Matas wants Cabrera park now

Joan Collins THE leader of the Balearic Government, Jaume Matas, has demanded that the Spanish Ministry for the Environment “immediately” transfer the management of the Cabrera Natural Park to the Balearic Government. This is in accordance with the ruling of the Constitutional Tribunal which established that the autonomous regions should manage these spaces. According to Matas, who visited Cabrera to participate in the release of marine turtles, “the Spanish Ministry are obliged to transfer the management to the Balearic Government”, and “it is not their decision to make”, as they have to comply with the ruling. In his opinion, the Spanish Ministry for the Environment does not have the “political will” to transfer the management of the Park to the Balearic Government, which they have to do regardless of the “political colour” of the ruling parties of both governments. Matas said he would “exhaust all the means of negotiation” before starting legal action to force the Ministry to comply with the Tribunal's ruling and transfer the management of the Cabrera Natural Park to the Balearic Government. The leader of the Balearic Government said that he didn't understand the delay in handing over the management which, in his judgement, “is a simple matter”. He added that he just wanted the Spanish Ministry for the Environment to comply with “its obligation”. Matas and the Mayor of Palma, Catalina Cirer, took part on Tuesday in the release of three sea turtles which were found injured in the waters off the islands and recovered by the Marineland Foundation. The deputy leader of the Balearic Government, Rosa Estaras, and the director general of the “La Caixa” Foundation, Jose Francisco Conrado, also took part in the release of these creatures, which are especially endangered by the fishing community as they are frequently caught on the hooks of their fishing lines. In addition to this, the turtles' habitat has been reduced because of the reduction in the quality of the sea and they face other threats, also due to human activity, such as plastic containers and rubbish. According to a Marineland biologist, the recuperation centre has recovered seven injured or sick turtles so far this year.