54 Unions threat to strike should Congress pass new laws limiting salaries, benefits together with laws for ceasing employment from those underperforming and limiting promotions.

5 new cases of the Zika virus are reported in the suburb of Alajuelita on the west of the Greater Metropolitan Area.
Health officials are going after controlling the virus the same way they had contained it in the Province of Guanacaste.

Water Authorities are asking regulators to approve a 35% increase in water tariffs and a 57.5% increase in the sewer system to be done in phases so to upgrade all systems and invest in new ones. They calculate that the cost will rise to US$105 million. Hearings are set for the 30th May.

The Ministry of Security together with Health Authorities has come to a conclusion that 4 out of every 10 Police Delegations need serious intervention.

The Government Party together with the Left propose a 13% value added tax instead of the 15% asked for by the Government. As of this date the country only has a sales tax. 6 opposition parties who control the Legislative have said that no new taxes will be passed without a deep cut to spending.

The Comptroller’s Office is to investigate The Center for Studies and Cooperative Training.

Liberty Hall, also known as The Black Star Line, burnt down in Limon to a total loss. This being a Patrimonial structure of fine woods built in the 1,920s and a symbol of the Black Community.

Financial Regulators have made it known that 33% of the Banco Nacional de Costa Rica (State owned Bank) payroll goes to incentives for the employees.

611 School kitchens shall stay open in the up and coming half year holidays and will provide luncheons to over 96,000 children in the most vulnerable areas of the country.

The Prosecutor for Indigenous Affairs orders an investigation to the reported miss use of funds in the South East of the country.

New tariffs proposed by the College of Medical Sciences for the private sector has Public Health Authorities up in arms as they state that the proposed tariffs will directly affect the Public sector.

Wildlife experts reveal that Costa Rica has at least 70 different species of beetles of which the great majority hatches out in the month of May when the first signs of rain begins to fall.

The Treasury sends a new proposal to control expenses to Congress.

The Housing Ministry changes their criteria as to the selection of the beneficiaries of social welfare projects.

Government puts a moratorium of three years to the building of wells near or along the pacific coast line as authorities find sea water infiltration in four locations.

The Turrialba volcano erupted for 11 minutes sending out a plume of ash 3 kilomtres high and which reached out towards the Central Valley for a distance of 50 kilometres. Agricultural products have had to washed thoroughly and which is still in their growth process, dairy farms have had to rush to feed grain and hay to their livestock while streets are being cleaned with any artifact useful and warning have been sent out on how to clean vehicles. Special attention has been sent to monitor the volcano.

103.000 workers leave informal jobs influenced by women leaving the work force on the other hand productivity goes up 4.7% and unemployment holds at 9.5%.

Immediate help of US$10 million is set aside by the government to help those farmers affected by the ash from the Turrialba volcano.

Banana and leather goods exports to China have taken a heavy loss. From the end of 2014 to those of 2015, they fell from US$337 million to US$81 million and in the first quarter of last year from US$20.4 million to US$8.8 million this year. Former Minister of Foreign Commerce and Ambassador to China indicates that this could well be put down to the heavy typhoon season which their usual suppliers like the Philippines experienced. As to the leather goods he specifies that China is importing much more finished products than usual.

Week ends with the Central Bank reference buying rate of CRC543.34 and selling rate of CRC530.77 to US$1.00.