Only 600 permits to escalate the Sierra de La Laguna Mountain will be issued during Holy Week. People ascending the area will have to register and take a mandatory course of environmental education and safety.

Several 5 star hotels of Los Cabos complained that the presence of thousand young spring breakers is pushing away a more sophisticated crowd looking for peace and quality of services. Reality is that young Cabeños mix up easily with spring breakers while older foreign visitors tend to live in their sophisticated lifestyle without a real touch of the local scene.

During the meeting of Las Californias the officials of the governments of California and Baja California Sur agreed to start negotiation with the US federal government in order to set up a permanent consulate in the Southern tip of the peninsula due to the increased presence of Americans and to the difficulties and expenses in having a tourist Visa issued in Tijuana Consulate.

3 millions old tires are abandoned all over places in Southern Baja. It creates an environmental and visual pollution that has to be dealt as soon as possible. Authorities are negotiating the acquisition of a recycling plant
In a push towards cleaner and healthier cities BCS municipalities offer free shots for dogs and cats against rabies. As well cleaning of empty lots by municipal workers with charge directly to owner.

At least 5 new Notary licenses will be granted through a public examination at the UABCS local University. Candidates are 45 lawyers. In order to have modern and professional Notary services all around the country, the profession should be put in competition with public offices doing the same kind of work for competitive prices. As well they should be audited more often and their license should have a term of 10 years, not transferable to family members and revoked in case of mistakes or malicious transactions.

Baja California Sur annual GDP per capita is 7,820 USD. This is place N.7 within Mexico. The distribution of income is still extremely unequal and will be the major challenge for the future development and social stability of the area.

The arch of Cabo San Lucas presents several cracks that according to experts will lead it to a sudden collapse in future years. The ONG Grupo Ecologico San Lucas wants to raise funds to invest in the reinforcement of the natural monument.
After all the cement on the Baja pristine coastline even the famous arch will probably receive its doses………...

Gabriel Garcia Marquez and President Fox visited Los Cabos during the annual meeting of the interamerican press association. In Mexico the press has been traditionally totally subservient to the political power but lately has started to be more independent and innovative also thanks to new legislation. Same it can be described in other Latin American countries with the notable exceptions of Cuba and Venezuela. On the contrary within the USA the “free press” has been very submissive toward the Bush administration during the drive to war in Iraq and the acceptance of the liberticidal “Patriot Act”.

Continental is planning to open a route to La Paz-Houston. This will open the area to tourist coming from the American North-East and Europe.

Posted: 3/29/2004