Dear Sir,

After reading about the high-rise senior city that is planned, I am saddened to see that the city officials would once again approve even the first steps towards this monstrosity.  We are not Guadalajara; we are Chapala, and Ajijic, and most of us who came here did so to get away from high rises, dense populations, and more traffic.  Seeing that beautiful hillside changed forever is sad and unnecessary.  Are you kidding me, 29 stories?  How awful, and how “out of place” it will be for this area.  When we have a difficult time receiving enough water here during the dry season (we often have to pay for pipas of water to be delivered), how will we now provide enough water and other infrastructure  for this ambitious project?  And you say it will bring much needed employment to the area?  For a short period of time, and many new workers will come from other areas of Mexico, where will they be housed, employed, after the project is done?  Those people will then be out of work when it is completed and searching for money in order to live.

Dear Sir,

On Monday April 6, on the grounds of La Floresta’s Marina, Grupo Naimar held an information session in regards to their “Lake City” development. On this day, I was embarrassed to be a “gringo”.

I attended the meeting so that I might get firsthand information on this development and by-pass the usual incorrect gossip that is prevalent among the gringos at Lakeside. Others seemed to have attended the meeting with a completely different agenda.  About 25 percent of those in attendance  were self-righteous, rude, ignorant and self-centered. (They seemed to think that they represented everyone but people being polite and not telling someone to shut up and sit down, does not mean those people agree with you.)

These people were self-righteous in that they came to the meeting with pre-conceived ideas and would not listen to the answers provided.  They were rude in that they laughed at many of the answers provided by the speaker and made many disparaging comments.  One lady behind me actually had the nerve to shout out “I guess you bribed all the right people” in response to the speaker informing the listeners that all the permits had been approved.  They were ignorant because, without knowing all the facts, they were critical of the information being provided and would not listen.  Above all, they were self-centered because the overwhelming concern, mentioned several times by different people, was the Carretera not being big enough to accommodate the added numbers of people coming into the area.  Why is this self-centered?  This project will bring thousands of construction jobs and thousands of full time jobs to the area allowing the Mexican people the opportunity to put a meal on their table, yet these people’s biggest concern was how the traffic flow will impact them.

To say the least, my  wife and I were disgusted with these people.  We do not need these people here and I have no doubt that if the shoe were on the other foot and they were back in Canada or the United States where a group of immigrants at an information meeting acted the way they had, they would be yelling for them to go back where they came from.  This is my suggestion.  If you are a guest here in Mexico, and your only concern is your comfort and you ignore the needs of the citizens of this country, it’s time you pack up and go back to your home country.

Liam Lowe

Dear Sir,

The Animal Shelter in Riberas currently has a record high of 39 kitties up for adoption. Some of these arrived as kittens and have lived there for a year now. They are desperate to have a home. 

They are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and certified as healthy. There is no adoption fee on kittens who are over one year old. These young juvenile kitties make great pets. They are socialized and gentle. For those people not wanting to raise a kitten, these young ones make a terrific companion. And how grateful they would be to have a home.

If you are thinking about a companion cat, think about a kitty who is a little older. New kittens are cute but a lot of work. These kitties are darling and already on their way to being a wonderful pet. Don’t forget that a kitty from the shelter is healthy, vaccinated, spayed or neutered and ready to be your pet.

Either drop into the shelter on the Carreterra in Riberas del Pillar, just before the Catholic Church, call us at 765-5514, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Our hours are Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Closed Sunday.

Give a kitty a happy home and you will be glad you did. 

Margo McCutcheon

To be considered for publication, letters must include a full name and contact information. They may be edited, for length and clarity.

Dear Sir,

Like most Chapala residents, I was anxiously awaiting the opening of the renovated plaza in front of the Mercado. When all the fences were finally taken down, I asked around as to why the vendors were still on the street taking up parking places. I was told at the time that they had to wait for the sidewalks to completely dry. Today several of the vendors told me they weren’t going to be allowed back. I believe it’s just a matter of time and they won’t be allowed on the street either.

Dear Sir,

Dear Sir,

Would the Guadalajara Reporter, have any idea why the Mexican postal service have been holding our mail from the UK, Canada and the US.

I enquired once again, at the post office and was told that our mail has been held in Mexico City. I along with many others have not received mail since November, do you know why.

Gillian Whitehead, Ajijic

Editor:  Oralia Peña, manager at Post Office Number Two at the Federal Building on Avenida Acalde in Guadalajara said that mail from U.S. and Canada has been held up at two Mexican Aduana (Customs) centers, one in the U.S. and another in Mexico City since before Christmas. But, she said the block is starting to lift and mail is now being transferred to sorting centers throughout the country. She noted that she had checked on a registered letter sent from the U.S. January 1 and that it was just now being sent from Mexico City to the regional sorting center.

Dear Sir,

The other evening at around 12:30 a.m., while returning home to Ajijic from the charreada in Tlajomulco, we had a flat tire.  We were on the Guadalajara-Chapala highway at the La Barca exit, near I believe, the pueblo of La Calera.