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Scandals Chase One Another
First, Costa Ricans reacted
angrily and shocked to a scandal
involving multi-million
"commissions" on the credit loan
from Finland, that was paid to
the Corporación Fischel for the
purchase of medical supplies for
the Costa Rican Social Security
Institution (CCSS). - commonly
known as the Caja.
The
Fischel-Caja scandal has seen so
far three people behind bars:
Walter Reiche Fischel, president
of the Corporación Fischel,
Fischel lawyer, Randall Vargas
and former president of the CCSS,
Eliseo Vargas.
All three are in preventive
detention while the Fiscalia
continues it's investigation,
following the trail of the
money.
Also implicated in that scandal
are former Costa Rica president,
Rafael Angel Calderón and his
cousin, Alfonso Guardia, who
received us$522.500 dollars, are
both impeded in leaving the
country.
Calderón's law firm partner
Gerardo Bolaños, who is under
house arrest, as well as former
Fischel manager, Marvin
Barrantes.
Fischel board of directors
president, Emilio Bruce, cannot
leave Costa Rica, as the
Ministerio Publico digs into the
affairs of the Corporación
Fischel, following a raid on the
Fischel main offices and the
confiscation of hundreds of
boxes of evidence.
Then, almost like adding insult
to injury, we learned of yet
another corruption scandal, this
time regarding the state
telecommunications and
electrical power giant the
Institute Costarricense de
Electricidad (ICE).
The ICE scandal involves the
French communications firm
Alcatel, which transferred money
to different people and firms in
Costa Rica following it being
awarded the multi million dollar
GSM cellular service contract.
Alcatel was the winner in a bid
to install 400.000 GSM cellular
lines in the country in a
contract that was worth about
us$149.000.000 dollars, in
addition to another contract for
telephone services worth another
us$109.000.000 dollars.
At the top of the list of those
who received the money is Jean
Philp-Gallup, the U.S. wife to
José Antonio,
a former member of the ICE board
of directors, who got $2.46
million; next is Joaquin
Fernandez, also an ex-director,
whose companies received $1.2
million.
The scandal-ridden funds also
reached the campaign of
President Abel Pacheco, to which
Alcatel donated $100,000.
The very morning that the
scandal made the headlines,
Philp-Gallup left for New York.
So far, her husband and the
other people involved in the
scandal have chosen not to speak
to the press or not to provide
details on the deal.
Luis Adrián Quirós Carmona,
president of Servicios
Notariales Q.C, the company that
received monies from Alcatel and
paid out to various public
functionaries, said that they
are a law firm for more than 30
years and have provided services
to large corporations, including
Alcatel.
Quirós would not add more to his
statement, preferring to give
any details to the Ministerio
Público if required.
Alcatel is reported to have
deposited with Servicios
Notariales us$9.400.000 dollars,
from which US$2.400.000 were
paid to Philp-Gallup , another
US$1.200.000 to Sociedad Bosques
del Olimpo, controlled by
Joaquín Alberto Fernández,
another former ICE director, who
also got us$26.000 personally,
and US$100.000 each to the
president Abel Pacheco and
presidential candidate Rolando
Araya campaigns.
The Banco Cuscatlán who handled
the movement of monies for
Servicios Notariales is assuring
it followed all the rules and
procedures in the transfers and
movement of funds.
Cuscatlán's director, Álvaro
Saborío, said that the movement
of the account was normal that
did not require them inform the
banking regulator or other
authorities about the
transactions. However, he added,
that the bank will continue to
provide banking authorities and
judicial officials all the
information and co-operation
they need.
Vioxx Taken Off the Market
Pharmaceutical giant Merck Sharp
& Dohme will today explain in
Sydney, Australia, why the
company has pulled its
internationally-sold arthritis
drug off the shelves.
Vioxx recalled after data showed
the increased risk of heart
attack and other cardiovascular
complications.
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The worst of the rainy season
begins today. Don't forget your
umbrella!
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The widely used arthritis and
pain medication Vioxx was
withdrawn worldwide overnight
after a clinical trial found an
increased risk of heart attack
and stroke.
Data showed the increased risk
of heart attack and other
cardiovascular complications
began 18 months after patients
started taking Vioxx.
Merck's US chief executive,
chairman and president Ray
Gilmartin last night said the
recall "best serves the interest
of patients".
"Although we believe it would
have been possible to continue
to market Vioxx with labelling
that would incorporate these new
data, given the availability of
alternative therapies and the
questions raised by the data, we
concluded that a voluntary
withdrawal is the responsible
course to take," Mr Gilmartin
said in a statement.
The Worst of the Rainy Season
It's October 1 and
that means the start of the
worst of the rain is season.
October is the worst month,
according to the Instituto
Meteorológico Nacional (IMN).
Starting today you and
continuing into the weekend and
the rest of the month, the rain
will intensify in the Central
and South Pacific zones as well
as the Central Valley.
Mountanous areas will also be
affected, however, the Atlantic
zone (Limon) will see normal
conditions.
The IMN is making a call for an
increased alertness for
mudslides, especially in those
areas where mudslides have a
tendency to occur.
Residents are asked to be on the
alert for flash floods and
strong river currents.
Economy Grows
The rate of growth of the
economy of Costa Rica has been
steady since March.
According to Central Bank
sources, the services related to
telecommunications and tourism
are the main driving forces of
the trend.
Official Mariam Cover explained
that the continued increased in
the arrival of tourists, 15
percent this year, places
tourism as the top dollar-earner
for Costa Rica.
Madrid-Costa Rica non stop
The
Spanish airline Iberia announced
that four of its daily flights
linking Madrid and Costa Rica
will be non-stop.
These flights arrive in Costa
Rica every Monday, Wednesday,
Friday, and Sunday.
The carrier provides the service
with Airbus A-340 jets with a
250-capacity.
The Minister of Tourism of Costa
Rica, Rodrigo Castro, pointed
out that the new service places
the Central American nation in
an advantageous position for the
arrival of visitors, who now
have nine flights from Spain
available, seven on Iberia and
two on Air Madrid, which are
also non-stop.
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