Local news is covering the regional locations where supporters of Laura Chinchilla for President have swamped and with good cheer. The lines at some voting stations are very long but the weather in Costa Rica today is mild which helps keep the crowds relaxed. Costa Ricans have a long history of this type of voting since Don “Pepe” Figueres restored Costa Rica to the people and created the second republic in 1948.

Local television has also been setting up stations outside voting locations with a traditional Speak Out or what the Costa Ricans call “QUEJESE” where voters walk up to a microphone being recorded by the television station. Most of the comments are in good spirits but many are complaining that promises made my politicians are not being kept and that they hope things will change. Prostitution and street drugs were raised a number of times by serious voters while the surrounding crowds laughed or belittled the speaker as someone who is a complainer.

Another issue for voters is the format in which Costa Rica sets up qualifications for voting. Where the voter registers or grows up is the location where they are only allowed to vote. Therefore, the political parties arrange for car pools and volunteers to shuttle voters to their voting booths. This requirement is also an opportunity for news reporters to stake out locations where known celebrities must show up to vote. Singers and actresses are among the Costa Rican interviewed. Finally, another nice touch that the TSE has implemented is using Anti Bacteria alcohol washes prior to voters handling ink pens to prevent the spread of infection at the stations.

Otherwise, this is a historic day in Costa Rica as voters elect the first female president into office. This is also the first time that a female has been on the ticket for any political party. Laura Chinchilla’s campaign has been long in the making and is finally over. We will provide continuing coverage as news comes in.

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President Laura Chinchilla?

There is still a risk of not receiving the required 40% margin to become president of costa rica. In that event, the voters still believe that Laura Chinchilla would win a run off election. For Laura Chinchilla’s campaign a post election run off would be viewed as a temporary hurdle to assuming the presidency of Costa Rica. While the rival candidates simply hope to dilute Laura Chinchilla’s required 40% in the hope that Otto Guevara could sneak into the presidency by a post election run off.

This scenario is very unlikely as even the opposing candidates have all but accepted the inevitable victory of Partido Liberación Nacional’s candidate and Oscar Arias hand picked successor Laura Chinchilla Miranda the first female president of Costa Rica.

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Costa Rica: Safety, Security and Prosperity

Our country cannot stop, we must continue to go forward. My proposal is to continue building a Costa Rica with Security and Prosperity.

Security
Insecurity affects all of us today, it is a complex problem which we must seriously consider. Insecurity has deep roots and requires action in two areas: Social Security and Public Safety.

Social Security
With the growth of our country we need to ensure working mothers and fathers that their families will have social security and welfare. We will do this by developing a national network which would focus on our children, of preschool age, and provide them with care and early education. Mothers and fathers should feel confident that while they work, their children will have the best of care our country can provide.

We will invest in education, healthcare and public transportation. We will develop a program of housing and urban development. Collectively we will create methods to improve the living conditions of the needy. For the first time, we will create a network of day care for seniors.

In short, we want everyone to have a better education, better employment opportunities and a respectable retirement.

Public Safety
We will commit anew to strengthen, empower and widen our law enforcement to help them combat crime more effectively.

We will organize to protect our communities and our schools while we will vigorously engage in the fight against drug traffickers.

We will offer more opportunities for our young people so that they can choose to develop a healthy lifestyle and stay away from dangerous activities.

We will enforce the laws so that those who commit crimes, are punished.

Prosperity
Costa Rica has all of the elements we need to achieve higher levels of development and welfare; The intelligence of our people, the ecological wealth of our country and the spirit of solidarity amongst our citizens.

Intelligence
The abilities of our people is crucial because collectively our knowledge plays an increasingly important role in the prosperity of nations. We will emphasize the areas of education and training, productivity and innovation, and science and technology.

Along this endeavor of strengthening our people we must ensure that it is built upon values of solidarity, respect, honesty and personal responsibility. We want a highly knowledgeable citizenship who thrive in a democratic culture that is tolerant and inclusive.

Ecology
We are the heirs of a unique natural wealth and know that our future is tied to environmentally sustainable economies and not those that destroy their own wealth.

We are in a position to become one of the leading economies that is built upon our government’s environmental responsibility. Costa Rica leads in the generation of clean energy, leads in environmentally friendly tourism which is in harmony with nature, and our high technology industries that have low environmental impact.

Let’s us lead in the care of our water, in the development of transportation networks and practices for managing solid waste and wastewater, so that we can achieve better environmentally sound development.

Solidarity
The prosperity we seek is for everyones benefit where equal opportunity allows everyone to participate which increases our standard of living. Democracies are stronger when its people share fairly the fruits of development. And we know that a secure society is where all its citizens have access to a decent life and future prosperity

To read the Spanish version click here

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Part 2 of the Guide to Purchasing a Costa Rica Condo Hotel is a brief description of what is the concept behind a condo-hotel.

What is the concept of a Condo Hotel?

The basic concept of a condo-hotel is the private ownership of individual units which collectively is managed as a hotel. Condo-hotel agreements vary but the basics are you own the unit or condo and when the managing hotel sells the room, you earn a commission or share in the profits. Large professional hotel management companies are the most successful users of this business model because they know hospitality and the logistics of servicing units which a hotel requires.

If managed correctly, the owner earns rental revenue which can augment the loan payment. An example, of a professional hotel management company would be Wyndham Worldwide. From the consumers point of view, they likely will not know their rented unit is privately owned unless the developer is still actively selling the units. Typically, condo hotels are in the luxury market and demand prices that normal hotel suites could not compete with.

In summary, from the buyers perspective a condo hotel offers the ability to buy into a larger value property because of the rental revenue sharing. This type of unit is truly a mixed investment; leisure and revenue generation. Unless, you are amongst the top tier of incomes of the world, earning income on your property investment when the unit is vacant is a sound business decision.

The condo hotel business model offers individual buyers to earn monthly revenue plus still earn appreciation in the property value of their investment. For developers, the condo hotel business model allows them to recoup their investment faster and begin earning a profit much earlier compared to the typical hotel development.

Check back with us for the next part of this guide: How would I benefit purchasing a Costa Rica property using the condo hotel business model?

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Ever since the Iran-Contra scandal people had this image of Central America as a dangerous area to visit and not friendly to northern Americans. But in the last 15 years Central America has been lifted out of this obscure, war torn, guerrilla war to a peaceful region. Sitting in the middle of most of the Central American drama is the democratic republic of Costa Rica which has no military and has been an important ally of the United States for the last 60 years. Once people got the idea out of their heads that Central America is a war zone, tourism began. Costa Rica where capitalism has prospered; was the first country to see its future and made the adjustments needed to attract an international tourism market. As a result, with political and economic stability, it is no secret why Costa Rica has become an area of foreign dwellers who are investing their money in second homes, vacation homes, and investment properties.

Today, Costa Rica has excellent and low cost healthcare, excellent private schools and prep schools, high speed internet on the ever increasing fiber optic network, low crime, and low taxes. All of these features continue to attract property investors and developers alike. DayStar Properties in Jaco has been at the forefront of this new market of buyers and investors. Lisle Head of Coldwell Banker Jaco has supported DayStar for years and has many clients who are happy investor with this developer. DayStar is one of the few operational projects that was born in the last 5 years when real estate growth took a turn for the skyrocket. If you are imagining buying at DayStar or any other project here in town you may wonder what next?

Now that you are here, walking on the beach during the sunset, having a drink beside the pool, enjoying lunch at the marina with friends, tee time at 6 for 18 holes and/or hiking in the rainforest is wonderful but for most people who are adventurous enough to purchase a property in Costa Rica they are going to want to discover more. So stay tuned for the second part of this article which addresses the opportunities here in Costa Rica for travel, adventure, and business opportunities that can keep your daily life rewarding and abundant.

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As a foreign investor there are several things you are going to need if you want to purchase a viable and solid piece of Costa Rica real estate. One of the things you always need to understand before signing your Costa Rica property contract is that there are many scam artists here. If you are not careful or you left your common sense at home you will be exposing yourself to undue risk. If you become a victim of real estate fraud you would be able to make a case for it with the government but it would take you years to reach any type of resolution. Therefore, you need to find an honest lawyer and real estate agent. Look for a lawyer who has many references and an agent that is accountable to a larger entity such as Coldwell Banker.

Second, you need to know every step of the Costa Rica real estate closing process so you can be sure when you leave the office, you have all of the papers and contracts you need to secure your property. For example, after you close it might be possible that some of the papers have been filled out wrong. The burden will then fall on you to correct the problem or you risk spending the first few years of your new Costa Rica vacation home with a cloud over your head. The easiest way to have your purchase contract declared invalid is not dealing with a tax lien on the property whether you knew about it or not. Again, if you use common sense in the beginning by working with professional organizations such as DayStar Properties in Jaco Costa Rica, your exposure to administrative problems is virtually zero!

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DayStar Properties La Paloma Blanca

The two most basic factors in choosing what property type is right for you is location and lifestyle. Here in Jaco Beach single family homes are scarce compared to the inventory of condominiums. As a result, Jaco Beach condos are always in demand and appreciate faster than the local vacation home market. Also, because your property is a vacation home that would mean maintenance and upkeep will not get your attention most of the year which makes a condo a better choice. Homeowner associations dues pay for general maintenance and security of your property which makes condos worry-free for owners which is very important when your vacation property is in another country. In addition, traditional families with young children choose single family homes for extra space for children to play. However, condos provide amenities such as swimming pools, tennis courts and large open areas to help families relax and play. Economically, the condo-hotel business model allows you to earn rental revenue which is not readily available for single family homes. However, there is far more to consider than location and lifestyle when deciding which type of Costa Rica vacation property is best for you.

The type of property ownership is a prime example of the differences between condos and single family homes. In the simplest terms, owners of single family homes are entitled to exclusive ownership, while most condo owners are subject to certain forms of shared ownership. Purchasing a single family homes provides you with exclusive ownership which allows you to do what you want on your property. Purchasing a Jaco Beach condo provides exlusive ownership within the condo but outside common areas are usually owned by the association and your condo is governed by a set of rules enforced by the same homeowner association which keeps your investment worry-free. If you chooose to purchase a condo, it is important to read the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs) before making a commitment. These documents include all the rules condo owners must follow and can vary widely between condo projects. If you have indoor pets or other specific needs, make sure these are addressed in the CC&Rs to prevent any unwanted surprises. If you don’t understand any part of the CC&Rs when purchasing a condo, Coldwell Banker Jaco Costa Rica can help clarify them for you. Also, Coldwell Banker Jaco broker/owner Lisle Head will not sell a condo which does not have a CCR and/or a set of unreasonable rules that would make condo ownership a burden rather than enjoyment. For this reason, Lisle sells DayStar Properties products. He says, “Not only is the construction quality excellent but the management is top class and their record of three operational projects proves this.”

While shared ownership of a condo might seem restrictive to potential investors, there are cerrtainly plenty of benefits. The obvious and most often forgotten benefit especially when the condo is in a foreign country is maintenance. A single family home owner is solely responsible for any problems with the properties, incurring all costs of needed repairs and for securing the property when it is not occupied to prevent any type of squatting. This is a forgone issue when owning Costa Rica property in the form of a condo. Finally, if you are considering which property type to invest in make sure you consider the revenue potential that the condo-hotel business model offers. It is true that there are many management companies that offer single family home owners services such as renting out the property and maintenance but they do not have the same motivation of a condo association. The homeowner association is collectively the custodian of your property and has a shared interest in keeping your property secure and in good condition which is a great relief to most investors when purchasing a property in a foreign country.

If you still have questions about which property is best for you to purchase here in Costa Rica, contact the DayStar Properties sales office here or you can contact Lisle Head at Coldwell Banker Jaco here. If you prefer to talk on the phone you can call DayStar Properties at 877-552-6825 or Coldwell Banker at 866-403-1345

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The tribunal, an administrative court under the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Technology (MINAET), ruled construction of the highway has affected the Barva aquifer, the Río Tárcoles and at least 20 streams and rivers along the route from Ciudad Colón, a town southwest of San José, to the town of Orotina, just inland from the central Pacific coast.

The court ordered “detailed studies” from the MINAET’s water department and the National Groundwater, Irrigation and Drainage Service (SENARA) before any work can continue.

Autopistas del Sol, the Spanish company carrying out the project, released a statement late Thursday in its defense. It said the court has followed “mistaken assumptions” in its ruling, claiming the project has stuck closely to Costa Rican environmental guidelines.

In May, construction workers cut a trench 15 to 20 meters deep near San Rafael de Alajuela, west of San José, despite plans that show the Barva aquifer rises to within five meters of the surface. Footage on Channel 7 news showed water pouring out of the ground in this area

Original source

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Among the objectives are to publicize the use and benefits of carbon footprint technologies and develop human resource capacity on mitigation, vulnerability and adaption, seeking alliances with specialized entities.

In addition, industrialists want to encourage for this sector, technological surveillance to identify the best and most economically attractive low carbon technologies.

The presentation was done as part of the business meeting on Climate Change for Latin America that took place in Costa Rica; a preparatory encounter for the 15^th session of the Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark next December.

The construction of the strategy of the strategy was developed jointly with the public sector and other interested parties which helped to reach a broader perspective of the possibilities and opportunity horizons.

“In the coming years the industrial sector will have to face new challenges, extremely demanding, forcing it to incorporate into its modus operandi substantial environmental considerations associated with climate change” said Juan Maria Gonzalez, President of the Chamber of Industrialists.

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Laura Chinchilla, the ruling Partido Liberación Nacional’s (PLN) candidate who stepped down from her post as vice president last fall to begin a race to the February 2010 presidential election, enjoys 43 percent of voter support. That’s 17 percentage points over her closest rival, Ottón Solís, who became known for his opposition to the free-trade agreement with the U.S. (DR-CAFTA) that Chinchilla’s boss, President Oscar Arias, fought to push forward. The founder of the Partido de Acción Ciudadana party, Solís lost by a hair to Arias in the 2006 vote.

The poll was published on August 19 by the daily La República, alongside an odd rendering of a race, with the candidates heads photo-shopped onto the bodies of marathon runners.

Chinchilla came out far ahead of Libertarian Otto Guevara (8 percent) and former President Rafael Angel Calderón of the Partido de Unidad Social Cristiana, who despite standing trial for alleged corruption still managed to muster 6 percent. Calderón told La República “internal surveys tell us that the Costa Ricans will give me their support when I’m declared innocent … after September 20.”

On the international stage, a Chinchilla win likely would mean a continuation of Arias’ resounding thumbs up to free trade, and not just with the superpower to the north. His administration currently is brokering trade deals with China, Singapore and the European Union.

At home, voters are hoping for a hard hand in the fight against crime—which has seen soaring rates in this historically nonviolent nation. Chinchilla’s caché as a former public security minister may shore up voter concern.

The CID-Gallup poll offers some more interesting tidbits. For starters, Chinchilla supporters have escaped the wrath of recession. They enjoy the same economic level as, if not a better one than, the year before, according to the poll.

Of the more than 1,000 people polled this month, 72 percent support the idea of a female president—a slight improvement from April, La República reported.

Although not the country’s first female presidential candidate, Chinchilla seems to be coming closer to San José’s Casa Presidencial than any woman before her, as she’s running on the ticket of a party that continues to ride on the popularity of its Nobel Peace Prize laureate leader, Arias.

Women’s rights groups have said Chinchilla’s success attests not only to her skill at politics and stacked resume, but also to the country’s hard-won women’s rights: Costa Rica obliges its parties to give at least 40 percent of electable posts to women. According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Costa Rica ranks 10th in the world in terms of the percentage of women in government. See Americas Quarterly’s recent policy update on gender quotas for more on the topic.

Costa Rica’s congress passed a law at the end of July aiming to raise that quota to 50 percent by 2014. So while Chinchilla’s would be a fresh face at the helm of this old Central American democracy, in the future the Ticos—as Costa Ricans call themselves—should get used to seeing more Ticas calling the shots.
Original Source

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