Sep

4

Costa Rican Independence Day Celebrations

September 4, 2007 | Tags: Community Calendar | Leave a Comment

September 14, 2007
5:30 pmto7:00 pm
September 15, 2007
9:00 amto11:00 am

Kids marching with their lanterns to celebrate Costa Rican Independence DaySeptember 15 is Costa Rican Independence Day. Look for a parade of school kids in the streets of Puerto Viejo, Hone Creek and BriBri about 9am. And on Independence Day eve look for the kids marching with their “faroles” at dusk.

Sep

4

ARTE VIVA Festival set for Sept 28-30

September 4, 2007 | Tags: Community Calendar, Entertainment | Leave a Comment

September 28, 2007
8:00 pmto11:30 pm
September 29, 2007
12:00 pmto11:30 pm
September 30, 2007
12:00 pmto11:30 pm

Fire Show at Last Year’s ARTE VIVAThe first annual ARTE VIVA Festival was last year and it was an incredible success with more than 3,000 people passing through the Cultural House and attending the outdoor concerts. And over 105 students successfully completed workshops.

This year ARTE VIVA is promising to be even better with a goal to provide classes to over 200 students. They also are asking for your help to make it happen.

You can find out more about this years program and how you can help out on their website: www.arteviva-puertoviejo.com.

Sep

4

Update from the Citizen’s Security Committee

September 4, 2007 | Tags: Community News, Crime & Punishment | Leave a Comment

Fernando Berrocal, Minister of Public Security
Fernando Berrocal, Minister of Public Security
Photo courtesy La Nacion

Back on August 3, we told you about a showdown between the Puerto Viejo police and private security guards hired by local residents and tourism business owners. The guards were hired as an attempt by locals concerned with escalating crime.

The Citizen’s Security Committee of Puerto Viejo now reports that the problems with the police have been resolved in a meeting with the Minister of Public Security, Fernando Berrocal and his advisors. In the meeting the Minister committed to give the order that the Polilce work with the private guards in an initiative called Strategic Alliance of Mutual Cooperation

The committee wants to remind everyone that after just 15 days of work, the Community Security effort had reduced practically to nothing the occurrence of armed assaults and delinquency, something no one had dreamed of and for which we have to recognize the efforts of the company that was employed.

But they’re looking for committed support to maintain the program. They are asking businesses that still do not participate that they need everyone’s support, since we all benefit from this program because it protects our source of income, tourism.

The initiative initially started with 5 officials patrolling on foot from 8 pm to 5 am, with 2 motorized officials for support. Unfortunately, they have had to reduce personnel due to lack of resources, because some businesses decided to pay only half of what they had promised. Because of this lack of commitment of some businesses and because the company didn’t have its papers in order, the program has been on hold since August 16th until they can contract a new company.

Here is what the committee is asking for:

  • •If all of the businesses that entered in the initiative would make their payments, we can continue the program: for your information, for the month of August half of the businesses have not paid up.
  • •If the security program is to continue, it is essential that each sector is organized and pays its guard(s). Sectors that do not organize and pay will not be protected by the program, which puts everyone at risk since the situation can go back to what it was: assaults and impunity
  • •We want to emphasize that peace in the community and protection of our income source is the responsibility of all of us and for all of our benefit. If we do not understand this fundamental truth, we deserve to continue living the way we were just a few months ago and have no right to complain.

If you’d like to read the full communication from the committee, you can download the letter here: English | español.