The A.M. Costa Rica newspaper, on May 22, ran an editorial written by someone identified only as "a tourism business owner," wherein the anonymous source took issue with President Oscar Arias declaring interest in increasing foreign investment in Costa Rica. Titled, "Government is inefficient and can’t be trusted," the article detailed a litany of complaints with bureaucracy that would be very familiar to people doing business in the United States and elsewhere. Yet, Arias is correct to propose increasing foreign investment in Costa Rica, which along with other initiatives of his and his predecessors prior to his reelection have resulted in Costa Rica having the highest standard of living and best overall quality of life in Central America.

According to the anonymous source, "Doing business in Costa Rica, unless you are a multinational company that gets special favors from the government, is one of the most challenging things a person can do, especially as far as small- and medium-sized businesses, which are actually the bread and butter of Costa Rica, whether owned by local folks or foreigners." Who could argue that running a small or medium sized business is not challenging anywhere? Interestingly, the writer complained about the lack of assistance available from the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo, which would suggest the writer wants more not less government. Isn’t there some merit to the claim that the government that governs best, governs least? Has Costa Rica reached an economic critical mass where small and medium sized businesses can expect to increasingly be included in bureaucratic largesse?

Some of the claims attributed to the anonymous writer seem ridiculous. "These businesses face obstacles so tremendous that getting a return on investment is near impossible," the anonymous source claimed. "Foreigners do not find any support from their embassies for the most part (unless, of course, they are multinational corporations) and the Ticos find little or no support from their governments, local or federal either." Regardless of size or location businesses should not expect a governmental guarantee of profit. And neither should foreign embassies be expected to guarantee profits. Twenty-five years ago U.S. foreign investors like Pat Dunn, who was recently killed trying to operate his new business in Manta, Ecuador went to Costa Rica not looking for government assistance, but rather a stable country free from the sort of big government seen in the U.S. at the local, state, and federal level.

The anonymous source made the over-the-top claim that roads and bridges were in ruins around Manuel Antonio. While damage from last year’s hurricanes remains reconstruction, further development, and economic expansion in the area continues. Property values there regardless of road condition are comparable to the coastal properties in the U.S. Homes in neighboring Quepos run a cool quarter mil U.S. The influx of foreign capital made that possible. The mark of Arias is well known the world over after he brokered the peace in Central America that resulted in his being awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1987.