In This Issue: Costanera Sur, Crime, and New Laws
We’re getting into the rainy season. Nice partially sunny days with billowing clouds overhead changing into dark clouds and rain in the late afternoons or early evenings.
As usual, local news first followed by any national news that would have an impact on all of us.
Matapalo – Crime at the beach is up. The night time security patrol which was funded by those who live at the beach ceased to exist a couple of months ago because of lack of funds and participation by those who live there. Consequently, break-ins, burglaries, etc. have increased. Now, there are break-ins and people being robbed on the street during the day. Bobby Workman, who lives on the beach, indicates that meetings are being held concerning this.
Costanera Sur – WOW!!!!! Paving is completed all the way to Dominical. That little Cheech & Chong surfing village is now only a 10 minute drive from Mataplo or about a 30-35 minute drive from Quepos. The only thing left to be completed other than striping and signage is the new bridge at Hatillo that is replacing the last remaining Bailey Bridge.
From Quepos to the Savegre signs are sprouting up all over the place. Each little pueblo has its own name sign. Each little quebrada (creek/stream) has a sign naming it. There are distance signs and guess what?? They are accurate!!! If they say 15 kilometers to such and such or three kilometers to such and such it is that distance. AMAZING!!!!!. These are not locally erected signs. They are the highly reflective signage you see stateside. This signage is to continue all the way to Dominical.
Now, on to the national level
Immigration and Traffic Laws – You might want to first go back and re-read last month’s newsletter. Action on these laws have been delayed for the next legislature to handle. Since that legislature will not be installed until after Dona Laura’s coronation as president on 6 May you can figure nothing is going to happen until sometime in June or July or later. “Coronation” is not my word. It is the word used in an article in today’s insidecostarica.
Zamora, who is currently the head of the immigration department, is being promoted to the head of the agency that supervises the immigration department. His parting gift is that the US$100.00 per month fine for each month people are in the country illegally will be stayed for six months so those who are here illegally can take action to become legal. I’m sure the criminals are jumping at the chance to become legal.
Talking about the immigration law… This was reported in the 16 April edition of amcostarica. A Swiss national prior to coming to Costa Rica for an extended stay asked the Consulate there what he needed to do renew his visa. They gave him a list of required documents which he proceeded to acquire. Once he got to Costa Rica and it was time to renew his visa he found out what he was told would be needed were the documents required to apply for residency.
Money and time out the window. He tried to renew his visa by simply going to an immigration office, in this case the main office in La Uruca in San Jose, and paying the advertised US$100.00 to renew it. He had a newswoman from amcostarica with him. He was told more than once it was impossible to renew his visa simply by paying the $100.00, he had to leave the country for 72 hours. Now get this.
One employee, a supervisor, told him the simplest way would be to marry a Tica and suggested he marry the newswoman with him. That way he wouldn’t have to leave the country. THIS coming from a supervisory level employee of the department charged with preventing these marriages of convenience.
The same holds true pretty much for the new transit law. Because of further challenges to the revisions to the revisions of the law which went into effect on 1 March the current sitting legislature, like Zamora, has washed its hands of the issue leaving everything to the new legislature to shift through.
Panama – Panama has done it again. Last year they instituted procedures to make high speed wi-fi available to every citizen by the end of 2010. They started out by activating towers which provided this service to the 20 most populated areas of the country.
Now, they are giving every tourist that flies into Panama free 30 days of insurance for theft, robbery, personal injury and medical up to US$1,000.00 per day.
National Crime – I’ve already mentioned the local crime. The 20 April edition of insidecostarica indicated the Australian government had issued a travel advisory for its citizens traveling to Costa Rica “…to exercise a high degree of caution in Costa Rica because of high risk of serious crime,” and to be “constantly aware and cautious.” It cited bus robberies, home invasions, hotel room invasions, car high jackings, tire slashing, stolen luggage, drugs and other crimes. It also specifically mentioned about eight areas. ONE of those areas was the Quepos/Manual Antonio area.
The head of the government’s tourist bureau took the head in the sand approach by stating crime rates are higher in other countries. I doubt if this attitude is going to make the ever increasing crime rate go away.
Rain – March was a wet month but April is proving even wetter. So far this month at our house we’ve recorded 24.6 inches for a total for the year of 33.5 inches. Compare this to last year when we recorded 2.7 inches for the month of April for a total of 8.9 inches for the year.
Cost of Living
Exchange Rate – The exchange rate reported by Banco de Costa Rica today stands at 505 Colones to the dollar. That is the lowest the exchange rate has been since February 2006. Fortunately, Banco Central (Central Bank) has set a floor of 500 Colones to the dollar and a ceiling of 600 Colones to the dollar.
Speaking of money, in May or June the 20,000 Colone bill is coming out followed by the 50,000 bill a couple of months later. These bills are necessary because of the ever increasing cost of living. The 10,000 Colone bill is simply no longer sufficient. All the other denomination bills are being redesigned and like many other countries each bill will be of a different size. The larger the denomination the larger the bill.
Fuel – Fuel went up this month. Super is 628 Colones a liter (US$4.72 a gallon). Regular is 597 ($4.49). Diesel is 514 ($3.86). Prices are based on today’s exchange rate: 505 to the dollar.
Last month I gave some cost comparisons from when the exchange rate was 581 back in December to what it is now. Here’s a couple more:
Dec09 Today
One dozen Eggs $2.83 $3.26
8 oz. Cheddar Cheese $4.95 $5.70
That’s it for now folks. Everyone stay healthy and happy and keep your beer cold.
Frank and Karen Walker
Lot 12, Finca Zacatona
011-506-8887-1933
