Several years ago now, I wrote an article about Barcares. This was at a time when there was talk of development at the small marina which was supposedly not to residents' liking. When I went to investigate, no one was seemingly aware of this proposed development. Perhaps I spoke to the wrong people. Anyway, I concluded that here was a place - Barcares - where nothing ever happens, and this impression has stood reasonably firm over the years.
In recent times, though, certain issues have arisen. There was the business about a proposed beach club that had the residents up in arms - and with good reason. We have also had all the stuff about the mainland electricity cable, and now there's the thoroughly odd idea that a brothel might open in Barcares. Suddenly, everything's happening in Barcares - sort of.
There was a protest last Sunday, when it was revealed that the person whose idea it is to have a brothel has signed a lease with the owner of a chalet. This owner is now said to be having second thoughts. The problem is, though, that he's entered into the lease agreement.
Town hall and police representatives attended this protest by way of showing their solidarity with residents. But doesn't the town hall's interest go deeper? Maybe it doesn't, and someone can just decide to allow his property to be converted into a brothel.
Reggaeton Beach Festival was celebrated in Inca last year.
Can Picafort hoteliers determined to get music festival called off
In early May, press releases filtered into the local media regarding the Reggaeton Beach Festival, which is to be held in the Son Bauló part of Can Picafort on July 15 and 16 and is expected to attract some 15,000 people. According to the press releases, this festival will be more sustainable than ever.
The environmental impact will be reduced by holding most of the festival during the day - it will in fact finish at midnight - thus reducing light and noise pollution. Working with the Ecoembes recycling organisation, there will be a strategic recycling plan. For mobility, there is a commitment to public transport and so routes are to be announced for transporting those attending. A car park will meanwhile be established near the festival site. There will be respect for Can Picafort, a "wonderful destination" where there is a commitment to sustainable tourism, which "fits perfectly with the philosophy of the festival".
Fine words, and yet the Can Picafort hoteliers and residents think the whole thing sucks. I highlighted the opposition to this festival a couple of weeks ago, the hoteliers having now upped their efforts to get it called off by Santa Margalida town hall, which approved the festival in the first place. The elections, meanwhile, haven't brought about a change in political control - Joan Monjo is still mayor.
So, why should the town hall now change its mind? Well, where the hoteliers are concerned, all this stuff about sustainability is basically a load of nonsense. Regardless of the hours, there is going to be noise pollution, while there aren't the police and services to control all the people arriving and the traffic. The hoteliers also maintain that it is prohibited to use the land that has been allocated for an event such as this, while they believe that there will be hotel cancellations and demands for compensation by guests who hadn't expected to be staying in hotels next to a music festival.
The hoteliers go on to say that previous events of this type have led to drunkenness and vandalism, among other unwanted effects. In this respect, they may be alluding to the time when the Alba night party for the August fiestas was a gigantic festival - arguably the biggest of all parties for the island's fiestas. I can recall that it was once the case that there would be traffic jams several kilometres long to get into Can Picafort. Tougher drink-driving laws and putting the party on at the sports centre made a big difference.
There are Balearic government and Council of Mallorca departments which could feasibly intervene, but with less than a month to go and whole loads of tickets having been sold, one would think it highly unlikely that the festival will be stopped.
Fina Linares was duly sworn in as Alcudia's new mayor last weekend.
Fina Linares was duly sworn in as Alcudia's new mayor last weekend. Let's hope that she and her executive councillors get down to business straightaway and aren't diverted by the fiestas or the imminence of their summer holidays.
Key objectives for the new mayor include cleanliness and general maintenance. Her party, the PP, are going to have to be true to their word, having made a thing of posting examples of deficiencies and blaming the now former administration onto their Facebook page. The state of the roads, streets and pavements is another key objective. Fina says that her town hall will be resurfacing the streets, as there are those which have "more potholes than street".
Absolutely, and let this be genuine resurfacing and not a couple of blokes who come along and fill in a hole, only for it to reappear the first time that it chucks down with rain. And then there are pavements that are so dilapidated that they have become more street than pavement.
Suffice it to say, Fina, that we'll be watching. We'll be watching very closely.
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