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Miscellaneous Use this area ONLY if you can't find a suitable home for your topic. We'll create a new area if necessary and reserve the right to move topics to more suitable areas. Only post regarding the Pollensa area. This is not a forum for general discussion.

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  #31  
Old 21-02-2011, 16:44
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BATTLE LINES DRAWN TO FIGHT SMOKING BAN
STAFF REPORTER
PALMA

THE Balearic Confederation of Businesses Restaurant Association and Pimem, the small to medium sized business sector, has joined forces to fight the new anti-smoking ban which, according to the service sector, is literally killing off revenue, restaurants and jobs.
The two association, which represent the vast majority of bars, restaurants and cafes in the Balearics, is going to hold its first meeting on march 7, to decide upon its strategy. The location has yet to be decided but it expected to be central to the island so that as many members as possible can attend the preliminary meeting.
According to both association, since the new law came in to force on January 2, the restaurant and bar sector has seen takings fall by between 20 and 50 percent.

Wonder how successful that will be!!
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  #32  
Old 21-02-2011, 17:13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gommar Goffer View Post
This is the report in the DB that has got me worried:-

There are serious concerns that, if oil is found, then drilling platform will begin appearing off the coast of the Balearics.

GG's Full post on previous page

Pros & Cons if it does come to anything but if so, let hope "it's not in our beautiful backyard"!!
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  #33  
Old 23-02-2011, 09:39
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Default Gas Inspector Scam

Thank goodness their investigation has resulted in arrests. This has been a problem locally in the past year.


11 arrested in island-wide gas inspector scam
By Humphrey Carter
PALMA
A total of eleven people were arrested by the Guardia Civil over the weekend for apparently running a bogus gas inspection company which has allegedly conned people out of at least 40'000 euros.

The investigation was carried out by the Palmanova Guardia Civil but the bogus company was operating all over Majorca, especially in north east, east and south of the island.

The investigation was mounted just two weeks ago and over the weekend, the Guardia Civil arrested the so-called director of the company, his two sons and eight employees.

The bogus company’s lawyer has also been implicated in the scam.
The suspects were passing themselves off as employees of two different companies which had been subcontracted by a bona fide and authorised outfit to inspect gas fittings and installations.

They would present potential clients or victims with false documents and then provide them with hugely inflated bills.
Over the weekend, the Guardia Civil swooped on the offices of the bogus company and apparently found boxes of false documentation and sources close to the investigation reported that the company conned its victims out of at least 40'000 euros. However, the investigation remains open and the number of victims could rise over the coming days.

The typical victims were either the elderly, disabled or foreign residents.
Only yesterday, a British resident who lives in Costitx contacted the newspaper to report that she had been fleeced of over 1'000 by a bogus team of gas inspectors and on Saturday, another reader called to complain about a “suspicious” visit from an alleged Endesa electricity board engineer.

However, the British bar owner did the right thing and sent him packing.
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  #34  
Old 23-02-2011, 14:42
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Default Gas inspector scam

That is great news Bella!

Guests staying at my place were taken in by this scam on two separate occasions and I witnessed a local hotel owner being pressurised by them as well. Luckily she sent them packing but not without a lot of effort on her behalf.
  #35  
Old 23-02-2011, 14:57
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Yes it is good to read that these conmen have been caught but lets not drop our guard, i am sure someone else will be trying to find a way to swindle people out of their money.


Don't let anyone in without an appointment.
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  #36  
Old 23-02-2011, 15:35
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Well done them in catching these people. Thanks Bella for letting us know. It is a worry when guests are in the property they feel pressured. I have added to our info in the villa but obviously don't want to worry the guests too much. I ensure the number of our housekeeper is available for them to check before allowing anyone entry. Anyone attending the villa will do so with prior arrangement via the housekeeper and guests will be informed. The problem is that sometimes it is easy to feel intimidated and those who do this sort of thing well know how to intimidate.


Quote:
Originally Posted by sparky View Post
Yes it is good to read that these conmen have been caught but lets not drop our guard, i am sure someone else will be trying to find a way to swindle people out of their money.

You are so right Sparky. No sooner has one scam been stopped then another comes along. This of course happens the World over and certainly not just in PP. As you say we need to keep our guard up.

Don't let anyone in without an appointment.
- should become our motto!
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Last edited by eleanor; 23-02-2011 at 15:39. Reason: typo
  #37  
Old 10-03-2011, 09:45
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Default Proud to be British

It just makes you proud.

OTHER NEWS
Majorca helping the heroes again this year
By Humphrey Carter

PALMA


THE British community here on the island is again this year opening its hearts to British servicemen and women who have been wounded while serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The initiative of helping the heroes here on the island began nearly two years ago when a former Irish Guard resident on the island made a plea through the Bulletin for help in entertaining a young Royal Marine, Andy Grant, who was seriously wounded during front line action in Helmand Province.

He has since lost the bottom half of his right leg.

The British community jumped to the marine’s help and he and his girlfriend enjoyed a wonderful holiday on the island courtesy of the local British residents.

Of the many people who came forward offering free meals at local bars and restaurants, tickets to shows, boat trips, BBQs etc., a few made their homes available to the wounded.

From apartments to an enormous finca in the north east of the island, the campaign to help the heroes in Majorca quickly gathered momentum.


LAST YEAR


Last year, three groups from the Light Dragoons came over to the island while a number of individual cases were also entertained.
And, this year, the initiative continues.
There is going to be another fund raising cricket match over Easter and the Mallorca Cricket Club and three groups of wounded, some seriously, servicemen and women from the Grenadier Guards will be coming out for a fortnight at the beginning and end of the summer.

A few wounded members of the Light Dragoons may also be coming over after having heard what a great time their fellow colleagues had last year.
The Anglican congregation of St. Andrews Church in Puerto Pollensa has been vital in making the large group holidays a success.
Not only is part of the weekly collection set aside for helping the heroes, the local community rallies round to help in any, shape or form when the soldiers are here but extra help is always welcome because these trips have become a very important part of their recuperation and rehabilitation.

Coming to Majorca with their partners gives the wounded a chance to get away from their every day surroundings and medical routine.
For the more seriously wounded, frustration can often set in when the rehab stalls along with boredom of the routine, so coming to Majorca on holiday serves to give the troops a major boost and new determination to overcome their injuries and get fit and healthy again.


CONFIDENTIALITY


Those housing the elite Grenadier Guards and the Light Dragoons would be grateful for any extra help in looking after or entertaining the wounded soldiers when they are here and should any one wish to offer their assistance, then please email the Bulletin and all mail will be passed on to those responsible in strict confidentiality.
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  #38  
Old 15-03-2011, 09:21
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Default It's Electrifying!

Why does no one ever check the Red Tape before they start these huge projects!


Spanner in the works in cable link
STAFF REPORTER
THE town council in Sagunto on the mainland’s east coast caused shock waves in the Balearics yesterday by saying that it was bringing the works on the electricity cable link-up between the Islands and the mainland to an immediate halt.

The council said that its concerns lie with the land-based section of the infrastructure because national grid operators, Red Electrica Española, do not apparently have the necessary permits to be using municipal land for the link-up.

The project, to enable the Balearics to become an integral part of the national electricity supply network, is of key importance to energy planning in the Islands and is being financed by Central Government.

Sagunto town council is now saying that Red Electrica Española must pay them a fee if they want the works to continue but claim that their demand is only at the level of municipal taxation and not some vast sum devised spontaneously to penalise the company.

Red Electrica Española is now seeking legal advice because halting the works at this stage will apparently jeopardise the whole project.
The company began the cable link-up at the beginning of the year. The project, which is costing 375 million euros needs to be finished before the summer.

The infrastructure will mean that the Balearics will be able to tap into a power supply the equivalent of an entire generating station, or a quarter of what the Islands are currently capable of producing. The connection will also mean that supply to housholds and industry will be more reliable.

Sagunto council has now “put a spanner in the works,” a Red Electrica Española spokesman said yesterday.
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  #39  
Old 16-03-2011, 09:41
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Default Animal refuge change

Where do the animals go which are caught by the council now?

Pollensa animal refuge breaks with Council
STAFF REPORTER
POLLENSA’S animal refuge centre will no longer be collaborating with the local council, Josefina Vivancos who has managed the shelter for the past 28 years said yesterday.

Vivancos had already said last week that from now on, she will stop providing homes for stray and abandoned animals that the council catches through independent operators. “We want to continue functioning under our own rules as an animal refuge,” she explained. “We will never put a healthy animal down.” For eight years, the Pollensa Animal Refuge has had a close professional relationship with the Council. An agreement had committed the town hall to paying the refuge 60'000 euros a year for catching and keeping abandoned animals at the shelter but the council is now owing last year’s instalment.

The council has decided to change the modus operandi and said that it would now have a direct contract with a company for catching the strays and that it would put a maintenance contract out to public tender for those organisations interested in housing the animals.

The Animal Refuge Centre refused however to become part of the arrangement because were it to have accepted the council’s most recent terms and conditions, then there would have been a limit on the time that they would have been funded to keep animals at the shelter.

Vivancos made it crystal clear yesterday: “It is I who have broken off the relationship with the council,” she said. Vivancos claimed that since its inception, the ethos of the shelter was to rehouse abandoned animals.

She said that now the council were wanting to impose their own rules which included the destruction of healthy animals if they were not rehoused within less than a month. “I won’t take in the animals which the council catches if I have to accept their terms,” she insisted. “I have decided not to have anything more to do with the council in this regard.”
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  #40  
Old 22-03-2011, 09:57
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Default Walkers take note!

Landowners want rights respected
STAFF REPORTER
PRIVATE landowners in the Tramuntana mountains called yesterday on the Balearic government to respect their rights to privacy on their own property.
Gathering yesterday after a conference at the Raixa country estate at which the Council of Majorca’s Environment department said it would continue to back the right of the public to use cross-country paths, the landowners said that the Balearic government is not acknowledging their legal right to privacy.
Marilena Tugores, representing the department, said that the Council of Majorca wanted to “show respect” to everyone and was aware that there was periodicaly conflict over land use.

But Tugores said that the Council represents public rather than private interest and that if a cross-country path on private land is shown through registers to be a right of way, then the public’s interests must be defended.
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  #41  
Old 01-04-2011, 09:14
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Default Extra police for the tourist season


Now, on first view, I am more than happy to have extra police around being vigilant on our behalf. But I then look at the money being spent and have to wonder at the benefit. Would it not be better being spent on actually improving areas for tourists in some areas - and locals alike - so that they want to return in the first place? The sight of a police force in a run down area will surely put tourists off even more. I am happy about the awareness aspect though, and hope this works out well for the islands. Perhaps they willl use the police on the speed cameras to help out!



10 PERCENT MORE LOCAL POLICE ON THE BEAT THIS SUMMER
STAFF REPORTER
PALMA
THE Balearic government has allocated over 3'200'000 euros to finance 269 tourist police jobs aimed at improving citizen security this year, a spokesman said yesterday. Agreements, which will mean a 10 percent rise in Local Police out on the beat during the summer, have reportedly been made with nearly all municipalities in the Islands.

Balearic President Francesc Antich attended in person the signing of the funding agreements for Majorca, accompanied by regional Justice minister, Pilar Costa. The ceremony with the Mayors of Ibiza and Formentera took place last weekend and one is yet to take place on Minorca.

This year, 205 tourist police jobs will be paid for on Majorca, 32 on Minorca and 30 for Ibiza and Formentera.

The Tourist Police force was created back in 2004 to create greater safety for residents and visitors and to promote control over crime through collaboration with local town councils. Yesterday, there were representatives of the Local Police who attended the funding ceremony anxious that the government should bring stability to these recently created posts, and not just restrict trained officers to working on a seasonal basis.

During the presentation, President Antich highlighted the importance of tightening security for residents and tourists in the Balearics, especially during the summer months when the influx of visitors is particularly high. He pointed out that tourism generates 60 percent of the Balearic gross product (PIB) and is therefore the “motor” of other sectors of the economy.

President Antich spoke positively of the coming tourist season which anticipates the arrival of one million more holiday-makers than came in 2010. He claimed that this surge will mean the creation of a further 10'000 jobs. Antich said that part of this significant increase in visitors is due to the political turmoil in North Africa, with those who might have chosen to go to Tunisia or Egypt, “playing safe” and instead heading for Spain and the Balearic Islands. He urged all tourist businesses and service industries to make sure that these “ad hoc” holiday-makers will want to come back to the Islands on other occasions.
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  #42  
Old 01-04-2011, 09:53
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Yes i read that yesterday and can't help thinking that the DB has got it wrong again, maybe an extra 0 has been added.
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  #43  
Old 01-04-2011, 12:52
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Its still a lot of money even minus a zero!
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  #44  
Old 02-04-2011, 10:53
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It's a lot of money but if you divide the 3.2 million euros by 269 staff that's only 11,895 euros per summer police officer which is about 10,500 GBP so not much really per staff member.

Imagine what the total police costs must be if this is only for an extra few summer police jobs
  #45  
Old 02-04-2011, 10:56
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True Mark. And Majorca gets 205 divided over all the island - wonder how many will filter through to the north?
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