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I was wondering whether anyone had an opinion on the proposed Puerto Viejo Marina?
It seems odd that the Costa Rican Government would agree to such a large scale
project, with it’s potential for serious ecosystem damage (this project would encompass
an entire “public beach” with slips for 398 boats). Anyone who has owned a large
boat knows the potential for antifouling paint leaching, sewerage disposal, and
oil/diesel leaks. Since this sort of project has presented problems on the west
coast of Costa Rica, is it not predictable that the same problems will occur again?
The allure of the Caribbean side is related to it’s pristine beaches, as well as
excellent surfing, and it’s special ambiance. Why would this be risked in order
to make a profit for a private consortium of developers? The meeting held concerning
this issue on Feb 12, and it’s negative outcome should leave no doubt as to the feelings of the people who actually live in the area.I agree with your sentiments here and I’ll be watching this one closely to see how much footing the powerful money has in CR right now. The government has to maintain a delicate balance between ecological preservation and economic progress for citizens. The easy and quick path seems to be to invest more in colonial style tourism where the rich are invited to play in CR with all their toys just as they would back in their home countries.
I can tell you that since the news first hit a few months ago, I was very worried and asked some friends from Puerto Viejo how the community felt. Don’t be so convinced that the whole community is against this. There are some that have been convinced that this will bring much needed work, business opportunities to the area and better their roads which if you know the area, you know just how dusty and hole ridden they are–mostly being dirt roads. However, even those that are for some type of marina are not keen on the size nor type of project they had proposed and are asking to see proof/written contracts as to the benefits they are being promised. For example, they were told that this would provide construction work, but since much of what they plan to do there would require great technical skill, the fulfillment of this promise is HIGHLY unlikely since this type of project is not typical for CR and so they asked them to provide the name of the construction company that will be working there and supposedly doing the hiring — something that they did not do (last I checked). The people in Puerto Viejo have been very savvy about dealing with some of the biggest transnational companies in the world and it’s my hope that they will not just roll over and will make sure that they’re environmental future is not flushed down the toilet for a few ‘golden’ economic opportunities they may perceive and maybe even gain for a few years. If there is any one group that I trust to keep vigilant about stuff like this in CR, it would have to be the PV contingency (and communities on down–town & business people alike)…They are currently getting together in PV and in Bribri, formally and informally to get the information and to make educated decisions…Growing pains are always difficult, but unfortunately, sometimes innevitable, but they certainly can be done more on their terms and with more real than just promised benefits…
You are very correct that this will be an ecological disaster. How do you cover over a beach and all of the coral in the adjacent sea without this causing a problem, not to mention that the risk for oil spills and other toxins that would invariably & uncontrolably become part of these waters and spread out (based on currents) towards some of the most beautiful beaches that CR has?? I can’t imagine loosing Playa Negra to this, but we’ll have to see how this story unfolds…
If you would like to get more info and offer any assistance in this matter, you can talk to Gloria Marchiori from Escape Caribeño Hotel via email: escapec@racsa.co.cr, http://www.escapecaribeno.com, 506-750-0103 — She’s an Italian expat that has lived & worked there for quite a few years now and is incredibly well informed and active in the community and you can also contact ATEC via email: atecmail@racsa.co.cr or 506-750-0191 which is one of the strongest community associations in Puerto Viejo…
For all of us that love Puerto Viejo and its surroundings, please speak up and help save it from the marina, they reduced the size to 100 slips,that is still 100 too many!
There would now be parts of the beach that could no longer be accessed and even if they could the beach will change, the water will be dirty, this type of marina in a hurricane free area is typically used by yacht owners to repair and paint their boats while they do not use them, a lot of times certain banned paints in the U.S. can be used since they are not yet prohibitted here, which is quiet convenient for them…
By the way, the reef is not 100% dead as says the potential developers of this “eco” marina, just by have ecological as part of the name it doesnt make it sound, there are bound to be spills, be it diesel, gas, oil, hydraulic fluid, etc….it will change and for the worst.
The marina is not a source of jobs for the locals, there is no unemployment in the area, those who do not work do not do so cause they dont need to or dont want to, not because there is a lack of jobs, plus mechanics for such technologically advanced yachts are not even found in the area…..
Let’s keep it green!
JMcG
Dear jcmcgee, I would also hate to see a marina in that area and even if the coral happens to be dead or on it’s way out in Playa Negra, there are live coral beds nearby and they will be adversely affected WHEN the spills happen. This is never IF, always WHEN because everything we know about oil related spills & contamination is that they ALWAYS happen and are many more times likely to happen again and again while arriving, leaving or docking in a port….
Nonetheless, you have to understand that the locals would most definitely disagree with your statement that there is 0% unemployment and more so if you consider the types of jobs & pay available for the locals now. You see, that’s where they (developers) promise the locals decent wages and some dare to imagine that this may in fact happen this time (even if it hasn’t happened before)…The truth is that the more technical & better paying jobs will not be available to locals because they have not been educated in these areas…What’s really sad is that we allow people to barely make a living while others make a bundle in places like these, and so there will always be people that offer them pie in the sky dreams and many who will choose to believe them — In the end, Puerto Viejo will feel the impact and one of the places I love most in this world will have been changed forever, but I can understand some of the locals support for this marina and only wish I had the power to offer them a more ecologically friendly ways for them to have a better economic future for themselves and their families because keeping it green is a wonderful thing when you’re not the one facing underemployment, minimal wages and very few opportunities to make a decent living for you and your family so that your children can one day choose to still live in PV and still have a wonderful future ahead of them. Right now, most PV people need to leave the area not only to receive better education, but also to access better paying jobs. And don’t get me started with the social problems plaguing the area…Sustainable development is not only about environmental concerns, it’s about marrying both the socio-economic issues with the environmental ones….Can’t pretend to save a specific environment without addressing the locals’ concerns…This has been proven time and time again all around the world and until we don’t get this, there will be wolves in sheep’s clothing promising locals ‘a warm meal by the fire, without them realizing that they and their beautiful environments will most probably become the pretender’s meal in the end’….Rebeca
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