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| This is how Pascual Lucas Díaz, Mayor of Cieza, sums up his determination in the face of the world coronavirus tragedy | Sometimes reality turns out to be scarier than the worst dream we could imagine.
It seems that the days the planet is suffering with the Covid-19 are part of a surreal nightmare that no one would have imagined in a world so "advanced", supposedly in so many areas.
But the horror of the plague of the 21st century, perhaps, has awakened us from a state of excessive confidence in the possibilities of humanity and has exposed our still evident fragility.Last Passion Sunday, March 29, Pascual Lucas, mayor of Cieza, in the traditional Convocation Act, should have granted the Board of Passionary Brotherhoods the pertinent authorization for the brotherhoods to take the streets of the city during the days of Easter.
The current state of alarm that the country is suffering prevented this.
It is one of so many things that the ciezanos are losing with the current sanitary crisis.This year it was not possible, mayorA.
Unfortunately this is the case.
We have before us a virus that does not like processions, obviously.
But everything will pass and next year, with absolutely doubled strength, the Holy Week in Czeza will return to its beautiful natural environment on the streets of Cieza.
Patience, because we will come back with more force.
Now it is peremptory and urgent to put all the means to help the people most affected by this crisis and to show solidarity with those who have become ill, as well as with the families of the deceased.How is Pascual Lucas living this nightmare?A.
Like the rest of the cezanos and ciezanas, there is no difference.
I live it with my family respecting the confinement.
Within the difficult situation, carrying out the tasks of my responsibility and mentalizing myself of the positive to be able to enjoy more time with my family.
Even in adverse moments, we have to know how to discover the opportunities that are open to us in order to enjoy certain aspects of life.That they have taken their Easter from the cezanos is an unbearable blow for many brother heartsA.
For the majority; practically, for almost everyone in this town.
Not having a Holy Week is difficult for us, very complicated.
Actually, we have felt quite strange during the days of processions when we look out our windows and perceive that unusual silence.
It is not easy to digest a situation of these characteristics, something unprecedented that we have never experienced and that, perhaps, hopefully, we will never live again.
We have to gut heart and be optimistic.
There are many ways to experience Easter, for example, much more introspectively, and this will have been the case in many cases.On the other hand, the processions, like the Shield Parties, also suspended, represent a powerful driving force for the economy in general of the municipality, which this year has been mowed down by the roots.A.
The days of processions have a very important economic impact in the city, in a very relevant way in commerce and hospitality.
We must not resign ourselves.
The City Council, faced with this difficult situation, is putting all the means at its disposal to minimize this negative repercussion.
The objective is to put on the table a contingency plan to help all the people who have become unemployed and those businesses and hospitality establishments that are experiencing a very difficult time.Under what economic conditions has the Cieza City Council surprised the crisis of the coronavirus?A.
In better condition than a few years ago.
After a period of having to face payments and financial debts, we currently have no debt.
Now it is a priority to face the expenses that are presented to us with the current pandemic.
We cannot and should not obviate the obligations that correspond to a City Council in a situation like the current one and we are activating a package of fiscal, tax and total aid measures for those who need it most, which also include distribution of food for families more vulnerable, always under the norms and guidelines of the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
We have a budget to meet, which will not be an obstacle to execute everything in our power so that this nightmare will pass quickly and recover the path of the good economic period that we were living.What criteria have the different councils followed to design the economic measures that are intended to help the most affected citizens?R.
The government team is very aware of what needs to be done right now.
First of all, serve our citizens.
To provide the essentials to the people of Cezanne who are having the worst time, the food and the essential and vital hygiene products in this setting, without forgetting the accommodation.
But we should not stop just planning actions for the duration of the state of alarm, but, as a responsible municipal government, we must pay attention to what will come to people after this exceptional measure.
For this reason, we wait for the Government of the Nation to authorize us to be able to use the surplus to start designing a battery of direct aid to the most affected people.
However, we have already set ourselves in motion by deferring the payment of various municipal taxes,expanding to taxpayers the time frame to fulfill that commitment to allow their economic recovery after this setback.
To do this, we have established a new tax calendar with the objective that the taxes that should be paid immediately can be divided, in addition to offering the comfort of various alternatives throughout the remainder of the year.But not only the neighbors live on the economy; confinement can be very hard and the City Council has also designed a recreational, cultural, sports and entertainment program to make house confinement more bearableA.
We also have to help families in this.
Help create a playful and entertaining environment, including sports and culture, to mitigate as much as possible the negative effects of confinement.
In this sense, I am very grateful to all the councilors, because they have been able to design a great program around these needs that is reaping quite a lot of success.What analysis do you make of the response and the health measures that are taking place against the coronavirus in Health Area IX, where Cieza is included?A.
The response of healthcare personnel is commendable, it is the clear demonstration that we need strong public healthcare.
We have excellent toilets prepared and delivered, they just demand adequate means to be able to carry out their work in conditions and with full safety.
Little by little, the material needs in the area are normalizing, although I recognize that at the beginning there were lack of sanitary material, especially security, which from the City Council we try to help with the delivery of masks, gowns, protective screens or EPIS.The solidarity of people and associations when contributing with masks and other protection elements is being constantA.
It is being very important.
It is the palpable demonstration of the immense determination of many residents of Cieza to help each other.
It is an extremely important capital that forges the destiny of an entire people.
It is very exciting to see the disposition of many anonymous people who ask us to help out or how companies donate food and other materials.One of the problems that hatched parallel to the emergence of this crisis were the hoaxes and false news about the pandemic, especially through social networks.
How does this issue continue in Cieza?R.
The hoax is the weapon of cowards and, therefore, of those who need to do harm with political or other intentions.
Therefore, we must fight and punish them, because they are scum that our society, at this time, cannot afford.
Unfortunately, some have been penalized for these practices.
The Civil Guard and the Local Police continue to identify and investigate possible malicious hoaxes.
The recommendation is clear and transparent: only transmit verified information from official organizations, public entities or solvent media.What would you highlight of the actions of the security forces and the army these days?A.
Together with the toilets, they are being decisive in the fight against the pandemic.
Without them it would be impossible to control the effects of it.
My personal appreciation to the Civil Guard of Cieza for their work and for their spirit of collaborative effort, and especially to our Local Police, who, in such delicate corporate moments, are all agents and commanders at the height of the circumstances.
I also want to congratulate the Civil Protection detachment that is collaborating very actively in all the aid devices.
I can't forget the Fire Department either.
And finally, I want to show my sincere thanks to the Spanish Army for its participation with the security forces in maintaining control and monitoring the state of alarm.What final message would you send to the cezanos for these days?A message of hope and optimism.
We will return with more force than before, if possible, to resume everything: economic activity, employment, our Easter, the Shield Festival, the Flowering program, all our traditions, moments of family and friendship, our social customs that define us like cezanos.
We will pay tribute to all those who have fought in this pandemic, especially those who are no longer with us.
We will return to everything with redoubled enthusiasm and with the great accumulated wisdom that bad and painful experiences leave in people.
Source: Ayuntamiento de Cieza
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