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Year of the rabbit
KUNG HEI FAT CHOI ! or Happy New Year in Cantonese.
A special New Year celebration party organised by the Worshipful Master of Arenal Deportiva Lodge No 65. W. Bro Peter Johnson, and his wife Florence Li Fung Ha attracted almost 80 brethren, partners and friends to celebrate the Chinese New Year, this year being the year of the Rabbit.
The party was at Sabores II restaurant in Moraira and was held on the last day of the Chinese New Year festivities which is traditionally known as “everyone’s birthday.”
Florence had arranged a very special menu for the evening, and the restaurant was dressed beautifully with traditional Chinese decorations for the event. A superb meal was enjoyed by the partygoers and with the Worshipful Master handing out Lei See packets containing chocolate coins, a great time was had by all.
An excellent raffle draw raised over €500€ for Lodge funds which will be allocated to charity.
Calpe invests in police
Plans are still at an early stage but the Public Safety department has decided that the scheme will be carried out in several phases, beginning in the town centre and gradually spreading outwards.
This year’s Police and Public Safety allocations include €142,004 for bulletproof vests, weapons, radios and breathtest equipment for the Local Police while the 2023 budget assigned a further €40,000 for uniforms and body armour covers. Firearms and munition will account for a further €5,000 and there are plans to lease another two police vehicles and a motorcycle.
The town hall began procedures to add five more members to the Local Police and promote two officers already on the force last year. Responding to personnel needs, the town hall asked the Valencian Institute of Public Safety (IVASPE) in November to provide five temporary officers to fill the vacant posts.
Population rising
THE National Institute of Statistics recently released its annual population figures, which show that the population of the Marina Alta has grown by 30,000 inhabitants in 20 years.
The average rate of growth overall is 1,500 new residents per year, however, this growth is not even throughout the area, with three municipalities actually losing some inhabitants.
Unsurprisingly, the largest town, Denia, has grown most, with 9,213 new additions, followed by Calpe, which gained 3,993, Javea with 2,363, Pedreguer with 2,128 and El Poble Nou de Benitachell with 1,755.
