Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — Local offenders charged with minor offences are able to repay their debt with sargassum cleaning. An average of four people a day opt to clean Playa del Carmen beaches in exchange for jail time or fines. The city social cleaning project is done in coordination with Municipal Civic Justice and Human Coexistence.
Kandy Mendoza who heads the agency says sargassum cleanup on the beaches of Playa del Carmen are an option to administrative sanctions imposed by the Secretariat of Civic Justice and Human Coexistence.
The option to clean public beaches is provided to the guilty in place of paying a fine or being jailed for 36 hours. The community outreach service option to remove sargassum from Playa del Carmen beaches is popular with between four and six people a day choosing that option.
Residents found guilty of minor administrative offences can also opt to clean parks and other public spaces as well as the coastal areas.
“Community outreach seeks to ensure that offenders compensate society. We are especially focusing on areas that require attention such as neighborhoods with deteriorating spaces and the federal maritime zone, where sargassum collection efforts are currently concentrated,” Mendoza explained.
According to Mendoza, the Civil program has been in place since January of this year. She says it is an effective tool for both social rehabilitation and supporting municipal efforts to maintain the city.
The official emphasized that this model not only allows for constructive sanctioning, but also helps reclaim public spaces and raise awareness among citizens about the value of community participation in improving the municipality.
