As for increasing the volume of business through Puerto, there are stellar examples available in another part of Costa Rica of how to do that – without destroying the environment. There are even things that hotel owners have done to increase occupancy in the low season. That’s another entire discussion – in another forum.

If this is any indication of the leadership we can expect from the indiginous community leaders that are all to ready to knock any development (such as the marina) on the auspices of environment protection we are in bad shape.

Talamancas need for sustainable development is not isolated only to the native peoples but to the area as a whole. Without a thriving business community there are no jobs and no tax revenue and the consequences are obvious.

The correct URL is http://www.elpuente-thebridge.org/language/cvjara-bribri1-01.mp3

The leaders of the tribe seem to be well aware of sustainable development. The photo of Daniel Leonhardt and Timoteo Jackson talking about cacao production in the article above is only one example of such a project underway. A group of Bribri cacao growers is working with a chocolate candy manufacturer in the US to expand cacao production with healthy cacao plants and export the raw chocolate to that company in the US. The Bridge is acting as broker in getting the chocolate growing and flowing in this deal.

The Bridge is priviledged to have on our Advisory Board two people with some real experience in this area. Michael and Joanna Bresnan are owners of the Vista del Valle Hotel in Naranjo, Costa Rica. Twenty years ago, they initiated a foundation in Nicaragua which has so far resulted in 1,600 small and micro-businesses, 5 trade schools and an orphanage. They have recently opened an analogous foundation in Costa Rica, and are looking to apply their approach successfully used in the area surrounding their hotel on a broader scale within the country. They are working with every family in the area their development affects. They ask – in my words, not theirs – “How can we help you become profitable – make money – live better?” They’ve helped people set up businesses with crafts, food, fresh vegetables and fruits, and more. Then, they send people from the hotel to visit those microbusinesses on horseback – and they also rent the horses. They’re using a development model which ensures that the people around their development prosper.

My personal view is that their model, applied within the Bribri indigenous area, has the greatest potential for economic development I’ve been able to find so far. In that model both the developer and the area around the development prosper.

Also, I just read about a program gearing up at UCR that is designed to preserve indigenous languages in CR.

Can’t remember where I read it, but UCR’s website has info on it.