Yucatan Living

Yucatan News: Maps & Forensic Labs

14 September 2014 News 3

Progreso’s Google Maps Updated

Every two years, Google comes to Progreso and updates their street view. It then takes approximately three to six months before the images can be processed and uploaded to Google’s “Street View.” But that isn’t all. There is currently underway, a project by the Instituto del Seguridad Juridica Patrimonial del Estado (Insejupy) to create digital mapping of 105 of the 106 municipalities (counties) in Yucatan. This will include all of the municipalities except Merida and they are in collaboration with Google Earth to do that. The goal is to provide individuals and local governments with detailed information and a digital view of every land parcel in Yucatan so they can develop programs and strategies for best practices in development as well as taxation. The project has been underway since the beginning of the year and the digital results should be available to the public soon. When that happens, the world will be able to see all of Yucatan. Street views of every municipality will surely allow potential investors to see what Yucatan has to offer and we expect this will generate much more international interest in our adopted state.

Micro-credit Growing in Rural Yucatan

The phenomenon of group credit, in rural Yucatan, has taken hold and is at the point now where the state is regularizing it because the people have no other banking option available to them. What this regularizing entails is making certain that the microfinance institutions that flourish in the rural areas of the state are not taking advantage of the people. This is a serious issue because there are now 4,000 of these micro-credit institutions operating in Yucatan. The good news is that the numbers of individuals and cooperatives who utilize these services is growing and their rate of paying back micro-loans is excellent. Often, collectives are so successful that members are able to get credit for their small businesses on an individual basis. Yucatecos in rural areas of Yucatan are fortunate because 59% of the people in Mexico do not have access to banking or micro-credit.

State of the Art Forensic Lab in Yucatan

The FBI in the United States uses 13 genetic markers to identify DNA. Other forensic centers use 16. The new genetic forensic laboratory of the State Prosecutor’s Office in Yucatan is the first of its kind and uses 24 markers to identify DNA. The director is Rosalba Gamboa Magna, a national and internationally recognized specialist who has served as a member of the Latin American Society of Forensic Sciences, as a member of the Mexican Academy of Expert Services, and as a member of the American Association of Forensic Sciences. The lab will focus on the identification of bodies, in providing facts and findings in criminal cases, and in sexual offense cases. The lab will issue the results in paternity cases and will have a section dedicated to ballistics. Staff has been given additional vocational training in the management of chain of custody. They are senior technicians in police investigation and hold the appropriate degrees in Criminology at the university or vocational levels. There are only eight other forensic labs in Mexico, and Merida has the only forensic lab that can boast this state of the art equipment and staff.

Over 9,000 Laptops Given to Teachers

There have now been eleven award ceremonies to groups of teachers this year. The latest ceremony, at La Inalambrica Sports Center, gave brand new laptops to 2,292 teachers from Merida, Hunucma, Izamal, Maxcanu, Motul, Tekax, Peto, Ticul, Tizimin, Valladolid and Yaxcaba. This brought the total, for the year, to 9,327. The presentation of laptops to teachers, as a tool for improving the quality of education, from pre-school through secondary school in Yucatan, is part of an statewide push in education that includes remodeling and maintenance of buildings and furniture. Given the rapid rate at which international business and manufacturing is coming to Yucatan, an educated workforce is a must. With this start, Yucatan is well on its way to meeting all of the needs of the people and their employers.

Weather Hazards

As heavy rain continues, roads and trees are feeling the strain. Multiple and extended rain events can leave almost as much devastation behind as a hurricane. Please watch for potholes, damage to small bridges, and trees that may be in danger of falling. Civil Protection has units working across the state and municipalities are mobilizing brigades of their own. Oxkutzcab has a brigade of ten going through the municipality, cutting branches and trees that are threatening to fall on homes, and even on some schools. There isn’t much that can be done about potholes until the rain stops, so please do not drive through water you can’t see through unless you absolutely must and, even then, do so with extreme caution. Just because Yucatan has not experienced a hurricane does not mean that all is well or that people can move about without due caution.

Monsanto vs. The Bees

As you might have heard, the beekeepers and honey merchants of Yucatan won a very important lawsuit against Monsanto recently, effectively stopping them from introducing GMO crops and bee-killing pesticides into the Yucatan. The victory was heard and noticed around the world. Monsanto was all set to plant 625,000 acres in seven states with Roundup-ready soybeans. SEMARNAT and local beekeepers protested and the permit to do the planting was denied. Only a fool would imagine, however, that Monsanto will stop there and go away. We have recently seen a petition from a group trying to organize to keep the pressure up against Monsanto in this regard. If you are interested in helping, go here to learn more.

“Ven Súbete a la Van con Nicho Hinojosa” (Come Ride the Van with Nicho Hinojosa)

Nicho Hinojosa is an artist who became well known because of his involvement with the Big Brother program. Now, he has been on a journey to show the positive side of the Yucatan Peninsula through stops in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Holbox and Valladolid. He notes that Valladolid is a nice, quiet city that is one of the safest not just in Mexico, but in the world. He stresses the tolerance, peace and harmony of Yucatan and invites everyone to watch for his online program “Ven Súbete a la Van con Nicho Hinojosa.” We completely agree with Nicho Hinojosa’s viewpoint and will certainly be watching his program. You can like his Facebook page and follow him here.

Merida Becoming Health Related Convention City

This week, as the National Association of Nephrologists of Mexico (in case you are wondering, nephrologists are medical personnel who specialize in kidney care) opened their annual convention in Merida, it soon became very clear why Merida was chosen as the city in which to hold this event. First, Merida’s academic environment is superior to almost any other location in Mexico. Second, and to many medical specialists the most important reason, is the level of safety they enjoy in Merida. They do not need ot worry about crime in Merida or anywhere in Yucatan. Thus, the nephrologists who are meeting in Merida have the opportunity to turn their full attention to learning from each other and moving their research and practices forward. Welcome to all of the nephrologists who are visiting Merida and we hope to see you again on both a personal and professional level.

Mexico Grand Prix Returns to Mexico in 2015

For all of you racing fans, the Grand Prix of Mexico will finally be returning to Mexico on Dia de los Muertos (November 1), 2015. It caught our eye when we read that one of the drivers, Max Verstappen, will be only 16 years old. The race will be at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City. The track is already being remodeled and everyone is set to go after not having the race since 1993. We’re sure it will be televised, so be sure and let your favorite sports bar know that you want to see it.

Natural Gas Powered Transport Presented in Merida

Dina, a manufacturer of autobuses, has presented one of its sustainable ecological models to be considered for service in Merida. The bus is fueled by natural gas, which is cheaper than buying regular or diesel gasoline. Also, and maybe even more importantly, the use of natural gas as a fuel can reduce more than 95% of the particulate emissions and 90% of nitrogen oxides in the air, which reduces the emission of greenhouse gasses considerably. No word was issued on whether there will be a purchase of these autobuses, but at least the local transport companies are aware of alternatives to what they are doing now and are looking into those alternatives.

Another Park Adds Physical Activity Classes in Progreso

When a new program begins, it often has an enthusiastic reception, but the test of time may show that it wasn’t really something that would hold the interest of a wide variety of people. Such is not the case with the physical activity classes in Progreso. Over the past few months, neighborhood by neighborhood has climbed on the bandwagon and the city and state have responded with teachers and with all of the classes the ladies need. After all, free physical activity classes are cheaper than providing health care to a population that suffers with obesity, high blood pressure, coronary disease, and/or diabetes. The ladies of Progreso know what they need and are wholeheartedly participating in physical activity classes three times a week. Many thanks to the city and state for supporting this program and for making certain that it can grow.