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| Puerto Vallarta |
| July, 2007 |
Efforts Coordinated to Rescue the Town Center
Provided By Ambito
Mayor Bravo calls on sectors to join in actions that will bring up the heart of the town
Mayor Javier Bravo Carbajal met with members of the board for the rescue of the town center, who expressed their desire to join in the tasks the municipality has developed as to this issue.
 They also announced part of the proposals that have been discussed by the board as to preservation of the zone, which when added to the actions of the municipal government, will result in a polished image of the heart of Puerto Vallarta.
Mayor Bravo pledged his interest and total disposition to continue working together with the citizenry to solve the greater problems of Puerto Vallarta, and in this case, the tasks regarding the rescue of the center of town, action fro which the participation of all sectors is required to obtain better results for the good of the destination.
He went on to say that within few weeks the rescue of facades will commence, while in the assembly of the Municipal Council the Municipal Development Plan, the Urban Development Program and the Urban Development Plan for the Center of Town are to be discussed, which will establish action guidelines.
Mayor Bravo Carbajal said the municipality is ready to disburse the 400 million pesos to make up the tri-party fund for projects and works for Puerto Vallarta.
Likewise, he underlined the importance of these types of meetings to evaluate the progress and follow up on the issues having to do with the rescue of the center and empower the rector plan that allows the authorities and citizens to make up the work scheme for the recovery of the zone.
In turn, Public Works Director Arturo Davalos Villanueva announced that it is expected that the rescue of façades downtown will commence on June 20.
Tourism Director Marcelo Alcaraz said that the mayor proposed a motion to submit 15 projects to the consideration of the Federal Government to obtain funds to improve urban furnishing, signals and the path project and cycle lanes, among others.
Source: Ambito Puerto Vallarta Weekly Newspaper
Sound Signals for the Visually Impaired at Crossroads
Provided By Ambito
 The Traffic Department in coordination with the Municipal council for Persons with Disabilities, last Monday kicked off a campaign to raise awareness about the rights of pedestrians with different capacities.
As a first phase of the campaign, sound signal devices were set at the Francisco Medina Ascencio and Prisciliano Sánchez crossroads. This is the start point for drivers and pedestrians to become familiar with this new technology, and traffic personnel will be present to assist users.
A group of persons with vision disabilities last Monday were briefed as to the mechanism operation, which will aid not only the visually impaired, but also persons of the third age, by means of an alarm that goes off when it is safe to cross the avenue.
Traffic Under director Sergio Davila Aguirre said that through these actions it is sought to raise awareness among the citizens on the importance of traffic culture and respect of the pedestrian, and traffic personnel will be at hand to assist users of this crossroads.
“The presence of the traffic officers is a way to enforce the use of the traffic signals and to respect the rights of the pedestrians” said Davila Aguirre. Other actions will be implemented as well towards the learning of the new mechanisms by handicapped persons.
Coordinator of the Municipal Council for Persons with Disabilities Omar Arce Nolasco said that the activation of the new signals “is a very important step forward for persons with disabilities”. It is taking several years to finally have this service that will benefit 574 persons with visual impairment in the municipality.
Source: Ambito Puerto Vallarta Weekly Newspaper
Public Assistance Award for New Life Mexico
Provided By Ambito
New Life Mexico, a British Charity based here in Puerto Vallarta, has worked with DIF and Child Protection Services for five years. On the 31st May they were awarded a medal for their “Public Assistance” - presented by Mayor Javier Bravo Carbajal
Philippa Vernon-Powell, Field Director for NLM, collected the award and said, “It is an honour to accept this award on behalf of all the people who make up New Life Mexico - the NLM program managers, our volunteers who teach English, the many doctors and dentists who  give their time endlessly for the children with such compassion, Cornerstone Hospital, and all the kind and generous individuals who give us donations, both physical and financial from Europe and North America. I would also like to thank the NLM board of directors for their support, and our US partners Compassion4Kids. Without all of these people, none of the work we do for these special children would be possible. This award is for all of you, congratulations and thank you to each and every one of you”.
She went on to say, “The inspiration for NLM came from two individuals - a fourteen year old street kid who shared his hopes for an education and a better future and a twenty-four year old DIF care worker who shared his dreams for the street kid centre, the challenges that needed to be addressed and the fulfilment of rehabilitated children. Everything that has been achieved in the past five years is due to inspiration of these two individuals. We have come along way in this time. The DIF careworker, Ivan, is now working with NLM and the fourteen-year-old street kid is now studying accounting at CUC University. We are proud of our relationship with DIF and Child Protection Services and look forward to a fulfilling 2007 with them. We would also like to thank Aleyda Bravo Carbajal, DIF President, for allowing NLM to work on such an intimate basis with DIF and Jose de Jesus Barrios Trejo, Director de Proteccion A La Infancia, for his day-to-day support, his inspiration and dedication to the children.
The DIF staff and program managers in Child Protection Services have provided NLM with unequivocal loyalty and support over the five years, through laughter and tears, during good times and tough times. NLM is grateful to them all.” “Lastly, but by no means least, I want to thank all of the children in the street kid centre, “Vida Nueva”, for putting a smile on my face every day, and for allowing me to have the best job in the world. Each one has a different history and challenge ahead of them -NLM is here for them. Health and education are NLM’s primary focus, but a holistic approach to rehabilitation is required, and through Ivan we are able to provide this special care and the continuity they need in their lives. I feel very lucky to be part of their lives. I love them all.”
For further information on New Life Mexico and their work with Child Protection Services please email their Field Director here in Puerto Vallarta, Philippa Vernon-Powell at pvp@newlifemexico.com Website: www.newlifemexico.com
Source: Ambito Puerto Vallarta Weekly Newspaper
It Is Urgent To Stop Puerto Vallarta's Degradation
Provided By Ambito
 “If Puerto Vallarta doesn´t stop the actions of the biodiversity´s degradation and prevents the general destruction of its resources, it will suffer the consequences of other Mexican cities that have had an excessive growth and it will come down to exhaustion in less than 10 years”. This was informed by Architect Carlos Manuel Orozco Santillan during his conference “The situation in Acapulco may happen in Vallarta”, presented in “Centro Universitario de la Costa”, University of Guadalajara.
The specialist made it clear that he does not pretend to spread the problem as if he was the “Divulger of the Apocalypse”; on the contrary, he wishes the Vallartenses to be aware that this problem can be opportunely stopped, but for that purpose it is necessary that the community is involved. “Puerto Vallarta is facing a process Acapulco had 25 years ago; now it is the most contaminated bay in the world”..
Orozco Santillan explained to teachers and students that in spite that the problem is not new, little has been done to prevent it due to the fact that cheap labour required for the “modernization” forms part of the social, economical and cultural degradation of this important tourist center.
He pointed out that when hundreds or thousands of people are crowded and proletarianized in improvised “barrios” without a town-planning, the Government itself contributed in the creation of sectors like “The Other Vallarta”, a marginal city which could not be used as photograph for a post card. “It is a real crime that should be paid with jail; people don´t know if their homes are built where a park or an avenue should stand.”
The beaches should be public and not private as they seem to be now, and the urban transportation should be improved in order to fight the problem of commuting. They are necessary measures that have been decreased by the corruption prevailing in Mexico.
He added that more Institutions as the Universidad the Guadalajara, with no political purposes should be created; Institutions with moral authority to lead programs of recuperation and to regain consciousness. Finally he urged the citizenship and the Mexicans to be the real owners and recuperate their city.
Source: Ambito Puerto Vallarta Weekly Newspaper
Successful Closing Of Meeting Place Mexico
Provided By Ambito - Alan Yamil Hinojosa
This important event concerning tourism Incentives and Conventions took place after two days of intensive work.
Approximately five year ago and for the second time, Meeting Place Mexico (MPM), took place in Puerto Vallarta. It is a business Forum for specialized tourism conventions and incentives´ suppliers and buyers from Europe, United Status and Mexico. .
MPM started after the Tourism Secretariat and the Council for Tourism Promotion of Mexico (CPTM) decided to support the consolidation of the tourist trade by means of conventions and incentives for international and national buyers. This trade show is Meeting Place Mexico, addressed to convention organizers where one can find the best destinations, properties and services for the organization of these events.
The general director of the event, Fernando Compean mentioned that he is satisfied with the organization and support received from the municipality and federal and state authorities. He also mentioned that in this occasion the expectations were surpassed, as in the Express colloquy that took place last Sunday at Barcelo, more than 200 people attended the event when only 100 were expected.
During a press conference offered this Monday to the local Media after the official inauguration of the fair, Fernando Compean said that “this year we broke the record, both with the exhibitors and international buyers´ participation as well as the number of destinations exposed in the exhibition floor, with 29 Mexican tourist destinations, among them Puerto Vallarta!
He emphasized that this event is full and sold two months before normal as well as with more and better buyers, and that “this is very good for Puerto Vallarta and Jalisco and very good for Mexico, because we not only have 170 buyers from other countries and Mexico; those who were not able to come have received as well very important information about Mexico and Puerto Vallarta”. He emphasized as well that the quality of all participants was increased through time and thanks to a Poll made before getting to MPM “we see that 92% of the participants are interested in making their events in Puerto Vallarta; this is far superior to the numbers we were handling in the past”.
 They want the event to stay in Puerto Vallarta. During the Press Conference for MPM Organizers and local and federal tourism authorities, the Major said that it is Puerto Vallarta´s interest to keep on celebrating this event every year, beyond 2008, thus allowing the strengthening and development of Puerto Vallarta, especially with the opening of the Convention Center that we will soon have and that no doubt will be an important and interesting space in Puerto Vallarta and MPM.
This posture was reinforced by Francisco Salas Montiel, representative of Governor Emilio Gonzalez during MPM. “ We wish that this be institutional for Puerto Vallarta; as the government of the State of Jalisco is willing to support the municipalilty, I am positive the Federal Government would be supporting us in this sense, to properly institutionalize “Meeting Place Mexico in Puerto Vallarta”.
Due to the success Meeting Place Mexico has had and to all the requests received, it is possible that Puerto Vallarta could stay as a definitive destination, and Fernando Compean, the organizer, established that he will analyze this exposition once he has consulted the buyers.
Source: Ambito Puerto Vallarta Weekly Newspaper
Rescue Of Mismaloya Beach
Provided By Ambito - Alan Yamil Hinojosa
 One of the most important task in the beaches is their maintenance and recuperation; very few hotels look after this issue.
Some years ago Mismaloya beach suffered a very big deterioration due to the lack of attention and different circumstances including the climate; as it is popularly said the sea “ate” a piece of the beach… Today part of that beach has been recuperated thanks to Barcelo La Jolla of Mismaloya.
Laurente Houdebine, General Director of Barcelo La Jolla de Mismaloya expressed: “There has been no new investment in the hotel, it has had no maintenance done in places that have to be constantly kept up , such as the food and beverage areas, the public areas and especially the beach”
In this context, Houdebine commented that the works consisted in the construction of a retaining wall parallel to the beach; in the lower section bags full of sand and special material have been placed. This light technology is very effective in the solving of these problems.
Regarding the above problem, Houdebine commented to us that “before making any changes, we have talked to the ´representatives´ of the community living in the outskirts for them to be well informed”.
It is very important to mention that the hotel is working very hard in the rescue of the river and will continue to improve the beach; but this is not a job to be accomplished in a few days.
Source: Ambito Puerto Vallarta Weekly Newspaper
Disney Cruise Line Will Start Again its Cruises to Puerto Vallarta on 2008
Provided By Ambito
Mexico.- Arturo Mussi Ganem, Operative Coordinator of Disney Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Lines, announced that after two years of absence, Disney Cruise Line will start again their arrivals to Puerto Vallarta on 2008; he also informed that this destiny fulfils all the conditions to be considered a home-port after the enlargement of the three docks by the Federal Government.
 The ship broker emphasized that in the expansion plans of Disney Cruise Line, it has been confirmed that it will initiate operations with the enormous potential that Disney enterprises represent and that this will be reflected in the promotion and publicity that will bring benefits to Puerto Vallarta. “Puerto Vallarta will receive a greater presence internationally speaking, as this route will be divulged and there is a lot of purchasing power among the users.
Mussi Ganem commented also that Puerto Vallarta means a very important solid destination in this industry, mainly because the conditions will allow that these cruises be accepted more and more and that Disney Cruise Line´s arrivals will take place for a period of six months, visiting this port once a week. The capacity of the ship is of 2,500 persons.
He confirmed that the trust that other shipping companies, as Holland American, Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruise Line have showed, has been decisive in the consolidation of Puerto Vallarta as one of the most privileged destinations, and that in the case of Disney Cruise Line which comes back after two years of absence, this is a reliable reflection of its potentiality.
Mussi Ganem also commented that they had withdrawn from Puerto Vallarta due to the lack of ships which are necessary to meet the demands, as they only have two ships. This is why they have reorganized the routes in order that they do not neglect the thematic park in Florida. “Three new ships have been requested thus allowing us to destine a specific route towards Puerto Vallarta”.
On the other hand, he said that everything indicates that in a short period of time, a port of origin and destination could be established due to the new docks. “Puerto Vallarta, is undoubtedly the most complete port in the Mexican Pacific and one of the most attractive in the country, so I am sure that in a very short time it will become an embarking and disembarking port due to its privileged location, establishing a point of encounter of two very important routes”.
He added that the north of Mexico would be the first destination, specifically the Mar de Cortes and the second one could be extended towards the south, up to Huatulco. “They would be two very attractive cruises that in a near future would become the most rentable in the Mexican Pacific”.
Source: Ambito Puerto Vallarta Weekly Newspaper
Talpa - Seen by The Eyes of a Villager
Provided By Ambito - Alan Yamil Hinojosa
Ernesto Valdez gave a Conference to a large audience, where History, Flavor and Tradition were conjugated
 Distinguished personalities of different social and political groups as well as his most closest friends, accompanied Ernesto Valdez in this event organized by the City Hall together with “Colegio de Jalisco” in the Town Hall.
For the opening of the conference, Jorge Luis Garcia Delgado, the City Hall´s town councilor, gave a statuette in the form of a whale to Valdez Alatorre, in recognition for sharing his feelings and experiences of Talpa´s everyday life, a place which no doubt is Vallarta´s sister.
Ernesto said he is not an historian but someone interested in the beautiful region of Talpa; based on more than fifteen investigative reports, he made a compilation of important descriptions with their location and meaning. He talked about different periods, as the time of the “Reforma” when the mining prosperity took place as well as the story of two German brothers that made possible the communication with other adjacent towns with a telephone; they also started the printing of a newspaper: “Echoes of the Mountain” and a coining machine in order to pay the miners salary. “In that time, the XIX Century became a gold century for Talpa as several factories were started. One of them belonged to my grandfather Juvencio Valdez Vargas”, he commented.
He also talked about the Revolution period as well as what nowadays is an important production of artisan chewing gum industry, unique worldwide. Valdez emphasized that besides the religious tourism the ecological tourism is being promoted, giving another option to those pilgrims who only went there to pray and fulfill “mandas” (promises) to the Holy Virgin.
Before concluding, he read a poem of popular inspiration about events that give shape to the towns´ profile which is daily visited by hundreds of persons.
After the conference, the Mariachi de Talpa arrived at the City Hall and Ernesto Valdez showed the assistants what a good voice he had when he sang the most beautiful melodies of his hometown.
Source: Ambito Puerto Vallarta Weekly Newspaper
Javier Bravo's Government Seeks To Improve
The Attention To The Citizenship
Provided By Ambito
As part of the training activities received by the Municipality public employees
For the sake of offering the citizenship a better attention and the very best service, and with a positive response, Javier Bravo´s government continues to promote the “Personal Transformation Program” among the public servants of the Municipality of Puerto Vallarta.
The principal objective of this program in order to improve the services offered by the Municipality started May 12 with the conference “The Power of Personal Transformation”; It has to do with the improvement of the employees´ attitudes and abilities in each area and with a high sense of responsibility towards the citizenship.
These activities were planned strategically as a guide for employees in order to improve their personal and progressive growth; through various themes previously designed. They will be able to obtain personal transformation and development in family, social and professional areas.
The courses pretend as well that all public servants participate in this effort in a committed way, in order to make Puerto Vallarta a place to Live Better, thanks to the cooperation and commitment that every one assumes and in this way correspond to the trust that our citizenship gives us.
These actions are carried out as a sample of Javier Bravo´s interest in maintaining a government that is close to the people and seriously committed on behalf of Puerto Vallarta. This is being accomplished by the work carried out through the Administrative Office, which is headed by Marcelo Mantecon Gutierrez and the Training Department directed by Hector Ramirez Betancourt.
The conference Intelligent Handling of our Emotions which is part of this program, will take place Saturday June 23; through this conference the Municipality personnel will receive the necessary tools in order to offer the citizenship a pleasant attention and efficiency.
Source: Ambito Puerto Vallarta Weekly Newspaper
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