Carol Schmidt
Jan 15, 2004, 7:17 PM
Post #1 of 2
(255 views)
Shortcut
|
Summary of SMA Mayor's speech to the foreign community tonight
|
Can't Post | Private Reply
|
I am so impressed with the new mayor, Luis Villareal, of PAN, who offered to speak to the foreign community tonight in the Biblioteca. The room only holds 81 but more people listened outside via microphones. I couldn't believe it when he said that he personally worked from noon to 4 am Christmas Day at the police department to inspire those who had to work that day and to ensure there would be no security problems. I'll summarize some of the points I remember. He stressed security a lot in his presentation--first thing he did when he took office was to clean house in the police department, then he increased the number of officers per shift from 20 to 54, then he got the nonworking police cars up and running so that instead of four there are 18 working scout cars. He wrote down the problems we foreigners presented to him tonight, even to promise more patrols in an area where kids were using slingshots to take out expensive windows over and over. He had a staff of six with him, including the new liaison to the foreign community and his heads of city planning and of environmental issues. He said that the Jack Nicklaus golf course and resort development is in early stages, it still hasn't gotten an environmental impact report done, and he was happy that the developers had guaranteed to put sizeable money into a water treatment plant--"They didn't have to do that, it wasn't any requirement they had to meet." The resort will use recycled water on the greens and make extra water available for agriculture, the biggest drain on the city's water supply. He answered a complaint about the electric company and said that this was a national problem that also had to be addressed locally. He and the liaison to the foreign community gave a phone number for those who needed to contact the city government more officially--sorry, I didn't get the number--and promised that a better phone system was coming. The city will also have a web site very soon where many questions could be answered. He said he was very aware of the need to start in the schools on such problems as littering, and he said that work is already underway to clean out the filthy water flowing along Calle de la Luz. He has begun work on a major plan to beautify the city, partially funded by major donations from some members of the foreign community to get rid of graffiti and to repaint many buildings, particularly along the main streets coming in to town. He said the city does have a plan to monitor growth, so that the water supply in particular would not be harmed, and there were now certain districts where factories could locate, etc. One person asked if there was a plan to ensure that traditional Mexican customs would remain even with the growing influx of foreigners, and she cited in particular the Christmas tree in front of the Parroquia, which upstaged the traditional Nativity scene and upset some Mexicans. He replied that the Christmas tree is a worldwide symbol, Mexican families traditionally have had Christmas trees as well in their homes, and he intended the Christmas tree in the Jardin to be at the center of the SMA home for all of us. He said he wanted to continue the traditional customs--he reestablished a long-abandoned practice of a major altar in front of the Parrochia for Day of the Dead, and asked that teen boys and girls reestablish the old custom of parading around the Jardin in opposite directions on Sundays as a way of meeting each other. He was asked about the upcoming US presidential election and the election to replace Vicente Fox, and he gracefully declined to comment on the US election. He said he was sure the next PAN candidate would be elected as Mexican president because it was clear how much Fox has accomplished to change Mexico in his short time in office already, though Fox could not do all everyone hoped. The audience was polite and appreciative--have to say I was afraid some of our local complainers would make a scene and reflect badly on all of us, but that didn't happen. I would say a bright political future lies ahead for Villareal, a lawyer who is only 28. Maybe some day he will be president of Mexico! Carol Schmidt
|
Forums Index
Search Posts
Who's Online
Log In or Sign Up