Today's Stories: General Strike Reduces Traffic to Crawl Foreign Ministry Denies South Korea's Financial Aid in Exchange for Vote "Chucky" Behind Bars Still No Response About Illegal Shark Fin Landings Taximeters Altered Did you Know?

This protestor said he cannot afford the strict measures imposed by Riteve to have his car certified. He and his horse were the closest the protestors got to Casa Presidencial.  Click here for all the fotos of the national strike. Taximeters Altered According to figures released by Riteve, the vehicle inspection company, 23% of all taxis that come for inspection are rejected for having their taximeters or "maria" altered. There are 7.500 "official" taxis licenses by the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT), of which 1.725 are suspected of charging customers 20% or more than the set rate by the MOPT. That means a trip that would normally cost ¢1.000 colones can cost ¢1.200 or more for the same ride in a taxi with al altered maria. How do you know when you are being overcharged? You don't, unless you take the same route often and know the average cost of the ride, using different taxis.

Did you Know? San José was the third city in the world having electricity in the 1800's. One hundred percent of the electricity produced in Costa Rica is from natural renewable resources , such as hydro, thermal, geothermal ( Miravalles and Rincón de la Vieja Volcanoes), and wind power ( Lake Arenal). According to the 2000 year census, approximately 95 percent of the population of Costa Rica has access to electricity.

Traffic in Central Valley was reduced to a snail's pace - "tortugismo" as it was being called by locals - as different groups on all the highways and major roads continue their stop and go driving, causing traffic to stall and back.

At the end of the day, the government finally agreed to sit down with representatives of the movement to iron out some type of settlement.

The government had said it would not negotiate, while representatives of the various unions had vowed to continue the national strike until the government would talk to them.

The area around the airport was just one example of the action. Around 10am, a wave of tractor trailers and taxi drivers descended upon the intersection east of the airport, and started their stop and go action, along the General Cañas highway that leads into San José.

At the same time, a different group, with the same tactic, commenced their slow paced movement on the Florencio de Castillo highway that connects Cartago to San José.

On Avenida Segunda in downtown San José a group of taxi drivers stopped in front of the Cathedral, completely blocking traffic movement, while Transit police stood by.

Their objective was to let the government know their displeasure over the Riteve issue, as well as the recent increase in public salaries and the Free Trade Agreement.

Groups gathered in front of the Legislative Assembly, using loud speakers to make speeches so that they could be heard by legislators inside the building, while a movement was headed for Casa Presidencial to do the same.

The area around Casa Presidencial was completed blocked off by Transit police and heavily guarded by members of the Fuerza Publica. Authorities were anticipating a blockade around the President's office and ensured that no vehicular traffic got through. Some members of the Fuerza Publica had gas masks handy, while others nearby and out of sight were dressed in riot gear.

The Fuerza Publica command had at all times a riot squad ready to deploy, but were kept some distance from all the manifestations, not to incite the protestors. Visitors first impression of Costa Rica yesterday were a squad of riot geared police, as police made camp immediately east of the airport, where normally Transit police position themselves for spot checks.

Manifestations by protestors were spread out all over the country. Reports by Transit officials had all major points outside the Central Valley reporting some type of blockage by trucks and taxis.

Did the action have an effect? Other than impeding roadways and stopping traffic for hours, which also affected bus routes and those taking public transportation, who had to wait hours for a bus or in a bus, business at public offices and schools was normal.

Most public employees showed up for work as usual and classrooms filled with students and their teachers.

Paying utility bills, customer were surprised at the short lines. Monday are typically very busy places for the Aya (water), CNFL (light) and ICE (telephones).

The final result of the meeting between the government and organizers was unclear and some organizers said disappointing. They expect that the movement will continue into today (Tuesday) and vow not to stop until they meet face-to-face to president Pacheco.
 

Foreign Ministry Denies South Korea's Financial Aid in Exchange for Vote
The Costa Rican Foreign Ministry is denying any agreement that Costa Rica has with the government of South Korea for a favourable vote at the united Nations Security Council in return for financial aid.

Marco Vargas, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that South Korea's offer to give Costa Rica a $28 million dollar credit to improve infrastructure does not have a condition for a vote attached to it.

The announcement of South Korea making the generous contribution to Costa Rica was announced last week when President Pacheco met with the South Korea's minister, Chang-Hyun Cho, while attending the presidential inauguration in the Dominican Republic.

South Korea is aspiring to become part of the UN Security Council for the 2007-2008 period, which is made up of five permanent members - the United States, China, France, the United Kingdom and Russia and ten selected countries for up to two years each.

The UN Security Council dedicates itself to finding peaceful solutions to conflicts between member states.

Vargas said that the support for South Korea was formally given earlier this year, when a Costa Rican delegation visited New York and that in exchange, South Korea would support Costa Rica's aspirations to the Security Council for the 2008-2009 session.
 

"Chucky" Behind Bars
Chucky, the 14 year old boy who was arrested on Saturday for being involved in a robbery at a downtown store, accused of stealing more than ¢1.900.000 colones this year from three San José banks and with 29 criminal accusations in his belt, will be behind bars for the next 60 days.

The minor is being kept at the Centro de Menores Zurquí following an order the Juvenile criminal courts.

The Patronato Nacional de la Infancia (PANI) and the Ministerio de Seguridad Pública have their hands tied when it comes to the boy, who has escaped institutions on numerous occasions.

According to PANI records, Chuky has been following the boy since he was six years old. In 1989, PANI first intervened on behalf of the boy due domestic violence. In 1999 reports of the boy assaulting other children were being investigated. And at the age of eleven, the minor became the leader of the youth gang known as "teletubbies".

Chuky has been in and out of many different institutions operated by PANI, youth jail and at the Hospital Nacional Psiquiátrico.

Authorities say that they have tried to help the boy, the help coming from high ranking officials, but has had no effect.
 

Still No Response About Illegal Shark Fin Landings
On July 29 and August 7 of 2003, PRETOMA filed two official denouncements regarding illegal landings of shark fins at private docks in Costa Rica.

Now, more than a year later no results or status reports on investigations into the cases have been provided, and the illegal landings continue.

The denouncements were filed against Customs for allowing foreign vessels to land tens of tons of shark fins at unauthorized, unsupervised private docks where Taiwanese vessels evade paying the 15% import taxes on highly lucrative shark fins.

In both denouncements PRETOMA urged the Customs Police to perform investigations into the illegal landings and why such activity is permitted.

After receiving the denouncements, Customs Police confirmed that investigations would be conducted.

"We are extremely concerned because the Costa Rican government is promoting shark finning by allowing international vessels to illegally land tons of shark fins in Costa Rica," says Randall Arauz, President of PRETOMA.

Because the docks are private, the owner of the dock can deny access to any government official, even the Director of Customs.

"In 2003 Costa Rica officially reported 533 tons of shark fins, but since all shark fins are landed at unauthorized, unsupervised private docks that number could easily be 3 times as high," says Jorge Ballestero, Vice President of PRETOMA. "And the tax revenues lost could easily be in the millions of dollars."

"In spite of full knowledge of the situation, Customs has done nothing to stop the illegal landings for over a year," notes Arauz.

PRETOMA is a Costa Rican non-profit, non-governmental, marine conservation organization that works to promote responsible fisheries and protect sea turtles, sharks and marine biodiversity. Contact: [email protected], www.tortugamarina.org