Editorial: President gets tough

BETTER late than never. It has taken the President of the Balearic Government, Jose Ramon, almost three weeks to make an official comment on the recent “happenings” in Magalluf but yesterday he came out with all guns blazing. He dubbed the infamous strip “as the street of shame” and said there was no place in the Balearic tourist industry for such tourism. He even said that they couldn´t tell hoteliers to  put bars on their balconies following the recent spate of balcony falls. Much of his keynote speech in Madrid mentioned  Magalluf and the need to bring  Punta Ballena under control.  The Balearic President said the investment announced by the Melia Hotel Group in Magalluf was the way forward. He also said that they would be trying to take the industry up-market. His speech appears to have called time on the antics of Punta Ballena and came yesterday as the Calvia Council announced that they had carried out 50 inspections in businesses in Magalluf to establish that they met council rules and regulations. As a direct result a number  of businesses, believed to be about 10 percent of all those inspected, have been closed or fined. The local authorities appear to be taking a tough line with Magalluf and they have finally got  the message. The days of Calle Punta Ballena in its present form appear to be numbered. As one veteran Magalluf business owner told me “it won´t happen this year or even next year but the writing is on the wall...”