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...]
Costa Rica’s Endangered Species – The Shrimp Fishermen
06/28/2010 by Leave a Comment
If there was a golden opportunity for Costa Rica to capitalize on a need of Gringo's taste buds, and to help stimulate their economy it is now. But unfortunately, for a country that has been one of the heavy weights of ecology, they, have turned their backs on a major eco problem that if not corrected, will have sever consequences. Back in May, 2005 the U.S. had banned Costa Rica Shrimp … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Newspaper Will Publish Sales Tax Defaulters
06/24/2010 by 1 Comment
Sometime next week Expats that have not paid sales tax (or other taxes) may find themselves in an embarrassing situation; this is when their names will be published in El Financiero, the weekly business newspaper put out by Grupo Nación. Currently there are 1000s of Expats who own small businesses that vary from B & Bs, eco-tourism, gift shops, online sales, travel agents, real estate etc. … [Read more...]
Fishing For Costa Rica’s Marlin – Striped, Blues and Blacks
06/20/2010 by 1 Comment
' Marlin fishing is considered by many game fishermen to be the pinnacle of big game fishing, due to the size and power, relative rareness and difficulty of capture. In Costa Rica, fishing for the striped, blue and black marlin fishing season is year round and why the country is becoming the hot place to fish for these big gamers. Marlin has been billed as the battler of literature and … [Read more...]
Cutris de San Carlos Gold Mine Looses Appeals Court – Will It Be The Start Of Another Battle?
06/16/2010 by 1 Comment
During Ms. Chinchilla presidential campaign, she had gone on record that she opposed any new open pit mines. This week it appears that she kept her promise by influencing the judges when the appeals courts declined to lift a ban on the open pit gold mine in Cutris de San Carlos. The company, Industrias Infinito S.A., (Costa Rican subsidiary of a Canadian company), cannot keep developing the … [Read more...]
Actor Steven Seagul Leaves Costa Rica Disappointed
06/11/2010 by 7 Comments
This week we pretty much express some disappointment at the way Costa Rica’s government was handle things like banning stem cell research and helping pave the way for ID thief. However, we have to give them the thumbs up in how they gave the cold shoulder to Hollywood martial-arts actor/producer, Steven Seagal. About 2-three times a month we get tabloid junk. It has always been our policy to … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Government Bans Stem Cell Research
06/09/2010 by Leave a Comment
Back in Oct, 2009, we wrote how suddenly there was major increase of foreigners heading to Costa Rica for stem cell treatments that involved everything from ailments, to bone fractures, to multiple sclerosis. The reason was simple; when people heard that, the International Society of Stem Cell research claiming, US clinical trials were "ambiguous" and treatments based on anecdotal success … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Identification (ID) Thief – Court Ruling Could Make It Worst
06/03/2010 by 2 Comments
For a while now, I have been following what I consider three very important legal cases in Costa Rica. At first it appeared this week that the Costa Rica government has taken its first steps to help prevent ID thief, may not be so. As more and more Costa Rican's surf the internet, get involved in online transactions and personal matters like buying property, getting a drivers license etc, they … [Read more...]
San Jose, Costa Rica’s Mercado Central, or Central Flea Market
05/24/2010 by 4 Comments
Central Market (Mercado Central) Flea and Street market. Bordered by Avdas. Central and 1 and Cs. 6 and 8 Barrió La Merced San José, Costa Rica San Jose, Costa Rica's Mercado Central, or Central Market, is the largest marketplace in San Jose. The Central Market is more than a common sale place. It is a congregation place, which city life passes day by day. It is a maze of shops and … [Read more...]
Attorneys Win, Investors Lose in Costa Rica’s Villalobos Suit
05/22/2010 by 7 Comments
We posted back in Aug, 2009 (Government Get Sued) and Dec, 2009 (Investors Suing Costa Rica Government) thats when the Canadian investors formed a group to sue the government of Costa Rica in an attempted to recoup money lost in the Villalobos Ponzi scheme they would probably lose ... they did in arbitration this past week. About 200 creditors had organized (out of the 6000 who had … [Read more...]
Hiring Costa Rica Workers – Payroll Taxes – Work Comp
05/07/2010 by 2 Comments
The scenario starts innocently enough. Expats come to the country and start looking for someone to help with household chores like maid or gardener service. If you are not living in a gated community where they have these services, it starts by asking around for references or putting the word out in their community. Try not to place an ad in some local paper or post one in a market down the … [Read more...]
Sexual Predator Joe Baker Takes Job at La Felicidad Hotel in Esterillos, Costa Rica
Maria used to send her eldest daughter, 13, down the hill to the supermarket to pick up vegetables and other products about twice a week. Her daughter had to pass the yellow house on the corner. But now Maria walks the 3/4 mile round trip herself, leaving her daughter in a newly installed locked house. She fears for her daughter’s safety; she does not want “this evil” – convicted pedophile Joe … [Read more...]