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Tag: Laura Chinchilla

Free Trade Zone in Caribbean to Break Ground

Written by Costa Rica Las Villas on . Posted in Costa Rica Business, Government, Laura Chinchilla.

Source: www.Ticotimes.net

Promoters of the first free-trade zone in the Caribbean province of Limón will break ground this month. The free-trade zone, to be located in the community of Búfalo, will be large enough to host the manufacturing operations of 12 companies.

The free-trade zone will be administered by Guanazul JRV S.A.

The new zone comes after a December 2009 reform of the law governing areas that provide incentives such as tax breaks to attract companies to set up operations in less developed and less populated areas of the country. Most of the 247 companies operating in free-trade zones are based in the Central Valley.

Free-trade zones offer companies the opportunity to import and export goods without barriers such as quotas or tariffs. Countries use them to attract foreign investment, critical for developing countries like Costa Rica. In 2008, companies operating in free-trade zones in Costa Rica accounted for $4.98 billion in exports, more than 54 percent of the country’s total.

To start operations in the new Limón free-trade zone, a minimum investment of $100,000 is required.

Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla recently said she aims to bring in $9 billion in foreign direct investment during her presidential term.

The nearest free trade zone for residents of The Village of San Buenas real estate development is located in Golfito. Golfito is an easy 1.5 hour drive from San Buenaventura.

Time Magazine Announces Chinchilla as Top 10 Female Leader

Written by Costa Rica Las Villas on . Posted in Costa Rica Business, Costa Rica history, Costa Rica Pictures, Laura Chinchilla.

Original: http://www.ticotimes.net/daily_paid/dailynewsarchive/2010_09/090910.htm#story4

By Adam Williams
Tico Times Staff | [email protected]
Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla was recognized as one of the “Top 10 Female Leaders” by Time magazine on Wednesday. She was ranked No. 10 on the list, which appears on Time’s website, www.time.com.

Here is a link to the article in Time: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2005455_2005458_2005480,00.html

Julia Gillard, the recently elected prime minister of Australia, topped the list, which also included Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia and Africa’s first female president. All 10 women on the list are either their nation’s president or prime minister.

Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla
MAYELA LOPEZ / AFP / GETTY

A brief biography of each of those honored appears on the Time website. Chinchilla’s biography includes that she is the first woman president in the history of Costa Rica, follows Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias in office, took 47 percent of the popular vote in the February election and is a social conservative, and that the focus of her administration is limiting crime and enhancing security. The biography also mentions that Chinchilla opposes gay marriage, abortion and legalization of the morning-after pill.

In a statement released Wednesday night, Chinchilla said, “It is a great honor to be recognized in Time magazine, not only for me personally, but also for our country and its commitment to gender equality. It gives me great satisfaction, but it is also a great acknowledgement for Costa Rica and all of the men and women who have fought to make it possible for Costa Rica to have a woman president.”