The need to promote the establishment of industries and businesses in Limón, demographically the youngest province in the country, led national and local business chambers to join unions in the region to Bill Project No. 22,264. It seeks the creation of a Water Park to be the basis of a business development plan in the area and serve as an engine for the tourism sector, as well as SMEs in other areas that can benefit from the chain.
This past Tuesday, the National Chamber of Tourism and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations of Costa Rica Fedecámaras sent a letter in which they support local groups in this initiative. The note was addressed to both the President, Carlos Alvarado and the President of the Legislative Assembly, Eduardo Cruickshank.
Touristic development
The letter was also signed by representatives of the Limonenses Workers ‘Federation and the Japdeva Workers’ Union (Sintrajap). The Union of the Municipality of Limón and the Union of Petroleum Chemical and Related Workers (Sintrapequia) also participate.
“We not only support this project, but we also need it. It would be the spearhead for the tourist development that, for years, has been sought for Limón. That allows to achieve a greater attraction of tourists to the province”, says the text.
Also, the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) joined the call. Separately, the Costa Rican Union of Chambers and Associations of the Private Business sector (Uccaep), also expressed its support for the initiative. This bill was raised, precisely by Cruickshank, in October 2020.
Growing Province
“To date, the province of Limón has more than 450 thousand inhabitants, distributed in its cantons, however, it is urgent to develop it entrepreneurially, since it only has a little more than 5,500 companies in its territory,” said the Uccaep chief, Alvaro Jenkins.
The project
The bill, Creation of the Great Caribbean Amusement Park, establishes that said work will be financed, with a contribution of 20% that, “Japdeva has accumulated for the concept of the exploitation and inspection fee of the concession of the Container Terminal of Moin”.
From the first year and during the first five of operations, 75% of its income would be for maintenance and 25% for social welfare projects in the province. That percentage increases to 50% from the sixth year.
The province of Limón reports about 95,000 inhabitants between 10 and 19 years of age. It is estimated that, only in the Huetar Caribe Region, 68.3% of young people between 18 and 24 years old do not attend any educational center. These data according to the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC), as of 2019.
According to the stakeholders, this project is vital to ensure ‘future sources of employment for this generation of residents of Limón. Besides, it would be a trigger for the arrival of new foreign investment, as expressed in their letters.
