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25th of July Celebrations

Residents of Nicoya Canton Protested the Government’s Unfulfilled Promises

By Oliver Pérez Picado
Photos Giordano Ciampini

The Public Force present during the 25th of July civic act intimidated Marcos Jimenez, mayor of Nicoya, demanding his identification card while he marched in a peaceful protest. 

Also, the Transit Police created an obstacle for the buses of protestors that arrived from the communities of Nosara and Samara and tried to remove the license plates from the motor vehicles to take away support of the march. 

Some 600 representatives from development associations, community groups, taxi drivers and syndics of the Municipality of Nicoya—among other groups—organized a march on Wednesday, July 25th, to protest before the executive power various unfulfilled promises in areas such as the deplorable state of the national highways, the deterioration of the educational infrastructure, the proliferation of the illegal public transportation of passengers and the lack of a medical specialties tower at the La Anexion Hospital, a public work that has been on the books since a year ago.   

The protestors met at 9:30 a.m. in front of the Public Force installations for the Canton of Nicoya, where three busses, 80 cars, 9 microbuses and 40 taxi drivers arrived. They marched to the Recadero Briceño Park, where an extraordinary Municipal Council session was held with the absence of Mayor Marco Antonio Jimenez, who accompanied the protestors; in addition he was absent from the main platform.  

Public Force troops tried to intimidate Jimenez when he joined the protest, demanding that he present his identification card, even though he is a well-known public official and walked freely along the public roadway.

Hours before, just as the three buses were 2 kilometers from arriving in the city of Nicoya, at the intersection of the community of Curime, along the highway to Playa Samara, officials of the Transit Police intercepted them to impede their passage with the objective of avoiding their exercising their right to express their displeasure with the dismal state of highway 160 that connects this district with Ostional beach, a national roadway with an extension of 28 kilometers.

Public Works Still on the Books

The Guanacastecans protested to the executive power the unfulfilled promise of constructing a completely new school for Leonidas Briceño, the principal educational center of this city, which has an enrollment of approximately 850 students. 

 


40 taxis were intercepted by Police in Nicoya so they could not participate in
the peaceful march planned for Wednesday, July 25.

   
 
Nosara protesters hold banners during President Laura Chinchilla's speech
   
 


Nosara protesters hold banners during President Laura Chinchilla's speech

   
 
President Laura Chinchilla (center) on stage at the Nicoya plaza singing the
Guanacaste anthem

During the feasts of the Annexation of the Party of Nicoya last year on July 25th, the Ministry of Public Education announced with the construction of this work of which up until now—one year later—only a model exists, and 80 million colones ($160,000) have been spent in rent to house the students.   

In addition, the offer to erect a new 5-story medical tower at the Anexion Hospital of Nicoya has also gone unfulfilled. According to Costa Rican Social Security (CCSS), it was going to have the capacity to house 130 beds. The work was announced on July 25, 2011; however at present, the first stone hasn’t even been placed and the hospital is currently suffering an important financial crisis. 

The largest delegation of protestors, some 350, arrived to Nicoya from Nosara Beach, a community that has carried out great efforts for more than two years to get the Ministry of Public Works and Trasportation (MOPT) to pave the highway that connects Samara and Nosara with Ostional Beach, a stretch that would complete the so-called “Sun Route” that runs along many of the principal coastal zones of Santa Cruz and Nicoya.  

The president of the Development Association of Bocas de Nosara and President of the District Council, Marco Avila, criticized the governmental abandonment of the Nosara-Ostional roadway where, according to him, some 30 kilometers that can only be crossed by carts exist.

“We need the government to make an agreement with us. We don’t have tourism; there’s no economy; we’re in total ruin because of the poor state of the road. The buses get stuck with the rains. Due to this, 400 of us went to protest. The traffic police tried to stop us so we wouldn’t come to the march.  From the intersection to Samara Beach there were police. They came to remove or license plates and pull people off the buses. It was an abuse of authority,” criticized Avila. 

The vice mayor of Nicoya, Adriana Rodriguez, presided over the day’s extraordinary municipal session in the Recadero Briceño park, advocating for finding “integral” solutions to Guanacaste’s development problems. 

 

More Regional News

Suspected Drug Dealer Arrested in Nosara

The Narc Squad added to their tally of drug-related arrests with the takedown of a suspected drug dealer in Nosara this Monday July 30.

Maintenance Works on Nosara- Samara Route are Left Unfinished
– MOPT’s machinery was removed after just one week
– CONAVI claims bidding company will continue with maintenance works

One week…that was the exact time machinery from MOPT spent working on Route 160 between Samara and Nosara. Work began on July 20th and ended just after the Annexation celebration.

Starting Wednesday All Tax Filing Must Be Online

Starting next Wednesday, August 1, no more running to the bank by the 15th of each month, as all tax submissions and income statement amendments must be submitted online only.

What Was Said and Committed to by the Public Officials

For those who couldn’t be present during the speeches given on Wednesday, July 25th by public officials, VON brings you the summary of the most important commitments, comments and insinuations (you know to who) of the day. 

Vacationers Rescued by Local Surfers

An intense brush with tidal trouble left one American family on vacation feeling relieved Monday July 23 at Guiones Beach.

Vice Minister of Security Begs Nosara to Respect the President
– Nosarans still plan demonstration on July 25th
– Vice Minister promises new patrol car and employment fair

On Thursday, July 19th, the Vice Minister of Security, Celso Gamboa, met with representatives of various Nosara community organizations at Hotel L'acqua Viva to discuss the community’s security needs, but after the meeting ended he also made a personal appeal to the community leaders to respect President Laura Chinchilla during her upcoming visit to Nicoya on July 25th.

July 25th Anexation Celebration
President Chinchilla Will Pass Through Nicoya But Won’t Stay

The President of the Republic, Laura Chinchilla, has now confirmed that she will be present in the colonial city on July 25th to celebrate 188 years of annexation of the Nicoya Party, but she will not hold the traditional public session.

Thieves Assault Samara Gas Station

With a romantic touch, a man wearing a motorcycle helmet approached Karol Matamoros Briones with a bunch of flowers as she was working at Servicentro Samara, preparing money for a bank deposit. Then he pulled out a gun. 

President Hasn’t Yet Decided With Which Canton to Spend July 25th

While the cantons of Abangares, Bagaces and Santa Cruz have asked the President of the Republic, Laura Chinchilla, for the honor of having her as a special guest during the Government Council session on July 25th, in Nicoya the list of people angry with the leader is growing longer.

"Pura Gate"? New Law Protects Political Secrets

Shades of Watergate! President Laura Chinchilla signed into law last week a prohibition to "procure or obtain illegally secret political information." Political espionage is punishable by four to eight years in prison.

Maintenance Starts Along Route 160 Between Nosara and Samara
CONAVI Initiated Bidding Process for Roadway

Finally, after a long wait and now well into rainy season, the almost impassable route 160 is receiving attention as machinery from MOPT initiated maintenance works over the route.

Muni Gives Until Sept. 14 to Update Property Declarations

By law, property owners should update declarations of the value of their properties every five years.  However, not everyone does. In fact, many properties are not even registered with the “Bienes Inmuebles” (real estate) office of the municipality.

Samara Security Committee Speaks Out Against Gangs

Motivated by recent thefts and resulting experiences, Samara’s security committee sent a letter on June 15th to various government and police entities affirming that two gangs are operating in the community, one Colombian and one Tico, and that the situation is now very serious.

Nosara ASADAs Might Unite or Hand Over Control to AyA

Due to various problems with the supply of water in Nosara, an effort is underway to look for options to improve the administration of this important resource.

Airport Crime
Court Gives 16-Year Prison Sentence for Murder

The Third Court of the Supreme Court of Justice finalized the sentence of 16 years of prison imposed on a man with the last names Sirias Sequeira for the crime of simple murder against Michael Eduardo Rojas Murillo, who was killed in April of 2009.  

New Venue to Attain Drivers License in Nicoya Ready in Late July

Long trips to Liberia or San Jose to renew, duplicate, or process a license are in the past. As of July 25, you can take the theoretical and practical driving tests, go through the renewal process, duplicate licenses or permits to learn to drive, with the opening of the new home of Driver Education in Nicoya.

On the Coast Cash is King, but Not for the Community

If you purchase a product or service in a shop in Samara or Nosara and decide to use a credit or debit card as payment, you could be in trouble because there are still businesses that only accept cash.

Villas Playa Samara Denies Contaminating Estuaries

The manager of Villas Playa Samara, Phillipe Brisson, affirmed that the hotel has made so many improvements to their wastewater treatment system in the past few years that the quality of the hotel’s treated water has never been better.

Communities Organize to Receive Cell Phone Security Alerts

Security alerts can now be sent directly to the cell phones of community members through an initiative being organized by the Public Force.

New Police Chief for Canton of Nicoya Focuses on Objectives

The new police chief for the Canton of Nicoya, Omar Chavarria, purports to be a man who focuses on setting and achieving objectives.

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