Standards are slipping

Firstly the amount of graffiti on the beach walls in Cala Millor is shocking, surely this could have been cleaned off during the main tourist weeks. It certainly is not a good advert for the resort and I am sure will put many people off coming back.

Secondly during July and part of August especially, quite frankly, you take your life in your hands walking along the promenade. This has become more of a race track than a pleasant walk with bicycles, gocarts,four-wheel canopied carts, mopeds, skateboarders, roller bladers all racing along at the one time when couples and families are out for an evening stroll. It has become very dangerous indeed and not at all pleasant. More policing of this area is certainly required before a child or older person gets really badly hurt. I have no objection to children in their little go-carts but the rest are mainly adults which surely should not be allowed. The Cala Bona end is especially bad.

Thirdly I must congratulate the San Llorenzo Council once again for keeping our beach beautiful and clean at all times but I am afraid the sea this year has been quite dirty at times with paper bags amongst other things floating about which is quite disgusting. I don't know where this comes from but certainly something which requires more attention. Also the smell from some of the drains towards Cala Bona is terrible I know there has been problems up there for years but someone must have an answer to bad drainage.

I have been reading about the down-turn in tourism on the Island and the efforts of the various authorities to try and get the people back. With this in mind and the fact that my husband and I both love the Island and Cala Millor I think these are a few of the areas which could be improved which would help return our regular tourists and not chase the first timers away. Food for thought!

Stop this euro madness, Majorca is far too expensive

Dear Sir,
Having just returned from our family holidays in Majorca I must say the euro is going to kill off your tourist industry. We visit twice a year in May/Aug and the prices have risen sharply since our last visit in May. I asked why the prices had gone up and I was always told it was the euro's fault yet when I said they had not gone up in May it was met with a shrug of the shoulders. I must have been given the wrong change at least twice a day and when I told them they said it was the euro's fault and they were still not used to it. Surely after 9 months people must have got used to it.

I don't think there is anything that has not gone up in price and to top it all there was a beggar on the streets of Palma Nova every night and the so called “lucky lucky” men outnumbered the tourists. The people who run the island need to get a grip before you lose all your tourists. I for one are going to take a break from the island I love for a year or so and then see if it improves. Majorca's loss could be a Greek island's gain, so please Bulletin start a campaign to get Majorca sorted out before it is too late.

Yours,

Editor's note: As you will have noticed we have run a series of articles which have highlighted the increase in the prices thanks to the euro.

Fears over the Soller train service

Dear Sir,
In Wednesday's Bulletin you reported that the residents of Soller were to get free access to the road tunnel from next year. I can't understand why they have been so upset about having to pay for the use of the tunnel as the scale of charges seem reasonable and they always had the alternative route over the hairpin bends of the pass over the Tramuntana mountains !! I'm sure the saving in fuel alone would go most of the way towards paying their tolls.

On a note nearer to my heart, this action must put another nail in the coffin of the Soller Railway which already seems to be suffering badly from the reduction of tourist traffic over the last twelve months – what is the latest news on the future of this lovely old relic ?

Just what are Bush and Blair doing?

Dear Sir,
I have read in amazement over recent days over Bush and Blair's antics over Iraq. Just what do they want to do? Put the Arab world against us? Start a new war because Father Bush didn't have the courage to resolve the issue ten years ago? I just don't understand why they can't leave Saddam Hussein alone and get back to work on pressing domestic issues. The United States, the powerhouse of the world, is in recession. George W. Bush should look to the homefront or otherwise he will be given the same treatment as his father got at the hands of the voters.