A group calling themselves ‘outraged citizens’ walk through the streets of the capital demanding a stop to all privileges awarded to governmental institutions which have come to light in the last year and have enlighten the population to the inequality to those public institutions to those in the private sector. They further demand the end to the monopoly of petroleum distribution.
The National Museum rejuvenates 900 historical relics from the times of colonial rule from Spain to the present.
The Regulatory Authorities for Public Services have announced that they shall return to their old premises after spending USD$6.2 million in rent over the last 5 years.
The highway to San Carlos, the north central of the country, will increase in costs by USD$71 million on a stretch of land covering 29 kilometres and which in 2,003 was calculated to be worth USD$188 million. The slow progress of this long awaited highway has been put down to law suits in expropriations.
The Minister of Justice has proposed that small crimes could be punishable by work so to reduce the high population in jails. Small crimes has been proposed to that worth less than USD$380.00.
Both State and Private Banks have increased their loans to Cooperatives and Solidarity Associations by more than USD$1,500 million
The Costa Rican Institute of Technology has successfully performed the first startup of a device to convert high temperature plasma into energy by fusion. It is estimated that a gram of this plasma could provide 80 houses with its energy requirements.
The Regulatory Authorities have put a hold to the methodology with which Public Transport fares are calculated and a technical commission shall be appointed to review the method so to make a fair and balanced assessment which should put both providers and consumers at ease.
The export of medical devices, banana and pineapples has had a gradual recovery and as reported by the Central Bank has the potential to contribute to a 4.5% GDP growth in the second trimester of the year.
After a five year experiments on the Atlantic Coast done by Agricultural College of the University of Costa Rica in growing algae in lots of 50 square metres in the ocean, they are ready to expand the experiment to lots of 2,000 square metres. Algae in known to have an input of calories similar to those of land vegetables, its protein contents is between 8 and 15% and has a balanced amino acid composition, its fat contents is lower than 1% when dry and a high value of omega, 30% fibre and minerals such as iron and zinc. The College has identified 10 species of algae with a great potential in cultivating and consumption.
The United Nations Programme for Human Development of the 81 Municipalities in the country show a substantial advance in most of the Municipalities while 10 are still persist in showing backlogs.
Legislators agree to fast track an Act to a stricter fiscal fraud code and reform pensions in the Judicial Court.
The State owned bank, Banco Nacional is to manage a Trust for the development of the Atlantic Coast which shall be paid for by APM Terminals on their operations on their Container Terminals which has been leased out for 33 years and is expected to provide with a total of $961 million of these years.
As Legislators of all political back grounds agree on putting a stop to high pensions being payout by the State on 310 pensioners who at present enjoy this privilege, there are still 1,700 people who are still to retire on such schemes. The vote backing this Act was 44 votes to 1 in favour of stopping these privileges.
Legislators increase their pressure for the President to come out clearly in his position on Public Transport.
Week ends with the Central Bank’s reference buying rate of CRC 554.11 and selling rate of CRC 541.58 to USD$1.00