By David Eade – Costa del Sol News
The trend of the depopulation of the Serranía de Ronda has been halted by the economic recession, the influx of foreigners and those preferring a rural to an urban lifestyle.
Over the last ten years the Serranía, excluding Ronda, has grown by 2.4 per cent. The National Statistics Institute reports that in 2010 22,630 people were registered at the town halls compared with 22,070 in 2000.
By sexes the 22 communities that make up the Genal and Guadiaro Valleys, the Guadalteba area along with Cuevas del Becerro, the Sierra de las Nieves, El Burgo and Arriate have 11,401(11,086) men and 11,139 (11.011) women. This represents a male increase of 2.77 per cent and just 1.15 for females.
The largest growth was recorded in Arriate where the population rose from 3,420 to 4.137.However in Atajate, the smallest village in Málaga province, it dropped from 164 to 127.
The director of the centre for rural development in the Serranía, Juan Manuel Gutiérrez, explained that because of the economic crisis many young people, especially those in the construction industry, had returned to their home villages as there was no work. This has created another problem for many of these people have no training as they gave up their education to go to the coast to earn money. Now they are reliant on the town halls for work projects.
Gutiérrez said foreign residents had also boosted the census figures and those looking for a non-urban lifestyle.
The crisis of 1992 also saw a light increase in the number of people living in the Serranía. However at the end of the 1960s- early 1970s the numbers were as high as 60,000 but they left for other population centres largely because of the lack of employment opportunities.
CASH ADVANCE
The regional government’s council of ministers has authorised a payment of 416,091 euros to Ronda town hall. The money comes as an advance from funds due to the municipality from Andalucía. Every town hall is limited to an advance of 2.5 million euros or 25 per cent of the monies due to it from the regional government in the term of any administration.
TOP QUALITY
Eighty Serranía de Ronda businesses, the first in the province of Málaga, are taking part in the Sistema Integral de Calidad Turística. The initiative is from the ministry of tourism, autonomous region’s tourism ministries and it the case of Ronda the Centro Iniciativas Turísticas. The participants have to meet 80 standards related to attention to clients, staff training, foreign languages and price harmonization.
STREET WORKS
As Montecorto waits to become a municipality its own right the local administrative entity in Ronda has been given 112,000 euros from the province of Málaga. The funds are for the upgrading and relaying of two streets: calles San Antonio and La Fuente. Many of the pavements are in a bad state and a new water supply and sewage network will be laid.
HORSE TRADING
Ronda recently held the Real Feria Ganadera – the five hundred year old livestock fair that runs alongside the Feria de Mayo. The talk this year amongst traders was the collapse of prices in face of the economic crisis. A donkey could be purchased for 100 euros and a horse 500 euros. Many of those opted to swop stock rather than buy or sell.
TRAIN CHANGE
A train connects Ronda with Málaga every morning and evening. The antiquated stock has since Sunday been replaced by Renfe’s latest series 599. The trains are much easier to board and improve the comfort of passengers. Renfe says the introduction of these new trains on the Ronda – Málaga service brings to an end its upgrade of urban and interurban trains in the province.
DEMOCRACY PROTEST
The wave of movimiento 15-M street protests that swept through Madrid, major towns and cities plus amongst young Spaniard’s abroad ahead of the autonomous and local elections have now arrived in Ronda. The peaceful and non-party demonstrations are being held in the central plaza del Socorro and started last Friday. They are against the present political system and demand change to Spanish society.
