Open Letter To Minister:

OPEN LETTER TO MINISTRA DE TRANSPORTE:

Dear Mrs. Gonzalez,

Yesterday was a sad afternoon for the entire community in Flamingo and Reserva Conchal. A 12 yr old girl rode her rented Quadra cycle (4 wheeler) off a cliff to her death! Today the community continues to feel saddened and ask why and how could this happen? Some of us ask how it was that she was even allowed to ride on one in the first place! She came down from the U.S.A. with her friends and family to enjoy a holiday! Mrs. Gonzalez, I urge you to consider a few things from the perspective of a hotel manager living in Guanacaste.

Last night after hearing of the tragedy I ran into a language student (Andrew Bama) who told me of his weekend trip back from Limon. His rental car was stopped six times, two times of which they were asked to get out of the car and were physically searched, including his wallet! He said that there was not one police checkpoint along the way back that did not stop them. He is a university student over here for a couple of weeks and vows never to drive in Costa Rica again! What were the traffic police really looking for? Again, he was stopped six times! WHY?

On my way back from Tamarindo last night I passed two young girls on another Quadra cycle without helmets and then I passed another two young girls on a scooter without helmets! I also passed several bicycles without lights or even reflectors. Last night I tossed and turned trying to sleep as I recalled you on channel 7 several months ago introducing two gentlemen on TV. One was from England and the other was from France and you were so proud to introduce them as witnesses to the stricter traffic laws similar to the ones in Europe and the ones that have recently passed here! In Europe cyclists without reflectors would be fined (given a “Multa”), besides that they would have wider roads along with proper lighting and maybe even side walks! Wake up Mrs. Gonzalez, we are not in Europe! As in much of the legislation that passes here it is “over-kill” on one end and complete negligence on the other!

I feel that the new traffic laws here verges on the absurd and now with the new points system, we will open a Pandora’s box! Yet again, a 12 year old can ride a deadly vehicle to her death! No one should have to receive a call like that from a friend regarding a fatality regarding the death of a child on holiday!

And finally what really gets me stirred up is everyone in the tourism industry keeps talks about “Turismo Sostenible” (Sustainable Tourism). How about a crack down on the real problems mentioned above and the ones we all witness daily out here…lets just call it “Tourismo Responsable!” (Responsible Tourism!)

I implore you to reconsider your new laws and work on laws that focus on realistic regulations on all vehicles especially after the sad and unnecessary loss of life of an innocent 12 years old tourist.

Ulrik N. Oldenburg
(Ced Residente # 720-0203567-0000084)
Gerente Operaciones
Flamingo Marina Resort

To quote a few on this recent tragedy…
"Yes…from a happy CR vacation to total the worst tragedy in life the loss of a child so horrid. Should never be a death that brings change and seems no one learns and here with the lack of enforcing laws even that are will be a challenge but hopefully this little girls death will bring about change. Ulrik please email and post on Facebook this letter and let us know where and when to sign and if cannot be thru e mail I will help you get signatures and sure several business will just let me know what I can do to stop. Thanks. Do you know who this family is and from where? We all must pray for them Peggy and work to prevent this again. Horrid"
Judy Sherrill

"This is unspeakable and maybe now we will get the attention of authorities to regulate this horrible industry. I am antiquated! My heart is broken for this family."
Jeanne Cordes

For those of you concerned please pass this on so we can get the government to act!