No more official cars

Everyone seems over the moon with the speech made by new Balearic leader, Jose Ramon Bauza, to Parliament on Tuesday. Bauza outlined his plans for the next four years. I would like to add my vote of confidence as well, because the new Balearic leader intends to reduce the number of official cars. The Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, flies on holiday with a budget airline but the the Mayor of Palma has a 60'000 euro official car at his disposal. And so does the speaker of the Balearic Parliament, the Balearic leader, and the President of the Council of Majorca.

The local authority car fleet is quite enormous. Surely, relatively minor officials should take the bus or metro to work and abandon their official vehicle in these times of recession? I have watched the President of the Balearic government arrive at official functions, and I would say that President Barack Obama would be impressed! An official vehicle followed by at least one vehicle containing his police minders. On some occasions you can also add a couple of police outriders as well. Now, obviously the President of the Balearics needs an official vehicle, but does this luxury also extend to the Mayor of Palma and President of the Parliament? Surely, not. No, money has to be saved and some of the perks of ranks need to be removed. Most island Mayors have rather nice official cars, some even cost more than 60'000. The cars should be returned at once.