Baja California Mediation Court For Expats, Tourists
Mediation Court to Open In Rosarito This September
ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---Attorney General Rommel Moreno will open this September in Rosarito the first mediation court to hear complaints between businesses and English-speaking non-nationals, Mayor Hugo Torres announced.
“We have an estimated 14,000 expatriates who live here and about a million tourists a year,” Torres said Tuesday. “This action by Attorney General Moreno is a great step in resolving amicably any disagreements between them and local businesses.”
The program is called Centro de Justicia Alternitiva.
The mediation court will function five days a week and will likely by set up in a suite in the large Pabellon Grand shopping center at the north entrance to the city. The opening day for the pilot project has not yet been set.
Unlike courts where written documents are required, complaints can be presented orally and in English.
“This will make it much easier for non-Spanish speakers to have their complaints heard and at no expense,” Torres said. “Disagreements that cannot be settled by mediation will be referred to the court system but we believe most will be resolved.”
Any consumer-related complaint from non-payment to non-performance involving any business, including professional services and real estate, can be heard.
“Rosarito is committed to its visitors and expatriate residents, that’s why we have so many,” Torres said.
“Almost all transactions go extremely well. But when there is a problem, we want to know about it and do what we can to resolve it. These people are either our valued guests or part of our family. They have helped us build the city.”
He added: “We’re deeply appreciative of Attorney General Moreno’s significant assistance in accomplishing this.”
Under the leadership of Mayor Torres, who took office in December of 2007, the city also has established a special department for tourist assistance, a tourist police force and 24-hour-a-day ombudsman.
Rosarito for several years also has had a Foreign Residents Attention Office, the first in Mexico, to assist its thousands of expatriate residents.
“They are people who originally came to visit for a day and decided to stay forever,” Torres said. “We value them highly and want to do everything possible to assist them.”
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