Added on February 7, 2011  Geoff McCabe

Water/Agua Update for Santa Teresa ASADA/AyA

Dear Friends & Neighbors,

I hope all is well.

In 2010, during the AVSTN’s 1st year we were able to formally register our non-profit neighborhood group with the original round of membership dues.

We raised over $ 1,300- with a local charity event at Tropico Latin Hotel on Dec., 4 to connect a new (1st ever) computer lab for the Escuela Santa Teresa, and still have funds for future educational projects.

We also made great strides with regards to resolving the water dilemma in NST.

Although there are still no liquid results, for the fist time in the history of the town an official ASADA (community water board) was legally formed, holding the ASADA legally responsible for it’s actions.

Everyone’s monthly water payments now are being entered into an AyA (Acueductos & Alcanterias) approved software system, also holding the ASADA legally accountable for it’s actions…

We also solicited and received support from the AyA’s Regional, Central and Legal offices, as well as the Ministerio de Salud.

We have attended numerous ASADA meeting, which take place every Tues at 4pm at the ASADA office, (located at Playa Carmen.net, and open to the public).

We cooperated with the ASADA to voluntarily pre-pay our monthly bills, 670,000- colones were raised in total, to inject the Jose Alfaro well into the existing system, at Virginia Vargas’ request. We are still awaiting a detailed report from Virginia Vargas, promised for this Wed Feb. 9, ’11, as to the specific results and reasons for it’s apparent lack of results to NST.

As a result of this fiasco, we petitioned the ASADA and were granted their approval to conduct a Diagnostic test of the existing (pipes) system, at our cost, as they were unwilling to do commit any funds to this end other than providing and installing the shut off value to Playa Carmen, after much resistance from Gerardo. The entire test was generously paid for in full by one ASADA member.

Furthermore, we have documented the current state of affairs and conducted numerous field inspections, financed by less than 1/2 dozen group members, with water experts and consultants from San Jose.

We have formal written bids based upon those field studies & reports and have even been offered private financing by a builder, Don Carlos Madrigal, to complete the project. Our proposal was turned down by the ASADA in November, ’10, based on one members position that the backhoe cost was too high and that his uncle could complete the work at a better price. Neither the ASADA or the uncle have provided any formal written offers.

This is just the tip of the Iceberg.

We have learned that the ASADA is the only legal body/instrument available, at this point, to guarantee permanent change and we are at the tipping point of seeing real results.

In short, AVSTN is making a difference and will continue to work towards bettering our community, with water and justice for all.

However, none of this comes for free, except for the time and energy that is invested by a neighbors like myself.

If you would like to be part of the solution, by supporting our neighborhood cause, please consider joining or Associacion Vecinos Santa Teresa Norte (AVSTN) group, or renewing your 2011 membership, and please encourage your neighbors to do the same.

Our 2011 membership dues are currently due and maybe deposited directly to AVSTN account :

Banco Nacional
Account number : 100-011-191-000046-1
Cuenta cliente # 15119110010000460
Cedula juridica 3-002-614449

2011 membership dus are $ 100- per household.

Thank you !

If there is anyone that you know who is not receiving my emails, but would like to please let me know.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me by email or directly at 2640-0511.

Sincerely,

Stefan Canas
AVSTN Secretary