security meeting this Friday

This Friday the 24th from 12 to one p.m. there will be a meeting at LCS to present to the public and get input to a proposed new security plan for the area. All residents are encouraged to attend this open meeting. The new commandante of Transito will be present. The plan originator is candidate for Chapala presidente, Javier Degollado.

what the haitch can a commandante for transitos contribute to "security". i can't believe javier and his crew would think that as they are more astute than that.

I don't understand what the "Transito's" have to do with security. Will the Policia Jefe or MP be there?

Sounds like local politics to me. No impact, just a show.

Totally showtime.

Yes, should be fun! I will play my usual part of blonde avenging angel in white with impressive jewelry standing at the back and glaring. Works wonders. One of the mysteries of Mexico. Blond power rules!!! See you there. Should be interesting. A multicultural experience, sort of.

The security meeting site Friday at 12 p.m. has been changed to Manix restaurant on Ocampo.

Not able to attend today. Any report on how and what went on?

Transito officer was unable to attend. Presentation was chiefly by Javier Degollado who says he expects to be Chapala's new mayor, as he is way ahead in polls, so he is actively planning now for what he will do. He was interested in getting input from expats. Input was mostly about road and policing issues. He promises he is hiring more police, who he wants to be from the local community, and he has plans for training them and raising their pay. He did have someone taking notes for him and Dale Hoyt Palfrey was there, so there will be a story in the Guad Reporter this Friday, I expect.

Sounds like another waste of time, another politician sounding off. So a candidate decides he is the winner and makes promises...he probably will not keep..but his name will be in the paper .God help us. I sure will not vote for him.

Hiring locals to be part of the Police force only breeds corruption (they won't properly police their friends and relatives) and enables opportunities for extortion as the bad guys know where to find their families. They would be way better off hiring those that live in Guadalajara IMO.

There are plus and minuses, when hiring away from the area you will not know who the bad guys and good guys are and unless they have a record it will not be easy to find out. Locally everyone knows everyone reputation and by asking the right question you have a pretty good idea of the good ones and bad ones of course the downside is that they may fabor their friends and families..
That is one of the ex police chief for a town on the other side of the mountain told me..in other word it does not make a whole lot of difference it all depnds on the chief´s preferences.

We arrived about the end of the last Degollado administration. As I remember, he was not well thought of. (Being kind) So they think his brother will do any better?

Who knows...

Family members are not all alike, necessarily. Maybe he wants to do better than his brother. Family rivalry. Speaking of brothers, the attorney handling legal matters if Javier gets elected (I forget the Spanish title for this) will be an attorney who is one of the brothers of our Ajijic delegado Hector Espana. At least we can perhaps hope that with that close alliance, and the fact that Javier lives in Ajijic, we might accomplish a few things on a small scale. At least we Ajijic folks will not have to go far to picket in front of his house;) BTW Javier said he has made his fortune in clothing manufacturing, implying he is now turning to community service like Bill Gates. (I was going to say Carlos Slim, but he is probably not going there!!!) He was wearing a white dress shirt with his name and party embroidered on the front and back, just in case you failed to recognize him. BTW, although there was a respectable turnout, there were not nearly enough people there considering the quality of the performance; better than some of our local theater performances; you missed a good show.

So from a security meeting it ecame a transito meetin then the location became Manix then it became a meeting where the foreigners have no business attending and  the head of the transito saw what was happening and politely decline to show up.
Very good Jaybear and who are you going to vote for? Since it was a political meeting you had no business being there supporting anyone. You were just sucked in in a meeting to hear the promises of a candidate who may or may not win and you think it is fun? Deleted.

Why can't we say, it was just a waste of time, and move on.

It was a waste of time. Let's move on.

Lady Otter Latté wrote:It was a waste of time. Let's move on.  

Wait, I just got here.

Hector's brother was the tied at the hip legal guy for the Degallado brother who left Chapala not only broke but in serious debt and gave us the scar on the mountain and Walmart.

Who is this idiot HarryB, who constantly posts misleading information on TOB? He appears to be a stooge and a lackey for the Espana brothers. I have corrected him a number of times but he continues with his endless stream of distortions and misinformation. Is he as stupid as he appears to be?

I believe he is politically involved with them and also believe he is a Mexican citizen, who acts as some sort of liaison and spokesperson for them, with the English speaking foreign community.

Let me set the record straight.
When Hector was elected delegado for Ajijic 2 /2 years ago he wanted to form an Ajijic committee that would help him create and bring to fruition projects that would benefit both the Mexican and foreign community.  He asked me to chair it.  After a few discussions with him I agreed and brought on board several people, Harry Bublin being one of them.  Harry is well connected to the foreign community and he and his wife work hard for  and contribute to the work and finances of several philanthropic organizations.
Harry understood many of the needs of the Ajijic community.
When I became ill soon after starting the committee I asked Harry to take it over as I would not be able to do it.
He readily agreed and has worked hard and got support for various projects from his personal contacts.
He and Hector have grown very close over this time.  I do not agree with everything that Harry says or does, but he does deserve kudos for what he has helped bring about and the time and effort he has put into  it.  I would not have been able to give all the time and put as much effort into what has often been losing battles with the Chapala administration. He and Hector had many projects on the table and some important ones, such as a free dental clinic, now exist thanks to their perseverance and hard work. Many projects that would have benefitted Ajijic died because of the lack of funding and support from the Chapala administration.
You may take issue with some of what is said but have respect for what he has helped accomplish

Harry certainly is fortunate to have Shana as an advocate in his behalf. And while he may be deserving of some measure of praise for his efforts, I think he's performing a disservice for the expat community when he becomes involved in the petty bickering of the local politicians. It's in the best interests of the expat community to get along with whomever is the mayor, regardless of his or her political affiliation.

Smartalex,
I do know they tried to get along and it came to naught.  I have lived here a long time and I can assure you that Ajijic gets short shrift from every administration.  Getting along buys you very little.
For someone to go after someone and name call him a moron when you are not involved in trying to work on projects to upgrade the community denigrates you, not him.  I am glad I had to step aside and have not been involved because I would not deal as well with the disappointments and frustrations that both Harry and Hector have dealt with.
It has been a thankless job, more for Harry who came aboard as a citizen volunteer than Hector who is a politician.
I do not know if Harry got Mexican citizenship as it is rare that I run into him but if he did he has every right to get involved. He would be dealing as a Mexican and not an expat.