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Mar
30
Police destroy 83,000 marijuana plants
March 30, 2010 | Tags: Crime & Punishment | Comments Off
Judicial Investigation Agents (OIJ) and the security forces, in conjunction with the Public Prosecutor on the weekend destroyed 83,000 marijuana plants that were planted on three farms in an area known as El Guayabal, in Alto Telire in Talamanca.
The police action came after a woman who suffered a fractured arm and had to be evacuated from the area to receive medical care at in Limón, reported that the people who planted the marijuana had assaulted her when she refused to provide the farm for them to plant their crop.
For this reason, authorities went to the area on Friday and raided two farms where the suspects live. They detained two people, an adult named Brenes and an unnamed minor. They have been accused of attempted murder and violation of drug laws.
Also seized in the raid was as a bag of marijuana (weighing from 8 to 10 kilos) ready to be sold and two rifles.
Police and OIJ were accompanied by a judge who held a hearing in El Guayabal where the prosecution requested six months of preventive detention against Brenes. However the judge rejected this and released him.
Reportedly the woman victim and other witnesses are now under police protection fearing retribution from the accused.
Source: La Nación: Policía destruye 83.000 matas de marihuana
Mar
28
Area’s First Gas Station Opens
March 28, 2010 | Tags: Local Business News, Transport | Comments Off
After years of locals and visitors having to drive all the way to Penshurt or get gas from one of the unofficial places in town that filled you up from a plastic container, a new gas station is now open in Hone Creek.
The station’s location Hone Creek is just 5km from Puerto Viejo near the crossroads of the Limon-Sixaola highway.
Mar
18
Quick action by police and victims catches thieves
March 18, 2010 | Tags: Crime & Punishment | Comments Off
Police in Cahuita quickly tracked a credit card stolen from two foreign tourists and managed to capture three theft suspects.
The Fuerza Pública said that Tuesday three men stole luggage, a digital camera and telephones from a car parked at a Cahuita hotel.
Xinia Vásquez, director of the Policía Turística said that the pair of foreign tourists went to the local police station to report the crime. When officers took them to a center for tourists so they could report the loss of their credit cards, the pair learned that one of their cards was in use at a bar in Limón to the north, said Ms. Vásquez.
When police arrived at the bar in Limón Centro they found three men, and one of them had a passport of one of the theft victims in his possession, police said. The trio also drove a red car which had been described by the tourists. The three men, San José residents, were detained. They were identified by the last names of Madrigal, Zamora and Paniagua.
Police said they found the possessions of the tourists within the vehicle used by the men.
Mar
15
Project Green Jungle: Achieving Conservation through Responsible Commercialisation
March 15, 2010 | Tags: Community Calendar, Environment, Helping Out | Comments Off
| April 17, 2010 |
Has anyone ever sidled up to you, eyes darting furtively left and right and offered you a baby frog, iguana, parrot, or snake for a ‘very cheap price’ ?
Illegal trade in wildlife is rampant in many corners of the world – and we’re not talking about just off the beaten track here. In countries where there is extensive wildlife and low wages the temptation to resist can be too great for the seller. If you can barely make enough to feed your family you are exactly what illegal exporters are looking for.
It works like this: these exporters turn to local indigenous and low income families to obtain wild animals/reptiles for a few dollars, organise the smuggling for a few dollars more and then sell the remaining creatures that survive the inappropriate transport for a handsome profit. And the end result? ‘Silent Forest Syndrome’, communities bent on capturing wildlife to eke out an inadequate wage and exporters banking the proceeds.
If we can assume that the industry in wildlife will always exist, due to demand coupled with global wealth inequalities, how can the damage to the environmental wildlife populations be contained?
Enter John Brickel and Tom Snyder, founders of Project Green Jungle, a non-profit conservation organisation intent on changing the current picture. With zoological backgrounds and extensive experience these two environmentalists share a passion for conservation through education and responsible commercialisation.
Wildlife and commerce is a connection most of us don’t feel comfortable with. It smacks of caged animals, lack of natural habitat, neglect, cruelty even … after all it’s just plain unnatural isn’t it?
But what if controlled breeding programmes of certain amphibians and reptiles:
• Increases numbers of certain species by reintroduction programmes.
• Benefits indigenous communities financially through capacity building programmes.
• Preserves more natural habitat for wildlife that would otherwise be ruined through traditional agriculture.
• Educates children, locals and tourists on conservation methods.
• Promotes cross cultural communication in pursuit of a common goal.
Then the picture begins to look significantly different.
The advantages of a captive breeding programme of this type are significant and far reaching.
If, for instance, an indigenous community is taught how to breed a certain snake such as the dwarf boa (Ungaliophis panamensis), just one of these snakes will net the community around a years worth of wages when legally sold to a zoo. This means that the community does not need to clear rainforest or jungle to make a meagre living from bananas or maize. Obviously it also makes poaching and the illegal trade of wildlife redundant in that area.
In a captive breeding programme reptiles/amphibians are healthier, transport is less stressful, control is exercised on who they are sold to and not unimportant, price is regulated. The initial investment is minimal, the profit made goes to the local community breeders and up to half of those bred in captivity will be released into the wild.
The educational and cross cultural communication aspects of such a programme are just as significant and may even help determine the future of a large area. If schoolchildren, tourists and locals living in this area become interested and/or involved, the opportunities to exchange knowledge on conservation methods and much more between differing cultural groups are legion. By learning from each other about each other we remove a barrier of ignorance and assumption that will have an important impact on our lives.
Project Green Jungle hopes to achieve all of the above and more! As a non-profit organisation they are concerned with integrating various factors to achieve a goal that is long term and pervasive. And that goal is ultimately a symbiotic relationship between humans, wildlife and the environment.
As Tom put it, “Puerto Viejo and its surrounds is an area dependent on its natural environment and its environment is dependent on degrees of conservation.”
Project Green Jungle believes that this area is “ripe for traditional progress” so that by promoting ecological, social and cultural conservation and preservation the community will create a balance between it and the environment.
To that end, Project Green Jungle are busy on a number of fronts. Whilst interviewing John and Tom it became clear that this is not a quick ‘flash in the pan project’, but a way of life.
But it could be said that this project does not belong to just John and Tom, the committed and dedicated founders, but to all of us: those who visit this area and those who live in this area, whether indigenous, foreigners or locals. As John said, “ the social aspect of this project is as significant as the conservation aspect, as one is dependant on the other. We are all involved in the development that happens here just because we are here.”
To leave a ‘positive footprint’ means getting involved. During Earth Days from April 5th to April 22nd, various activities will take place in Puerto Viejo, ‘from the Reef to the Beach to the Jungle’ to elevate environmental consciousness and have fun while you’re doing that!
There will be:
• Tours to watch a bio survey in progress.
• Tours to Kachabri to meet the people involved and share in some traditional celebrations.
• Kayak tours to Sixaola.
And on Saturday April 17th 2010 there will be a community day where there will be:
• A Beach Clean-up by our younger members followed by a party especially for them and awarding of prizes to the ‘most effective rubbish collectors’!
• Talks by local experts on various environmental aspects of this area.
• An Earth Day party for adults including live bands, food and a raffle with seriously good prizes.
Green Jungle is a project of a non-profit-making zoological organisation and their efforts will benefit us all. So spread the word and be part of Earth Day in April. Donate, Volunteer or simply Attend and do your bit for our community!
If you would like to make a donation or to offer a prize for the raffle, do contact John or Tom through their website www.greenjungle.org.
 Article by Zoë Courtier. Zoë along with her husband Tom Keller are the proprietors of Geckoes Rainforest River Lodge. Two luxurious holiday houses with private plunge pools in a magnificent rainforest and river setting minutes from Playa Cocles. More information at www.geckoeslodge.com |
 Photos by David Langs, founder/editor of www.packcamera.com and www.greenphototours.com. |
Mar
9
African drumming workshop
March 9, 2010 | Tags: Arts & Culture, Community Calendar | Comments Off
| March 24, 2010 |
Learn to play djembe and dunduns African drums at the workshop by M’Bembe Percusion y Danza.
The workshop will be held at the Centro Cultural Ecológico Gaia in Playa Chiquita from March 24 to 26.
Cost is 25,000 colones.
Reserve your space by contacting 2750 0385 or ololiuki.cr@gmail.com
Mar
6
Surviving A Massive Earthquake and Tsunami
March 6, 2010 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters | Comments Off
With the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, the topic of what to do in an earthquake has been very much on our minds.
Costa Rica is by no means exempt from quakes, with a number of fault lines criss-crossing the country and a history of earthquakes. Although as the experience in Chile has shown, a country with experience dealing with earthquakes is likely to fare much better than one where it is a rare event.
The Caribbean Coast could be particularly vulnerable. Not because it is on a particular fault line but because the connections to the rest of Costa Rica are so tenuous. There are many bridges to fail that could cut the South Caribbean off from Limon and the rest of the country, leaving residents and tourists trapped here and needing to provide for themselves possibly for many days. The coastal location also means that Tsunami are a threat.
In April 1991, a massive earthquake struck Costa Rica and Steve Casimiro who was in Puerto Viejo at the time has just written a haunting and very informative first person account of the quake and surviving the days after at The Adventure Life.
There are many informative guides online about what one should do to survive an earthquake such as this one at Geology.com. And it starts with being prepared now. Having basic supplies on hand and knowing what to do when the quake hits.
Mar
1
Costa Rica Comedy Fest
March 1, 2010 | Tags: Community Calendar | 1 Comment
| March 4, 2010 | ||
| 9:00 pm |
A comedy show is coming to Puerto Viejo!
Like to Laugh Productions is presenting NYC Comedians Mike Ennis (Law and Order & Discovery Channel), Josh Filipowski (Beatz106 & The Idiot’s Guide to Jokes), and Gabe Pacheco (NY Underground Comedy Fest).
  Comics Gabe Pacheco and Josh Filipowski |
They will venture to both coasts and in-between, exploring and performing, bringing stand-up to Costa Rica!
Mostly in English, with a little Spanish and Spanglish! Featuring gringo/tico collaborations with local artist Guillermo Ramos (Gringo Pinto), Alex Costa (Canal 7) and more!
The Puerto Viejo show is Thursday, March 4th, 9PM at Chile Rojo, Puerto Viejo.
Other Costa Rica show are:
Monday, March 1st, 8AM – Beatz106 Morning Show, San Jose
Tuesday, March 2nd, 9PM – Cafe Club, San Pedro
Friday, March 5th, 8PM – Lemon Zest Restaurant, Jaco Beach
Saturday, March 6th, 8PM – La Playa, Manuel Antonio
Sunday, March 7th, 7PM – Flutterby House, Uvita
Monday, March 8th, 8PM – Teatro Variedades, San Jose
Feb
16
CATCAS General Assembly Mar 14
February 16, 2010 | Tags: Community Calendar, Community News | Comments Off
| March 14, 2010 | ||
| 2:30 pm |
The tourism association of the South Caribbean (CATCAS) will hold their annual general assembly on Sunday Mar 14 at the Casa de la Cultura in Puerto Viejo starting at 2:30 pm.
The agenda will include reports from the president and treasurer and election of officers for the coming year.
CATCAS is involved in many community projects and lobbying for the community. The participation of the community is important so CATCAS can move forward with their plans and initiatives that are of benefit to the whole canton.
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