Med 55
We have received a number of letters regarding the long-term parking outside Almería airport. Unfortunately, I have been unable to contact Med 55 who had presented this service a few months ago. The email link and the telephone number are no longer connected. Editor
Mojácar British Legion
Dear Sir, After the Summer Break our meetings on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month will resume.
On Thursday, September the 6th, our Branch Meeting will be held at The Bella Vista at the usual time of 11am to start at 11.30. Our Guest Speaker will be an Officer from the Almería provincial headquarters of the Guardia Civil. Lieutenant Madrid.
Refreshments will be available. New members are always very welcome and you do not need to have served in the Armed Forces to be eligible to join. Membership Secretary: 950 473 025
Thank you once again for your co-operation.
Moira Hawkes.
Albox Deficit
Sir, The recent article in the Costa Almeria News regarding the €10M deficit inherited by the new Albox administration should be looked at in more detail.
The report suggests that the auditors have been called in to find the missing amount. It also says that around 2000 illegal homes paid their 3% commission to the Town Hall.
2000 homes at an average of more than €160,000 at 3% = nearly 10 million euros.
So are the Town Hall saying that they have zero funds (i.e. the ’lost’ €10m is the 3% commission charges) or are they saying that there is another €10M on top of the already agreed €10M.
You get my idea?
One might excuse the €10M deficit if there had been a huge amount of public work carried out in Albox, but as anyone will tell you, there has been virtually nothing. Albox town looks hardly different (public works wise) than it did 10 years ago.
So it isn’t €10M we are looking for. It may not even be €20M. Plus, it might include all the money that was taken in taxes and rates but not spent.
One just could not suggest corruption, could one? Ineptitude definitely. Even stupidity and greed. However, it remains, the money is missing, and who is going to be asked to stump up the missing millions?
Of course. All those lovely Brits, who have loads of money available, don’t they?
The developers will be running away in en masse from the end of August, and hiding their money anywhere but Albox. The shopkeepers who have made so much from the influx will be hiding away, and not because of the heat, and as for the solicitors, who sometimes received commission on every sale they ‘helped’ with. They are asking you if you want them to represent you in the courts, for a fee of course.
Retiring?. SPAIN?... THINK... AGAIN!
Bob Preston, Albox
‘To the New Mojácar Council’
Sirs, Firstly, please excuse me for writing in English, but my Spanish is not good enough. However, I am sure that you have someone on your council who will be able to translate this.
I have visited Mojacar for many years and have seen many changes. Some good, some not so good. I have just returned home and felt compelled to write to you as I have never seen such a disgusting mess as you have allowed this town, particularly the beach area, to become.
As a newly elected council, you should be ashamed of yourselves!
The place is filthy. Litter is everywhere. Vehicles are parked illegally. Bags of
rubbish line the streets.
There appears to be a total lack of control or interest by the authorities.
I met some people visiting for the first time and they summed it all up by simply
saying that Mojacar is the worst place they have ever visited and would never return again, even if paid to do so.
My question is simple. Why? Why have you allowed this once beautiful place to become a dirty stinking dump?
Don't blame the previous administration for neglect and squandering all of the money, although this may in part be true.
You should act now unless you intend to let the town die. People have a lot of choice where to go on holiday these days and can go to far better places for much less money.
There are many more things I could go on to highlight and I would be pleased to give you some recommendations as to how you can make the town a better place, just ask. But before you spend all of the residents’ money on your big Fiesta at the end of August, think where the money would be better used.
Clean the place up and fine anyone who litters, or for that matter, paints graffiti on public property. If you don't have enough police to control the place in peak season, get some more. They will be self-funding with the fines they will be able to hand out.
I hope you will take some notice of this because if you don't act now you will destroy Mojacar!
Regards,
Gus Phillips. By email
We thought to ask the councillor for tourism for his comments. Angel Medina says that the town is doing a good job on cleaning and has spent exactly one third of what was spent last year on the August fiesta. Editor
Old Times
Hi Lenox, I just read your piece on Mojácar in the 70s con mucho gusto! It took me back!!!!!! My dad, Eric Ness, me, my brother Micky and sister Mandy arrived in Mojácar in 1976 and were there for 15 interesting and unforgettable years and we often wonder what happened to people like Till, Olive, Ulf, Don Miguel the school teacher (who gave us dictado most afternoons after spending lunch in Antonio’s), Paco Castro and Fat Sandy. Ron the Silver Fox! Amanda and Deborah Oakley… so many! Sue Thornhill, Dave the Bag, Paul Froud, Lorrie the Scouser… anyway could go on for ages! Thank you for my trip down Memory Lane!
Gillian Ness. via email
Hi Lenox, I have just read with lots of enjoyment your article in the latest Entertainer about the ‘old times’. We are not all dead you know!! In 1970 I spent my very first night in Mojácar in the old Hotel Mojacar, and sat in the very same cave where I was sitting just last night (now a jazz bar). My daughter Sandra is still here, married to Paco, and my other daughter Deb remembers you well, she now lives in Oxfordshire, but she visited last October, first time in ten years, so she will understand your article when I post it to her.
Many thanks for everything that you are doing to preserve and maintain our beloved Mojacar. Best wishes
Catherine Capper, via email
Thanks, both of you, for your kind letters. Ed
Vroum Vroum
Hi Lenox. Does the Mojácar Ayuntamiento have anything to do/say about the speed limits that are posted on our local roads? I can’t quite figure out the need/reason for having four different speed zones between the cruce (Parque Comercial) and the roundabout at the gas station: 30 - 50 - 70 (in front of Master Pub!) and then 40. Who does this make sense to? Another good one is the 70 limit in front of Blanes etc. in Vera... with at least two zebra crossings right there. Easy to stop for pedestrians when you’re going at that speed...
Ana, via email
Harassment
Dear Sir, On Tuesday evening the young lady 25 yrs who was renting our apartment in Puerto Marina Mojacar was subject to three young men tormenting her all evening, she had to lock herself into the apartment as they sat outside most of the night banging on the door asking for sexual favours, she was terrified and e-mailed her partner back in England to get her a flight back home, she had only had two days of the ten she had booked. She said she could not sleep at night knowing they knew she was on her own and thought it best to return home.
I tried to phone the police but alas I speak no Spanish and could not communicate the situation, I wish any other vulnerable person not to have to be subject to this type of abuse. I don’t suppose anything can now be done as she has returned home but I feel so very angry and sorry about such low goings-on.
Peter. Via email
Gasp
Dear Lenox, When are you going to distribute some really nice perfumed sickbags (maybe airline style) with a picture printed on the inside, of course, of a certain sick couple so that those of us who inadvertently type in www.lenoxnapier.com are not caught out and unexpectedly sick up today's lunch all over our trousers?
What a website....Truly 'orrible mierda!!
John via email
For those who don't have Internet access - the 'address' indicated above takes you to a vanity page dedicated to the Euesdens, the colourful couple who run the Euro Weakly News (and don't seem to like your Editor).
Shirty
Dear Editor, I was quietly minding my own business in the supermarket yesterday when a small and angry lady in a pink uniform confronted me.
We spoke in Spanish.
'Hey, could you tell these compatriots of yours that they have to wear something when they are in the supermarket. It's, like, a bit disgusting to see sweaty Brits wandering around fingering the produce'.
'I would be honoured, Miss, but I am... (thinks fast) Finnish and sadly don't speak a word of their language'.
And once again, the shop assistant said to me 'Truly, you must tell them to clothe themselves, as they are an affront to our idea and repulsive to our standards'.
And a second time, I knew them not.
Again, the girl called to me. 'Tell them that we will give them t-shirts to wear if they insist on behaving like pigs'.
For a third time, I remained mute, turning my back on my fellow-countrymen.
Then spake one of the English, nudging me most uncomfortably in the ribs with a sweaty elbow, 'Yer mate, tell 'em to go an' get foo…'
'Finski, Finski...', I shouted, rushing to the vodka stand where I began to load my trolley with bottles of grog.
Richard Rambeau,
Vera Mental Home
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