Anger grows in Los Nietos as the town continues to deteriorate
“Never in the 60 years I've been in Los Nietos has the town been so dirty,” according to the local residents’ association
Frustration is boiling over in the Cartagena town of Los Nietos, where residents say years of neglect have turned their once-proud town into a shadow of its former self. The community is once again voicing deep concern over deteriorating infrastructure, lack of public services and broken promises from both local and regional authorities.
“The cleanliness on the beaches is zero. Promises are no longer valid. We've been like this for more than four years. Without any solutions,” Nani Vergara, president of the Los Nietos residents' association, pointed out this week.
Her words echo the growing anger of many locals who feel completely abandoned.
“Never in the 60 years I've been in Los Nietos has the town been so neglected and dirty. This is just a small part of the promenade and two streets,” she added.
Residents point to a long list of unresolved problems, such overflowing sand piles, broken footpaths, missing flags and rubbish-covered beaches. With the summer season just around the corner, the sense of urgency is growing to sort out these problems.
For the neighbourhood association, what stings the most is the feeling that no-one is listening.
“The only thing missing is filing a complaint. We don't want to do it so they don't 'punish' us further later. We feel powerless. When we ask for explanations, we receive administrative silence. Not only from the City Council, but also from the regional government and the Coastal Demarcation,” the spokesperson explained.
One of the most visible signs of neglect is the town’s crumbling seafront promenade, which has gone untouched for more than three years.
“In February 2022, the mayor came to promise us that it would be fixed,” the spokesperson said, recalling a visit from Cartagena mayor Noelia Arroyo. At the time, Ms Arroyo promised repairs and maintenance ahead of the summer season but since then, no progress has been made.
“The ground is increasingly deteriorating. Plus, there's no electricity at all, just a few streetlights that barely work and were removed from a housing development to be brought here,” Ms Vergara explained.
Unfortunately, the issues run even deeper, according to the association, and basic services are also faltering. The local FEVE bus stop becomes dangerous in the rain, market stalls sit on unpaved ground and most alarmingly, the health clinic is barely functioning.
“Now it turns out the doctors don't want to come to Los Nietos. We don't have a bus to get around, and we have to go to Algar or Los Belones to get around. It's outrageous,” she said. “There are 1,700 of us registered here, and this feels like a third-world situation.”
From the point of view of the Los Nietos residents' association, locals simply feel forgotten and ignored and unless real action is taken soon, they fear things will only continue to get worse.
Image: Los vecinos de Los Nietos
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