Jan

23

Court action threatened to block Marina

January 23, 2008 | Tags: Environment, Government and Politics | 3 Comments

Reef at Playa Chiquita
Many local residents fear the marina project could further damage the area’s coral reefs

Back in October we wrote (Talamanca News, Oct 23, Community presents petition asking for more info and meeting on Marina) that various community residents and community groups had presented a letter to the municipality asking them to hold a public meeting on the proposed marina project to give the community a chance to ask questions of the municipality and of the developer on how they would mitigate environmental impacts and other questions on how the project would affect our commmunity.  And while the mayor initially responded positively to that request, promising a meeting, it never came about. Instead interested residents held their own meeting in December (Talamanca News, Dec 12, Most Attendees at Marina Meeting Oppose Plans; Experts Highlight Risks), without the participation of either the municipality or the developer.

Well some local residents and community are tired of waiting for the municipality to offer public information on this $40 million mega-project and so have issued an ultimatum to the mayor of Talamanca. A letter demanding answers was sent Monday.

If no reply is received from Mayor Rugelis Morales Rodríguez within 10 days, the residents, supported by the Asociación Preservacionista de Flora y Fauna Silvestre, threaten to file an appeal with the Sala IV constitutional court, asking magistrates to pronounce the marina project illegal.

A release by the Asociación Preservacionista de Flora y Fauna Silvestre claims that the project will damage more than 18.5 hectares of living reef, which currently protects the coast form erosion.

The project announced by consortium Grupo Caribeño Internacional S.A. includes a huge marina for Playa Negra with berths for 384 boats. The plan includes the building of 2 breakwaters, a commercial zone, administrative offices, a artisan’s marketplace and yacht repair and maintenance facilities. The investors behind the group plan to invest $40,000,000 in the project and say it will create about 2,000 jobs. The plan has split the community, with many ex-pats and those who prefer the natural state of the community opposing it but many local residents seeing an opportunity for more jobs and money. 

See more: A.M. Costa Rica: Puerto Viejo residents issue an ultimatum to local mayor.