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MEXICO & PHILIPPINES MEXICO
By Edward Guiler Mexico has long maintained a fairly disreputable reputation. I arrived in Mexico City near midnight by taxi. My hostel was a good 10 kilometers from the airport. The route passed by several suburbs and the inner city, which was littered with police. Every intersection of every block of the city was patrolled as if some mass menace was about to strike. Some of the police were just performing random breath tests, some stationed to stop trucks and large vehicles, license checks, etc. My immediate impression of the capital was one of shock — what bedlam must be going on to account for such a large police force? The following day, I was walking the streets surrounding the hostel. The presence of police had slackened since the previous night. Now in daylight I could make out the words “Policia Turistica” on some of their uniforms. This was something of interest to me, and I decided to find out more. Policia Turistica, or tourism police, are recruited from within the ranks of the greater police force. They are selected by merit and are required to be bilingual, generally both Spanish and English. As bribery is a major problem within the police force, as disincentive, tourism officers earn far more than their colleagues and their work is solely for tourists and are incredibly helpful.
Tourism is one of the largest industries in Mexico as it provides more than 10 per cent of the GDP. This is why the Mexican government have implemented Policia Turistica. Authorities are also tackling Mexico›s image as a dangerous country, a major obstruction to the growth of the tourism industry. The northern border is said to be the most dangerous part of Mexico, papers quite often report gang violence, murders and shootings in this area. Any tourism guide will discourage travel to these parts, however destinations such as Acapulco, the artistic capital Oaxaca, Mexico city, ruins such as Palenque, Tulum and Chichen Itza are perfectly safe. The Gulf of Mexico down to the Caribbean are all areas good for diving and snorkeling and are also safe. After my initial taxi ride through Mexico City, I became more at ease with my surroundings. The culture and climate of Mexico goes a long way in preventing one from getting worked up with paranoia. By the end of my stay, my only sense of danger in Mexico came in the form of catching taxis. Not for any sinister reason, I was never held up, blackmailed or anything of the sort. In my experience, Mexicans are crazy drivers.
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