Letters

Send your letters to the editor to 
atencionedit@bibliotecasma.com  
Atención will not publish offensive or 
defamatory material.

Editor,

We would like to congratulate Col. Phil Maher on his retirement from the Consular Agency of the United States. Col. Maher, through more than 25 years of service, has been an asset to the community, not only as Consular Agent, but also in his devotion to the people of San Miguel. His work with the Biblioteca, San Miguel Educational Foundation, Hospital de la Fe and numerous charities has not gone unnoticed by his fellow citizens. He has remained nonpolitical throughout his career and served with honor at his post. We appreciate all of his hard work, sleepless nights, emergency calls, prison visits, and his knowledge of the laws of Mexico. His work with local government has made living in San Miguel as a foreigner a more pleasant situation. We send our sincere wishes and appreciation.

The Board and members of Republicans Abroad, San Miguel de Allende

Editor,

Not long ago, Mexico City was known as the "City of Palaces" and Cuernavaca as "the City of Eternal Spring." Crime, traffic and smog have made these designations inappropriate today. What will San Miguel be known for in the future; as a well preserved colonial gem or an example of the triumph of commercialization? This question deserves careful consideration. 

The essence of San Miguel can be preserved. The qualities that make it attractive and modernity are not incompatible. A supermarket does not have to be an eyesore. The town does not need to be ringed with billboards in order to survive. San Miguel can be a colonial town and still have flush toilets. The beautiful we have. Let's concentrate on avoiding the ugly.

Jerry Davis

Editor,

I am very glad that responsibility for the municipal presidency rests on Mr. Juan Antonio Jaramillo's shoulders. That aside, the experience and incertitude of the last few weeks (since Mr. Villarreal announced his desire to run for the senate) could have been avoided if a procedure existed in the city statutes to indicate who the designated successor would be in case of resignation, impeachment, sickness or, God forbid, death. It makes sense that although the council of selectpersons hail from different political parties, the interim president should be designated from among the council members who are of the same party as that of the departing individual. Municipal presidents do not have a "suplente," as many political officers in Mexico do (senators and representatives both at the federal and state level). Article 59 of municipal law does not deal with this topic. Article 59 apparently only deals with the reasons for private council sessions. And here lies the problem with vaguely written rules, laws or reg
ulations. If the specific law existed concerning who a successor would be, it would not even be necessary to have a council session. 

So please, to avoid future disagreements, make the powers that be get to work on the topic.

Rosario Kandell 

Editor,

It was with great dismay that I heard the NPR report on the recent rapes here in San Miguel de Allende. I somehow doubt that this report will actually advance the progress in apprehending the sick individual responsible for this "one-man crime wave," but it will surely give him the notoriety-now at the level of international media-that he has craved all along in perpetrating these heinous crimes. He certainly now has ample incentive to continue to "enhance" his reputation.

Debra Hart