DOUBLE VOTE AND PSOE VICTORY
As the voting statistics for the general election are analysed it’s emerged the Partido Popular achieved double the votes in Ronda compared with the May municipal poll. Marí Paz Fernández came to power with 5,406 votes for the PP but 9,897 backed Mariano Rajoy. The difference between PP and PSOE in Ronda was 14.57 per cent, one of the lowest recorded in the province.
The Serranía de Ronda has always been a bastion for PSOE. In last week’s general election 13 municipalities backed PSOE with the highest vote 1,015 in Cortes de la Frontera. Izquierda Unida took traditionally communist Arriate where PSOE came second with the PP trailing third. However the Partido Popular managed to win majorities in Benalauría, Benarrabá, Gaucín, Igualeja, Jimera de Líbar and Júzcar.
ROBBERY APPEAL
Asaja, representing the young agriculture sector in the Serranía, has held a meeting at Ronda town hall with officials and representatives of all the police forces. They’re concerned at the number of robberies from farms. Whilst Asaja appreciates it is difficult to patrol such a wide area they asked police to investigate scrap metal merchants, the sales of machinery and stolen olive oil.
NOT GUILTY
The former president of the Asser association for the deaf in Ronda has stated that he is not guilty of misappropriating funds between 1997 and 2008. It is alleged that at least 17,000 euros are missing much from member’s fees. The investigation is now in the hands of Ronda court and whilst it continues the ex-president says he maintains he’s innocent.
HOLA! HONOUR!
On Saturday a ceremony was held in the form of an extraordinary session of Ronda’s council at the Convento de Santo Domingo convention centre. It was to confer the status of Hijo Predilecto on Antonio Sánchez Gómez at which famous bullfighter Francisco Rivera was in attendance. Sanchez Gómez is famous throughout Spain for founding ¡Hola!, the most popular gossip magazine in the country.
CORTIJO RENTED
When the Partido Popular came to power in Ronda is announced it intended to sell one of its prize assets, the Cortijo San Juan covering 77 hectares. However when offered at auction there were no bids. Now it’s agreed a rental that will bring in 85,240 euros a year which will hardly dent the town hall’s debts but does remove its running costs.
ANGRY RESIDENTS
Those living on Ronda’s calle Los Remedios are hopping mad. Road works started in September but have been idle for a month. The street is dug up, machinery lies abandoned and rats run free. “They say it will be finished by Christmas but we are not mad, Easter is more likely,” said one resident. Red tape over the constructor’s documentation is to blame.
GOING CATALAN
Ronda’s famous Hotel Reina Victoria, which is designed in the English style and was built for the railway line connecting the town with Algeciras where it has a twin (Reina Cristina), has a new management company. Catalonia has taken over from Husa and it is the Catalan company’s fourth hotel in Andalucía. Next year will see a major investment on refurbishing the interior.
WATER ROW
Back on October 28 the villages of Benaoján and Montejaque had their water supplies turned off because of contamination detected at the Molino Santo well. Now the Partido Popular has raised the issue at the Andalucía parliament demanding an immediate statement on the issue. The regional government says there was a danger of gastroenteritis and since then the taps have been dry.
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