Welcome to Cozumel News December 14th, 2013. This week on the news we feature, Counterfeit Money circulating in Cozumel, ISSSTE Store Closings, Beer Sales Hours Changed, Minor Changes in Parking Meter Violations, The Christmas Decoration Contest Downtown and An Urgent Request from a Visitor to Cozumel. Have a wonderful week!
Counterfeit Money Warning
Authorities are warning the public that there is counterfeit paper money in circulation on the island. On December 12th a street vendor accepted a counterfeit 200 peso bill. Apparently it is a very good forgery made on the right type of paper and containing many characteristics of the real money. The public is urged to be careful when accepting or exchanging money. Because the larger stores are equipped to detect counterfeit money, it is believed the thieves will target the smaller vendors and people that are the most vulnerable. Authorities are urging the small vendors to buy and use counterfeit detecting markers that are available for sale at the stationery stores for their protection.
ISSSTE Closing Stores
During an interview this month with ISSSTE representative, Carlos Hernández Blanco, it was announced that ISSSTE recorded losses of up to one million dollars per month this past year. Competition with the large retail chains was identified as the reason. He acknowledged that there is a lack of infrastructure and a shortage of necessary items to market at low cost. Those arguments were considered enough to make the decision to close three of the five existing stores in the state.
Hernandez Blanco clarified that stores in the state capital, Chetumal, Benito Juarez-Cancun, and Cozumel, will no longer offer services to the community. The nearly one hundred employees working in these three stores will not lose jobs, as they will be offered the opportunity to work in other stores. In Cozumel, more than 15 employees, in some cases that worked for over 25 years for the institution are expecting notification of their relocation.
Beer Sales Hours Changed
The previous administration allowed convenience stores to sell beer until midnight if they purchased a special permit. The new administration reversed this decision and reestablished the sale of beer from nine in the morning until nine at night Monday through Saturday and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Trying to discourage bootlegging during the holiday season, the new administration is allowing vendors to buy permits to allow them to sell beer once again to midnight Monday through Saturday during the Holiday Season.
Minor Changes in Parking Meter Violations
The legality of the parking meters on Rafael Melgar by an outside, non-government organization has been questioned since the appearance of the meters. As the result of a court ruling minor changes have been made. A resolution cleared the Supreme Court of Mexico, clarifying that only the authorities have a right to impose a fine. “Municipal Transit Police will now go with the private firm employee that owns the meters. Another change is they have stopped using that apparatus to lock the vehicle wheels. They will now go back to removing the car plates like in the old days. The procedure remains the same after that. You can pay your fine at the same module in Benito Juarez Park (behind Palmas) and recover your car plates.
Olympus Meters Ltd. and Cozumel have a contract that states in part that “The municipality will receive 33.4% of the total gross revenue concepts of rates, fees, exploitation and accessories (currency revenues , payment for exclusive space, payment of prepaid cards and collected fines or infringements and anyone resulting from this contract). ”
Christmas Decoration Contest
Juan González Castellan, Director of Tourism in Cozumel has invited everyone to tour the “Parque Benito Juarez” and Avenida Rafael E. Melgar, to enjoy the Christmas decorations on the storefronts and in the business themselves.
Economic Development and Tourism organized competitions in “Christmas tree decoration “and” Storefront Christmas decoration “as a way to start a new tradition and to promote the economic recovery of downtown. Participants were encouraged to use their imagination and creativity to charm the community, as the community will be judging the winner.
Cota Manuel Becerra, Director of Economic Development, said he was pleased with the response from the commercial sector. He reported that as of Friday, December 13th, photographs of the decorations will be exhibited at the link: www.cozumel.gob.mx / index.php / contest. Citizens can choose their favorite entry until December 22nd, the date that the voting period closes.
An Urgent Request from a Visitor to Cozumel
We recently visited your city on a Royal Caribbean Cruise and lost an Olympus camera while there. This was our first cruise and my wife has been very ill and the photos that are on it are very important to us. Please let me know how to place an ad in your paper.
Upon our arrival we took a Taxi to the Forum Shops. We then walked back toward the Royal Caribbean docks and stopped in several shops. We ate at a corner restaurant past Del Sol. We then took a taxi to Mr. Sancho’s beach club. We left the beach club in a taxi van and were dropped off at the Taxi terminal where we stopped at a few shops on our way back to the dock to board the ship. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Billy Goodin
Please contact the Cozumel Sun if you know the whereabouts of this camera, more importantly the pictures that this family cannot replace !
COZUMEL EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
MUNICIPAL TAX DISCOUNT PROGRAM 20 % – DECEMBER 1st – 16th
MUNICIPAL TAX DISCOUNT PROGRAM 15 % – DECEMBER 17th – 31st
COZUMEL SCUBA FEST DECEMBER 12th – 15th
There is always something going on in Cozumel. Residents get together to snorkel, dive, fish, dine,etc. the activities are endless.
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