Canada Announces Labour Technical Assistance
Program for Costa Rica
The Canadian Minister of Labour and Housing, Joseph Fontana, Costa
Rican Minister of Labour Ovidio Pacheco,and Gerardina Gonzalez, the
Director of the International Labour Organization's (ILO) Regional
Office in Central America, announced that Canada has developed a
Technical Assistance Program for Costa Rica.
The Program,created under the Canada-Costa Rica Agreement on Labour
Cooperation, was officially launched in San José, with the
Government of Canada represented by Canadian Ambassador Louise Léger.
"We are proud to work in partnership with the Government of Costa
Rica and the ILO to develop programs that will help Costa Rica meet
the challenges and opportunities of globalization and expanding
trade. Both our countries are dedicated to protecting the rights of
workers, and strong labour institutions and practices are the
essential ingredients to our success," said Minister
Fontana.
The Technical Assistance Program is designed to strengthen Costa
Rica's
institutional capacity to address labour issues related to free
trade agreements and builds upon Costa Rica's existing initiatives
to modernize its labour administration.
Costa Rica is the first country with which Canada has developed a
technical assistance program.
To date, Canada has contributed close to $1 million to this
initiative.
The three projects that fall under the Program are designed to
improve Costa Rica's labour inspection practices, strengthen the
country's alternative dispute resolution systems, help modernize
health and safety (OSH) inspection practices, and develop OSH
training material for Costa Rican school children.
Working in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Occupational
Health
and Safety and the Costa Rican Occupational Safety Board (Consejo de
Salud Ocupacional), the goal of the elementary school project is to
reduce the rates
of occupational injuries and illnesses in Costa Rica by creating a
"health and
safety" culture among children.
Educational tools used by elementary school teachers will be revised
and training will be provided to the Costa Rican Ministry of
Education in how to coach teachers in the use of these tools.
The Canada-Costa Rica Agreement on Labour Cooperation, a parallel
agreement to the Canada-Costa Rica Free Trade Agreement, was signed
in April 2001 and came into force in November 2002.
Pessimism Permeates Costa Ricans
For the first time in almost two years, the number of Costa Ricans
who think that their family's standard of living is worse than a
year before is larger than the figure corresponding to those who
think their lot has improved.
The most recent survey by Unimer Research for the Spanish daily
newspaper La Nación showed that one in every three people polled
believe that they are doing worse now than in 2003, while only one
in every four believe they have improved.
"Ticos" blame their pessimism fundamentally on the situation of the
economy.
The major national problems, according to the perception of the
citizens, include the increase in the cost of living, in
unemployment, and in poverty.
The poll also found that the people believe that corruption has
increased. On the other hand, it also established that people see an
increase in the level of protection of the environment.
Increase in Arrival of Tourists
According to the figures for the first six months this year, 2004 is
likely to be a record year in the arrival of tourists to Costa Rica.
From January through June, there was a 28 percent increase in the
arrival of visitors through Juan Santamaria and Daniel Oduber
(Liberia) international airports.
This means 128,832 more people than in the same period last year.
Even though the Ministry of Tourism estimates the growth in the
amount of visitors at 12 percent for this year, as compared to last
year, tourist sector sources expect the figure to be higher.
A total of 1,238,692 people vacationed in Costa Rica last year and
is estimated to have spent $1.2 billion.
Guarding The Foreign Embassies
Following last week's tragedy, when a member of the
Fuerza Publica who had been in charge of protecting the Chilean
Embassy for almost two years - who walked in and shot three
diplomats before killing himself - critics have surfaced,
questioning the security provided to foreign embassies in Costa
Rica.
Much of the criticism was directed at the police officers
themselves, the ones who are standing guard outside the foreign
embassies, who in turn started complaining about their work
conditions.
Police officers who were questioned by the news media refused to
make comments fearing reprisals from their superiors. However, the
general feeling is that an embassy posting is seen as a form of
punishment, though none of the officers interviewed would
acknowledge such.
There are a total of 56 Fuerza Publica officers assigned to 28 fixed
guard posts at foreign embassies throughout San José.
At La Embajada de Brasil in La Sabana, regularly police officers can
be seen to regularly visit the officer at the guard post to him
bring food, messages and offer temporary relief.
Why is the foreign embassy post seen as punishment? The long
solitary hours, the deplorable condition of the guard houses and the
uncaring attitude of some of the diplomats, like leaving garage
doors open and the general mood that they are not performing police
duties. However, not all police officers are unhappy with their
embassy posting. Some have expressed contentment, an easy job to
fill the day and get paid.
Authorities at the Fuerza Publica have questioned the different
embassies regarding the guard posted outside their embassy and most
have responded with satisfaction, not wanting or needing a change.
ICE & RACSA Joined to Offer ADSL
Service
In what can be called
a first, the Instituto
Costarricense de Electricidad
(ICE) and Radiografica
Costarricense (RACSA) joined
forces to bring "la Red Avanzada
de Internet vía Banda Ancha" -
ADSL - high speed internet
access.
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RACSA offers internet and telegraph services, while ICE, it's
parent, offers electricity and telecommunications services. The two
have been offering internet services to clients separately and at
different rates.
Now, ICE provides consumers the internet access, while RACSA
provides the network, under the Grupo ICE banner.
ADSL services will principally be available in the areas of San Juan
de Tibás, Pavas, Desamparados, Curridabat, San Pedro de Montes de
Oca, Cariari in San Antonio de Belén, Cartago, Puntarenas, Limón
centro, San Isidro de El General, and Ciudad Quesada.
Customers can dial 115 to find out if the high speed internet
service is available to their area and make arrangements to get
connected. Or they can visit
GrupoICE.com to all the
information (in Spanish).
ADSL will allow customers to connect to the internet using their
telephone and is being offered at a fixed rate, no matter how long
the customer is connected. ICE says there will be no extra charge
for the telephone connection time while surfing the internet.
The cost is being set at $25 monthly for a 128/64 connection and $41
for speeds of 256/128. ADSL will also be offered at speeds of 512
Kpbs - $64 /mth, 1 Mpbs - $87 /mth, 2 Mpbs $181 /mth and 4 Mpbs at
$290 /mth. All the fees are subject to sales tax.
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