Cozumel News Vol. 2 l 4

ENVIRONMENTALISTS DENOUNCE RACOON HUNTING

Translated from "Diario de Quintana Roo"

Gaudalupe Alvarez Chulim, president of Sky, Land and Sea environmentalist group, complained that Isla de la Pasión workers are hunting the dwarf racoon, a species indigenous to the island, that is in grave danger of extinction.

“It’s necessary that authorities responsible for environmental protection, start ‘taking names’ in this matter,” she underscored.

“Huricane Gilbert didn’t finish off the dwarf racoon, the type of tourism development permitted at Isla de la Passión is managing to do the job,” Alvarez Chulim added.

The environmentalist stated that for many years it was thought that the the animal was extinct, but “there is now evidence of small racoon communities who have retreated to the northern area of Cozumel.

Remember that during mayor Leonel Villanueva Marrufo’s administration from 1984 to 1987, a public bathing area was built on Isla de la Pasión and when the people got out of their boats the racoons would gather round because they were accustomed to being fed.

Alvarez Chulim says that a group of fisherman have discovered that beach club workers on the island hunt the dwarf racoons and eat them. “We have intervened by issuing a formal complaint in order that the authorities investigate this situation,” she stated. “Unfortunately the dwarf racoon has a number of predators in Cozumel, from the boas to the packs of dogs that run wild, and now we must include the jeep tours and the beach club workers,” she concluded.

COZUMEL-CANCUN AIR LINK

Translated from "Diario de Quintana Roo"

Javier Aranda Pedrero, director of local tourism promotion, says that the recovery of the Cancún-Cozumel air link is of great importance to the island, because some carriers no longer offer service to either of these locations precisely because there is no major carrier service between the two cities.

“Cozumel will be able to take advantage in the Fall when large numbers of flights arrive in Cancun, which gives way to the possibility of capturing a good percentage of that tourism,” he said.

“We have to be precise in stating that Aerocaribe never stopped flying between Cancún and Cozumel, and they do actually offer two scheduled flights per day, but this can’t compare to the level of service available more than a year ago – a service which has been deteriorating for the last five years.”

“Having said that, we actually do have great confidence that Aerocaribe will reestablish the air connection with the Cancún airport, and will have the opportunity to offer Cozumel as a destination by way of that airport,” indicated the director.

OPTIMISM IN COZUMEL

Translated from "Diario de Quintana Roo"

Javier Aranda Pedrero, head of the island’s hotel association, informs that despite the conclusion of winter air operations and the fact that hotel occupation is at 52.5%, the increase in air arrivals for July and August have created the expectation that tourism numbers for this summer will be up from last year.

The summer vacation season begins the middle of June and ends the third week of August, during which period Continental Airlines will begin operating two flights per day out of Houston, instead of just one.

There will be 21 charter flights during the summer with a capacity of 3,657 seats per week, including flights from Charlotte, Dallas, Mexico City and Philadelphia.

NO CASES OF BEACH EROSION DETECTED

Translated from "Novedades de Quintana Roo"

Sky, Land, and Sea environmentalist group assures that up to the moment Cozumel is not experiencing any cases of beach erosion. However, if the mangrove devastation and the contamination of protected ecosystems continues, the risk of erosion will increase considerably.

The group’s president, Guadalupe Alvarez Chulim, indicated that they are aware of only one case of erosion and that was 16 years ago after Hurricane Gilbert swept the island and damaged beaches at Punta Morena and Playa Azul, among others.

She indicated that Cancún has experienced considerable problems, generated in areas where there is hotel construction which often results in the destruction of sand dunes and mangroves.

With regard to Cozumel, Alvarez Chulim mentioned that a few kilometers past Chankanaab as well as sections near San Francisco beach and the Iberstar Hotel there were dunes at one time. But with the development of the aforementioned beaches and building construction, very little natural vegetation and dunes remain.

The environmentalist stated that there is still time for the three goverment levels to find a solution to the destruction of sand dunes and mangroves, and that they should enforce the ecology laws properly and without making exceptions. She said that she actually knows of hotels that eliminate natural rock masses on their beaches and replace it with sand that has been removed from natural dune areas.

42,000 LITERS OF ASPHALT FINALLY ARRIVE

Translated from "Novedades de Quintana Roo"

With the long awaited arrival of 42,000 liters of asphalt, workers can continue filling potholes and repaving the city. They were a “little bit behind” during the last several months, admitted Nelson Lizama Mendoz, director of urban services, paving and pothole repair. During the period workers were waiting for more asphalt, they cleaned 223 drainage registers and 34 home wells. He explained that the pothole workers were not laid off for the two month wait, but instead they just worked slower based on the materials available for use during that period.

Now with the arrival of more materials, they can attend to the needs in the Flamingos, and Repobladores neighborhoods as well as Rafael Melgar Avenue along the waterfront.

NO MORE SAVING PARKING PLACES

Translated from "El Semenario "

Downtown business and home owners have made it common practice to place obstacles in front of their property in an effort to prevent vehicles from parking there. This violates city regulations concerning the right of public way and is sanctionable.

Assistant director of public security operations, traffic and police Carlos Lopez Avilés indicated that the attempt to position trash cans, plastic chairs, oxygen tanks and other objects in front of downtown businesses and private homes with the intention of “saving” parking spaces is something that local police are bent on erradicating.

In order to accomplish this, the police department must sensitive citizens to the fact that the public way is meant for the free flow of traffic and curb areas cannot be blocked off because it makes your business more attractive or because a home owner wants to maintain a parking place in front of his residence.

The assistant director went on to say that perhaps the lack of downtown public parking areas may be influencing these irregularities, but some blame can be directed at islanders themselves who have become accustomed over past years to parking a mere few steps away from their place of employment or home.

FERRY DRAG RACING MUST STOP

Translated from "El Semenario "

Cozumel island’s military subsector warned in a clear and stern manner that the two ferry enterprises could have their boats detained if they continue racing one another and performing dangerous maneuvers. One or both of the companies would receive the corresponding sanctions for this type of offense once the case is turned over to the harbor master.

Naval commander Mateo Avendaño said that representatives of both Cruceros Maritomos and Ultramar have been advised that the “boat races” that occur between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen could provoke a serious accident and are putting the security of local citizens at risk. “Based on observing both businesses, we have noted that the competing ferries execute dangerous maneuvers which in turn create giant waves that have nearly overturned smaller crafts carrying tourists.”