☻PAMLED stands for PArtnerships among European and Mediterranean Municipalities for Local Economic Development Promotion. It is an EU-sponsored and funded project that brings together the Municipalities of Prato, Lucca and Rio Marina in Italy, Brtonigia of Croatia, Sin El Fil of Lebanon and the cities of Marrakech in Tunisia and Skopje in Macedonia, as well as our own municipality of Bodrum. The the official statement of purpose of a program is: “The PAMLED Project aims at strengthening the capability of 3 Mediterranean and 5 European Municipalities (including South East Europe) in managing local development as well as in implementing innovative initiatives of economic promotion and environmental care in two fields of action: Planning and management and City marketing.”  The coming meeting of the participants takes place in Bodrum starting on Tuesday, 24 February 2009 at the Marina Vista Hotel. The conferences begin at 09:00hrs with introductory speeches, followed by two group discussions concerning sustainable development, one about management of water resources and the other about promotion and marketing for tourism. Attendance by many international participants is expected – invitations issued by the Bodrum Municipality. For full information on this project go to: www.pamled.org.

►The nation-wide elections to posts in local governing authorities are coming in March. All candidates for Bodrum region municipalities (mayors and members of local councils) have now been announced – see your local lists. Bodrum Mayor Mazlum Agan is running again but is expected to be given a run for his money by Mehmet Kocadon, candidate of the Democrat Party. Incumbent mayors Ali Server Yazgan and Mustafa Saruhan of Turgutreis and Yalikavak, respectively, are in the race as are the mayors of Gumusluk, Golturkbuku and Bitez. If you have Turkish citizenship take part in the elections by voting – if you don’t vote, don’t complain later.

▲A new ombudsman has been created to hear complaints about food quality. If you come across any unsatisfactory food items (spoiled, incorrect ingredients etc.) phone 174 and lodge your complaint which, according to the announcement, will be acted upon within 15 days. Complainants will be given a registration number and will be able to follow up by going to www.tarim.gov.tr or www.alo174.gov.tr where they will enter their complaint registration number and find out what has been done.