A week after the start of the official tourism season and no sign of beach services.

A week after the start of the official tourism season and no sign of beach services.

Andrew EdePollensa07/05/2016 00:00
TW
9

On the Northern Spotlight pages of today's Bulletin (paper version), I draw attention to the fact that services on Pollensa beaches have not been initiated, despite 1 May having been the official start to the tourism season. It was being said that the new contract for sun loungers, etc. had not been awarded, and a look at the town hall's website seemed to confirm this. Under the list of contracts out for tender, there wasn't one for beach services for the current season.

Now, both the Unió Mollera Pollencina (UMP), the Puerto Pollensa party, and Tots per Pollença, the grouping led by former mayor Tomeu Cifre, have made clear their thoughts on the matter. Cifre says, and this is what the evidence of the website suggested, that the tender hasn't yet been raised, meaning - obviously - that the process for awarding the concession has not begun. He also says that the town hall administration did not seek new authorisation from the Costas Authority until the end of January, when this would normally be done in November. (The national government Costas needs to give authorisation when new contractual arrangements are being made.) Cifre sums up the situation as "total chaos".

The UMP, meanwhile, which has one councillor and forms part of what is otherwise an administration dominated by the left-wing Junts Avançam, has described the situation as "regrettable". The councillor, Andres Nevado, is saying that the issue isn't creating a "crisis" for the council's government but does not acknowledge that there is discontent within his party arising from the failure to provide beach services.