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Costa Maya Newsletter > Archived Newsletters > January 2007

Costa Maya Newsletters: of primary interest to property owners on the Costa Maya, - Rio Indio - Placer - Uvero - Punta Herrera - Xcalak and other points along the coast

***********************Newsletter: Jan. 19, 2007**************************

CONTENTS:

* Message board for Costa Maya Neighbors
* Electricity efforts
* New development on the Costa Maya and surrounding area
* Learn Spanish month
* New Mexico Caribbean road signs
* Articles of Interest in the news
* Garbage on the beach
* Spotlight on your Neighbors

Hi Neighbors,

I'm not much for looking towards the new year or look at the "accomplishments" of the past. From a Costa Maya perspective, there are some new shops in Mahahual and construction of homes starting everywhere. There are now more cruise ships than ever and no change in the annoying practices of jeep tours tearing up the beach road. Meanwhile, the beach road gets more and more potholes from construction trucks and busses (yes, the tour busses go down some areas of the beach road).

Next year it would be nice if we could say we have electricity on the beach road. This will only happen through the efforts of many people. Please read the section on Electricity and make a resolution to act upon it!

The best news is the "siting" of an ATM machine in Mahahual. I don't want to start unfounded rumors, but following is what we know. The Pemex in town has just changed hands. The current store that was there closed on the 15th of January and the very next day, and an ATM machine was seen by another property owner being unloaded from a truck. Yesterday and today the store has been closed every time we've tried to verify information about this. Talk about frustrating! We don't know if it will be inside the store, or outside, as is the case of other Pemex's. We did hear that when the store reopens, it will be open 24 hours. I will let you know the status of this and which bank it is attached to. Since many banks have agreements with banks in the US that will allow you to withdraw money at no charge, it might benefit you to open an account that is connected to the ATM here. We'll keep you posted when we actually see something working -- if all of this is true and there is a 24 hour ATM in Mahahual, I may even send out a special e-mail announcing it!

You can find this issue of the newsletter and archives of past e-newsletters at this location:
http://www.mayanbeachgarden.com/PropertyOwners_Newsletter.html.

MESSAGE BOARD FOR COSTA MAYA NEIGHBORS

There seems to be some lively activity in the "neighborhood" section of the message boards. People are looking for their neighbors and starting up discussions with each other on-line. This is fabulous in my book and the primary reason for the message board. Please take a second and check if your neighborhood is represented. If not, add it as a new Topic.

Thanks in advance for supporting the neighborhood!
Topic: Neighborhoods: http://www.costamayalive.com/Forum/viewforum.php?f=13
We were severely hit by pornography spammers last week. Bridget Montolvo, neighbor with lots in Cazona and Xcalak has kindly informed me more than once that this was happening. It took me hours to clean up, but it is possible that I may have inadvertently deleted a legitimate post or blocked someone. If you are having trouble using the message board -- please let me know!

ELECTRICITY EFFORTS

Those of you who have been receiving the Costa Maya newsletter for a long time, know that we have tried twice to get electricity. In the past, we had help by Anne Guerin, who has property in Placer. She collected names, location, when planning to build and some other completely meaningless bits of information. That effort was completely wasted and we never heard back regarding the information. Supposedly, if the correct information is filed at the CFE (Power company) and we are willing to pay for the infrastructure, we cannot be turned down. Individuals in Mahahual and in Rio Indio filed the property paperwork and were turned down because they were told that FONATUR needed the power for large hotel developments. The town of Mahahual has written a letter to the governor stating points of law where this is illegal. The town has also recede bids for the work and is now waiting to see if the ruling will change or if they will have to take a more political stance. We have been advised that this is a good time to file with the CFE, as there is strength in numbers.

In order to be included, the following information MUST be submitted for EACH property owner (legal descriptions and names are NOT enough):

  • Name of owners as shown on your passport or FM3
  • Name of corporation if owned by a corporation, or name and location of your Fide Camiso Bank trustee
  • Predial papers (your property tax statement)
  • Copy of catastral (the official document that shows the square meters of the land, the legal description and the structures on the land, as well as the appraised value of all.)
  • Contact information

Ted Garcia has volunteered to help compile this information. He owns property in Placer (some of you may have stayed at his house), speaks fluent Spanish and even used to work in the infrastructure side of the electric industry in Mexico. There are three methods to convey the information:
1) scan the documents and send them via e-mail to Ted
2) Fax them to Ted at this number:\ (Please include cover page with Ted's name)
3) make copies of them and mail them

Please contact me at Mayan Beach garden if you are interested

NEW DEVELOPMENT ON THE COSTA MAYA & SURROUNDING AREA

One of the first things you might notice as you drive down from Cancun are new Roadsigns. These new signs have been designed to have a look and feel unique to Mexico's Caribbean coast. The state of Quintana Roo is marketing the entire coast and the new signs are designed to tie everything together. With it are coming road-side garbage cans (already starting to be installed and no where near enough of them) and kiosks at gas stations that promote the area. We haven't seen the kiosks yet, but the signs are somewhat of a disappointment. Quite colorful, you can only read the destination portion which is white on a dark blue. The other text is tastefully printed with white on tangerine or lime green. Impossible to read as your are driving, let alone once the sun starts to fade it.

As you head into Mahahual, you will note a sign pointing to the left that says "Chetumal." The arrow points toward the new condo project that will be built between the lighthouse and the pier. If you go down the little road, you will NOT to to Chetumal -- it is the other direction. Even funnier, if you turn the other direction you still won't get to Chetumal because there is no road that goes through Mahahual through to Chetumal. Don't let this confuse you!

LEARN SPANISH MONTH

Yes, I guess there really is a "Learn Spanish Month." In a previous life I subscribed to a mailing list that informed me of all such events. Well January is one of those events. Since it coincides with New Years Resolutions, I've made it a resolution to practice my Spanish for at least 30 minutes a day. I've selected a program called "Linked in Spanish." I like it because it takes that you know and keeps adding new things, "linking" them together. I purchased the CD, but there are quite a few free lessons on-line.Linked in Spanish

ARTICLES OF INTEREST IN THE NEWS

Mexico, Dec 15 - Two million people cross annually the southern border from Guatemala and Belize to Mexico and vice versa, and of them 400,000 enter Mexico illegally. Calderon, the new president of Mexico proposes creating mixed police units and checking migration status of the population in the area. As part of that program, from Jan 1 Guatemalan citizens will be able to request migration forms as local visitors and temporary agriculture workers, and if they violate those rights they will receive the corresponding sanctions.

TRADE AMONG BELIZE, MEXICO AND GUATEMALA GOOD IN 2006. 2006 was a good year for trade between Belize and Mexico. Starting in January there will be a new bridge at the border between Mexico and Belize.. During the visit of President Fox in June of 2005 an agreement was signed for the expansion of the existing water crossing point that the construction of a new bridge that will work together with the existing one. Comletion will be completed in 2007. Despite this, there does not exist a trade agreement between Belize and Mexico, but they still do conduct business. The turn-off to the bridge to Belize is located at a new interchange as you enter Chetumal.

CHCHEN-ITZA, THE WORLD WONDER: Swiss-based New 7 Wonders Foundation is revising the original seven ancient wonders of the world, and Mexico’s Chichen-Itza in Yucatan State is one of 21 finalists to become a new Seven World Wonder. Chichen-Itza was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered to have been one of the greatest Mayan centers of the Yucatan peninsula. It is located two hours west of Cancun.

GARBAGE ON THE BEACH

Many of you have wondered as you looked at the garbage on your beach "where does this garbage come from?" My guests wonder all the time. Finally I have some good statistics about the source of garbage worldwide. The organization Ocean Conservancy sponsors a worldwide beach cleanup each year in September. After the cleanup they collect an amazing amount of data based on the cleanup. Here are some of the facts that they have collected:

Source of Debris:

  • 59% - shoreline and recreational activities (I can support this! - you should see the beach after any Mexican holiday!)
  • 29% - smoking related
  • 8% Ocean / waterway activities
  • 3% Dumping
  • 1% Medical / personal hygiene
  • The most common items found during the cleanup between 1999-2004:

  • Cigarettes/filters 8.2 million
  • Food wrappers - 3 million
  • Plastic bottles 1.9 million
  • Bags 1.7 million
  • Glass 1.6 million

    If you have been reading my newsletter for any length of time, you will know that I am an avid supporter of recycling. Every time there is a storm, tons of garbage ends up on our beaches here in the Costa Maya. If you are visiting your lot and care to pick up plastic on your beach, bring it here to Mayan Beach Garden in plastic bags and we will take it to the recycling center in Chetumal. Mahahual is supposed to have a center, but as of yet, we can't seem to find out where it will be located. The center in Chetumal will take all plastics, but not cans, bottles or other debris (sorry, they are not taking any of those millions of cigarette filters!)

SPOTLIGHT ON YOUR NEIGHBORS: the Jaquiths

David and Jacque Jaquith are close to completing their home in San Jose (just south of Placer). Read more about them at http://www.mayanbeachgarden.com/PropertyOwners_spotlight.html

DISCLAIMER

The editor of this newsletter (me) makes no claims that the information here is completely true. I am not a news reporter, Spanish is not my native language and this is not my primary business, but rather a service to the neighborhood. If you find something untrue PLEASE let me know and I will print a disclaimer. I try to verify the information but even the newspaper prints up rumors, so I can only report what I read and hear. THANKS!!!!!

Until Next month...

Regards from your Costa Maya Neighbor
Marcia
Mayan Beach Garden, Boutique hotel on the Costa Maya
www.mayanbeachgarden.com

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Updated: 01-May-2008

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