May 27, 2010
Ambassador replies to MM's remarks about Costa Rica
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I THANK Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew for his reference to the abolition of the army in Costa Rica in last Friday's report ( 'MM Lee: US base in Japan boosts stability').
MM Lee was reported to have stated that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the President of Costa Rica for disbanding the army, but this is not accurate.
The army was dissolved on Dec 1, 1948 by the then President Jose Figueres as 'a precaution against the militarism that has undercut or perennially thwarted democracy in Central America'.
The move also allowed for the allocation of more resources to education and health, indicators that Costa Rica stands for today on the world stage.
The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize was President Oscar Arias Sanchez, who ruled Costa Rica from 1986 to 1990 and from 2006 to 2010.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his efforts to achieve peace in Central America, which was then involved in armed conflicts and instability.
On May 8, President Arias relinquished his office to Ms Laura Chinchilla, who is Costa Rica's first woman President.
I also respectfully disagree with MM Lee's remark that our leaders did not have to worry about neighbouring countries attacking Costa Rica because we had no wealth to talk about.
We have great wealth, it is everywhere, and Costa Ricans have been looking after it for the past 40 years. Our wealth is green, represented by 4.5 per cent of the biodiversity known to date; all in a territory which constitutes only 0.03 per cent of the world.
Juan F. Cordero A.
Ambassador of Costa Rica
to Singapore
Ambassador replies to MM's remarks about Costa Rica
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<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
I THANK Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew for his reference to the abolition of the army in Costa Rica in last Friday's report ( 'MM Lee: US base in Japan boosts stability').
MM Lee was reported to have stated that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the President of Costa Rica for disbanding the army, but this is not accurate.
The army was dissolved on Dec 1, 1948 by the then President Jose Figueres as 'a precaution against the militarism that has undercut or perennially thwarted democracy in Central America'.
The move also allowed for the allocation of more resources to education and health, indicators that Costa Rica stands for today on the world stage.
The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize was President Oscar Arias Sanchez, who ruled Costa Rica from 1986 to 1990 and from 2006 to 2010.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his efforts to achieve peace in Central America, which was then involved in armed conflicts and instability.
On May 8, President Arias relinquished his office to Ms Laura Chinchilla, who is Costa Rica's first woman President.
I also respectfully disagree with MM Lee's remark that our leaders did not have to worry about neighbouring countries attacking Costa Rica because we had no wealth to talk about.
We have great wealth, it is everywhere, and Costa Ricans have been looking after it for the past 40 years. Our wealth is green, represented by 4.5 per cent of the biodiversity known to date; all in a territory which constitutes only 0.03 per cent of the world.
Juan F. Cordero A.
Ambassador of Costa Rica
to Singapore