Costa Rica
Measures
Seriousness Of
An Act By Days
As A National
Scandal
By John Holtz
Last week,
ending the 18Th
of April, has
been one of
those weeks
where you just
have to admire
how many lousy
decisions that
are simply bad
for business can
be packed into
seven days
including the
weekend.
Here in Costa
Rica, the police
entered the
autonomous,
almost sacred
University of
Costa Rica
resulting in a
week of massive
protests, some
violence and the
burning of tires
which smell like
hell and blocked
traffic, also,
we have had
unexpected
concert
cancellations
not once but
twice by the
same group, as
well the all new
and improved
traffic law went
into its final
revision after 2
years of
unrelenting
debate but is
back on the
table for the
new congress to
figure out. No
mortal can.
In Costa Rica,
we measure the
seriousness of
an act by the
number of days
it remains a
national
scandal. Then we
move on to new
scandals.
A five day
scandal, which
is big time as
far as scandal
times go, and
first on the
list of no
critical
thinking is the
police chase
into the
hallowed halls
of the
University of
Costa Rica which
resulted in
daily prolonged
and repetitious
news coverage
showing the same
demonstration
and riot scenes
over and over
again until I
had the rioters
and what they
would do next
memorized like a
script, two days
of heavy duty
traffic
disruption and,
of course, just
enough violence
that worked well
for the cameras.
Students,
professors,
staff, guards
even the rector
of the “U” have
made such a
scene out of
this apparent
violation of the
constitution…My
God will the
self-righteous
diatribe ever
end? However,
the “U” has been
hard pressed
this last year
for a cause ever
since Costa Rica
ratified, by
public vote, the
free trade CAFTA
agreement with
the United
Sates. However,
this week the
police managed
to give it up
for them.
This all
revolves around
the sting of a
traffic cop
taking a $39
bribe with
marked money.
Once the money
exchanged hands,
Costa Rica’s
finest moved in
for the big take
down.
Rather than a
nice clean
surrender, the
corrupt traffic
cop ran like
hell into the
university
campus and in
hot pursuit so
did the police.
Therein is the
bad judgment.
Well, sort off
but not totally.
Universities in
Costa Rica are
guaranteed to be
autonomous as
are almost all
other
universities in
Central America.
The reasoning is
that in the 70s
and 80s
right-wing
governments made
no bones about
arresting, often
times torturing
and usually
incarcerating if
not killing
students and
professors who
would demand
such basic
freedoms like
speech, voting,
walking in the
streets after
dark, playing
protest music ,
reading out
loud, etc.
With sincere
pride, I say
none of those
horrific
conditions ever
came to pass in
Costa Rica.
Think, what if,
God please
forbid, this was
not a cheap ass
traffic cop
taking a bribe
but rather a gun
toting maniac
like at Virginia
Tech escaping
into the
labyrinth of
academia? Should
the police stop
at the school’s
front gate,
telephone the
main office,
wait for a
decision that
certainly would
require a
healthy debate
among the
administrators
and deans as
well as a little
coffee and snack
on the side and
get an O.K or
hurry and go get
the guy?
(Remember, we
debate
everything until
nobody cares
anymore or can’t
remember what
the subject
was.)
Do not forget,
the police were
in pursuit from
the outside in,
not the inside
out. Do the cops
need permission
to enter when
chasing a crook,
or a killer? Is
the university
autonomous,
sovereign or a
sanctuary? Ah,
this is the five
day scandal
question that
will probably
disappear next
week for
something else
like we need to
fill in the
gigantic
potholes on the
road to Santa
Teresa.
Next on the not
so smart but
expensive list;
a three day
scandal already
forgotten by the
weekend except
for those who
are owed money.
The cancellation
not once but two
times of the
highly
anticipated Guns
N Roses concert!
Why the
cancellation?
Is the main man
Axle more nuts
than nuts? After
all, we are the
oldest democracy
in Latin
America, have no
military, 19%
our land is
eco-protected
and anyone who
comes here for
any reason is
reminded of
this,
frequently. Sort
of like the
Costa Rica
mantra.
It seems the
local production
company wanted
to milk the
concert for all
it was worth and
that was plenty
with a 15,000
sold out venue.
To make sure of
big bucks,
senior
management
decided to hire
on some totally
inexperienced
and cheap labor
to build a
stage. It did
not take long
for the Guns N
Roses guys, who
have been to
this type of
rodeo before, to
recognize there
was a
reasonable, if
not likelihood
the stage was
going to
collapse.
Especially when
their technical
director saw the
overhead lights
tilt to the west
end of the stage
and the stage
itself slowly
sinking into mud
from a recent
rain.
But, Axle, the
good guy he is,
gave the
production
company a second
chance and
another concert
date the night
after the first
cancellation. A
can do
situation!
Hurriedly, “28
Producciones”
found a new
location, almost
as good as the
first. But,
instead of
re-building the
huge stage with
experienced
people they went
back to the
beginners again
and the rest of
the story just
speaks for
itself. A second
and permanent
cancellation
which is
reported to cost
the production
company close to
$ 1million if
all debts and
tickets are to
be refunded not
to mention Costa
Rica shame for
lousy management
that can be read
on Facebook and
Twitter.
Next, just a two
day scandal that
in reality has
gone on for
years but in
many different
forms.
The is the all
new traffic
revised reform
set of laws that
actually went
into effect
March1, 2010,
the purpose of
which is lost
among the
thinkers and
shakers because
it was first
brought to mind
in 2008. And,
this week we
were informed of
emanate passage
of the final
revised reform
to the original
reform law and
that did not
happen. The mess
has now been
handed over to
Sala Cuarta
(Supreme Court)
to see if any of
the reform laws
or the revisions
to the traffic
reform laws are,
in fact,
constitutional.
Better late than
never is our
motto.
Meanwhile, the
March 1 version
is in effect and
very few if
anyone totally
understands it.
Rather than get
into each detail
check this. The
national
assembly of
deputies in
their infinite
wisdom decided
to do away with
the point system
while cutting
the outrageous
fines by 50% on
average.
However, even at
that, the
traffic fine
schedule is
hefty indeed.
The point system
was originally
structured much
like the US,
Canada and
Europe that if
the driver would
get too many
infraction
points, her/his
license would be
taken away or at
least suspended.
Now, while the
fines have
dramatically
increased, if
you have the
money, hell, run
the red light,
drive drunk and
go ahead and
mush a
pedestrian. It’s
only cash, you
know.
With the new
high end fines,
in the month of
March there have
already seen
three traffic
police officers
arrested for
taking bribes
and one causing
a five day
scandal by
seeking refuge
inside a
university.
Think about this
combination:
$100 to almost
$200 for a
parking ticket,
an officer of
the law who
earns $600 per
month tops and
three $20 bills
in your wallet.
That’s a lethal
formula, right?
“Critical
Thinking” is not
an art but
rather a learned
behavior. All
these guys
should take that
course at ULACIT
and ask for
Silvia Castro
who has a good
handle on it.
Tell her I sent
you!
John Holtz is the Executive Director of
theCenter for
the Studies of
Modern
Management
www.modernmanagement.org and can
be reached at:
[email protected]. |
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