Survive Naples

Many people in Naples have been clinging to the recently elected Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s promise to take action to clean the streets, to crack down on illegal immigration, and to bring an end to the influence of corrupt officials. His self imposed deadline of July 31st is only three weeks away. Regardless of whether he is able to push through legislation to resolve these problems the challenge only begins there.

Naples is a city without laws. There are law enforcement organizations in the form of local police, Caribinieri (civil-military police), Guardia di Finanza (financial police), and others. Despite the quite visible presence of these organizations, garbage is dumped illegally, traffic violations are routinely ignored, prostitution is permanent and in the open, and illegal immigrants peddle their wares throughout the downtown streets.

I was recently walking downtown with guests, taking them on a tour of the many beautiful buildings, ruins, sculptures, and art to be found there. We turned down a side-street in search of a restaurant. Finding all the restaurants closed, we turned around and found the small alley suddenly filled with African immigrants, who I can only assume to be a part of the illegal population. Each held a blanket filled with purses, watches, belts, or whatever they were selling on the street. I waited with them to see what would happen. It was a surprisingly long five minutes before the Guardia di Finanza car passed the alley. The officers, however, never left their vehicle to patrol the streets in earnest.

This charade takes place daily. The police come, lookouts provide the signal, the vendors hide, the police pass, and the impromptu stores return. Of course this takes place in major cities around the world, but the scale and audacity of it here is amazing.

Prime Minister Berlusconi’s laws must also overcome the years of routine that have developed. The people here don’t see a problem with tailgating, driving without a seatbelt, setting garbage alight, or even stopping to pick up a prostitute. Of course there are those who see these problems for what they are, but I never cease to be surprised at the number who seem to be complacent or guilty of these crimes. Any new laws will have to be accompanied by a public education effort to teach people about the dangers of the lifestyle they have been living.

I hope that any new laws will take immediate effect and that Naples will find its feet again, and walk forward to the future with her head held high. I just don’t see it happening in the near term.