Cozumel News July 26, 2017 Special Edition

Robbery at the Grocery Stores

I saw an interesting video called “Robo en Los Supermercados” by Queretaro 360. It addresses the pricing of products versus the change available under fifty centavos (cents). For example, if your purchase comes to an amount that requires the store to give you change of 20, 30, or 40 cents, the smallest coinage that they have is 50 cents. So they keep the change. Disputada Federal, Maria Garcia Perez is introducing legislation to reform this practice that is benefiting grocery stores millions of pesos annually. She estimates that these pennies add up to $2,500 pesos per shopper each year. Her reform would mandate that the grocery store electronically save these pennies to each customer’s account.

 

The Cozumel Sun Garage Sale

We have had really low attendance at the last few sales, the heat is affecting everyone I think. We will try again with better advertising in a few weeks. The Sun Garage Sale, formerly known as “The On-Going Garage Sale” was started as a means to collect gently used clothing and goods to be donated to the poor and/or sold at low cost to raise funds for our many projects in Las Fincas and our immediate neighborhood.

Please consider dropping off the items you no longer use or need at our home/store #1081 35 Avenida between Calles 17 & 15 Bis. You can also call at 987-118-4453 or 987-120-5902 to arrange a pick up at your home. All Clothing, Housewares, Furniture, Appliances, etc. will be greatly appreciated. Your donations or proceeds from your donations are guaranteed to go towards a family in need or to a good cause.

Aurita’s Corner

I attended the town hall meeting for Corpus Christy Neighborhood on July 16, before illness struck the family. The meeting was very informative, I was really impressed with the professionalism, friendliness, and overall organization of the event by Mayor Perla Tun and her staff.  There was a good representation of the immediate neighborhood as well as a few of us from surrounding neighborhoods. Many speakers were longtime residents of the neighborhood (25, 35, years, etc.), and in the two hours that I was there I identified Corpus Christy residents that came from The United States, Canada, Italy, France, and Costa Rica.  What a cool neighborhood! My intention was to cover the entire meeting, unfortunately, my husband started feeling ill and I accompanied him home. I immediately turned on the live broadcast of the meeting and to my dismay, discovered that they had audio problems. Right after we recovered, our family has gone on our annual Mexico road trip. I am writing this from our hotel room in Coatzacoalcos, Vera Cruz from my old notes, unfortunately I did not take my recorder. The following is what took place to the best of my recollection during my two hours only.

The island has a campaign to eliminate the use of shopping plastic bags and are encouraging all Cozumel Residents to use cloth bags to carry their groceries and other purchases. Meeting attendees were gifted with cloth bags for their use later in the meeting. A very nice young man explained this program in both Spanish and English, unfortunately for those that do not speak Spanish, the rest of the meeting was in Spanish.

Public Access to beaches

A resident complained his family was denied access to the beach in an area that is a Federal Zone and by Articles (17-19) should be free access to the public.

• Municipal lawyer was on hand to meet with the resident and take down the information to research the complaint.

Replacing Horse & Buggies

A residents brought up a suggestion to replace the tourist horse and carriages with motorized vehicles to save the horses. Recent incidents that endangered the safety of not only the horse but bystanders were sited. I believe the issue was referred to Public Safety.

Pet Area at the Park

A resident requested that the City look into having fenced in sections in the parks where dogs can be allowed to run loose. The doggie playground idea was referred to the appropriate department for review.

Street Flooding

A number of residents complained about the serious flooding on Calle 15C. The mayor was asked to visit the area and responded that she had been made aware of the situation. She is working to have it resolved. Apparently this type of renovation/repair is a project of either the State or Federal Government, I did not get which. She stated they tend to set their own schedule without asking the City what the priorities are. She directed a staff member to pursue the issue at the appropriate level. The wells that previously absorbed the rain water have been outdated in the past 48 years and new solutions are needed as the streets are paved and water runs down to accumulate on the lower level streets such as Calle 15c.

Trash Collection

Recyclables are collected Tuesdays from 8 am – 3 p.m. should be in white bags. A discussion took place on regular garbage pickup and someone suggested returning to the use of those rod iron garbage containers.

The Need for Education

A resident addressed the desperate need for driver’s education in the schools for youth and also for adults. Licenses are handled by the State and Mayor Tun expressed the need for citizens to get together with any state related issues and get signed petitions. She stated, she is considered a rebel at the State Level and has little power on State Issues. However, Citizens requests in the form of signed petitions are powerful. She stated her staff would be happy to assist in putting together petitions and she would gladly carry the petition to the State for us.

A resident asked for assistance in helping her son get his driver’s permit. He is a student and athlete who practices every available hour and the licenses for minors have been temporarily suspended by the State. I believe someone on staff was assigned to see what they could do to help.

Crime

One resident was extremely irate the Municipal Police told him he would be arrested if he attacked and harmed a person that broke into his home. If you are not defending yourself, you can’t use violence against the perpetrator per Federal Law. The resident had a hard time understanding that this has nothing to do with Mayor Tun or the Municipal Police. Another Resident reported that a law has come into effect that you may “Take out” a perpetrator if he is in your property. It was not clear if the Law was in Mexico City only, that State, or nationwide. The City’s legal department is to check into it and let us know.

The Mayor reiterated what I reported before on crime, they are actively arresting some twenty offenders over and over again. By law, they can only hold them for 36 hours and unless the victim press charges, they must let them go. They cannot post the offenders pictures; they are innocent until proven guilty. The OXXO stores refused to press charges, the robbers got away with it. The drugstore robbed did press charges and the guilty party was prosecuted.

Enforcing Community Service and Kicking people off the Island were discussed. Apparently at one time you could be denied entry into Cozumel. Huma Rights no longer allow that as a solution to the repeat offender problem. She has recruited more municipal police as budget allows. She is asking help keeping youth off the streets after 10 pm.

She is encouraging Neighborhood Watch Groups and is offering staff assistance in organizing them.

Neighborhood Noise

Someone complained about music until four in the morning, I missed the source of the noise, whether it was a business, carnival activity, or what. The Mayor called for a petition from the neighborhood as the best way to take action. A number of conversations were taking place around me at this time distracting from the open microphone discussions. A recorder is a must for the next meeting!

School / Program Closing

A resident complained about a Program or school that was being closed after 37 years that has provided valuable education to the community. Again, the Mayor suggested a petition to be taken to the Secretary of Education (State Level).

Support for Youth Athletes

A disgruntle coach voiced a complaint about not getting funding for a specific athlete and further complained that the City was taking credit for the athlete’s success?  That went back and forth for a while, the City Representative citing that they had refused assistance and did not follow up with appropriate paperwork. That led to the City reporting that they supported 21 athletes one of them placing eight in the world in Tokyo. There is a support a Champion Program to help support Cozumel’s athletes.

Abandoned and Neglected Properties

My son Bartolo and a neighbor of ours made a presentation on two properties that are abandoned next to our home. They are basically two dumps that are totally run over and harbor insects, snakes, ticks, rats, and lord knows what else. They are a hazard to children, pets, and the neighborhood in general. In our case, we have filed complaints unsuccessfully to two previous administrations. Our neighbor has complained to three previous administrations without success. We respectfully acknowledged that the City is flooded with complaints of this nature and must follow the proper legal channels. The owner has previously been warned; in the past ten years the lot was cleaned only once by the PRI Political Party during a campaign season. We provided pictures, and our neighbor provided the history of the lot and names of ownership. The appropriate department head came over and took notes, let’s see what happens!

Note, we live in Colonia Independencia, anyone can attend these meeting from any Colony.

On the Finances

The Mayor at one point discussed being left with a deficit of $350,000 Million. She inherited unpaid bills going back to 2008 including employee pensions and medical insurances. She addressed going to the State to petition and fight for the return of missing funds taken by the previous administration. There are 125 “Demandas” (claims) against her from previous administration employees requesting funds she does not believe they have coming. She is welcoming an upcoming State Audit. She is working magic making ends meet while slowly getting the City out of debt. She is extremely proud of not accepting a single loan to make ends meet.

At one point and time she was in tears when speaking of the media attacks against her and her family. She stated that she owns no yachts and fancy homes and she pointed out her Mother sitting in the audience and said that her mother worked hard to raise them by frying fish for a living.

Perla Pride

I was pleased to hear a number of residents praise the work our Mayor is doing. One resident from Costa Rica forwarded a live broadcast of a Cozumel Town meeting back home and was pleased to announce that a Mayor in Costa Rica was about to adopt the concept and start neighborhood meetings in their Municipality. I for one, have nothing but admiration and praise. The complaints that were most aggressive are out of the City’s jurisdiction. The rest, an issue of funding, that is being handles as best as she can. I promise to have my tape recorder next meeting! Sorry for the delay!

SATURDAYS

SUNDAYS

Coming Up Next!

 

 

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