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The Cozumel News in English
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Each week we select articles from local newspapers that amuse or interest us and then translate them into English. We wish to stress that these translations are literal --English versions of exactly what was originally written in Spanish by reporters for Por Esto, Diario de Quintana Roo, Novedades and El Seminario. It should also be mentioned that we cannot always verify the facts in the stories we publish here. We leave that job to the newspaper that originally published the article. We appreciate hearing from our readers so please feel free to E-Mail US your questions, suggestions and comments. You may also wish to consider starting a discussion on any topic below that interests you by posting on the Living on Cozumel Forum.
Note: These articles are a great deal of work to find and translate. They are under copyright. But we all know what a temptation it is to want to share interesting info all over the internet. We don't mind you copying short snippets. But .....
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The
Cozumel News in English, Vol 21
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Feb 18-26 , 2005 |
Please note we have temporarily lost our expert local translator and in the interim, the editors are soldiering through with the help of some pricey translation software and the very kind assistance of Israel Sanchez, a professional translator who has volunteered to help us with the more difficult passages. (Thanks, Izzy!)
THEY PERSIST IN PLANS TO ENLARGE PUNTA LANGOSTA |
Representitives of GICSA struggle to continue their project at Punta Langosta despite the fact that they are being opposed on Cozumel by the business sector, civil organizations and society in general. These groups consider such a structure to be a threat to the beauty of the island and it will block the sight of the sea.
Last Friday, the mayor Carlos Hernández Blanco traveled to Mexico City accompanied by Carlos Rodríguez Loeza, legal adviser of the Town Council, and the general manager of Quintana Roo's Port Integral Administration, Jaime Aguilar Cheluja.
The meeting held at the capital also included Angel González Rul, general manager of Puertos de la Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT), Arturo Castro, titleholder of the aforementioned concession, and Mario Martín, general manager of the company GICSA. The intention of the meeting was to examine the legal status of this question and to try and find a viable solution to the conflict between the company and the authorities of the Town Council.
During the meeting, the company representative of GICSA maintained that because she was the possessor of a federal construction permit, she did not need municipal authorization.
In response to this view, the mayor maintained his legal position of domain with regard to licenses, even on federal possessions and reiterated his commitment with the community's interests.
"I will safeguard the community's interests until the last day of my mandate," the mayor maintained.
For his part, Angel González Rul maintained that if GICSA and the local government cannot come to an agreement, Puertos's Headquarters would keep a neutral stand in the event and a judge would have to settle the issue in point. Lastly, the general manager of Gicsa, Mario Martín, requested the mediation of Hernández Blanco to find a solution that will not affect the community's interests nor give them to the company and that he was prepared to initiate any type of dialogue necessary to find a common ground on which all could agree.
The mayor of cozumeleño reiterated emphatically that his responsibility is to defend the interests of the community to the letter of the law, and that he would propose a dialogue between the entrepreneurial and environmental groups and the company epresentatives, with the aim of finding a possible conciliatory as well as legal solution.
Update as of February 23: Diario de Yucatan reports that mayor-elect Gustavo Ortega Joaquín also takes a public stand against the project. Also see next story for details of a large community march planned for this Saturday (Feb 26) at 4 PM.
MARCH ON BEHALF OF COZUMEL'S WATERFRONT. The Saturday Parade Will End with a Poll |
Noemí Ruiz de Becerra, woman president of the Cozumel Business Association, calls upon the entire population to join in a long walk next Saturday (February 26) for the purpose of defending and rescuing the image of Cozumel's downtown malecón.
She indicated that responsibility falls upon all cozumeleños, not only the groups which are advocating this initiative, and that all aspire to avoid further construction on the jetty which will lose for everyone the panoramic view of the sea.
"The convocation is open to all the community who may take part in the long walk," Ms. Ruiz de Becerra reiterated.
The walk will begin at Las Casitas, the public beach at the north end of town, at 4 in the afteroon on Saturday, February 26. Businessman Michael Álvarez Ancona will offer some welcoming words before the event begins.
The parade will conclude at the commercial plaza and pier known as Punta Langosta, where the company GICSA intends to construct a commercial building.
"This walk is not an action with politic shadings but rather a civic action designed to raise the consciousness of the population so that they may continue to have a safe island with balanced development," Ms. Ruiz de Becerra stated.
Local artists as well as representatives of 40 civil and public associations across the board will join in the march and music will also accompany the caravan.
At Punta Langosta, a floral wreath will be placed as a symbol of community spirit followed by a public poll to determine what they expect from Cozumel in the near future and how they are willing to preserve and defend its identity.
"Let us rekindle our love for our island, for the preservation of its serenity and beauty is what we desire, with the sea as its bridge to the rest of the world. Let it become a cultural icon, a celebration that will make us ponder "Who are We?", adds Ruiz de Becerra.
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PIRATE SALEMEN AND THE BURDEN OF TAXES DISCOURAGE FOREIGNERS FROM BUYING HOUSES AND LOTS ON COZUMEL. SOME HAVE LOST THEIR INVESTMENTS. |
The high costs of lots, the incompetency and occasional fraud by salespeople and the burden of taxes and closing fees have harmed the sale of real estate on Cozumel, according to Fernando Heredia Molina of Coldwell Banker Realty.
"Something must be done or we will begin to lose our market for strong investments," the realtor maintained.
In the past year, Heredia Molina's office managed to sell 35 properties. But the only hope of duplicating that sales record this year will probably be with the opening of the council house projects the realtor maintained.
The way things are being done at present, says Heredia Molina, many real estate salesmen are moving too quickly. They should not be so impatient and be willing to wait until the correct procedures have been implemented including clear title to the property by the seller and that all taxes and liens on the property have been paid.
"In past years some foreigners have lost heart in investing on Cozumel thanks to sloppy, incomplete and even fraudulent work by salespeople," Heredia Molina continued.
"And many cancelled their deals and looked to the mainland coast and other parts of the Mexican Riviera to buy instead."
"Fraud and incompetence harm everyone and undermine the real estate market here."
Heredia Molina states that he is inviting property administrators and realtors to join the Mexican Realtor's Association of which he is the Cozumel chapter president as it would offer great benefits to them in terms of increasing their education and enhancing their reputation for honesty and competency.
FLAMINGOS NEIGHBORHOOD DEMANDS DANGEROUS HOLE IN ROAD BE FILLED |
An unsafe hole at the intersection of Flamigos Avenue and Calle Ganso has caused several accidents and inhabitants of the neighbor who traverse this intersection daily demand that it be filled. It is not only dangerous but is also being used as a trash deposit, inhabitants of the neighborhood adamantly maintain..
The aforementioned cavity, has existed for several months and nothing has been done about it, say neighbors, despite the fact that a great many people have been hurt stumbling into the enormous hole in the street.
In addition to the above, the cavity is now being used as an inorganic- trash deposit for things like glasses and plastic bottles, useless small buckets, dishes and pieces of wood. This will gather water during the rainy season and become a source of infection and bad odors for inhabitants who live nearby.
Norma Santana Medina, who lives at this intersection, stated that on one occasion she stumbled into this cavity and hurt her knee and, although she was able to stand up and limp away, it was still very necessary that this enormous hole be plugged before someone else is injured.
And, she continued, this is especially a problem at night when people stumble into the hole due to the fact that there is not much illumination from street lights here.
Cecilia Cocom Gómez, also an inhabitant of the aforementioned neighborhood says she has reported this problem to the local radio station but until now nobody had done anything about the matter
PLANS TO ENLARGE THE MUNICIPAL PIER MOVE ON APACE |
The general manager of the Port Integral Administration, Jaime Aguilar Cheluja, who happened to be on the island yesterday to inspect the new pier lighting, assured that the second stage of enlargement of the fiscal dock is in progress.
He stressed that the project is not yet official as it will have to be presented to the ferry companies as well as environmental and other government groups. However he hopes to have permissions within the next 65 days once the groups have had the opportunity to study the plan.
The plans for the fiscal dock enlargement include creating a 18 x 50 meter 600,000 square meter terminal. The building will have two stories. The first story would be given over to ticket offices, reception areas and baggage handling. The story above would be a waiting area of passengers.
The cost of the construction is estimated at close to 6 million pesos.
PROFILE OF A PRUNER : Don Teodoro Sanchez Lizama Uses his Ingenuity and a Scissors to Transform the Trees of Cozumel's Streets |
Don Teodoro Sanchez Lizama , a native of the Yucatán has dedicated his life to the management of parks and gardens in Cozumel's municipality. He manifests that he has lived through several administrations and during his 13 years working for the municipality his salary has improved from 250 pesos when he began working to his current pay of 800 pesos per week.
He indicated that at the present time he is 32 years old,and is married to Senora Mariana Dzib Tah, with whom he has two children Teodoro Sánchez, 4 and Yoshua Benjamin, 8 months. Both were born and are growing up on Cozumel, a place, Sanchez Lizama maintains, "I never wish to leave.".
He said that working as a pruner for the town council has meant the world to him and also to his co-workers. Because they give life to the trees when they create animals and figures and it pleases them when the tourists stop and take photographs of their work. .
He indicated that the schedule is very heavy for all of the workers, particularly in the morning when they must get up a 5 AM to be at work by 6. And they finish for the day at 6 PM. But the workers have become accustomed to this.
He said that at the present time there are only two or three pruners at the municipality who know how to make the figures in the trees. But the work has become increasingly difficult now that the trees are getting so much older and the Town Council needs to start a reforestation program on the principal avenues to improve the image for tourists.
He suggested that with the remodelling of the malecón, they should plant trees which can be molded into the shape of swallows and other graceful attractions.
Finally, he commented that the downtown Benito Juarez plaza also must have more trees, because the ones that are there are getting dry.
"But meantime, with God's help I will keep on this work."
Sanchez Lizama also invited the community to try and have more appreciation and consideration for the trees that have been shaped into works of art.
"Sometimes people destroy them and that is a very unworthy thing to do. "
HUNDREDS OF PIRATED CD'S CONFISCATED. Suprise operation by the AFI finds DVD films and cassettes in stores located in the area of the Poliforum Francisco Cordero |
In a latest blow in the ongoing fight against piracy of compact disks, the Federal Investigation Agency visited establishments in the neighborhood Emiliano Zapata, according to informed, unofficial sources.
The agents of the Attorney General's Office of the Republic (PGR) assigned to the AFI made a surprise raid this Wednesday to detect establishments that are selling pirate products. They visited the area around the Polifórum Francis Cordero where they managed to secure hundreds of unauthenticated goods that were put at the disposal of the Office of the Government Attorney of the Federation.
When interviewed, the tradespeople affected by the operations expressed that they are conscious of the risks involved when sending the aforementioned products, but that the principal problem is that originals have very elevated costs and the people do not buy them for this reason, choosing pirates in spite of knowing that they do not have the quality of an original one.
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ARE THERE STILL THOSE WHO CAPTURE SHARKS OFF COZUMEL? Or Is It a Forgotten Activity? |
For many years shark fishing was a successful industry on the island. But thanks to over-explotatation in other parts of the state, fisherman have had to pay the price says Enrirque Tec Dias, president of the Passion Island Fishing Cooperative. Currently they are not permitted to fish for the species.
Now, according to the president of the cooperative, they have requested permissions before the proper authorities to begin fishing for this species once again but so far they have not been given. However if a shark falls into a trap or in the nets, sometimes it can be withdrawn and sold since it was an accident.
Tec Dias also told this interviewer that there are poachers dedicating themselves to shark hunting and authorities have done nothing. There are also, he added, pirate fishermen who take fish from the northern lagoons even though it is prohibited.
Shark meat is easy to sell, he continued..However it requires a boat of at least 40 feet in height with the proper team and equipment suitable for capturing shark, which is a very considerable investment and few want to take this risk.
He mentioned also that the plentiful schools of fish close to the coast that were seen years ago are beginning to run out and fisherman are forced to go further out to catch porgy, mojarra and chacchi.
TRICYCLO DRIVERS LABOR UNION CONSIDERS OBTAINING PERMISSIONS TO EXPAND THEIR SERVICES IN SPITE OF LOCAL OPPOSITION |
Feliciano Pech Ek the secretary-general of Tricicleros's Labor Union in Cozumel announced that they are working to try and get permissions from the Secretary of Communications and Transportation to create a tricitaxi service.
Some months ago the tricicleros asked to be registered for this with the CTM but at that time did not receive permissions and the project was abandoned. . Now the 25 tricicleros are getting organized in order to make their request to the Secretary in a more correct form.
"This is a service that is not only feasible but necessary", Pech Ek, asserted. Particularly in places like the downtown plaza area.Although he also made the comment that the service should not be solely for the downtown plaza area but also extended to Punta Langosta, the neighborhoods and the island's hotel zone
He manifests that although there are groups of people on the island who would oppose this project, the union isn't getting discouraged because they know there is a need. Taxi drivers aren't interested in taking Cozumeleños on short runs in the downtown area, Pech Ek maintains, because they can make much more money taking the tourists on longer trips to places like the hotel zones.
On the issue of collection of payment, Feliciano Pech said that they would charge the same fares as a regular taxi -- nothing more than what you would expect to pay if you were going to a supermarket or other big store.
The triciclo workers organization plans to invite more people to affiliate themselves with the union "which is becoming stronger every day." Membership, says Pech Ek, will give them better job opportunities and help the organization to grow ever stronger.
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