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(Spanish translation below)

Hello everyone — Here we present a summary of the meeting yesterday at the pizzeria playa carmen, held with a consultant who is helping the village with the water project.  if wrong in any detail, please tell me, and I will post a correction.

A starting point: the history of the project:

Almost 10 years ago, AyA and the ASADAs (water boards) of our communities, began to study the needs of the people, and the possibility to construct a system of taking, storing and transporting water from manzanillo to Mal País. after 10 years of broken promises, meetings to discuss and complain, and a change of employees in AyA all the time …. we arrive at the point where we are today: time to ACT.

So, the municipalities, the tourism board, and other groups from the community, have contracted with a private consultant to help us solve this puzzle.

Now, AyA has 800 million colones and the municipality has 100 million to contribute to the project. this amount covers Stage 1 only, which is the extension of impulsion lines 2.8km from the wells in the Ario to a storage tank near Cerro Real, which will contain approximately 1 million meters of water storage. Stage 1 continues with water lines going to Bello Horizonte.  additionally, there have already been site visits from a group including the ASADAs, the muni, and the consultants to assess the Stage 1 plan that was presented three years ago from AyA.   they have found that some routes are no longer viable due to neglect.  as well as some proposed routes pass to one hill after another, thereby diminishing the water pressure unnecessarily. therefore, they are now evaluating other routes to save money and time.

Stage 2 includes the extension of lines Manzanillo to the end of Mal País.   the consultants are now re-evaluating the plan, and note that some drive pumps, small storage tanks, etc, are not in the original plans, so they are starting a full feasibility study.  rather, this is part of the work of a new Implementation Committee, formed with membership of the municipality, entrepreneurs, the ASADAs, the Chamber of Tourism, the Road Committee and Environmental groups.  A list of members is provided at the end of this summary.

At the end of the day, the project will cost considerably more than what is available.   however one option is to maintain the properties of the wells in the name of ASADA, thus giving collateral to take a loan and complete the project.  how will we pay for the loan?   the profits of the three ASADAs through payments for meters and water payments.

One more note on finance:  after a meeting with members of the Implementation Commission and AyA, we now know that funding sources usually available from countries like Germany, Japan, etc, are not available for this project.  additionally, funding sources from the Costa Rican government for marginal areas, do not apply here because we are not defined as an area incapable of more development.   so, this new Commission, together with the ASADAs and THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, will seek a solution that serves everyone.

Any questions, please tell me, and I will to my best to find the answer.

Members of the Committee for Implementation:
Represented Group —— Representative ——- Qualified Substitutes
ASADA Mal País —–Elias Nuñez —— Marlon Barrios
ASADA Santa Teresa —–  Gerardo Cubrero —- Margot Toro
ASADA Ario ——José Luis Cavallini —— Nautilia Jiménez
Chamber of Tourism  ——Frank Cortes —- Yerlin Leon
Road Committee —– Carlos Carranza —– Elvis Castro
Environmental Committee —– Nathaniel Grew —– Luis Iglesias
Business 1 —–José Alberto Leon ——  Jerome Augereau
Business 2 —–Virginia Vargas —— Philippe Verqui
Business 3——- Kelly Lange —– Axel Hunot
Municipality —– Eladio Cortes —— Fabio López

hola a todos, y perdón mi español.   aquí te presente un resumen de la reunion ayer en la pizzeria playa carmen, con un consultor quien está ayudando el pueblo con el proyecto del agua.   si equivocé en cualquier detalle, por favor me responden, y puedo corregirlo.

un punto de partido:   la historia del proyecto.
hace casí 10 años, AyA conjunto con las ASADAs de nuestros comunidades, comenzaron estudiar los necesidades del pueblo, y la posibilidad a construir un sistema de sacar, almancenar y transportar el agua desde manzanillo hasta mal país.   después 10 años de promesas rotos, reuniones para discutir y quejar, y un cambio de empleados en AyA cada rato….lleguemos al punto de hoy, en que es tiempo ACTUAR.

entonces, la muni, la cámara de turismo, y otros grupos del pueblo, han contractado con una empresa privada para ayudarnos como consultor con este rompecabezas.

ahora, AyA tiene 800 milliones y el muni tiene 100 milliones para contribuir al proyecto.  este monto se cubre el ETAPA 1 solamente, lo cual es la extensión de las líneas de impulsión 2.8km, desde los pozos en el ario hasta un tanque almacenamiento en Cerro Real, que va contener approximamente 1 million metros de agua almacen.  Etapa 1 sigue con lineás de tranlsadar el agua hasta Bello Horizonte.   además, ya se fueron un grupo de las ASADAS, la muni, y los consultores para evaluar el plan del Etapa 1 que se presentó AyA hace 3 años.   encontraron que algunos rutas ya no sirve por descuidar, igual que algunos rutas del tubería se pasan para un cerro después un otro, así disminiye la presión del agua sin necesidad.   por lo tanto, ahora estan evaluando otros posibilidades para ahorrar dinero y tiempo.

bueno, Etapa 2 incluye la extensión de las líneas de manzanillo hasta el último codo de mal país.  ahora estan evaluando de nuevo el plan, y se notan que algunos bombas de impulsión, tanques pequeños de almacenar, etc, no estan en los planes originales.   entonces, estan empezando un estudio de factibilidad completo.  más bien, esto es parte del trabajo de un nuevo Comisión de Ejecución, han formado de miembros de la muni, los empresarios, las ASADAs, la Cámara de Turismo, la Comité de la Calle, y grupos Ambientales.  una lista de los miembros se encuentran al final de este resumen.

al fin y al cabo, el proyecto va costar bastante más que lo que está disponible.   pero, un plan que estan presentando es mantener los terrenos de los pozos en el nombre de las ASADAs, así las den una respalada para tomar un prestamo y terminar el proyecto.   ¿como lo pagan el prestamo?  con las ganancias de las tres ASADAs por medio de previstas y pagos del agua.

una nota más sobre financimiento:   después una reunion con AyA y miembros de la Comisión de Ejecución, saben que fuentes de fondos usualmente disponible de países como Alemania, Japon, etc, no estan disponible para este proyecto.  igual, fuentes para áreas marginales, no se aplican aquí porque no somos un área sin posibilidad de desarollar (como un requisito o definición de área marginal.).    entonces, este nuevo Comisión, conjunto con las ASADAs y LA COMUNIDAD, debemos buscar la solución que nos sirve a todos.

cualquier pregunta, por favor me responde, y puedo buscar la respuesta.

Miembros de la Comisión de Ejecución:
Grupo Representado ——  Titulados  ——-   Suplentes
ASADA Mal País —–  Elias Nuñez  ——  Marlon Barrios
ASADA Sta. Teresa  —-  Gerardo Cubrero  —– Margot Toro
ASADA del Ario ——  José Luis Cavallini  —— Nautilio Jiménez
Cámara de Turísmo —-  Frank Cortes  ——  Yerlin León
Comité de Caminos —–  Carlos Carranza  —–  Elvis Castro
Comité Ambiental  —–   Nathaniel Grew  ——  Luis Iglesias
Empresarial 1  —–   José Alberto León  ——  Jerome Augereau
Empresarial 2  —–   Virginia Vargas  ——  Philippe Verqui
Empresarial 3  —–  Kelly Lange  ——-  Axel Hunot
Municipalidad  —–   Eladio Cortes  ——  Fabio López

Illegal gillnetters, shrimp boats, nest robbers, and vehicles threaten endangered sea turtles on Playa Manzanillo, Nicoya Peninsula

February 1, 2010 – Cabuya, Costa Rica

Illegal gillnetters, shrimp boats, nest robbers, and vehicles threaten endangered sea turtles on Playa Manzanillo, Nicoya Peninsula

Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary’s sea turtle protection project at Playa Manzanillo de Cobano on the Nicoya Peninsula has revealed the
operation of up to 100 boats using illegal gillnets in the waters near Manzanillo. Most of these boats are gillnetting inside the 12 kilometers of strictly protected ocean that is part of the Caletas/Ario Wildlife Refuge.

The gillnets entangle sea turtles attempting to reach the beach to lay their eggs, causing their death by drowning. Eye witnesses report that
gillnetters dismember the turtles for their flesh and shells, dump the remains overboard, and sell the meat and shells in Puntarenas.  Hawksbill, leatherback, olive ridley, black, and green turtles nest on Playa Manzanillo. All except the ridley are critically endangered globally. The hawksbill is the most endangered sea turtle on the planet.

All species of sea turtles are protected by international and national laws. In Costa Rica the penalty for nest robbing or killing a sea turtle is three years in prison. These protective, but poorly enforced, laws reflect the tremendous obstacles to sea turtle survival: only one hatchling in one thousand that actually reach the sea survive their first year. The tragic situation at Playa Manzanillo prompted Rainsong to request immediate action from pertinent Costa Rican authorities on December 20, 2009.

On Friday, January 8, 2010, three officials from the Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Telecommunications (MINAET) and five public police officials accompanied Mary Lynn Perry, President of Rainsong, and Walter Cuendis Lopez, Rainsong’s Sea Turtle Patrol Captain, to inspect and photograph the boats using the illegal nets in order for Rainsong to file a Denuncia.

Turtles able to reach the beach to nest face additional threats. It is illegal to drive on Costa Rica’s beaches, but cars regularly plough deep ruts into the sand at Playa Manzanillo. Both turtle nests and hatchlings are crushed by the vehicles, and hatchlings trapped in the ruts cannot reach the sea before heat from the morning sun kills them. Driftwood and trash on the beach also make it difficult for the hatchlings to reach the ocean. Nest robbers take an additional heavy toll.

Sea turtle protection project successes

Rainsong’s Patrol Captain, Walter Cuendis, patrols 14 kilometers of nesting beaches nightly, on foot.  A tireless, fearless protector of the sea turtles, he is known as ‘’tortuga ninja’’ by locals and Rainsong volunteers. Walter and Mary have endured death threats and aggression from angry gillnetters who want to end all endeavors to bring the authorities to Manzanillo to stop the massacre of marine life.

Rainsong’s protection project, which began patrols on December 20, has encountered 35 nests to date. Eight were leatherback, the others were olive ridley and black sea turtles. Eleven nests, two of which were leatherback, were rescued and transferred to a safe location. The rest of the nests were raided by human nest robbers before they could be saved. Approximately 275 hatchlings have been rescued and escorted to the sea, from nests that escaped nest robbers before Rainsong began patrols.

Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary is seeking sponsors, volunteers, and donations to continue the fight to protect the unique sea turtle nesting site at Playa Manzanillo. For more information, please visit www.costaricaanimals.org, www.rainsongsanctuary.com, or send an email to:

rainsongwildlifesanctuary@gmail.com

subject title: MARY – SEA TURTLES.