The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, December 8, 2003

FEARLESS: Saprissa coach Hernán Medford kept his team's unblemished record intact yesterday with a solid victory over La Liga.
AFP/Teresita Chavarria

Flamingo Marina Still Up and Running:
Locals Say Reports of Closure are Fisherman's Tales
A 200-passenger cruise ship docked at the Flamingo Marina off the coast of Guanacaste yesterday, belying reports that the north Pacific marina has been shut down.
(Click for more)

Saprissa Defeats La Liga, 4-1
Deportivo Saprissa proved it is the real-deal with an authoritative 4-1 victory over archrival La Liga Deportiva Alajuelense in yesterday's "clásico" match-up between the two powerhouse soccer clubs.
(Click for more)

'Teletón' Raises ¢200 Million
La Teletón 2003 reached its goal of raising ¢200 million (about $490,000) in donations, the daily La Nación reported yesterday.
(Click for more)

December 8

Rejuvenation Retreat at Pachamama
This retreat at a spiritual, ecological village at the beach on the Nicoya Peninsula includes yoga, dynamic meditation, trance dance, drumming, healthy food and more, Dec. 8-14. Info: 289-7081, http://www.pachamama.org/

Robotics Classes
Tailored for kids 9-12, the classes help develop creativity and design abilities, Dec. 8-12, at Fundación Omar Dengo, Barrio Tournón. Info: 258-5061, ext. 117.

Christmas Classes
Classes for kids, involving different techniques for making angels, children ages 9-12, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; teens 13-18, 1:30-4:30 p.m., Dec. 8-12, beneath the Plaza de La Cultura. Info: 243-4202, 243-4208.

Terror y Miserias del Tercer Reicht
Five short plays about the Holocaust written by Berthold Brecht, begins at 8 p.m. in the Taller Nacional de Teatro, 200 m. north, 125 m. west of the Santa Teresita Church in Barrio Escalante. Info: 221-2154.

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Flamingo Marina Still Up and Running:
Locals Say Reports of Closure are Fisherman's Tales
By Tim Sparkman
tsparkman@ticotimes.net

A 200-passenger cruise ship docked at the Flamingo Marina off the coast of Guanacaste yesterday, belying reports that the north Pacific marina has been shut down.

Yesterday's landing was the second in three days for the ship, Seaborn Legend, which is flying under a Dutch flag out of Panama, according to local mariner Jamie Harless.

"The ship is back; everyone is running around and enjoying themselves," said area hotel owner Steen Oldenberg yesterday.

Flamingo Beach residents expressed concern last week that area businesses were suffering after a report Nov. 27 that the Environmental Tribunal had ordered the Marina shut down.

The Tribunal, an administrative court operating under the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), issued the order to close the marina on Nov. 26, citing a lack of environmental impact studies as the primary reason for closing the facility (TT Daily Page, Nov. 27).

The Tribunal's order was the latest installment in nearly a year of controversy over the marina's operation. The Tribunal tried to close the marina in January because of alleged water pollution, but the decision was suspended pending further investigation (TT, Aug. 22).
After then-concession holder Jim McKee was evicted on Aug. 12, the Municipality of Santa Cruz requested proposals from other companies to take over its management (TT, Oct. 3).

Five companies have filed bids, which are being evaluated by the Technical Secretariat for the Inter-Institutional Commission for Marinas and Tourism Docks (CIMAT). Proposals deemed viable by the commission will be sent to the municipality for a decision by the end of the year (TT, Nov. 14).

In the meantime, community associations have been scrambling to keep the marina open for the local businesses that depend on it.

Immediately after receiving the Tribunal's order to close the marina on Nov. 27, the Flamingo Development Association, headed by Oldenberg's brother, Ulrik, along with the Tourism Mariners' Association, filed appeals with MINAE and the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV) to keep the marina open.

According to Junior Bustos, president of the Tourism Mariner's Association, MINAE rejected the appeal and the Sala IV lost it. Bustos told The Tico Times that his association's lawyer, Esteban Rodríguez, would file another appeal with Sala IV soon.

The Flamingo Development Association and the Tourism Mariner's Association are continuing to maintain the marina. The Tourism Mariner's Association last week floated a new addition to the facilities, the dock extension being used by the cruise ship, explained Ulrik Oldenberg.

He said Flamingo Marina is not operating a fuel dock, and Bustos added there is no electricity. Still, they claim not a single ship has left the marina seeking another refuge.

Harless, who runs a fishing tour, added he is still open for business, and the fishing has been "incredible." He reported that a client on his ship caught an estimated 800-pound black marlin last week.

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Saprissa Defeats La Liga, 4-1
By Tim Rogers
Trogers@ticotimes.net

Deportivo Saprissa proved it is the real-deal with an authoritative 4-1 victory over archrival La Liga Deportiva Alajuelense in yesterday's "clásico" match-up between the two powerhouse soccer clubs.

It was the first time Saprissa has beaten La Liga in 14 head-to-head matches.

Emotions ran high both on and off the field during yesterday's game, the 118th showdown between the two teams in 54 years. Anti-riot police had to come onto the field to break up a fight between the two teams during the 65th minute of play, while outside the stadium there were reports that a gang of Liga fans called "La Doce" ("The Twelve") were attacking cars that passed through downtown Tibás, home of Ricardo Saprissa Stadium.

Despite the ugliness, there was a lot of pretty play too - mostly at the feet of Saprissa.

After dropping behind 1-0 early in the game, when La Liga midfielder Wílmer "El Pato" López netted a penalty kick in the 8th minute of play, Saprissa controlled the ball and tempo for most of the game.

Star Saprissa midfielder Alonso "El Mariachi" Solís, the second-leading goal scorer in the league, buried the equalizer in the 16th minute, when he knocked home a deflected shot by Gerald Drummond.

Saprissa took the lead 13 minutes later, when José Luis López ripped a one-touch volley golaso from outside the 18-yard line into the upper left corner of La Liga's goal, apparently taking everyone on the field by surprise. After the game, López told reporters he had dreamed of scoring a goal like that since he was a kid.

Solís continued to sparkle in the second half, sneaking a direct kick around a wall of Liga defenders and past the dive of the goalie for a 3-1 go-ahead.

Several La Liga players took their frustration out on Solís and Saprissa halfway through the second half, when pushes turned to shoves and then to a full fight between both teams. Trainers, coaches and eventually riot police had to come onto the field to calm both sides before the game could resume.

Saprissa scored its final goal in the closing minutes of the game, when Drummond tapped in a deflected shot by Alvaro Saborío, the leagues' leading goal scorer who was double-marked by Liga defenders for the entire game.

Eighteen games into the season, Saprissa remains undefeated and in first place, while La Liga, with its loss yesterday, has dropped to 5th place.

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'Teletón' Raises ¢200 Million

La Teletón 2003 reached its goal of raising ¢200 million (about $490,000) in donations, the daily La Nación reported yesterday.

The money will be used for the construction of the new Critical Care Tower of the National Children's Hospital.

The telethon ran a total of 27 hours until midnight Saturday, and featured more than 40 musical acts, according to Al Día.

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