I would like to suggest that some neighbourhood watch forums be set up as a main forum feature. Not necessarily here in the business section.

The forums can discuss the setting up and operation and news of the various areas.

The forum should not be a substitue for each neighbourhood watch having its own "group" elsewhere on the web.

One of the main reasons why the south end neighbourhood watch fell apart was because the group tried to focus on the entire south end of the island from Island supermarket south including DFC, San Pablo and Boca Ciega.

Neighbourhood watch groups that work tend to work better when the individuals involved really care about thier area because they live there or work there. Making these manageable sizes mean that groups can focus on their own unique trouble spots and highlight special areas of mutual interest.

Even a Mata Grande to Sante Fe area might be a little too large. Mata Grande in itself is a fair sized area as is the Santa Fe area.

Then there should be liasing between groups so that each area knows what its adjoining groups are doing. Sometime collaboration will be necessary, other times a neighbourhood that has its own problem can dedicate extra time and energy to that particular area of concern.

The small groups can keep in touch with their members, then they will have an elected rep that reaches out to the other groups, then the group reps can co-ordinate larger efforts that might even need to concern the Business sector and local government.

Anyway, it doesn't take much to get these groups rolling, just a few strong figures spearheading the mission.

I am a great believer in the worth of neighbourhood watches. But keeping the groups in a manageble size and area will certainly help the survival rate.

There is a national program that aids the setting up and co-ordination of neighbourhood watch groups. Anybody have the info? If not I'll look for it.

I think a group North of Mata Grande till Costa Maya would be good, as we are within about 2.5 miles, past the open land after Journey's End and the rocks in the sea before Mata Grande, so we all have similar problems: Expensive Ferry service, security issues, no landlines for telephone, no Cable TV, road problems, similar garbage problems and trash on the beach and we have a common treasure out at our waters: Mexico Rocks.

Marty can set up a restricted forum for that, perhaps also for instance for the group that has gathered on the south end of the Island and for the NACNW (or is it NACHOS now) roughly Tres Cocos till Buena Vista - they hold their forum now at Yahoo.

Guess we'll have to wait till Marty is back in Oregon, to test this.

Jan

Talk to Steve Spiro, from El Pescador, he is helping to organize the formation of smaller groups of NW's on all of the island.