Bocas del Toro has NO sewage system ... mmm, raw sewage in the sea

Bocas del Toro, the archipelago, does not have a global sewage problem, as it has a large number of islands, and relatively fww people. However, the problem is acute on the main island of Bocas del Toro and the main town itself, Bocas (Saigon, abit of a shanty town, is attached to the back of Bocas town). When you catch the water taxi over from Almirante, a shanty port, you will see many shacks built directly out over the water, surrounded by mangroves, and then you will notice the little structures a few feet away from each shack, about four foot wide, six feet high, with a little door ... yep, that's the restroom (toilet). Hey, who needs plumbing when you've got water that everyone swims in. And it is just the same for parts of Bocas town, Saigon, Bastimentos etc.

Bocas del Toro needs some basic infrastructure improvements

Bocas del Toro needs some basic infrastructure improvements. The community has no waste water (sewage) treatment plant. The town lacks a water filtration or treatment system. Visitors are strongly advised to drink only bottled water ... Relatively few Panamanians live on the island, opting for cheaper housing on the mainland ... The area does not have a predictable dry season ... The island lacks a hospital ... Common medical problems include food and waterborne diseases, insect bites, sunburns, heat stress/stroke, and dehydration. Copyright: This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on Bocas Town, Bocas del Toro.

Down in the dumps (by Allene Blaker)

"By far, the worst eyesore in the entire Bocas archipelago is the town dump which used to lie alongside the Bluff Beach road, and now sits directly on it. The following is a short account of the latest goings-on at the dump, compiled by accounts from several sources in Bocas, most of them Bluff Beach residents." Read more of Allene's article here.

Raw Sewage Into the Bay of Saigon

Please, no one come to tell me about how this projected mega marina (the Harbor of the Americas marina project in Bocas del Toro) will potentially cause environmental damage to the "fragile" Bay of Saigon. I took the photo above of a typical outhouse behind a residence directly across the street from the "Cabanas" where the meeting was held. After it was over I walked out onto a pier to take a look at the pristine bay and there it was. In fact here are about 350 houses or so (probably a conservative estimate) housing around 2,000 people who shit and piss directly into the ocean every day, right where this mega marina is supposed to be built. It's a friggin' cesspool! While we were there taking a picture of this structure, a resident of the house next door was nice enough to squat and piss and we were treated to the tinkle-tinkle serenade of sweet relief. So, considering the current conditions of the water in the Bay of Saigon, I have zero tolerance whatsoever for anyone who wants to attack this project on the grounds of potential negative environmental impact. In reality, the developers will have to spend millions of dollars to get all of these houses connected to the sewage water grid to stop the floating turds from hitting the bay - if for no other reason than millionaire owners of mega yachts don't want to tie up in an outhouse. It's a matter of practicality, and in fact this project will almost certainly be a net environmental improvement rather than a negative. All of the environmental activist are both significantly conflicted and hypocritical if they attack this project while ignoring the current situation on the ground and in the waters of Bocas del Toro. (taken from the article by Don Winner 2009)

The Bocas del Toro Beach Dump

What About Garbage Disposal? Another concern raised by residents is the additional impact this mega marina and the huge yachts tied to the slips would create in terms of trash and garbage disposal. Right now the Municipality of Bocas Town on Isla Colon collects about 16 truckloads of garbage every day, which is hauled out to "dumpers" and literally thrown onto the beach. There is an ongoing controversy over the land which has been used for more that 20 years as a dump. Apparently the municipality has been renting that land to use as a dump, and if you can believe it or not someone bought it for $4.5 million dollars. They immediately informed the city government that they would no longer be accepting the city's garbage, canceled the rental contract with the city, and fenced the property. What was Mayor's Binns' response? He just ordered the trucks to start dumping the tons of garbage right onto the beach in front of the land (sending a very nice "fuck you, buddy" message to the new landowner...) There was a public march and demonstration in the middle of town held and organized by the surfing community. Apparently anyone who goes into the water near the dump, and there are some fantastic surfing beaches in the area, comes out covered with boils and sores. And I ask the obvious question - Where are the environmental activists on this one? Why not be most concerned about the existing problems that are ruining the environment right now? In any case, the issue of garbage and trash disposal is a current and valid point which will also have to be addressed by the municipal government. I mean, that's what governments are for, right? Oh, I forgot - "this is Bocas..." (taken from the article by Don Winner 2009)