Marmaris' expats raise voice for local elections

For most expats in Turkey, the local elections set for March 29 may not mean much because they will not have the right to vote. But this is not the case for all.

What kind of services do expats want and what kind of mayor would be best from their point of view? There is a big difference in the local administration systems of Europe to those of Turkey. Many British, German, Dutch and Scandinavian people believe it is not fair to compare services offered by Turkish and European mayors. For instance, while health and education are the main responsibilities of local governments in Europe, Turkish mayors do not have authority in those matters.

Expats, however, still want to share their needs and expectations with mayoral candidates in coastal cities, such as Kuşadası, Didim, Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye, Kaş, Kemer and Alanya.

For most foreigners in those regions, a mayor elected for a five-year term must have a strong mandate and authority to change the outlook of the city. That is why most foreigners use the term president instead of mayor.

Joanne Hopper, Pamela Bragg and Sharon Barrett, from Marmaris and İ?meler, have collected their friends' opinions and have prepared a list of issues for the Hürriyet Daily News to guide any candidates for the office of mayor before local elections in March.

Problems need solutions
Expats are tired of being treated like tourists. In particular they are tired of the problem of touts in summer months and similar problems related to tourism. The permanent traffic jam in tourist cities must be at the top of the list for candidates in tourist cities. The lack of authority on the streets also concerns foreigners. They expect solutions to be found urgently, like so many Turkish citizens.

Other than these two major issues, the expat community expects mayors to promote tourism in the region, enforce laws, create an open forum for residents to discuss issues, and to advertise events happening in the city. The expat community wants a mayor who is open to the idea of monthly public meetings purely for the public to voice opinions and concerns about Marmaris, to enable direct contact between the mayor and the public, and for relevant steps to be taken to improve residents' concerns.

The expat community also wants a mayor that will ensure their assistants do their jobs properly and who will welcome the public's opinions in a helpful manner. The mayor should be prepared to look further than the advice of his or her assistants, and should be a person who will be open to the people if there is a problem.

Foreigners who have chosen to spend the rest of their lives in Turkey want to see more Turkish art and culture in their region. The tourist centers in summer months host many cultural events, but not in winters. Concerts, shows and theater from Turkish or other cultures would be welcomed by the expat community, who are accustomed to regularly attending such events in their home countries. Expats are also ready to join social, cultural or sport organizations if invited to do so.

"We need more activities, more social activities apart from bars and restaurants and we need someone who realizes good advertising is required for these activities," said a British inhabitant of Marmaris.

A list of concrete demands from the Turun? District addressed to the local council, gathered by Jobey Butt, a long term resident in the area, who surveyed many people in the region follows:

- A reduction for local taxes and prices would be welcome.

- There should be stronger building controls.

- Improvements to infrastructure, such as roads and water supply, would be welcomed. Certain areas of Turun? face water supply issues during the holiday season.

- Expats would like Turun? to be more Turkish. Rather than fish and chip shops, breakfast cafes and English pubs, they would prefer to see traditional Turkish culture, the village would then be more truthfully advertised as a Turkish village. They would like a dress code introduced in the town center because garments worn by visitors may offend Turkish residents. A non-topless beach would also be welcomed.