By Agustín Leal Jerez *
The conclusions of the most recent study by the Center for Labor Studies -Cedetrabajo, Cartagena chapter, on the impact of the Bazurto Market on the District’s labor supply, have left us stunned regarding the monstrosity of the figures, but at the same time has responded to the main problem of mobility and occupation of public space in the District.
According to these figures, the Bazurto Market generates more than 35 thousand jobs, 22 thousand direct and 10 thousand indirect.
The business participation of the Bazurto sector, according to the Cartagena Chamber of Commerce, is 3.5%, which is equivalent to 1,003 companies.
The population served by this market amounts to 280 thousand people, including inhabitants of the sector and users from the rest of the city, representing 25% of the total population of the District.
These conclusions from Cedetrabajo further confirm the arguments that we have been outlining as a diatribe since we began writing in this medium, in the sense that the problem of mobility and occupation of public space in Cartagena, despite the fact that it is a holistic theme, involves two determinants: the transfer of the Bazurto Market and the decentralization of commercial, tourist, recreational and institutional activities from the Historical Locality and the Caribbean to the other Localities.
At present, with these new figures from Cedetrabajo, Locality No. 1 concentrates approximately 80% of the consumption basket of the Cartagena population.
Under these conditions, even paving the city’s pipes and canals will not solve the mobility problem.
To all this economic control exerted by the Bazurto Market, which affects mobility from the entire city to the market and vice versa, has been added the apathy of this Administration in controlling traffic and the occupation of public space.
These photographs sent to us by a reader, taken on Avenida del Lago at 8:00 AM on Monday, June 17 of this year, illustrate what was stated above.
All this without counting the shame of Holy Week, when the occupants of public space and market users took over Avenida del Lago in such a way that the Administrative Department of Transit and Transportation – DATT – had to close it and divert traffic to other alternative routes.
A visionary, bold and committed District Administration is required that does not shy away from the difficult issues of the city so that these problems can be solved.
We believe that the District Development Plan ‘Cartagena, City of Rights 2024-2027’ and the Advancement Driver: Comprehensive District Supply System and the programs that develop it, are too abstract and depend on a chain of pre-investment studies that will take the entire current period of government.
The great dilemma of all this is that, if this Administration passes and the problem of public wholesale and retail supply is not resolved, the city would have a public debt of more than $1.5 billion that would leave, at least, without financial maneuvers. the next three district administrations.
PS: In the ear of the District Treasury Secretary: this week we will be presenting a protection action for the non-response to the petition filed EXT-AMC-24-0065681 dated 05/22/2024.
* Lawyer, specialist in Public Law with experience in Urban Law, Territorial Planning, State Contracting and Management of the Public Defender’s Office, among other topics.
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