British Consul pays first official visit to Minorca

Georgina Bromwich Mr Paul Abrey, HM Consul to Majorca and Minorca, paid his first official visit to Minorca on Wednesday and Thursday this week. Accompanied by Minorca's Honorary Vice–Consulate, Deborah Hellyer, Mr Abrey spent just over 24 hours on the island, meeting with local politicians and getting to know a handful of British residents on the island. On Wednesday afternoon, Mr Abrey was joined by HM Consulate General, Michael John Holloway who travelled to the island for a few hours to discuss the running of Minorca's Honorary Consulate. Yesterday morning, Mr Abrey held four separate meetings with senior figures on the island, including Colonel Paco Riva, Minorca's Military Commander; Joana Barcelo, the president of Minorca's Island Council; Arturo Bagur, the mayor of Mahon and Javier Tejero, central government's representative on Minorca. Both Mr Abrey and Mrs Hellyer stressed that the British community enjoys good relations with Minorca's institutions. Mr Abrey then travelled to Biniarroca Rural Hotel to meet some 20 British residents for drinks and a buffet lunch – including Red Cross and Age Concern volunteers, representatives from tour operators and British business men and women – before travelling back to Palma in the afternoon.