In a recent blog post on April 19th, we posed a single question to the five candidates for the position of mayor of Barcelona. The election takes place on May 21st 2011.
We contacted each of the candidates by both Twitter and email.
We were pleased to receive a response from four of the candidates, namely Jordi Portabella, Alberto Fernández, Xavier Trias and Ricard Gomà.
We failed to receive a response from the fifth candidate, and incumbent mayor, Jordi Hereu. Following the original invitation to comment, we followed-up with a reminder to Hereu three times by Twitter, and once by email.
Source of Images: La Vanguardia
Somehow we’re not surprised Mr Hereu has failed to respond, considering how little action has been taken to reduce crime on the streets of Barcelona since he took office in September 2006. Close on five years is a long time in politics, and sufficient time to have dealt with this issue which is the embarrassment of the city.
The four responses, in order of date received, are as follows. Responses are short as three of the four were received via Twitter. In one case, with Jordi Portabella, we were offered a longer response by email, but none was forthcoming.
Official Response from Alberto Fernández (PP) via Twitter, as follows:
“@RiBCN Más policía en las calles, coodinación entre cuerpos de policía, tolerancia cero con los reincidentes, enducer el Código Penal, y+”
English translation: “@RiBCN More police on the streets, coordination between different police bodies, zero tolerance with repeat offenders, toughen the penal code, and more.”
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Official Response from Xavier Trias (CiU) via Twitter, as follows:
“@RiBCN amb guàrdia urbana de barri, col.laboració amb gremis, comerciants i turistes, major coordinació amb els mossos, prioritzar la prevenció lideratge de l’Alcalde a la Junta de Seguretat de Barcelona, millorar en equipament i recursos a la GUB, auditories de seguretat a espais públics i en col.laboració dels sector del comerç i el turisme i desenvolupar la justicia de proximitat de la Carta Municipal.”
English translation: “@RiBCN with municipal police assigned to neighborhoods; by coordinating with unions, merchants and tourists; improving coordination with the Mossos d’Esquadra; prioritizing the Mayor’s prevention leadership in the Barcelona Security Council; improving the facilities and resources of the Municipal Police of Barcelona (GUB); security audits of public spaces in collaboration with the trade and tourism sectors; and expansion and development of local justice in the Municipal Charter.”
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Official Response from Ricard Gomà (ICV) via email, as follows:
“Reforçant el model de policia de proximitat i la col·laboració entre Guàrdia Urbana i Mossos, amb el nombre de Mossos que pertoquen a Barcelona segons l’acord del Parlament. Impulsant els contactes habituals entre policia i agrupacions de comerciants, associacions de pares i mares, associacions de veïns, etc… Desenvolupant polítiques de creació d’espais públics de qualitat i potenciant la diversitat d’usos als barris per contribuir a fer llocs més segurs.”
English translation: “Strengthening the community policing model and the collaboration between the Municipal Police and the Mossos d’Esquadra, supplying the quantity of Mossos Barcelona is entitled to in accordance with the agreement of the Parliament. Fostering regular contact between the police and merchant associations, parent teacher associations, residents’ associations and the like. Developing policies for creating quality public spaces and promoting multipurpose uses of them to help make neighborhoods safer places.”
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Official Response from Jordi Portabella (Esquerra) via Twitter, as follows:
“Cal reforçar la Guàrdia Urbana, però també cal augmentar la seguretat d’altres maneres: assegurant més benestar social, feina, seguretat alimentària, habitatge… es redueixen també els delictes. si voleu una resposta més elaborada… m’envieu un e-mail?”
English translation: “It’s necessary to strengthen the local police force, but also to improve security in other ways: making sure there is better social care, work, basic food standards, accommodation… in this way reducing the crimes. if you would like a longer response… send me an email?”
We’ve told Mr Portabella that we would appreciate a longer response and have furnished him with an email address to contact us on. We are still waiting for a reply.
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Sad that none of them is going to Madrid to request a modification of the laws.
oh, well… precisely the one that didn’t respond, the current mayor, DID go to Madrid to ask for that modification. but they didn’t do anything and here we are, trying to cope with a third world country -petty- crime scene
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