With the New Year one would expect of course many changes, yet they all seem to be coming up in a slow pace in Costa Rica. The first thing Playa Conchal Guanacastethat appeared was a phantom increase in the telephonic bills that ICE established without permission of the ARESEP, it was found that the increase included both cellular phone rates and land phones rates and it was as much as a 10%.

 

In other news, The Terminal movie story is being lived at the Juan Santamaria Airport where a Cuban man has been living for the past 33 days, the 40 year old electrician cannot be deported but his entrance is also forbidden since he came into Costa Rica with fake documentation. The man will remain in the Costa Rica airport until he is declared a refugee.

 

Another big change are the free transportation tickets the Costa Rica government provides to senior citizens, which, due to inconsistencies will no longer be given away, from now on the CCSS will allow senior citizens the right for free transportation by having them present their ID card to bus drivers instead.

 

Also, Costa Rica will have their president elections in 2010 so many pre-candidates to the presidency have stated working on their campaigns included San Jose’s Mayor Johnny Araya and the very well known Laura Chinchilla, along with them former Costa Rica deputy Epsy Campbell, by the way things look, Costa Rica will probably have its first woman president very soon.

 

In Costa Rica tourism news there isn’t much to say, the hectic holidays may be over, but hundreds of people are still enjoying their vacation in the Puntarenas and Guanacaste beaches, a lot less crowded now if I may add.