Declaration

She only went and did it!

Now there’d been increasingly shrill rumours flying about the place for a number of months now.

Our Mayoress...

And, of course, her current action only brings to a head what we’d been hearing about since her predecessor had stepped down in June 2022. It has to be said though that it’s likely she knew about the situation, having been a key part of the administration herself up until her own appointment to the top job back in May 2023.
What am I talking about?
Well, the Città di Modica (City of Modica) ... my city, our city ... is bankrupt!
The Sindica (Mayor) Maria Monisteri having declared this, formally and officially, during an apparently somewhat fraught and marathon-length council meeting held on the evening of Tuesday the 7th January 2025. She had no real choice in the matter because, as she summed up during the declaration: “We can’t go on like this.”
As I say, no real surprise for anyone following the local news here, as it was well-known the accounts had been in the red for years. That’s way deep in the red, too: To the tune of around € 120 million!
It was stated at the time that both the mayor and city council would remain in office in order to approve and facilitate a recovery plan that’ll (obviously) involve both massive cuts and (unfortunately) increasing local taxes.
What does this mean for us living here in Modica though?
Nothing good, I’m afraid!

The Morning After...

The seven odd (very odd!) weeks since our mayor declared our city bankrupt have proven to be … interesting. It’s turned into a “Tragicomedy” but without the usual happy ending, I’m afraid!

I mean, and entirely predictably, the ‘blame-game’ kicked off within hours. It began with both our current and previous mayors blaming the mayor-before-last, which didn’t go down too well with anyone, especially given these two had held power for over a decade between them.
Then, in a twist I saw coming a mile off, our current mayor then blamed her immediate predecessor. Who instantly countered by stating she shouldn’t have declared bankruptcy, before blaming both her and his predecessor (again) for the whole sorry situation.
And who doesn’t love local politics?
Our previous mayor, the Honourable Ignazio Abbate, called such because he’s now a member of the Sicilian Regional Assembly, was so pissed with his erstwhile hand-picked protégé that, in a fit of pique, he had a poster of her removed from the window of the local party headquarters. A political party both are supposedly members of! An ‘event’ widely reported (and derided) in the local press, it must be said.
Now our council was stuffed with Abbate supporters, making the situation even more fraught. The mayor responding to her ‘mentors’ attacks by firing the lot, and hand-choosing her own supporters to make up a council she could govern through.
Meanwhile, Modica’s local government has ground to a halt.
You couldn’t make this stuff up!

Well Then?

Well then, what’s this mean for those of us living here?
Obviously the comune has, and we’re talkin’ f’sure here, taken their eye entirely off the ball when it comes to local issues. A predictable situation due to them being far too busy infighting, (still) playing the blame-game, and jostling for political position, to care much about anything else.
And that includes us rate payers. Of course!

Silver-linings

So … has life here begun to give us lemons and turn sour? Funnily enough, the answer to that would be a big “Nope!”
Okay, the current mess is that: A mess. But something’s changed. Something entirely unforeseen. At least by me. And, I’m sure, it’s taken many others by surprise, too!
Because the locals appear to have had enough.
Enough of the bullshit brought about by years of neglect and waffle; of fine words backed up by inaction; and problems being papered over by offering free concerts in the main square.
Now, we worked out quickly that Modicans have never really been given to complaining. Local protests have been few and far between, no matter the situation. Until now.
Because now it looks like about everyone is vocal in their criticism of the mayor and her predecessors, and both the current and previous councils. Which is entirely a good thing, I say!
So then, along with Spring being just around the corner, the sun shining bright, and the living still being cheap, life here’s not too bad really.
Everything considered…

More Soon...