Lack of Promise

I don’t like talking (much) about politicians, unless they directly affect my life.

However, I will write about our Sindica (Mayor), as she does do just that, of course!

The joke is: “How can you tell when a politician is lying?” The answer: “When they open their mouth...” Old jokes aside, this is the situation we’re facing here because, sadly, our mayor f’sure falls into this category!
One ‘for instance’ here: “Creating alarmism … doesn’t belong to my way of operating, which is instead aimed at addressing problems...”
While allowing the comune-appointed Polizia Locale (Local Police) to dwindle down to ten near-retirement-age officers for a city of 55,000. Remembering they also police the local seaside resort, and the countryside around the city.
How about: “The transparent actions of our administration, through information and citizen participation, continues.”
Now that same administration did put out a single-paragraph Facebook page notice in mid-June stating there’s a ban on drinking the local water unless it’s boiled first. But that was it, and it remained unmentioned by the mayor on her own Facebook feed. Okay, the comune did also issue a notice on their official website: Four days after that first notification!
Following a beach clean-up: “My thanks as mayor ... and of our entire administration to IGM and its excellent operators.”
While not paying said ‘excellent operators’ for 14 months! You couldn’t make this stuff up.
It’d be absolutely hilarious (and kind of is!) … if it wasn’t so very frustrating!

“What Offer?”

Guess the first thing just about everyone said to us when we announced we were moving to Sicily?

Not in our neighbourhood!

If’n you guessed: “What about the mafia?” then congratulations!
One friend went as far as to state they were just about everywhere, and how would we know we wouldn’t end up living next door to a mafioso? A northern Italian friend, I point out here. A stereotypical response right there, I’m afraid.
Do the "Cosa Nostra" (their name) still exist here? Yessum.
Do they still run rackets here? F’sure!
Are they dangerous? Absolutely!
But did we find ourselves living next door to a mafia ‘family’? No, we didn’t!
And that’s because they aren’t, in fact, everywhere: As soon as you step off the plane, you won’t find yourself being made: “An offer you can’t refuse...”
Talking of airports? A regional government official recently called on Sicilian airports to remove from sale all mafia-related ‘souvenirs’. He called for a more dignified representation of the island, one free from negative stereotypes. Given airports are often the first point of contact for visitors, of course.
Now, can you find the mafia here in Ragusa province?
The answer to that is (sadly): Of course. Several ‘families’ are well-known to be operating in Vittoria, Acate and Comiso. Someway down the road, I hasten to point out!
But I’m more worried about petty crime in Modica, than being the target of a ‘hit’.
Let’s remember: Sicily is not the mafia; any more than New York is...

Seeking Balance

In between the ‘dodgy’ local politicians and the ‘nearby’ (but not neighbouring!) mafia, there’s still much to celebrate here.

And 'Yes' ... I'm a Libra...

Otherwise we wouldn’t have chosen to settle here, amongst all the other places we could’ve chosen in south-eastern Sicily.
Now doing research in the comfort of our then-home in London, as I did over four years ago now, is a wee bit different from having boots on the ground here in Modica. Were there surprises? Of course! And some, naturally, were unpleasant in nature.
For instance, I ‘knew’ that the Italian burocrazia (bureaucracy) would indeed by ‘crazy’. I just didn’t realise quite how bad it’d be, is all!
Then I’d read about the neglect and general ‘rundownedness’ of the local historic sights, but didn’t fully realise the (sometimes heartbreaking) extent until we got here.
But, as also promised by said research: The sun does shine most of the year; the cost of living is more than bearable; the legendary friendliness of the locals is just that; and the wine is immensely quaffable.
So mustn’t grumble! Although I still will, because I’m ‘officially’ a grumpy old man now...
My long-suffering wife will tell you that “swings and roundabouts” is one of my favourite quotes. And, by some miracle, we’ve somehow managed to establish our ‘kiwi4everhome’ in a place that has more swings than roundabouts, I have to say.
Something I am immensely thankful for each and every day…

More Soon...