Hummingbirds in "Cerro de la Muerte", Costa Rica

I was on my way to Golfito by bus (Tracopa) and the bus stopped in a Restaurant called La Georgina (Cerro de la Muerte). I was expecting nothing but cold, I never imagined my surprise when I went in the back part of the building. I was never able to count them, but my guess was more than 100 Hummingbirds flying around their food and about 2 feets from me......I just have one word.......AWESOME!!!! 

Remember, if you are doing the same route, it is my recommendation to all of you to have your camera ready to shoot videos and photos. 

Hummingbirds in "Cerro de la Muerte", Costa Rica.

Poorest Communities To Be Priority Of The New Government (Golfito)

This is an eye opening article listing Golfito as one of the our President's priorities. I knew we were RICH in "Naturaleza" - but didn't realize the depth of concern over our areas status on the poverty scale. 

 

The Article:

During a session of the Consejo de Gobierno (Cabinet) presided by acting president, Alfio Piva, 10 of the poorest cantones were identified and selected as a priority of the Chinchilla government.

The selection was made based on reports by the Índice de Desarrollo Social (IDS) del Ministerio de Planificación or Social Development Index in English.

Making the list of the poorest areas in Costa Rica are: Coto Brus, Los Chiles, GOLFITO, Upala, Buenos Aires, Limón, Corredores, Matina, Siquirres, Pococí and Sarapiquí.

These communities will be part of the governments program "Comunidades solidarias, seguras y saludables", getting help in the areas of security, education, health, housing and labour among other problems.

 

Would any of you have thought we would earned a place on this list??? I will be interested in your comments.

 

Article from http://www.insidecostarica.com/

Don't kill the Goose that lays the Golden Eggs (English Subs SOON!!!)

This video was not presented to the press and widely reported by their creators, because when the Government and authorities of the Ministry of Tourism outgoing learned of its contents, put all the pressure that they are able to stay out of public knowledge

See the video below...

Don't kill the Goose that lays the Golden Eggs

Regional Trade With EU Opens

Central America and the European Union (EU) are officially free-trade partners. On Tuesday, the six countries of Central America and the 27-member EU bloc signed a free-trade and cooperation agreement in Madrid, Spain that will slash tariffs on key items such as bananas, milk, automobiles, textiles, rice and sugar.

In Agreement: European and Central American leaders signed an historic agreement between their two trade blocs that left both sides feeling optimistic.

If the agreement is ratified by Costa Rica's Legislative Assembly, it will be the country's eighth free-trade deal, with number nine – the agreement with China – also awaiting the legislature's approval.

“This is one of the first achievements of this government,” said Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla via videoconference from Madrid on Tuesday. “ Costa Rica now has access to the biggest markets in the world, including Europe, the U.S. and China.”

The final round of negotiations in Madrid centered on setting satisfactory trading quantities for sugar, cheese, powdered milk, textiles, beef and bananas, as well as assuring the geographic origin of specific products. During the previous round of talks in Guatemala during the first week of May, disagreements over quotas for these products stalled negotiations. The talks began in mid-2007.

On Tuesday, Foreign Trade Minister Anabel González said that the agreement offers a “very positive balance” for Costa Rica and Central America.

“We were able to strengthen and improve access offered for many products, which will bring growth to those markets under secure and foreseeable conditions,” González said. “National products will have preferential access to a market of 500 million consumers with strong purchasing power.”

On the top of Costa Rica's priority list were bananas. The current tariff of ¢ 176/metric ton applied to bananas will be reduced in increments over the next 10 years to a base tariff of ¢ 75/ton. The terms of the agreement will save European countries an estimated ¢ 50 million per year on banana imports.

According to COMEX, the Foreign Trade Ministry, 70 percent of the bananas exported to Europe from Central America come from Costa Rica.

In terms of quotas on milk, powdered milk and cheese, which were the most difficult points, Costa Rica agreed to accept 200 tons of powdered milk from Europe annually, while the Central American region as a whole will receive 1,900. In terms of cheese, Costa Rica will receive 317 tons a year initially, with an annual increase of 5 percent. Central America will receive an annual supply of 3,000 tons of European cheese. Costa Rican dairy producers have resisted increased imports of these products (TT, May 14).

“The amounts given to Costa Rica only represent around 10 percent of the total cheese given to Central America,” said Fernando Ocampo, the vice trade minister and one of the deal's chief trade negotiators. “As far as dairy products, the Costa Rican share is significantly less than what is being sent to the other Central American countries.”

The ovation for the signing was shared across most of the national sectors affected by the deal. Within 24 hours of the announcement of the signing, the Agriculture Ministry (MAG), the Food Industry Chamber (CACIA), the Chamber of Industries (CICR) and the Dos Pinos dairy cooperative, the largest milk and dairy producer in the country, all voiced their support for the accord.

“We can declare that the Costa Rican agricultural sector is, without question, one of the biggest winners of the negotiation outcome,” said Gloria Abraham Peralta, the minister of agriculture. “We achieved, and actually improved on, the goals we set out to achieve with the agreement.”

If the Legislative Assembly ratifies the agree ment, which is expected, the agricultural sector expects to see an immediate surge in the demand for bananas, pineapples, cut flowers and foliage, and fruit juices. Together, these products make up a third of Costa Rican exports to Europe. Increased demand is also anticipated for sugar, rice and yucca. According to the Foreign Trade Promotion Office (Procomer). During the first three months of 2010, 18 percent of all Costa Rican exports were shipped to the EU.

Supporters of the agreement point to the 2003 free-trade agreement between Chile and the EU as an indicator of the potential benefits for Costa Rica and other Central American countries. Since that agreement went into effect, exports from Chile to the EU have increased from $7.8 billion in 2004 to over $17 billion in 2008. During that same stretch, Chile's imports from the EU increased at a slighter slower rate, going from $3.5 billion to $7.1 billion.

Representatives of a variety of Costa Rican economic sectors were also pleased with the rule of origin, sanitation, environmental impact and fair-trade clauses included in the agreement.

“The EU is a market with high standards for production, environmental and labor practices,” said Juan María González, president of the CICR. “Our participation and competition with them will raise the quality standards of our own producers and suppliers.”

In contrast to the intense debate over the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the U.S. (CAFTA), which took effect on Jan. 1, 2009, there appears to be little opposition to the EU agreement in the Legislative Assembly or in the society at large.

“This agreement has been structured correctly and handled correctly,” said Tomás Pozuelo, president of CACIA. “Some of the other trade agreements were very lopsided initially, particularly for members of CACIA. This one was much more balanced from the beginning.”

By Adam Williams

Tico Times Staff

The New Costa Rica Immigration Law - Overview

Costa Rica’s new immigration law (nueva ley migratoria) was published in the official government publication La Gaceta on September 1, 2009 ... meaning the new "Ley General de Migración y Extranjería" will be the Costa Rica immigration law of the land starting March 1, 2010.

Costa Rica is a world-wide destination for vacationers, travelers, those seeking investment opportunities and for persons considering second homes, a place to relocate and/or retire.

Costa Rica is also desirable to many seeking better living conditions, improved work opportunities, asylum and/or refugee status from other countries.

However, Costa Rica is a small country with limited resources. As but one example; Costa Rica‟s national healthcare system cannot continue to expand as needed when foreigners are allowed to flow across its borders unchecked and without having to contribute financially to the system – similar to uninsured or underinsured costs plaguing the United States and other worldwide health care systems.

To better address these concerns Costa Rica recently re-wrote its immigration laws, towards:

•Setting-up official positions and commissions to pass rules, regulations and procedures under the directives of the new immigration laws.

•Centralizing and modernizing the immigration process toward better efficiency and enforcement.

•Allowing 'flexibility' in making administrative approvals on those seeking immigration statuses that may fall outside of written guidelines.

•Criminalizing human trafficking and establishing human rights for immigrants.

•'Professionalizing' the Costa Rica Immigration Police force (la Policía Profesional de Migración y Extranjería).

•Setting higher qualifications for residency - mainly to ensure foreigners come with adequate income to support themselves.

•Attempting to close the “Marriage of Convenience” loophole that is a long standing business institution where attorneys document false marriages between Costa Rica citizens and foreigners for the sole purpose of obtaining Costa Rica residency and citizenship.

•Requiring all temporary and permanent residents to contribute to Costa Rica's national social security and healthcare system (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social –or- CCSS) … commonly referred to as, the “Caja”

Editors Note: The new Costa Rica Immigration Law (Ley General de Migración y Extranjería) was published in the official Costa Rica government newspaper La Gaceta on September 1st, 2009. The text of the law is in Spanish. The following simplified guide is the best information available to date but also relies on computer software for the English translations. Do Not Rely Solely on the Below Text for Costa Rica Immigration Laws – consult with a reliable Costa Rica attorney specializing in immigration matters for answers to all legal questions.

Visas

Visas designated for Local Transit, Delivery of Passengers & Goods, Cultural Events, Sports, Economic Purposes, Political Delegations, Media, Tourists, Students, Professional Workers and Medical Patients allow individuals to remain in Costa Rica for various periods of time … anywhere from 48 hours to 2 years depending on the reason.

The largest segment of Costa Rica visas issued is without question for Tourists:

•Tourist visas given automatically to citizens of North America and Europe with few exceptions are granted at the time of entry for a period not to exceed 90 days.

            ◦Under both the current and new immigration law, renewing a tourist visa is as simple as leaving Costa Rica for a period of 72 hours. Upon re-entry a new 90 day Tourist visa is issued.

◦The new law does allow in-country tourists to petition for up to 90 day extensions at a cost of $100 USD. However, this request must be done in-person and proof of sustainable income will be required … which may negate any positives of this new provision.

◦The new law as published does not place any new limits on the number of consecutive Tourist visas a person may be issued. This will allow those that utilize the "perpetual tourist" method of remaining in Costa Rica to continue, until such time that a new regulation might be implemented.

Non-Permanent Residency (Temporary Residency)

Authorization to remain in Costa Rica for a specified period of time:

•Pensionado - Proof of $1,000 USD or its equivalent per month income from permanent, stable foreign pension or retirement fund (previously $600). A Pensionado can include their spouse and children under 25 or older children with disabilities in their application. Restrictions: cannot work as an employee but can own business in supervisory capacity.

•Rentista - Proof of $2,500 USD or its equivalent per month income guaranteed by a bank (previously $1,000). A Rentista can include their spouse and children under 25 or older children with disabilities in their application. Restrictions: cannot work as an employee but can own business in supervisory capacity.

•Inversionista - $200,000 investment in any Costa Rica business OR a specified amount of investment in certain Costa Rica government approved sectors. Restrictions: income allowed from project only, cannot work as an employee for another company but can own another business in supervisory capacity.

•Representante - Director, executives, representatives, managers and technical employees of companies meeting certain requirements. Qualifying income must exceed Costa Rica minimum wage for specified position by at least 25%. Restrictions: can only work for approved company as an employee but can own another business in supervisory capacity.

Important: The new income requirements are not retroactive. Any person that has applied for or been granted residency prior to implementation of the new law on March 1, 2010 will only be required to prove income at the previous levels for approval or renewal (ie: Pensionado/$600 mo., Rentista/$1,000 mo.)

Permanent Residency

Authorization to remain in Costa Rica indefinitely can be applied for under the following situations:

•First degree kinship by blood of a Costa Rica citizen (ie: parent, child or sibling under 25 years of age or older if disabled and parents if elderly)

•First degree relative status of a Costa Rica citizen (ie: marriage)

◦Important: The new CR immigration law allows for investigations of all marriages to determine they are legitimate. Immigration officials can now conduct interviews with both spouses as well as friends, family, neighbors and co-workers at both the time of application and for renewals.

•After 3 consecutive years of another residency status (applies to the foreign person, their spouse and first degree kinship by blood)

All Permanent Residency statuses allow the individual to work and earn income within Costa Rica as an employee or business owner.

Exception to Residency

Individuals convicted of a crime within the preceding 10 years either in Costa Rica or in a foreign country where the crime is recognized by Costa Rica law will not be eligible for Costa Rica temporary or permanent residency.

Requirement of Residency

The new law obligates all residency types to participate in the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) national social security and healthcare insurance system … commonly referred to as the “Caja”. Proof of participation and payments for the entire term of residency are a requirement for any renewals.

Fees

The new law establishes fees to users of the system to help fund the department and enforcement.

•An "additional" $25 USD fee for all applications and renewals of residency status.

•An annual $5 USD fee will be charged to non-residents with some exceptions, such as tourists.

•Tourists can apply for a visa extension prior to the 90 expiration for a fee of $100 USD.

•Non-residents can apply for a change of status while in-country for a fee of $200 USD.

Penalties

Violating the terms of any visa or residency status now has the following penalties:

•Overstaying in-country past the specified time allowed by visa or residency results in a fine of $100 USD per month of violation -or- expulsion of a period equal to triple the time of violation (ie: 3 month overstay violation = $300 USD fine -or- 9 month expulsion).

This is not a complete guide to Costa Rica’s new immigration laws … simply an overview for quick reference with many aspects subject to change via regulations by the new authority of Costa Rica's immigration management and commissions along with any court reviews and decisions. Consult with a reputable Costa Rica attorney specializing in immigration law for all legal questions.

Be sure to watch for upcoming administrative regulations that will further define what is required of those seeking visas, temporary residency and permanent residency in Costa Rica.

Article taken from http://central-america-forum.com

It's official, The Costanera Sur Is Now Complete

On Thursday, Costa Rica's president, Oscar Arias, made official the completion of the Costanera Sur, the 42 kilometre road between Quepos and Playa Dominical.

Area residents have had to wait some 40 years, pretty fast for Costa Rica, to see the completion of the road that now connects the Central Pacific coast to the South Pacific coast in minutes instead of hours.

There has always been a route between Quepos and Dominical. However, the road was full of potholes, narrow bridges that swayed as they were crossed and flooding was constant during the rainy season, taking hours to cross, if one even dared.

Many of a vehicle had to be pulled from the deep water and mud that filled the road, many others left their axles behind, while others their suspension shot.

For business and most travelling to the Southern zone, it was preferable to risk the Interamericana Sur and the "cerro de la muerte", winding through mountains, fog and slick roads, rather than the Costanera.

Now, travelling from San José to Golfito, by way of the Costanera, is a breeze.

When you take into account the new San José - Caldera highway and the completion of the Costanera Sur, the 6 to 8 hours or more to Southern Zone is now under 4 hours or less.