Pedro Iriondo remains head of Majorcan Tourist Board

DESPITE calls for his resignation, Pedro Iriondo is to remain as head of the Majorcan Tourist Board, its Vice-Presidents Bartomeu Servera and Margalida Ramis confirmed yesterday.

Iriondo has been in the eye of a storm since last week after he made apparently disparaging remarks in a speech to the tourist industry about immigrant workers and low cost airlines.

The Balearic Minister for Employment and Tourism Joana Barcelo had described his remarks as “xenophobic” and the regional President Francesc Antich had asked if “Pedro Iriondo was the type of person who should be in charge of the Majorcan Tourist Board.” However, having listened to Iriondo's formal explanation and apology yesterday, the Board said that they were satisfied that their President had not intended to be abusive or racist and that the only point he had wanted to get across was that there was a need for full training for all staff who elected to work in the tourist industry.

Bartomeu Servera said that it was clear that Iriondo never meant to be misinterpreted and that it was not the place of the Balearic President, Francesc Antich, to “give lessons in resigning from a post.” The Majorcan Tourist Board has therefore rejected Antich's recommendation that Iriondo step down. “We all hope that this episode will be forgotten as quickly as possible,” Servera added.