Operation Holy Week 2003 off to a good start in Aragua State

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Monday, April 14, 2003 By: David Coleman

Operation Holy Week 2003 has got off to a good start in Aragua State with 736 law enforcement officers patrolling beaches along the Caribbean coast where an estimated 255,000 day-trippers are expected during the Holy Week period.

The main concentration of tourists is expected at Ocumare La Costa (195,000 capacity) and Choroni (60,000) where local Civil Defense executive Felix Perez says that a bathing ban has been imposed by the Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources (MARN) at the mouth of the Ocumare and on the El Playon and La Jaivita.

Aragua Fire Chief Mauricio Sanchez says that 300 emergency servicemen and women are deployed at key points along the coast as well as in Colonia Tovar, Camatagua and Villa de Cura where a religious procession is set to take place.

National Guard (GN) commander Edy Ramirez Moyeda says four control points have been set up in El Limon, Choroni and the resorts at Turmero and Villa de Cura while special attention is being given to traffic the Center-West Highway from Caracas to Valencia in an effort to reduce road accidents caused by drink-driving.

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