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Incompetency is always a problem anywhere in the world, but it seems that in Costa Rica, it is endemic. My 15 year old step-son has Cerebral Palsy and because of his handicap, any vehicle brought into the country for him is exonerated by law from duties. The problem is, once the vehicle was shipped and arrived in Costa Rica(March 25), the necessary paper work to get it out of customs stayed on desks for weeks, if not months. His mother had him examined in early March by a GOVERNMENT doctor to certify that he did have Cerebral Palsy. It took the government doctor SIX WEEKS to sign the document certifying that he could not drive. Why he didn’t sign it at the moment makes no sense to me. And this was after REPEATED CALLS to him. Then the person who received the letter at the Government Handicapped Idiocracy went on vacation and NO ONE could give the letter to his mother until she returned. The vehicle had to be in the boy’s name, which it was. Even though the document was signed, whoever signed it failed to put it in the computer, which caused a further delay at customs, because the person who did that was on vacation. Finally, the head of the Aduana went on vacation and he couldn’t authorize anyone to do the paper work until he returned. After 30 some trips to San Jose, and countless phone calls, the van with his wheelchair inside, finally was picked up from customs on May 18th, but not until storage fees were paid in excess of $600. All this could have been handled in maybe one week providing employees of the government would do what they are paid to do. In the U.S., someone probably would have gone “Postal” on these employees. Patience is a virtue, and in Costa Rica a necessity.
“Patience is a virtue” is an expression that are all familiar with but yes! It has a very much more significant meaning living in Costa Rica…
I moving house (finished today) and had to change the cable internet company as my existing provider did not provide their servicdes in the new area.
Being the paranoid that I am (just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get me…) I confirmed with both Amnet (cable TV/internet) and RACSA (telephone) that my service was good until I sent them a fax authorizing them to terminate the service – Sure they said! No problem.
Two days later they disconnected me… And after four hours of telephone calls between me, my girlfriend, Amnet and RACSA we were re-connected. We still do not know exactly why they disconnected me.
I am in front of this comnputer for a mninimum of ten hours per day – my company independently contracts with three full-time employees and pays half a dozen other people for a variety of services so being online is important.
A GREAT DEAL OF PATIENCE IS INDEED A VIRTUE!
Having said that… I find that once all the organizational stuff has been done, you’re pretty much left alone to live and enjoy life. I’ve had two cold calls in seven years – I receive NO JUNK MAIL at all and have never felt more free and content than I do now …
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comI sympathize completely with mcpeake’s frustration over the handling of his stepson’s van, but as a retired public servant I can assure you that such stories are hardly confined to Costa Rica. I could tell you things about Michigan state government that would make your jaw drop. Sadly, there as here, few organizations (public or private) make provision for contingencies — vacations, emergencies, etc. I could tell you an amazing story about trying to get a Norfolk, Virginia Nissan dealer to get my new car registered in North Carolina.
And, Scott, I can top your telephone/Internet story. When we were leaving Michigan, I called MCI who provided our local telephone and asked them to discontinue service thirty days hence. They assured me that they would — thirty days hence. And, sure enough, the very next day the phone was disconnected.
When I called MCI, they explained (1)that they always disconnect the next day(!?!) and (2)they couldn’t reconnect, as that is the job of Michigan Bell whom I would have to pay $30 to and from whom we would get a new number. Apparently, when we moved to MCI they came to own the number we’d had for twenty-three years, but they could not reassign it to us. And for the privilege of being subjected to this insanity, MCI charged us $30 which I refused to pay.
So it ain’t just Costa Rica.
(And if you would like more examples, I could go on and on . . . and on.)
One technique that I am trying is to simply lower any expectations I may have about Costa Rican efficiency. After a lifetime of living in the most efficient, yet hurried and heart attack prone country in the world, (the U.S.), I have no illusions as to what to expect in a place like Costa Rica.
Living with latins in Miami has taught me some valuable lessons. For example, if you want people to show up at 7 PM, make the invitation for 4 PM. I hear that Costa Ricans may even show up the following day.
I have read quite a bit on this topic. But reading about something is not the same as living it. I have yet to discover just how I will feel about things after I have lived in Costa Rica for a while. There are always cons to be digested with the pros. I am counting on the pros far out weighing the cons.The port of Limon is notoriously dysfunctional. If ANYTHING unusual comes in it can take months to clear customs. Often the people there cannot tell you why OR what you may have done wrong OR what you need to do next. I suspect that freight expediters really earn their fees.
Part of the problem is that I think Ticos TRY to follow all the rules and they have many conflicting rules. It is not unusual to have conflicting rules but I think they take it seriously in CR. In the US if there are two conflicting rules people see it as a choice and pick the rule that works. It is a different attitude toward authority. In CR no one wants to make that decision so things can and do often come to a standstill.
While Ticos like to avoid conflict on one hand it is not unusual for them to “denounce” their neighbor (make a complaint to the authorities) about something they are doing wrong. This can include operating a business without bathroom facilities for employees to leaving orchards unattended (possibly creating a situation where pests could thrive). And the authorities take these complaints seriously. I don’t think this is common of all Ticos but I have heard of a few that make it their business to make their neighbors miserable. I suspect this creates an air of big brother is watching among Civil servants. Who then will not make any decision on their own. . .
It is a different society. While it is slow and sometimes dysfunctional I prefer it to the Mexican system where any problem can be cleared up quickly with a few pesos.
mcpeake – I am trying to import a handicap converted vehicle into CR as well.
Please tell me how you did it. Do you have the name of a lawyer that could do the paperwork or did you do it yourself?
I have been told that by one lawyer that the law was repealed and there is no exemption and I have also been told bring the vehicle in and “no problem we can put it through.”
Now I have the vehicle here and the second lawyer will no longer take my calls!Possibly it is more work than he is willing to put forth?
Any help you can provide would be most welcome.
Alberto
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