Dear Sir,
I fully agree with Dale Palfrey’s recent column (January 11-17) titled “Flaming Mexico stinks.”
I have been a full time resident at lakeside for the last 20 years. I believe that the major cause of the increased amount of negativity is due to social media. It is being used as a vent for personal frustrations, vendettas and reporting of bad incidents.
In my belief, Walmart does not support or endorse the pickpockets in their area anymore than Target does in New York. A social media that is fueled by positive input and attitudes is a benefit to a community. Something we can all use and learn from.
The reverse is also true. To use the platform for personal vendettas and to express frustrations and disappointments can only cause more negativity in the community. There seems to be more negative feelings and comments now than ever before.
It used to be said that for every ten people who move here, there is one who may not belong. I don’t know if the numbers have changed any, but now with the use of social media one can do a lot more damage than before. Thank you, Dale, for pointing this out to us and hopefully we can coexist happily here within different cultures, customs and practices, always remembering that we are guests in a foreign country.
If one is very unhappy or frustrated in our local environment, please remember that the plane does fly both ways.
John Mistrik.
San Juan Cosala
Dear Sir:
In her column in the January 11-17 issue of the Reporter, Dale Palfrey gripes about expats’ increasing griping about Mexico, our host country.
I have been a full-time resident of Chapala/Ajijic for the last 15 years and I’ll finish my life here. I have seen some significant improvements in the reliability of the electrical power supply, the internet, and in the beautification of the malecons both in Chapala and Ajijic, where I enjoy long strolls in the sun watching the egrets, pelicans, and grebes as well as family gatherings during the weekends.
But I have to admit that I have noticed some dark lining on the silver clouds in the sky of our corner of paradise. Uncontrolled – legal or possibly not – construction of housing developments to the west of Ajijic without corresponding improvement in the infrastructure, especially roads and water distribution and treatment, have certainly worsened some aspects of the quality of life here.
Will the municipal government continue to approve more housing developments before the Carretera between San Juan Cosala and the Libramiento turns into a giant parking lot? Is there a master plan that is actually being adhered to?
The current government has all but reneged on its promise to fix some of the streets in Ajijic to make them passable. Drivers now must play the game of dodging potholes while watching for new ones as they emerge and expand. The situation is getting worse every day and this not only affects expats but the Mexican community. Ask them.
It seems to me that the municipal government is spending most of its maintenance budget in Chapala itself, where I have noticed significant improvements in many streets. It would be interesting to know the budget distribution between the various “delegations” that compose Chapala, as well as between the various administrative divisions.
The official Chapala website is totally useless and shows nothing regarding income and expenditure. I would think that this issue would be an interesting topic of investigative journalism for Ms. Palfrey. After all, we expats may be guests in Mexico, as we are often reminded, but we are paying guests and certainly contribute in many ways to the welfare of the Mexican community.
I’ll add that we are more than happy and indeed thankful to have the chance to live our golden years in this “rincon de paraiso.”
Jean-Claude Tatinclaux, Ajijic