In order to improve service to the Mayan-speaking population of Yucatán, the State Congress, in coordination with the Instituto de Investigaciones Legislativas, will offer a permanent Mayan language course to all its officials and employees.
In this way, Yucatán will set a precedent in the country by having the first Legislative Branch to adopt a program and offer services in an indigenous language.
“We are making history with this course, whose objective is to train Mayan-speaking public servants to communicate more effectively with the inhabitants of the communities that visit the Legislative precinct,” said Congresswoman Melba Gamboa Ávila, promoter of the program.
The legislator, who is a Mayan speaker, emphasized that this action is the first step towards the institutionalization of the teaching of the Mayan language, since the course is aimed at the staff and is intended to be part of the Annual Training Program of the State Congress.
The Congresswoman indicated that she hopes that other public institutions will follow the same path: “This Legislature, of which I am proud to be a member, strives every day to design public policies that meet the real needs of the population. One of them, if not the most important, is to achieve full and effective communication between the government and the Mayan communities,” she stressed.
For his part, the president of the Board of Directors of the State Congress, Erik Rihani González emphasized that learning the Mayan language plays a fundamental role, since, according to INEGI, we are the third state in the country in which an indigenous language is spoken the most.
“This is a very important fact, because it means that in Yucatan we continue to have our cultural identity present and, in that sense, I tell you, it depends on us that this is not only maintained, but improved,” said Rihani Gonzalez.
The legislator added that they have the conviction that every person who comes to Congress in search of help can return home with solutions and with the peace of mind that in this precinct they are there to accompany them.
“For this, it is crucial that those who work here can communicate with any of these people, regardless of the language they speak,” said the deputy.
“That is why this course is very important, so that you have the tools to serve the citizens, so that in Yucatan it is heard loud and clear that in the State Congress we are prepared to provide solutions to the problems that afflict Yucatecans,” said the president of the Board of Directors.
Mario Maldonado Espinosa, director of the Institute of Legislative Research of the State Congress, thanked the presence of officials and commissioners of the Mérida City Hall, the representative of INDEMAYA and the Civil Association of the Supreme Mayan Council A.C. “We want to implement in the State Congress the new legislation that we want to implement in the State Congress,” he said.
“We want to implement courses in the State Congress in the Mayan language so that the employee knows how to deal with Mayan speakers in their own language and that we improve the public service we provide on a daily basis. And I am very pleased that the deputies are also committed to learning,” Maldonado Espinosa remarked.
The director emphasized that this course is unique at national level and it is intended to become a law, so that at each change of Legislature the obligation to give such courses remains, so that employees and officials are constantly being prepared.
The event was attended by Congresswomen Karen Achach Ramírez, Pilar Santos Díaz and Congressman Esteban Abraham Macari, who pledged to take the course.
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