A controversy has been generated in the Hurtado de Valledupar Spa sector, on the banks of the Guatapurí River, when the decision of the municipal administration to raise the rental fee for the commercial premises located there.
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These commercial establishments are owned by the municipality and managed by the General Secretariat, headed by Luis Enrique Galvis. This official explained that by reviewing the contracts made with the merchants, they were able to verify that the rental fee, that is, the value charged monthly, has not increased since 2002.
“The rents have not risen since 2002, properly speaking, they have had a “shy” increase, but what is most striking is that there are cases in which they have not even paid a month of what was agreed, and this works as if it were a private”Galvis explained.
He added that the Mayor’s Office has worked together with the business associations that are in that sector of the city, carrying out censuses together with the Secretary of Government, throughout this administrative period, evaluating the activities that are carried out there and that generate employability.
“It is important that we reach a point of regularization of those premises that are owned by the municipality and it is the duty of those people who intend to exploit the property commercially or economically, a rental fee must be canceled and that are currently at low cost which allows to encourage merchants to develop economic activity and employability that can be generated in these establishments. The invitation is that we work in partnership with the municipal administration that values the work of these merchants”expressed the Secretary General, Luis Galvis.
Do not stop reading: Merchants from the Hurtado Spa ask the Mayor of Valledupar not to increase rents
Additionally, he said that unfair competition that may be presenting must be fought so that legally constituted associations can carry out their work in a calm manner or that there is healthy competition and in this area the beautiful city of Valledupar continues to be sold.
THEY ACCEPT THE MEASURE
The merchant Juan Carlos Castillo, stated that they are not opposed to increasing the monthly rent, but they call on the Mayor’s Office to solve the problem of not having a parking lot on the premises.
“There is a confusion, yes we agree that they make us the contracts, but the problem is the parking lot that they took away from us. The past mayor Augusto Ramírez and the former Secretary of Government, Gonzalo Arzuza, put a staff in the parking lot where food, soft drinks and beers are now sold. People leave because they have nowhere to leave their car and that is what we ask that they give us a solution with the parking lotCastillo explained.
He also stressed that in principle the people from the restaurants in the parking lot were only going to sell food and they were going to sell drinks, but nothing was accomplished.
“It is a competition that we have and they do not pay rent or public services as we do. This must be solved because even in the new contracts it says that there cannot be a similar place in 40 meters and we have it next door “said Juan Carlos Castillo.
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It should be remembered that the restaurants that are in tents in the old parking lot a couple of years ago sold meals on the banks of the Guatapurí. It was learned that one party agrees that they be relocated and another does not.