More Than 6.000 Affected by Rain
and Floods
The
heavy rain keeps on falling in
the Caribbean coast and flooding
have now forced the evacuation
of more than 6,000. The Red
Cross working hard to bring
relief to those affected now
reports seven persons
disappeared and one death.
As of yesterday afternoon the
number affected by the rain and
flood officially rose to 6.062
who are being housed in 62
temporary shelter, waiting for
the rain to end and the flood to
subside.
The hardest areas are Sarapiquí,
with more tan 2.000 affected,
followed by Talamanca and
Siquirres. Sixaola, at the
southern end bordering with
Panama, is completely cut off
from any communications and
water levels reaching the roof
of many homes.
Authorities are concerned about
the spreading of disease, a
problem that easily and quickly
spread as septic tanks spill out
their content and wells get
contaminated. Health Minister,
María del Rocío Sáenz, reminds
of the similar problem of a
couple of years back in Matina.
The spread of Dengue and Malaria
are the two main concerns.
The weatherman Instituto
Meteorológico Nacional (IMN)
says that more rain has fallen
on the area in the last 48 hours
than for the whole month of
January. Residents who spoke to
national television cameras said
they can't recall rains with
such an intensity.
Comisión Nacional de Emergencias
(CNE) has put in place a three
point plan to help those most
affected: one, to priorited the
evacuation and rescue of those
reported trapped by the waters;
two, get food and fresh water to
the affected areas; and, three
to attend to those housed in
shelters.
You can help those affected by
depositing your donation
directly in the following bank
accounts:
- Banco Nacional 100-100-7
- Banco de Costa Rica 176-003-03
(colones)
- Banco de Costa Rica 204-6 (dólares)
- Banco Popular: 5000-8
President Pacheco First in Line
for Flu Shot
President Abel Pacheco leaving
his home as usual yesterday
morning made his first stop at
the office of his Ministra de
Salud (Health Minister) María
del Rocío Sáenz Madrigal, to be
the first of 235.000 to get his
flu shot.
The Caja Costarricense de Seguro
Social (CCSS) and the Ministerio
de Salud will cover the cost to
vaccinate 235.000 seniors and
30.000 children under the age of
5, those most at risk. The
vaccination program will run
into the end of February.
The vaccination program is to
avoid an outbreak of influenza
that has occurred in the country
every 15 to 30 years. The last
outbreak was in the late 1960's.
According to CCSS head Dr.
Alberto Sáenz Pacheco, the
vaccination program will also
see a reduction of around 40% in
the number of visits to the CCSS
clinics and hospitalization of
those suffering from flu
complications.
Palmares Festival Starts
Tomorrow. Police Warn About
Drinking and Driving
Those
attending the Palmares Festival
beginning tomorrow are being
warned by the Transit Police -
Don't Drink and Drive!
The Palmares Festival is perhaps
the largest and most attended "festejos
populares" due to it's proximity
to San José and many surrounding
communities. Residents of Atenas,
Naranjo, Grecia, San Ramon
prefer this Festival over the
one in San José which runs
during the Christmas holiday.
The problem during the last
several years has been the
increase in driving home after
drinking. This year, the Transit
Police are mounting one of their
largest campaigns to combat the
problem and remind people of the
effects of being under the
influence of alcohol while
behind the wheel of a vehicle.
Transit police say they will
have permanent control posts 24
hours a day during the Festival,
with more than 150 officers
covering the routes to and from
Palmares.
Palmares is about 40 minutes
west of San José and the Transit
authority is warning that if you
drink, you will be walking home.
No exceptions!
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Arias Presidential Campaign
Will Kick Off Next Friday
The band is ready, the stage
is set. Next Friday, at 6pm,
at the Balcón Verde in
Sabana Sur, Óscar Arias,
with fireworks in the sky,
is set to make his candidacy
to the presidential
elections next year
official.
The exact details of the
event are being kept a
secret, but it marimba
bands, traditional dance and
fold music will fill the
area as the former president
and Nobel prize winner will
kick off his campaign for
the Partido Liberacion
Nacional (PLN) or Green
party.
The event is more than just
a reason to party, but to
attract people in support of
the party and Arias. The
event is open to anyone and
everyone in the country.
Vivian Quesada, organizer of
the event, told the Spanish
daily newspaper Al Día, that
"the event is for a rescue
of our traditions and for
those who want to believe
again in democracy."
Asked on the cost of the
event, Quesada was cautious
in her answer, saying only
that the party is not paying
for publicity, for buses to
get people to and from the
event and will be counting
the spontaneity of the day.
"We are not spending a
nickel on the event",
Quesada said.
Will There Be a New GSM
Service in Costa Rica?
That is the question that
has no answer. Not for now,
at least.
Last year, the Instituto
Costarricense de
Electricidad (ICE),
contracted the Ericsson
company to install a new GSM
network in Costa Rica that
would permit an additional
600.000 cellular lines.
However, the project hit
hard rocks when the
Contraloría General de la
República (CGR) - the
Comptroller's office -
refused to approve the
contract. Then Comptroller,
Alex Solís, who was asked to
resign amidst allegation of
wrongdoing, said there were
too many errors and citing
the situation where several
key ICE managers met
official of Ericsson
privately in a Prague hotel.
The refusal to approve the
contract threw ICE into a
tail spin, not being able to
handle the demand for
cellular customers, with
it's current cellular
networks of some 900.000
lines saturated.
The Ericsson company filed
an appeal with the
Constitutional Court (Sala
IV) who last month declared
the contract valid, though
it still needs the approval
of the Contraloría, which,
with the absence of Solís,
was expected to be a done
deal.
The Contraloría has 40 days
to evaluate the court
decision and give or deny
it's approval, which,
according to ICE officials,
will not be a cakewalk.
If the Contraloría does not
approve the contract, ICE
will have to begin the new
process of tendering bids
for the installation of the
network which is valued at
more than us$160 million
dollars.
The Ericsson company, along
with the French company,
Alcatel, is being
investigated by ICE and
Costa Rican authorities for
improper conduct with
contracts it has completed.
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