[Gocamino] News from Santiago

[blaroli at aol.com]

Hello you all,
The mayor of Santiago, Xose Antonio Santos Bugallo, and the chairman of the Archiconfraternity's Board, Agustin Dosil, signed an agreement last week to commence the building of the new Santiago albergue at Belvis, the Minor Seminary, and to make every effort to complete it by 2009.
Those of us who have been to Santiago have seen the model of the albergue at the Pilgrims' Office for some years, but its building was impeded by the Municipal Agency for the Protection and Rehabilitation of historic Santiago. Present municipal law precludes the building of an albergue on the site  which is located in the protected area. 
The mayor will seek the enactment of an enabling ordinance to allow the construction to go ahead through some legislative compromise.
 Like many other pilgrims I have always found it kind of not-right for pilgrims to be afforded the only reasonably pleasant accommodations at the  Monte del Gozo albergue which is so very far (and up and down) away from the Cathedral. After all, the goal of the pilgrimage is the Apostle's tomb which is in the Cathedral.
The new albergue would take care of that. Perhaps we can do something more than hope that the Xunta (City Council) will vote in favor of the new ordinance.

Temperamentally. and professionally, I am a passionate believer in the rule of law and am absolutely convinced that any corner-cutting or exceptions to established law are the greatest threat to civilized society (after all, we can always vote for different legislators if we don't like their output); and while I would have liked to see a meaningful albergue close to the Cathedral I knew that local law did not allow it to be built.   
Well, politicians here and there are pretty much the same, and in Santiago they respond to the interests of their local constituents who know that  pilgrims, pilgrims, pilgrims  sustain the glories of their city. We are those pilgrims, and, therefore, quasi constituents ourselves. Perhaps we can form a writing campaign to the Xunta and to the Mayor supporting  the legislation necessary for the much needed al bergue to be built.
What do you all think?

Hugs!

Rosina
(Back in New York City.... Bah... humbug!)



 
________________________________________________________________________
AOL now offers free email to everyone.  Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.