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I was in bumper to bumper traffic crawling along. Scott seems to think and I agree with him, that someone in the Bandito car behind me got out when traffic was stopped, came up to my car, saw the suitcase and at this point, slipped something under my tyre.
One other thing I have learned is: Daihatsu Terios (the car I rented) is used almost exclusively (95%) by tourist (red flag). Locals wont buy them for this reason. The others are: Toyota Rav4 and Mitsubishi Montero. These are TARGET CARS.
My point is, we have to take responsibility for our own well being and safety. Not expect others to do this for us. If it takes a gun, cricket bat or wet noodle, it’s your choice and mine. I prefer to not be a victim.
Hi Lotus, I gather from your postings that you possibly feel that no one will harm you unless you harm them first and the Police will be there at the first sign of trouble. Unfortunately evil knows no bounds but needs to be dealt with. In the Tico Times Letters to the Editor April 13, 2007, Henry Kantrowitz of
Quebrada Ganado wrote:An Appeal to Arias:
Crack Down on Crime
Dear Tico Times:
This is an open letter to President Oscar Arias:I applaud your efforts to try to eliminate armies of the world and to promote peace. Costa Rica stands out as a great example of a country without an army. The problem is we don’t have a real police force in Costa Rica to keep any civility. This war is between the residents living in Costa Rica and the thieves here.
Here is a scenario of the police force in Tárcoles that is similar to what is occurring throughout the central Pacific and elsewhere in the country:We have been robbed three times in the past two months, each time the scenario worsened. The first time they broke in through the bars while we were out and stole our laptop and other items. The police arrived, asked for our names and what was stolen. They wrote down some of the information on a torn piece of paper. I asked the officer his name and he responded that that wasn’t necessary. I asked who was his boss and he told me he
was the boss. After several attempts he finally gave me his name.The next time, the thieves poisoned our
dog and broke into our small bodega while I was on the property, down by our creek. The police never came when called.The third time was the most horrific. I was out of town and my wife was alone. The thieves cut the outside phone line. They evidently had loosened the bars the night before. At 4 a.m. they stormed our
bedroom screaming. It was dark. My wife pushed one of them back, then they began to beat her with something like a baseball bat until she was almost out. After that they strangled her until they thought she was dead. They took her pulse several times. After they thought she was dead they sexually assaulted her. They then proceeded to steal many items. Afterward, the police came. Their procedure was: “What is your name?” They wrote it down, misspelled, and then left. They asked nothing else. We spoke to a couple from Argentina. They told us that the word in South America is, if you are a thief move to Costa Rica because you won’t get caught, and if you are you won’t be prosecuted. President Arias, it is time to get serious about the out-of-control crime problem in this country. No, we don’t want an army, but we do need a police department that serves the people and brings safety to all communities. We are residents and have been involved in conservation and living here for over 17 years. We have moved out of our own house and are now thinking about leaving and going back to the United States and spreading the word that Costa Rica is not a safe place to live or visit.
Henry Kantrowitz
Quebrada GanadoNo one should ever be subjected to this form of treatment or fear being treated in this manner. Obviously they got bolder each time because they knew they had a soft target. If they were to have known that there was a possibility of a firearm on the premises, I don’t believe any of this would have happened. It is not a matter of using a gun to change peoples attitudes, just the fear of the possibility that someone is armed has been found to be the greatest deterrent.
You mention some one soiling Bermuda Shorts from fear of being robbed. I am Bermudian, I live on the island, I wear Bermuda Shorts and robberies happen here on a regular basis. We are now up to about 2 gun murders a year and numerous other gun incidents. We have 60,000 people. We have very strict gun laws (no guns for anyone), only the criminals have guns. At lease the Police here are not very far away as opposed to a country like Costa Rica which have vast rural areas which the Police probably can’t find anyway. And there’s the distinct possibility of a language barrier if you are a foreign resident.
I would say that if you are prepared to live in rural Costa Rica, you should be prepared to protect yourself however you choose. Thankfully the Costarican government has trusted their citizenship to be responsible with gun ownership. The Swiss have very low gun incidents and it is mandatory to keep firearms there. It is all about using common sense and being responsible. Sorry for the long posting.
Scott had a lovely Log Home on this site for about a year at a very reasonable price. Well under $100,000. Why it remained for sale so long baffles me because, we bought it. Thanks again Scott. James.
I beg to differ with some of the comments made here about the lack of biting insects.
When we were in San Pedro and Orosi last year, it wasn’t Mosquitos but nasty little blood sucking flies that live in the lawn grass that made my legs look like a leftover dinner. I should have used the OFF beforehand. Can someone tell me what these things are?
Several years ago we went to a lovely restaurant just outside of Canas and the first thing the waiter bought to the table, was a can of OFF.
I must admit, I cannot recall being bothered by Mosquitos whilst in bed. I am not normally bothered by these critters, so it came as a shocker when I was attacked. My wife who was with me was actually left untouched. Go figure.
Edited on Nov 26, 2006 13:19
Hi, no I was using my original Bermuda phone number.
What I found interesting was, when in Costa Rica, I didn’t have to use the 506 area code, I just dialed the local number. My phone behaved as if it was a Costa Rican phone and when I called Bermuda I had to use the 441 area code.
I think the reason this has happened to you is because your phone is locked to your service provider. Otherwise the chip your driver inserted wouldn’t have worked either. It has been mentioned on this forum that if you are not sure if your phone will work abroad, check with your service provider before leaving home. You have a GSM phone and you should be able to use it world wide.
As I said in my previous posting, I turned my phone on in the Juan Santa Maria Airport baggage hall upon arrival and was able to call home without any problems. I never went to any ICE stores / offices to get my phone turned on and to have it work.
If you already have an Unlocked, Multi Frequency GSM cell phone. It will work in Costa Rica. Just bring it in turn it on and like magic, it works. Ours was our lifeline when we were there at the beginning of this year. We had no problems. We were in Atenas, San Ramón, San Perdo, Alajuela, Cartago and Orosi. We had perfect reception through out our visit, weather or not we were speaking with someone in Costa Rica or back home. We will be back in January and again we will bring our own phone.
Edited on Nov 08, 2006 13:49
Have you spoken to anyone in the Craft Town of Sarchi? We visited furniture stores here where everything is hand made. There was a king size bed head and footboard which was heavily carved in one shop. Exquisite. I spoke with the carver and I believe he said this took him 4 months to do. It was very pricey. I mention this because if there is someone in Costa Rica who can do what you require, Sarchi is where I would start. Coming from San Jose I believe it was the first furniture store along this road. I hope this helps.
If you have an immediate relative in the U.K., mother father or grand parent, you would be entitled to a U.K. / EU passport. I am sure that you have already considered this. In the event you haven’t…………….
Hi Bill, here is the latest from the Tico Times on the Immigration Law.
Confusion and conflict continue to surround
the new Immigration Law, but one
thing became clear this week: foreigners
aren’t likely to notice any difference after it
goes into effect next week.
The Executive Branch, which has criticized
the law passed by the previous administration,
submitted a bill to the Legislative
Assembly that would delay it until December
2007.
Legislators say there’s no way they can
approve it in time, but that might not matter.
Immigration Director Mario Zamora
told The Tico Times that regardless of
whether the law’s start date is postponed,
Immigration simply cannot comply with the
law because officials don’t have ¢7 billion
($13.6 million) for the new police, infrastructure
and administrative reforms the law
demands.
“No one’s obliged to do the impossible,”
he said.
These developments were met with relief
from critics of the law, who say it’s extreme
and potentially violates human rights.
Others say the country desperately needs the
new measures.
“I’m absolutely against the administration’s
position,” said Oscar Lopez, the only
legislator from the Access Without Exclusion
Party (PASE). “There’s no room for any
more immigrants here” Costa Rica is for
Costa Ricans.”
A Change of Direction
The General Law of Immigration,
approved in 2005, has been years in the
making. First proposed in February 2001 by
the administration of President Miguel
Angel Rodreguez (1998-2002), the bill was
designed to update Costa Rica’s 1986
immigration codes by giving police greater
freedom to find and deport illegal immigrants.
The law allows police to enter companies
and review payrolls and documentation
related to the hiring of foreigners; levy
increased penalties for companies that hire
illegal workers, ranging from $600-$3,600;
and fine people who provide housing to people
living here illegally. It also includes
administrative changes within Immigration
to boost its efficiency.
While the assembly discussed the law,
various migrant rights groups asked legislators
to consider changes. The Catholic
Church proposed changes to the law in
December 2003, and the Forum on Migrant
Populations – a group led by the
Ombudsman’s Office – followed suit with a
45-page document suggesting modifications.
“Our suggestions were paid little attention,”
said Angel San Casimiro Fernandez,
president of the Church’s social outreach
organization, Caritas. “Unfortunately, the
same occurred with the contributions
made by public universities, the
Ombudsman’s Office and organizations of
civil society.”
The law was approved in October and
published Dec. 12 of last year in the official
government daily La Gaceta, with the provision
that the government had eight
months to put the law into effect. During
those eight months, however, a new
President, Oscar Arias, and 57 new legislators
were elected and took office. In June,
Rodrigo Arias, the President’s brother and
spokesman, confirmed the administration
would ask the assembly to approve a 16-
month delay to discuss possible changes to
the law.
Fernando Berrocal, who, as Public
Security Minister, oversees the General
Immigration Administration, said in late
June that the Executive Branch would probably
form a commission with representatives
from various sectors to discuss modifying
the new law. However, the primary reasons
given for the delay were economic.
“It’s absolutely impossible for this
administration to put (the law) in practice,”
Berrocal said. “The money doesn’t exist. The
corresponding budgetary preparations
weren’t made.”
According to Berrocal and Immigration
Director Zamora, the primary expenditures
the law requires include building detention
centers for illegal immigrants, hiring at least
565 addition Immigration police (an
increase from 35 to 600), buying additional
vehicles and improving the organization’s
infrastructure.
Zamora said the law passed last year
indicated it is up to Immigration to draw
up a special budget for the extra funds
needed, which he did upon taking office in
mid-May. However, the Finance Ministry
informed him Immigration wouldn’t get
any so many funding this year or next,
Zamora said.
He compared the situation to passing a
law making university attendance mandatory,
but not taking into account the fact that
the country’s universities don’t have room
for so many students.
“It puts us between a rock and a hard
place,” he said. “If the previous government
wanted this law to be applied, why didn’t
they leave (funds)?”
Earlier in the week he told the daily La
Nacion, “It’s one more case of a law that’s not
complied with.”
Rodrigo Arias said yesterday that the
government will “do whatever is possible” to
comply with the law while waiting for the
delay to be approved.
Pros and Cons
Monsignor San Casimiro said the
Church considers the government’s attempt
to delay the law “not only correct, but opportune,”
because it will allow the government
to “obtain the necessary resources for its
implementation” and “open the discussion
of some significant changes to the content of
the law.” He said the country does need a
new immigration law, but the version set to
take effect Aug. 12 “does little for the country’s
traditions of respect and promotion of
human rights.”
Gustavo Gatika, Caritas’ director of
immigration affairs, said Zamora’s comments
about the difficulties of applying the
law are “prudent and sensible” and “in tune
with what the President has said about the
law: that it has omissions.”
According to Martha Isabel Cranshaw,
coordinator of the Nicaraguan Migration
Network, the law would have dire effects for
both Nicaraguans and Costa Ricans. An estimated
150,000 Nicaraguans, 45,000 of
whom are minors, are living illegally in
Costa Rica, according to Cranshaw.
“Costa Rica has to accept that Nicaraguans
working in Costa Rica are a reality.
It fills an economic need for both countries,”
she said. “No one benefits from mass deportation.
It violates the rights of the
Nicaraguans, and it would be economic suicide
for Costa Rica.”
Business owners in the construction
and agricultural sectors often depend on
Nicaraguan laborers to support their
industries. Gabriela Lobo, director of the
Coffee Growers’ Chamber, told The Tico
Times she’s pleased by the government’s
actions. Last year, part of the coffee harvest
was lost because of a worker shortage, she
said.
“We agree there should be legislation
that regulates immigration, but we think
(the government) should look for more flexible
mechanisms,” she added.
However, legislators such as Lopez and
Jose Manuel Echandi, of the National Union
Party (PUN), oppose the government’s
stance. Echandi, a former Ombudsman who
criticized the Immigration Law during his
term as the “defender of the inhabitants,” as
the post is literally translated from Spanish,
says it may have flaws, but economic reasons
are not a valid reason to ignore it. According
to Echandi, legislators should study whether
the law violates the Constitution or international
treaties and, if so, take those issues
before the Constitutional Chamber of the
Supreme Court (Sala IV), but simply delaying
or failing to implement the legislation is
not the answer.
“The law was approved by the assembly.
It’s not acceptable that now the Executive
Branch says it doesn’t have a budget to put it
into effect,” he said. “This country urgently
needs an immigration policy.”
What’s Ahead
The bill to delay the new law, presented
July 27 by the Executive Branch, was published
yesterday in the official government
daily La Gaceta, meaning that the Social
Affairs Commission can now begin to examine
it. Rodrigo Arias said it will occupy the
top spot on that commission’s agenda, but
according to commission president Ofelia
TaitelBaum, that doesn’t mean it will be
approved next week.
She used the word of choice for the
Immigration Law, “impossible,” to define the
bill’s chance of being approved on time. To
comply with assembly regulations, the group
must wait five days starting yesterday to begin
discussing the bill in their Tuesday and
Wednesday meetings to give legislators time
to study it. As with all new bills, the assembly’s
Technical Services department must also
review the text, which will take about a week.
Once discussion begins, any legislator
who wishes to ask outside sources, such as
the Sala IV, Immigration or other authorities,
for their assessment of the bill can delay
approval, she said – and “we have a ton of
holidays this month; that’s one of the things
going against us.”
Commission member Lopez says he’ll do
anything within his power to keep the delay
from moving forward. Cases before the Sala
IV, motions to reform the bill, or even lawsuits
against Zamora should he fail to
enforce the law are all options he says he’ll
consider.
“I’ll use all possible legal means to ensure
that the Immigration Law is put in practice
in Costa Rica with the necessary rigor,” he
said.
Asked why the Executive Branch didn’t
submit the bill earlier, given the time needed
to approve it, TaitelBaum was at a loss.
“I have no idea,” she said.”Maybe there
was a delay.Nica Times Editor Tim Rogers and Tico Times
reporters Leland Baxter-Neal and Maria
Gabriela Diaz contributed to this story.Hi Linda, here are a few sites to get you started.
There, this should keep you surfing for a long time. I have many more. I cannot vouch for their creditability but it somewhere for you to start looking. Scott is the best source to verify Real Estate firms. I would also suggest that you purchase a copy of Scott’s book How to Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa before signing or putting out any hard cash.
James.
Thanks Scott for reminding me of the above article which I did read sometime back but forgot.
If you know of dealers who sell “new from the factory vehicles”, maybe you can post them here for those who desire newer transport.
When we settle in Costa Rica, I will be looking for the older robust 4X4 vehicle like the Land Rover Defender pre 1995 or Toyota Land Cruiser similar vintage. These vehicles, with a good Workshop Manuel and parts, you can do all or the work yourself. They are also somewhat easier to determine conditions of vehicle structure and engine soundness. They were built simple and reliable.
Hi Jerry, I must admit they both appear to be used car dealers. What caught my eye is that some are 2006 models. It doesn’t mean that they aren’t used. I would suppose you would need to contact them for more information which their sites are lacking. One has to keep in mind that in Costa Rica some things are done differently. One way I feel they could possibly sell new cars is by going through a middle man, which of course would drive the cost up. From what I understand, new cars in Costa Rica are very expensive, this could be a reason why but I know that the government tax is horrendous. I don’t know how else they would go about selling new vehicles without being a registered dealer.
James.
