Greencoast

OP ED. Marina New World “What Now?”

I went to the special session of the municipal government (muni) on February 12th at the Casa Cultura which the community had solicited in order to find out what was being planned for as far as the “Marina Ecologica New World” in Puerto Viejo. The entire community was invited to the meeting whose goal according to the letter from the muni on 19 Jan—“is to share with the community the relative concepts of the Marina project in order to clear up all concerns.”

It seems to me the entire community did show up. A list of attendees was taken by the muni, but not all were invited to sign. The people there didn’t all fit in the Casa Cultura—which also serves as Puerto Viejo’s high school. I was happy to see all the high school kids in attendance. There must have been 300 people in there, all interested and concerned about development in this small town. 

I write this article today as an opinion piece because it was an emotional meeting, it was impossible to hear all that was said, and everyone I spoke to about the meeting afterward had a different view about what really happened.

George Brown (Roli), the president of the muni opened—and closed—the session. To put the positive spin on it, he was telling the community that the city council would not support projects that did harm to Talamanca.

The mayor, Rugeli Morales, then spoke, I paraphrase—I’m here to defend and protect you. I was happy to hear him say that this municipal government is the only canton (county) to declare itself against oil development! No one cheered that but me. Hooray!!

The lawyer for the muni, Lic. Paola Mora, said she was glad to see so many people there interested in what’s happening in their community and encouraged everyone to continue to get involved with their community. We have a lot of problems in Talamanca, drugs, crime, bad roads, no residual water systems (sewage), garbage, not enough water for the people we have here now, the infrastructure needs a lot of work. The community should be as concerned with these issues as about this marina.

The floor was granted to three representatives of the community. OK! Here we go, let’s clear up all of our concerns…

Mauricio Salazar was the first to speak. (Mauricio is one of my heroes who has been involved in nearly every association and committee in Talamanca working for conservation and social, cultural, ecological, responsible development.) Ever the definition of tranquilidad, he expressed his concern over a mega-project, reminded everyone that this community has long fought for small-scale, sustainable development that stays in the hands of local and responsible investors. He asked: what would be the benefits to our community from this project?

Walter Coto, lawyer for the investors group Grupo Caribeño International S.A. for the Marina Ecologico New World, responded –Hey I’m a conservationist too, I have a couple of hundred acres in a private reserve. Our investors are trying to develop a marina that is Greenpeace approved.

That’s confusing. Really the whole thing is confusing as are politics in this and any country. There were no plans presented by the folks from Marina New World. I had understood that the meeting was called to “share with the community the relative concepts of the Marina project in order to clear up all concerns.” Lic. Coto said they’re still working on the plans. He said he didn’t bring anything because there are no concrete plans.

Then my friend Don Guido (José Bizet) was the second to be granted to speak. Couldn’t hear much due to all of the cheering, but he asked how can it be a marina “ecologica” if it’s situated right between a National Park and the protected wildlife refuge Gandoca-Manzanillo, and right on top of a coral reef?

And at last Don Guillermo Quirós—a university oceanographer and known as a staunch oppositionist to the TLC (CAFTA)—expressed more of our confusions. He held up a copy of municipal records which were signed by the council and the mayor, saying that they have approved the going forward of the Marina. A marina called “Marina Ecologica New World” Sounds like a specific project to me. Oh, yeah, he also had the plans which had been submitted to CIMAT—the marina board of Costa Rica.

So, Don Roli, said, we’re not really looking at that plan for 400 yachts, we’re still making the plans with the investors, maybe 400 yachts, maybe 70. Once we have that plan, going through the muni is a first step; there are many, many hoops that have to be jumped through in order to get a big project started, the environment impact study completed, approval of the ministry of health, the federal government, the Marina board. Cool down, we’re just getting started.

There was much shouting and rudeness at this point, and Roli shut down the meeting. After that several people gave speeches on the porch of the Casa Cultura to the people outside.

We all need to work on our diplomacy skills. If I have learned one thing working at ATEC, no one will hear you unless you first show some respect. The muni said we have no concrete plan before us at this time. The weekly meetings of the city (or county) council are open to the public. Let’s go! Among the small group of people that are working to organize the sharing of information between the muni and the community—the “What now?” comittee—it has been suggested that someone go each week to the council meetings and report back to the community what’s being planned. Sometimes it’s going to be Boring, but this way, no surprises. Let’s go, listen, be respectful be active in our community in a positive way.

We also have to learn to work together, even we that all seem to be on the same side have disagreements. We are all working for our idea of what's good for Talamanca.

It has been proposed in the committee “What Now” to write a letter to the muni, saying, Hey thanks for the meeting, if we understand you correctly, you have no concrete plans for a marina, please keep us informed.” What else can ya do. Just go to the meetings. Fridays at 10AM in BriBri.

I don’t believe that people are evil even if they appear to be. I’ve had conversations with people from both sides. Sometimes priorities get misplaced, but that’s why I think we need to have calm rational conversations and share opinions. Oh, if it were so easy! But, what good does it do us to say “You can’t believe a word those dummies say!”? They call us liars, we call them liars. Seek the facts, go to their meetings, calmly communicate scientific facts (except when writing an op ed). Diplomacy. Tact.

I guess I’m a simpleton, but as my mother always said “All you can do is try your best” and, my favorite; “Kill ‘em with Kindness”

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