The hard work of directing a citadel

Ecuadornews:

Complicated, but satisfactory. This is how the current members of the board of the Los Ceibos Committee define the work they do every day to maintain the tranquility, cleanliness and good community relationship that characterizes one of the most important and oldest residential cities in the city.

His two-year term ends today with a presentation of accounts that will be presented to the 900 families that live in the sector. After that the election of a new directive will be carried out.

The leaders assure that they applied for the post for “love to the shirt” or rather, to the neighborhood that saw them grow, without thinking that the road would be full of difficulties. However, they say, they have been able to achieve great things thanks to the predisposition and understanding of some neighbors.

“When we took office, we encountered several problems. The ATM, for example, wanted the first avenue to become a service lane. But we explained to the mayor that we are a residential citadel and they reconsidered the measure. We also removed the ads that were stuck on the posts and that looked bad and we have managed the execution of works “, explains Adolfo Klaere, chairman of the committee.

Klaere is in the position for the second time. His first presidency was between 80 and 95, but he considers that now he had more challenges to fulfill. “This time we had to organize something special because the committee was 50 years old. On that date we also offered a project to the city for the celebration of the bicentennial. “

Organizing and keeping a neighborhood well-cared for “is a titanic task” and “a constant struggle”, say the members of the board of directors, who have had to distribute themselves in areas (sports, events, security, cleaning) so as not to neglect some aspect. They say that sometimes they had to endure bad faces from several neighbors and in others, from the authorities.

“There was a season in which they started to put businesses in the houses and we had to manage with the Municipality for the respective closure and for that work some saw us badly. It costs, but in the end people value what is done, “recalls Javier Rosero, board member.

One of the biggest problems that they had to face was the maintenance of the main park, after more than a year ago, the National Service of Public Contracting (Sercop) made changes in the requirements for suppliers, for which the Municipality delayed in hiring the staff to do the cleaning of several green areas of the city, as reported by EXPRESO in June 2017.

“Nobody in the citadel felt that the park was neglected,” says Rosero.

The money they used to employ the cleaning staff was obtained through self-management. During that time they had to do events, markets, manage donations, rent courts and try to convince more neighbors to become members. “The citadel is open, so many families prefer not to participate in the activities,” says Santiago Cabezas, who has lived in Los Ceibos for 36 years and currently collaborates with legal matters.

The migration of the offspring of the first families that settled in the area has also affected them. “Many people have gone to live in Samborondón”, emphasizes Xavier Kang, also of the directory.

The neighborhood leaders believe that community work in Guayaquil has many limitations, especially because people are afraid to confront the authorities to demand what they deserve and want to avoid “getting into trouble.”

With a look to the future, the leaders agree that Los Ceibos needs to improve in security. Because it is not closed, anyone outside the citadel can go through its streets and disturb the tranquility. They believe that installing a camera circuit would be ideal, but that will be a task for the new board.

Assembly and voting

For 30 days the committee opened the electoral period and made a call through publications in two national newspapers.

To start the assembly of accountability and voting tonight must be present half plus 1 of the residents. “We have summoned the 900 families to participate,” says Klaere.

If after 20:00 there is no quorum, the session starts and one of the lists that have been nominated is chosen. The directory must be made up of 10 people. (I)

Source:  https://www.expreso.ec/guayaquil/ciudadelas-urbanizaciones-guayaquil-losceibos-vivienda-XN2348022