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TODAY'S CONTENTS
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*News Digest

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NEWS DIGEST
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*Comptroller Beheaded!

Following a long and hardous battle between the differing Legislators and

public opinion, Monday, Alex Solís Fallas, was removed as Contralor General

de la República (Comptroller General) and a copy of his file used by the

special commission was sent to the Ministerio Público for a closer

examination by the judicial body.

In a session that ended at 6:40pm last night, 39 Legislators present voted in

favour of the destitution, while only 12 who believed that Solís should stay

on.

The vote to remove Solís is based on Article 183 of the Constitution, which

gives the Legislature the power to remove a public official if there is

sufficient proof of wrongdoing.

Solís was not without support since his appointment last June. One of his

biggest fans as Legislative Deputy, Olman Vargas of the Partido Unidad Social

Cristiana (PUSC). Olman pushed right to the end to have the vote in secret,

saying that the decisin to remove the Comptroller was politically motivated

and was important to guard the rights of the Comptroller and the procedure.

Another Solís supporter, Luis Ramírez, head of the Partido Liberación

Nacional (PLN), said following the vote that the Legislature had made a

'political decision'.

The removal of Solís came shortly after his appointment in June 2nd of this

year, when it was discovered that Solís had falsified his brother's name -

that of 2002 presidential candidate, Otton Solís - to legal documents and his

involvement in high interest loans to Costa Ricans, financing their illegal

trips to the United States.

Much debate was generated over the last six months following his appointment,

including a call for Solís to quit, which he refused.

Following the vote, the now former Contralor, speaking to a reporter from the

Spanish language daily Diario Extra, said that there is a political and

economic force behind his removal, of people who consider Costa Rica still a

farm and knew well that with me there would be no more corruption in handing

out contracts.

Solís refused to say any more, adding that he will use this time to spend it

with his family and friends and enjoy the holiday season, promising to make a

full disclosure come January.

The vote went like this:

IN FAVOUR: PUSC: Jorge Álvarez, Aida Faigenzicht, Gerardo González, Rolando

Laclé, Rodolfo Delgado, Mario Redondo, Lilliana Salas, Ricardo Toledo, Gloria

Valerín, Federico Vargas and Ligia Zúñiga; Movimiento Libertario: Ronaldo

Alfaro, Peter Guevara, Carlos Herrera, Federico Malavassi and Carlos Salazar;

UP: Humberto Arce, Quírico Jiménez and Rafael Varela; Renovación

Costarricense: Carlos Avendaño; PLN: Carlos Ricardo Benavides, José Miguel

Corrales, Laura Chinchilla, Álvaro González, Bernal Jiménez, Luis Ramírez,

Luis Gerardo Villanueva, Julián Watson and Joyce Zürcher; PAC: Epsy Campbell,

Rodrigo Alberto Carazo, Ruth Montoya, Margarita Penón, Daysi Quesada, Martha

Zamora and Gerardo Vargas; ADN: Emilia Rodríguez

AGAINST: PLN: Sigifredo Aiza, Kyra de la Rosa and María Lourdes Ocampo; PUSC:

Mario Calderón, Miguel Huezo, Marco Tulio Mora, Carmen Gamboa, Francisco

Sanchún, Rocío Ulloa, Olman Vargas; Auténtico Herediano: José Francisco

Salas; Patria Primero: Juan José Vargas

NO VOTE: PAC: Edwin Patterson

ABSENT FROM THE VOTE: PLN: Luis Paulino Rodríguez, Nury Garita, Marielos

Vïquez and María Elena Núñez; PUSC: German Rojas; Independent: Elvia Navarro.


*Medical Certificates for Driver's Licenses to Change

Want a Costa Rican driver's license? Or needing to renew one? Well, come next

year, in an agreement between the Colegio de Médicos (College of Medicine)

and the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT), the requirement to

get a driver's license will be a little stricter, changing the current

practice to obtain a medical certificate.

As it stands now and has been for many years, with about ¢4.000 (us$8.75)

colones in one hand, the other hand over one year, and with simple answers to

some questions about one's health, a doctor would issue a "dictamen" that is

a requirement to obtain or renew a driver's license.

Outside the licensing office in San José, doctors' offices line all four

intersecting streets and an office in the parking at the rear of the

building. Doctors have to fill out a form, with simple medical questions that

are not verified, including, if the patient is wearing contact lenses.

However, come next year and with the help of computers, doctors can now look

up the medical history of each patient. And this can only be done by doctors

who are plugged in.

In Costa Rica, officials estimate that some 200.000 such dictamens - medical

certificates - are filled out every year. At ¢4.000 colones each, that's big

business!


*Tourism Up 20%

The Cámara Nacional de Turismo (Canatur) announced that, though conditions

are not that great, the tourism sector say a 20% increase this year.

William Rodríguez, president of Canatur, said that a 20% increase was

registered in 2004 over the same period in 2003.

Canatur says there has been an definite increase in daily flights coming into

Costa Rica over the 2003 period and expects some 1.400.000 tourists this

year, notwithstanding a slight decrease registered during the month of July.

The tourism sector is responsible for about 85.000 direct jobs and more than

500.000 in indirects. Canatur also said that the lenghth of stay for tourists

increased to an average of 11 nights to 13.

Tourism in Costa Rica generates about us$1.6 billion dollars in gross

revenue, the second largest productive activity, representing 8.7% of the

Producto Interno Bruto (PIB) - Gross National Product.


*Coastal Land Prices Continue to Rise
The Beach Times - thebeachtimes.com

Property prices along the northern Pacific coast continued to soar in the

past 12 months, with realtors reporting in some cases prime oceanfront real

estate almost doubling in price.

Most coastal property -- developed as well as vacant lots, moderately priced

and high-end housing, plus condominiums and office space -- enjoyed healthy

20 to 40 per cent increases.

But titled oceanfront and good quality, ocean-view lots have increased by up

to 100 per cent. Inventory in some sectors is scarce forcing realtors to

develop their own projects to keep up with demand.

Condominium projects remain amongst the most popular with most buyers

purchasing from plans in the pre-construction stage. There are few completed

condominiums for sale.

The face of the buyer has changed with many coming to Costa Rica to buy,

build and live, rather than the quick re-sales and profit taking of recent

years. The easy access to Liberia Airport and availability of a US-curriculum

school has meant many buyers are families.

In Tamarindo there is a rush to build office space, with more than 60 units

scheduled for completion in the next 12 months.

“I believe this is the beginning of time in Costa Rica,” says Bob Davey of

Century 21 in Flamingo. “The mystery is over and the secret is out. “

Davey was one of broad cross-sections of brokers who spoke to The Beach Times

this week about real estate along the Gold Coast, what’s happened in the past

12 months and what is forecast for the future. Our special report can be

found in the Feature Section.


*Handel’s sacred work gets three performances

This weekend is time for the Messiah. The Coro Sinfónico Nacional will

present the 1741 sacred work by George Frideric Handel Friday, Saturday and

Sunday at three places in the Central Valley.

Friday the work will be presented in the Basílica de Santo Domingo de Heredia

at 8 p.m. Saturday the chorus and invited singers will be in Cartago for a

7:30 p.m. presentation at the Basílica de Los Angeles.

Sunday, the setting will be the Iglesia de San Miguel de Escazú for an 11:30

a.m. performance.

In addition to the chorus, a chamber orchestra will be involved in the

presentation under the direction of Ramiro Ramírez, conductor.

The invited artists include two U.S. citizens. Tenor Larry Gerber is a

professor of voice at Florida State University. Baritone Scott MacLeod is

also from Florida where he is a Ph.D. candidate. Soprano María Marta López

and mezzo-soprano Raquel Ramírez round out the cast of soloists.


*British resident murdered

A British citizen became a murder victim sometime over the weekend.

Police confirmed that they found the body of Thomas Purvis, 44, at his Sabana

Sur home Monday after friends reported that he had not kept scheduled

appointments.

Little more is known about the death, although investigators are believed to

be seeking information on the victim's last hours.


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