19/04/2002 00:00
TW
0
SANTA PONSA: The new intersection of the Palma-Andratx and Calvia-Santa Ponsa roads by the windmill will be open to traffic on June 30, even though some finishing touches will still be needed. The roundabout and tunnel will help ease congestion at an intersection which is used by an average of 40'000 vehicles a day, making it one of the busiest roads in Europe according to Francesc Quetglas, the minister of public works. Work has involved putting a 700 metre stretch of the C-719 (Palma-Port d'Andraitx) underground and building a roundabout with a diameter of 70 metres. Drivers on the C-719 will benefit most, as by using the tunnel they will avoid the delays at the roundabout which in summer can be as long as 20 minutes. The site was visited yesterday by Quetglas, Government leader Francesc Antich, president of the council of Majorca Maria Antonia Munar and Mayor of Calvia Margarita Nájera. The budget for the project, which is running behind schedule, is four million euros.

MANACOR: Deputy leader Pere Sampol, the minister of finance and commerce, said yesterday that he hoped the deal to purchase the troubled pearl factory Majórica would be finalised next month. He was speaking before Parliament and said that the Balearic government would not give the guarantee of 4.21 million euros to the current owners unless they increased their share capital by 12.02 million euros. However, he said the government would maintain aid if the new owners accepted the job cuts scheme which had already been approved with the unions. The job cuts will cost 5.11 million euros, according to Sampol who said that the Balearic ministry of labour would provide 1.2 million pesetas for the early retirments. Sampol claimed that there were three groups from outside the island interested in purchasing Majorica.