$907.000 dollars from the French telecommunications firm Alcatel.

A study is being carried out by a Legislative commission on the functions of the international police organization to determine exactly what can be done by INTERPOL to get Figueres back to Costa Rica.

So far the former president had said he would return as soon as his calendar permitted it, saying it would be soon after he would complete his previous commitments, including a trip to the Orient. However, two weeks ago he sent a 15 page statement saying his would not return and his reasons why.

Figueres has admitted to receiving the money, which was paid to him by way of a consulting contract through his former government aide, Roberto Hidalgo, who, along with Carmen Valverde, also received us$900.000 each from Alcatel.

The payment was for Figueres providing his expertise in mobile telecommunications in Costa Rica and was paid some years after leaving the presidency.

Former president Miguel Angel Rodríguez also received payment from Alcatel and is currently in preventive detention in La Reforma prison. The president of Alcatel Costa Rica, Edgar Valverde, is also in jail, tied to payments made by Alcatel to the former president and other public functionaries for being awarded "the prize" - a us$140 million dollar contract to install 400.000 GSM cellular lines in Costa Rica.

San José - Caldera Highway Could Be Reality Next Year
Some 30 years later, the highway that connects San José - Caldera could soon become a reality.

At least that is the hope of many that have now seen the signs posted along the highway, announcing the work contract that began July of this year.

The Ministerio de Obras Publica y Transporte (MOPT) has invested so far us$60 million dollars to the project that has seen bridges and other infrastructure work completed, when COSIVA, a Canadian consortium, announced it's retirement from the project just recently, leaving the MOPT to scramble to complete the project.

The roadway would make the trip between San José and Caldera, just south of Puntarenas in about 1/2 hour, 1 1/2 less than it takes today using the Interamerican highway.

The new road would also lessen the trip to places like Jacó Beach and other points like Quepos and Manuel Antonio. Jacó would be less than one hour away, making the favourite spot even more accessible to those living in San José.

The road construction project takes it from the La Sabana park to the Caldero port, a 76.8 kilometre stretch and should be completed by July of 2005 if the MOPT can get its act together, to built the remaining 38.8 kilometers between Cuidad Colón and Orotina, with a total cost of us$130 million dollars.

To pay for the road, there will be toll booths in addition to the one in Escazú, at Cuidad Colón, Atenas and Orotina and will have additional toll booths for vehicles who exit the highway at various points in between.

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. Fire Leaves More Than 20 Families Homeless While fireworks market the start off the "Festival de la Luz", fireworks of another kind ravaged through a community in Lomas de Pavas, west of San José, that resulted in more than 20 families losing their homes and belongings. The fire began around 6:00pm in the economically challenged neighbourhood of Bribri and caused damage to more than 70 homes, mostly built of wood and tin roofs. Luckily no one was injured in the blaze. The lack of fire hydrants and water pressure in the area made the job more difficult for firefighters who were quick to arrive on the scene. The closest fire hydrant was 500 metres away. According to the fire department, the first call came about 6:30pm at the central station in San José, a neighbour calling of a bonfire used by the residents in the area to cook tamales. Firefighters believe the bonfire to be original cause of the blaze. Most of the residents affected were taking part in the Festival de la Luz in San José and came home to the ashes, while the few that had remained tried their best to save what they could. More than 50 police officers from the Fuerza Publica were dispatched to the scene to protect what was left from the fire from looters, while more than 45 firefighters and five units were on the scene to combat the blaze.