NO PAY FOR GAUCÍN WORKERSBy David Eade – Costa del Sol News
The workers employed by Gaucín town hall are starting a series of protests as they have not been paid for April or May. The municipality is ruled by a Partido Andalucista – Partido Popular coalition and the 20 staff say they have no idea when the situation will be regularised.
As a first step they have written a letter to the mayor, the PP’s Francisco Ruiz who has indicated that he is about to step down. They informed the mayor they have families that need to be housed and fed and without being paid they can’t fulfil their obligations. They have not ruled out further protests unless they receive a prompt reply to their letter.
A spokesperson for the workers say the situation at the town hall is dire with a mayor who says he is going to resign but hasn’t and a deputy mayor waiting in the wings who has no authority to take action.
The spokesperson for PSOE and former mayor, Teodoro de Molina, said Gaucín has no government. He added the situation was chaotic and the workers lament that the good name of Gaucín has been dragged through the mud after the media highlighted the political scandal surrounding the barred PA mayor Francisco Corbacho and Ruiz’s previous pronouncements that the municipality was bankrupt.
The mayor says the financial plight of the town hall has been largely caused by the loss of income from town planning licences. He is also hopeful that the municipality will receive a good income from the pending sale of this year’s court harvest although it should be noted that the market is very difficult at the present.
Ruiz wants the workers to know that he has not taken any salary for the past three months – although that does little to ease their plight. He insists he intends to step down this month once the cork has been sold and there is money in the town hall account.
RONDA’S FUTURE FLAG COULD BE RED OF CASTILLA
The project is underway to create a new official flag for Ronda based on the historic records held in archives throughout the country.
At a recent meeting of the commission designated to come up with the design it was suggested that the background colour could be the red of ancient Castilla.
The commission is presided over by the mayor, Antonio Marín, but includes the official chronicler, the delegate for culture, the director of the historical archive plus four historians.
Advice is also being taken from the religious brotherhoods that take part in the Semana Santa processions, the Real Maestranza de Caballería – whose own library has documents dating back to the years of the Reyes Católicas, and the Arunda historic association.
At the first meeting the commission looked through old documents to determine what the ancient flag of the town would have been. Apart from national documents they include the Chancillería de Granada and Archivo de Indias but nothing helpful was found.
The members also laid out what the legal requirements were for designing the flag and having it approved by the regional government and the council. The official chronicler, Manuel Garrido, said there was agreement that the elements on the flag should be based on the historical records and documentation.
MATADORS HONOURED
Ronda is to have “un paseo de los Toreros” a walkway similar to that in Hollywood dedicated to film stars. The hand prints of famous bullfighters will be placed into the pavement of the Blas Infante gardens by the town’s celebrated bull ring. A commission will be set up to determine which matadors should be honoured each year at the traditional Goyesca bullfight.
ABANDONED DOGS
Local police in Ronda have reported a rise in the number of abandoned dogs on the streets due to the economic crisis. Many of the animals are large or potentially dangerous breeds. In less than a month officers have recovered around 40 of these dogs who when abandoned often attack livestock. Officers have asked people to approach them rather than dump their dogs.
ROUNDABOUT WORK
Fifty unemployed people in Ronda will have work for the coming weeks as they are given temporary jobs constructing three roundabouts in the town. The first will be on the busy avenida de Málaga which has long been a demand of residents. The second will be in a traffic black spot on El Fuerte industrial estate with the third on the avenida Andalucía.
ROBBER CAUGHT
Guardia Civil in Benaoján arrested a knife wielding 20-year-old who on June 4 broke in to the home of an 85-year-old woman, put a plastic bag over her head whilst he stole her jewellery. The woman had to be treated at the health centre for cuts and shock. Officers were given a description and they soon detained the youth and recovered two bracelets.
EROSKI DOUBT
The Partido Popular in Ronda is questioning whether Eroski intends to proceed with its major commercial centre in the town because of the economic crisis. The company has acquired the former football ground a year ago but the PP says Eroski has not paid over the 2.8 million euros for the land or started any work and demands the situation should be clarified.
DANGEROUS DRIVING
The road that links Ronda with Setenil was badly damaged by the rains in January and there are still 50 landslides on the three roads in the area. This means tourists cannot visit the ancient Roman ruins at Acinipo and the local residents have to take their lives in to their hands by driving on closed roads in order to go to and fro.
PGOU AID
The Diputación de Málaga has drawn up new local development plans for Benamargosa, El Borge, Genalguacil, Alpandeire, Cañete la Real, Faraján, Iznate and Júzcar – all municipalities of under 5,000 residents who do not have the resources to produce the documents themselves. Diputación president, Salvador Pendón, says the PGOUs allow for sensible development with 1643 new homes of which 727 are social housing units.
HOSPITAL WASTE
Seprona and Ronda’s Green Patrol are investigating sewage contamination in the arroyo de la Toma by the hospital and fair ground. Ecologists have accused the hospital of the leaks but this allegation has been denied by the management. The hospital has its own water treatment plant - officials say it’s working normally but environmentalists say it’s obsolete and water pours into the stream.
