Protest against motorways

Joan Collins A dozen masked people took over the entrance to the Balearic Government's headquarters in the Consolat de Mar (off the Paseo Maritimo), with a “performance” representing the inauguration of a motorway and symbolising “the destruction” which the Balearic Government is causing in the islands with their roads policy. The performance, organised by the Balearic environmentalists GOB and Nature Defence, consisted of the spreading of a piece of material symbolising a motorway in front of the Consolat door. A person “inaugurated” this road, dressed in a suit and carrying a suitcase with banknotes protruding from it, cutting a ribbon from which 500 euro notes were hanging. The notes had the face of the leader of the Balearic Government, Jaume Matas, printed on them and the ribbon was cut in front of a banner which read “Motorways Matas, S.A.”. All the “actors” were dressed in black and wearing white gas masks. As the spokesperson for GOB, Miquel Angel March, explained later, the “performance” was to draw attention to the indiscriminate construction of motorways and dual carriageways on the islands during this term of office which has been “the greatest destruction ever seen” in the islands and which, in their opinion, highlights the lack of environmental sensitivity and the Government's support of private transport. To demonstrate this, March said that during its three years in office the Balearic administration has planned 240 kilometres of motorways and dual carriageways, of which 75 percent have already been constructed or are in the process of being constructed. This has swallowed up 2'000 hectares of ground, affected some 4'000 properties and 120 hectares of pine and oak trees, in addition to the demolition of 300 residential buildings, farms and ranches. March, who adds to this the “exaggerated and disproportionate” cost of 7'000 million euros for these works, confirmed that this policy is in response to the expansion of the towns as all the towns affected by motorway or dual carriageway works have had a “residential boom”. He said GOB was disappointed that, while between “five and seven motorways” had been inaugurated, not one new train line had been opened in spite of the necessity for this type of transport to go to towns like Alcudia, Arta, Cala Rajada or Palma airport.