Archives for July 2010

Police, Medical Emergencies, and Hospitals in Costa Rica

General Medical and Police Services Medical care in San Jose is adequate at the public hospitals, but super at the private hospital.  Areas outside of San Jose have more limited medical services, and road conditions increase driving times to hospitals for routine or critical medical care. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash or credit card payment for medical services.  Local … [Read more...]

Costa Rica Commercial Fishing Fleet Is being Tracked by Satellite

In Sept, 2009  Costa Rican Fishing Institute (Incopesca) and with the help of organizations like The Billfish Association, established a satellite monitoring system to monitor and control the activity of the fishing vessels engaged in tuna fishing with purse seines in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Costa Rica. Generally, a countries EEZ extends to a distance of 200 nautical miles (370 km) … [Read more...]

Costa Rica’s Future – US Marines, Drugs, Investments, Tourism, and Oil

Last week our email box was pretty much filled with, “Why the US Marines were invading Costa Rica?” Even at our Facebook  account, a few commented on right-wing political BS, “It's all about the oil, about building a military base in Costa Rica, and of keeping an eye on all the other dangerous countries around like Venezuela." However, I would like to comment on the one of the insanely … [Read more...]

Golfito, Banana Republic and Ecotourism of Golfo Duce, Costa Rica

These days, the words Banana Republic are more likely to conjure up an image of neatly stacked chinos and v-neck sweaters than they are a place like Golfito. But when United Fruit built this town on the southwest coast of Costa Rica in 1939, there was nothing here but wilderness and Boruca, the region's indigenous tribe. Fleeing a rash of banana disease. like what happened to Quepos, that … [Read more...]

North American Anglers Contribute $599 Million Annually to Costa Rican Economy

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Tourism is Costa Rica’s top industry and new research shows North Americans traveling there in 2008 to fish generated $599 million - or about two percent of Costa Rica’s gross domestic product. The study, conducted in 2009 by The Billfish Foundation, Southwick Associates and the University of Costa Rica, revealed 283,790 anglers visited Costa Rica and their economic … [Read more...]

Insurance in Costa Rica – INS – Rules of Engagement to Brokers

Every Costa Rican knows [since they can remember] the government monopoly of, oil/gas, electric, internet, and insurance has been one big headache after another. In Oct, 2007  when Costa Rica’s Free Trade Agreements (FTA) were signed,  it looked like for the first time Costa Rican’s were going to get a break, when foreign companies could compete with government companies, especially  for … [Read more...]