IslandConnections Edition 634 by Island Connections Media Group

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1984 - 2011

The Canary Islands’ biggest fortnightly English newspaper read by thousands of tourists & residents

Adeje rising star

13th - 27th January - 2011

internacional de la canción de las Islas Canarias, and the first prize in the international Festival Berliner Perle 2010. A former Wingate pupil, Charlie, who is 17 years old, was born in the UK and is a resident of Adeje. He has already wowed the OT jury with his rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody, and we wish him every success in the next phase.

Charlie Karlsen auditions for OT oung singer CharY lie Karlsen who has won several local and

international talent contest prizes, has now won his way to the final phase of the auditions for the next Operación Triunfo TV series (similar to Pop Idol) to be televised by Telecinco from Sunday January 16th. His wins so far include Tenerife’s Got Talent in 2008, the Granadilla young talent contest in El Médano and the Arona young talent contest held at the Los Cristianos Cultural Centre, both in 2009, as well as the Voz del Atlántico prize at last year’s Universong-Festival

Smoking ban

Put it out!

How Spain and the Canary Islands are coping with the stricter no-smoking rules Page 03

/ 1.80€ at Newsagents / www.islandconnections.eu / www.newscanarias.net

Playa San Juan

Health dis-service T

he patience of Guía de Isora council, and especially of the residents in and around the Playa San Juan area, finally ran out in the matter of their health cente.

Eight years ago land was given to the Canarian government to build a health centre, which, when it was proposed, was considered to be of the utmost urgency. Work began in 2004 and should have been finished in 2006. Four years later the centre has still not opened, despite statements in 2008 by the then Canarian Minister for Health, Mercedes Roldós that the centre would be opened, “shortly”. The council and local population organised a petition to demand the opening of this much needed service and denouncing the continued broken promises. They rapidly collected over a thousand signatures and local mayor, Pedro Martín took the petition personally into the offices of the Health Department, accompanied by the local councillors for Health and Social Services, Antonio Álvarez and Josefa Mesa. They were prevented from taking

adeje

Child care

Page 11

Edition # 634 /

Niño, celebrating twenty years of caring for Adeje’s children

photographs of the action by members of the security staff. Martín underlined that this is by no means the first time the council have taken the initiative to try and break through the problems causing the delays and have even asked that the works come directly under the council’s direction to speed things along. He indicated that they have tried more traditional paths to get action, so far without a result. Martín affirmed that the centre, “was a wholly justified necessity,” and added,

“four years is too much time, and I believe we have been very patient. It is now time that this health resource was opened and that they stopped constantly putting us off and giving us excuses about something for which we can wait no longer”. The mayor stated that he had an upcoming meeting with the Canarian Minister for Health,

Josefa Mesa, Pedro Martín and Antonio Álvarez outside the Health Department

although no date had been set, and hoped it would be before the end of January. He also announced that if by the end of the month there had been no answer, they hadn’t ruled out using other methods of pressure.

Page 55

football

CD Tenerife

The only way is up!

2011 hasn’t begun well for the blanquiazules

Pages 21-36

Guide

Pages 8-9

The Sports Megastore 8.000m2

Motorway Santa Cruz La Laguna, Exit “Las Chumberas”. La Laguna, Tenerife. Tel: 922 62 79 00, Fax: 922 82 11 07

www.decathlon.com

7Islands

EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011 :: ISLAND CONNECTIONS

Reining in the participants during filming of some of the Take Me Out inserts in the Rancho Bonanza last year

a running theme throughout the series”. So there, no slight on Tenerife, no hidden agenda, shame it’s not mentioned on a regular basis, but let’s hope that it does generate positive publicity for the island in it’s own way. Among the companies and locations involved were the Regency Countr y Club, Hotel Jardín Tropical, Rancho Bonanza, Loro Parque and Siam Park and the Let’s Dance Academy.

the plane to take the drugs out of the airport. The police operation, called Palmero, has seen the arrest of 12 Spaniards, five Dominicans, three Venezuelans, Four Peruvians and a Mexican in Spain according to an official police press statement. A laborator y for cutting the drug was dismantled and 25 kilos of cocaine confiscated. Five more kilos of cocaine were found in Peru where six further arrests were made.

Adeje sports

Las Palmas

Can you hear the drums…

Isle of Fernando?

enerife viewers of the ITV dating show Take Me Out have been a bit puzzled of late. It would appear that the romantic dates that the lucky (or unlucky in some cases) couples have been taking are on a sun kissed island, far from Blighty, called, for the purposes of the programme, the Isle of Fernando’s. However anyone who lives here or knows the island will have spotted that the island of love for the Take Me Outers is in fact Tenerife. The crews were here last year filming at a number of locations (all mentioned in their

‘thank yous’ on the official ITV website) and those involved at a local level seemed to be having as much fun as the couples themselves. But why no mention of Tenerife, given the excellent publicity it would generate for the island? The debate has been a hot topic on Tenerife Forum of late, where one member posted “… on the show they never mention Tenerife in fact they go out of their way to not mention us and call our Island ‘Island of Fernando’s’, whatever that is. Why or how can they do this? Did they not get enough money from the Tourism Board to mention Tenerife? It is a

strange one and there must be a reason.” As we had followed some of the couples during filming we contacted the programme and asked the same question, and received the following reply. “The Isle of Fernando’s is the fictional name of the island where our dating couples are taken on their first date. In keeping in context with the dating universe of series one of Take Me Out, when Fernando’s was the name of a bar in Manchester, in this series, our fictional hero Fernando has gone abroad and bought himself a private island - Isle of Fernando’s. This has been

Drugs arrests National police in Peru and the Spanish Civil Guard have arrested 25 people who were bringing drugs into Spain via Las Palmas and Madrid. Arrests were made in Las Palmas, Barcelona, Madrid and Peru of a group of individuals accused of trafficking cocaine between the two countries. Drugs were brought into the Las Palmas and Madrid airports in the internal organs of messengers, hidden in luggage or in special corsets. On arrival in Madrid two of the gang who were working in a handicapped assistance service used their access to

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This company has qualified for subsidies from the Spanish Government, co-financed by funding from the ERDF, for the transport of merchandise in the Canaries

Complex problems Adeje’s new sports complex at El Galeón has hit more snags, this time due to problems with the foundations. Diggers have been forced to stop levelling work after a technical study triggered concerns. The local council says it is confident the work can be resumed in a fortnight and that the completion date of 10-12 months will be met. The 8,000 square metre complex, which will be the biggest in the Adeje area, will offer tennis courts, a pool, gym and spa, among other facilities.

Jobless rate up

Out of work

Unemployment rose by just over 2.35 per cent in the Canaries in 2010, according to figures published by the Spanish government. The number of people registered as out of work at 31 December was slightly over 254,000, an increase of 5,900 compared to the same date the previous year. However, the monthly figure for December showed a fall of 2,000 compared to November, a situation interpreted by the government as a further sign of economic recovery.

ONCE

Teide wins Early bird readers might want to play the ONCE, the national lottery with profits going to the disabled, on Sunday January 16th. On that day the tickets will bear a picture of Mount Teide, as part of a series of tickets dedicated to Spain’s network of national parks. It is expected that up to 70 million tickets will be circulated in the country between now and April with images of the parks.

7Islands

ISLAND CONNECTIONS :: EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011

Tobacco law

Smoking complaints T

he number of complaints filed against premises who have failed to implement the new anti-smoking legislation is relatively low in the Canaries, according to a consumer body which has set up a website to receive the complaints.

Spanair

Unexpected Luggage Clever marketing made one Christmas flight more than a bit special for all its passengers, and did no harm for Spanair either! On Christmas Eve Spanair arranged a ‘surprise’ for all those on Spanair flight JK5208 from Barcelona to Las Palmas. While waiting to claim their baggage every single passenger was amazed to see a personalised gift labelled with their name arrive on the conveyer belt. What’s more, the gifts were individually chosen according to the different profiles of the passengers. For the children, teddy bears, giant candy bars, toy horses, cars and trumpets, puppets and costumes. For the adults: beauty products, cameras and hats. As well as boosting the image of Spanair the campaign has become a Youtube, Facebook and Twitter hit, as the reactions of the passengers were filmed as the conveyer belt brought out the gifts. In the first 48 hours, the video that shows the Christmas campaign received more than 100,000 views and more than 7,000 users had shared it in Facebook and Twitter. The campaign was created by the Shackleton agency in Barcelona, and was designed, according to the agency’s vice president Enric Nel-lo, to ease “the emotional stress of travelling on such a special evening, and on one of the last flights, when everyone else is reunited with their families celebrating Christmas Eve. These passengers deserve a gift like the rest”. According to Núria Tarré, Commercial Director of Spanair, “this action strengthens the company’s image in the areas of innovation and closeness to our passengers. In essence, Spainair is ‘La de Todos’ or ‘Everyone’s Airline’… The video can be seen on www.islandconnections.eu/1 000003/1000003/0/31316/canary-islands-article.html

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The Facua organisation says by close of business after two days of the new law in force they had been informed of just 19 cases of non-compliance in the Canaries, 11 in the province of Las Palmas and 8 in Tenerife. The number is just a tiny fraction of the 1,100 complaints received across the country, more than a quarter of which were in Andalusia. In the most serious incident so far, a bar owner in Cáceres needed 16 stitches to his face after being seriously assaulted by a customer he ordered to put out his cigarette. Some restaurant and bar owners have said they will

defy the law and are calling on others to do so. In essence the new legislation, which is the strictest currently in operation in the EU, makes it illegal to smoke in enclosed spaces accessible to the general public or for communal use, including bars and restaurants where in many cases a ban was optional and therefore smoking was allowed. The law also makes it an offence to smoke in or near playgrounds (no minimum distance has been stipulated) and up to 50 metres beyond the doors of hospitals. Smoking will be permitted in designated areas in prisons and detention centres, long term care facilities (for the elderly, disabled, etc), as in many cases those affected do not have permission/the ability to leave the premises to smoke. Hotels may also designate a certain number of rooms as smoking rooms. What would appear to be causing almost as much controversy as the law itself is the

Strict smoking ban generating debate

encouragement to ‘denounce’ or report those who are smoking, many Spaniards stating that this is a return to a dictatorial ‘big brother’ kind of regime. In bars and restaurants for instance, if someone is found to be smoking, both the smoker and the owner of the premises are liable to be fined. And it is the owners who are responsible for displaying information regarding the ban. Fines will vary, from as little

Ricardo Melchior

PP blamed for hospital delays Gloves came off recently when Tenerife’s Cabildo president lashed out at his party’s former regional government partners, and blamed them for ongoing delays in the building of public hospitals in North and South Tenerife. At the handing over of four new ambulances adapted for persons with mobility

difficulties for Red Cross use in Puerto de la Cruz, La Guancha, La Orotava and La Laguna, Ricardo Melchior called on both the ex-minister for health, Mercedes Roldós and the ex-vice president of the regional government José Manuel Soria to explain the delays. Both were in government prior to the decision of the Partido Popular to withdraw from government last year. According to local press Melchior said that responsibility for the health section of the hospitals was in the hands of the regional government, in the hands of a minister who, he claimed, wasn’t 100 per cent behind the project and a vicepresident who held the purse strings. If there was any doubt that there was an election in the offing it’s gone now.

as €30 to €600,000 for what is considered a serious breach of the new law, and as with many fines, first time offenders will be treated more leniently than those who are repeat offenders. Doctors have generally welcomed the new legislation with statistics showing that up to 160 Spaniards die daily from smoking-related diseases, four of them from passive smoking. But the debate will rage.

Playa de Las Américas

Hotel breakins solved

A recent spate of break-ins in guest rooms in different hotels in Playa de Las Américas was the work of a 25-year-old man, who has now been arrested. Police say the man entered at least four rooms and snatched valuables while the occupants were away. He was arrested after his fingerprints were found at the scene. A 40-year-old accomplice who kept watch in the corridors has also been arrested in connection with the break-ins.

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7Islands

EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011 :: ISLAND CONNECTIONS

Baby cheques

Doctors denounce delivery pressure

octors in the Canaries have admitted being put under parent pressure to induce baby deliveries during the last few days of the year as mothers tried to secure a pay-out for new births before it was officially scrapped. Reports circulated for several days around Christmas that mothers-to-be were insisting on being admitted for early deliveries in order to beat the cut-off date for the €2,500 payment, which was introduced

in 2007 to boost births but has now been done away with as part of the government’s austerity measures. And as reported in a previous edition, some mothers-to-be were hoping to safely induce early delivery to meet the ‘cut –off’ date. Hospitals throughout Spain reported unusually early ‘emergencies’ such as alleged blood staining by pregnant women, in some cases three weeks ahead of their due date. The phenomenon, which merited an article in the Daily Telegraph in Britain,

affected the Canaries also and prompted a statement from doctors in the region saying that “under no circumstances had births been brought for ward for financial reasons”. The last baby born in the Canaries before 1 January arrived just four minutes before midnight to the delight of her Tenerife parents. However, less than two hours later in Las Palmas, the first baby of the year weighed in at the Maternity Hospital, without the €2,500 welcome gift.

Firgas

Cheesery in the clear A

small cheesery in Gran Canaria is breathing a sigh of relief after winning a seven-year legal battle to clear its name over alleged poisoning. Its two cheese-makers have been cleared by a court in Las Palmas of manslaughter and causing serious injury to locals back in 2003. The couple, from Firgas, say their lives have

been made miserable by the speculation that unfit cheese was responsible for the death of a 62-year-old local and the serious illness, including major functional impairment, suffered by a man from Las Palmas. Over 15 families in the area were hit by a bout of poisoning caused by a strain of streptococcus in spring 2003, which led to criminal proceedings by

two of the families against the cheesery. However, the court has ruled that there was no evidence to support the claim. The judge slammed the Department of Health for failing to report the full findings of its check-ups, which revealed that there was no contamination found in the pasteurised milk used for the cheeses on the dates in question.

Planning decision

CabildoNews The Scorpions

Tour date

Melchior with Rudolph Schenker

The founder and guitarist with German rock group The Scorpions (Wind of Change) Rudolph Schenker, was in Tenerife recently and dropped more than a hint that the group could well gig in Tenerife as part of their very last tour, as they plan to split up after more than 40 years on the road. Schenker met with Tenerife Cabildo president Ricardo Melchior during has stay and also spoke to Radio Club Tenerife where he praised the island as a tourist destination and did indicate the possibility of staging a concert here during their ultimate tour.

Residents Santa Úrsula win In the swim library battle

The new municipal swimming pool in Santa Úrsula will be open to the public from late February or early March 2011.

Residents of the area where Las Palmas council built a modern library several years ago have won their battle to have the building declared illegal, in a decision that could force the authorities to pull it down.

The state of the art facility went up thirteen years ago after the council granted approval even though it breached local planning regulations. Locals say the site had been earmarked for them, as a gardened area, but was then reclassified to allow the library to be built. In 2005, an attempt to have the library legalised under statute of limitations rules was thwarted by the residents, who took the matter to Spain’s Supreme Court and have now been vindicated. The ruling is a devastating blow for the corporation, which says it is having to pay the price of a decision taken long ago. “Although we realise it may have to be pulled down, we will try and reach an agreement with the residents to satisfy their amenity demands” a council source said.

Part of the island swimming pool programme, this new installation has cost around €3.5 million, 65 per cent of which has come from the Cabildo and the rest from the borough. Together with the Ofra pool in Santa Cruz, it is one of only two installations on the island at the moment which can hold official competitions as it is equipped to have eight lanes. Apart from facilities associated with the heated pool, the complex will also offer a spinning room, cafeteria, Jacuzzi, saunas, gymnasium, kid’s room and multiuse rooms.

TEA

Culture card A member’s card is now available for the Tenerife Espacio de las Artes in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The Friends of the TEA card gives you free entry to all exhibitions, preferential entry to all activities and discounts in the shop and cinema. Throughout the year cardholders will also receive 20 invitations to exhibitions and two invitations to the cinema to give to their friends and family, guided visits to exhibitions before they are open to the general public, advantages on organised cultural trips and access to other establishments or museums which have agreements with the TEA. Prices range from €25 to €40 for individuals and there are family cards available too. Forms for subscription are available at www.teatenerife.es or from the TEA box office.

Tenerife abroad

Fair play! Tenerife was represented at over 50 trade fairs, both national and International, during 2010. According to the Tenerife Cabildo the island’s merits were on show in 25 different countries last year, taking part in different promotions around the world, including, for the first time, an event in Targul in Bucharest (Romania). Tourism councillor José Manuel Bermúdez, said, “the main reason for our presence in these trade fairs is to have direct contact with the relevant sectors and with consumers. They are an essential point of contact and an excellent opportunity to inform people as to the attractions of the island as a tourist destination. Among the most important dates in the trade fair calendar the Cabildo lists FITUR (Madrid), the ITB (Berlin), TUR (Sweden) MITT (Moscow) and the WTM (London).

The Spanish supreme court

7Islands

ISLAND CONNECTIONS :: EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011

Mario Vargas Llosa

Nobel winner accepts Las Palmas offer 2

010 Nobel literature prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa has given the bid by Las Palmas to be chosen European Cultural Capital in 2016 a major boost by agreeing to be awarded the Freedom of the City. The Peruvian novelist was contacted by the mayor of the Gran Canarian capital, Jeronimo Saavedra, just before Christmas to ask if he would accept the honour (known in Spain as ‘Adoptive Son of the City’) and immediately agreed. Vargas Llosa told Saavedra he had fond memories of his visits to Las Palmas and emphasised the city’s role as a bridge between Spain and his native South America. The council expressed its satisfaction at the acceptance, which will raise the city’s profile considerably, and congratulated

Mario Vargas Llosa receiving an honorary degree from University of La Rioja in 2007

Saavedra for moving quickly to contact the novelist, who is expected to receive a flood of similar requests in the coming months following his Nobel award last month.

Corinna Uhrner

Strike

Mayoral parking

Tributes have been paid to an Austrian resident of Lanzarote whose body was recovered from the sea after a six-day search. Corinna Uhrner’s disappearance sparked a massive operation, which led to the sighting of her body by a fisherman in the water off Playa Papagayo. The 42-yearold was a hugely popular figure in the local community, due largely to her work to raise funds for Alzheimer sufferers. Corinna became involved with the island’s AFA association for families of Alzheimer patients after she brought her elderly mother to Lanzarote from Austria to care for her when she developed the condition. She helped organise the island’s Oktoberfest in Puerto del Carmen last year to help raise the visibility of the association and reduce its €42,000 debt. Shocked friends in Playa Honda and other parts of Lanzarote say her death is a terrible tragedy.

Several smaller trade unions in the Canaries have called a day of protest on 20 January to demonstrate against what they describe as “the worsening erosion of employment and social rights”. Although still reeling from the poor turn-out for the strike held on 29 September against the government’s austerity measures, the unions say the pressure must be kept up to ensure more rights are not taken away. “The latest measures, particularly the elimination of the €426 benefit for the longterm unemployed and the privatisations in the pipeline, are the most serious attacks on the working class for 30 years and we will not stand by and watch them happen” said a spokesman for one of the unions behind the day of action. Separate marches and rallies will take place in Santa Cruz and Las Palmas although they are not expected to attract massive support, given the refusal of the two biggest unions (UGT and CC.OO) to endorse the call.

A Las Palmas policeman has been disciplined for slapping a parking ticket on the official car of the city mayor. The officer faces suspension from duty after an internal disciplinary procedure decided he had acted improperly in issuing the ticket for the car, which was parked on a space reserved for ambulances on a busy street in the centre of Las Palmas. According to the Canarias 7 paper, a heated argument took place between the policeman and the mayor’s driver, also a local police officer, who made clear that his boss was at an official engagement. “He has the money to pay the fine and an ambulance is more important than his personal convenience” the policeman is alleged to have said while writing out the ticket, which was subsequently annulled by his superiors. The case may be taken up by the police union.

Tributes for drowned Austrian

Unions Policecall day of man susprotest pended over fine

7Islands

EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011 :: ISLAND CONNECTIONS

n La Gomera, we tend to see the same picturesque images on sale, year after year. The island is the same, after all, in many fundamental ways. There is, thankfully, no mass tourism, few high rise buildings and plenty of natural beauty. There are more cars on better roads and more buildings peppering the green, but generally, the past has morphed into the present in gradual stages. The island’s three ports have changed. They have been extended to accommodate bigger ferries, bringing more tourists. It’s there, looking at these ports, that one of the most noticeable differences between old postcards, and present day, reality can be found. Red, blue and white-painted fishing boats, moored three abreast lining the island’s jetties when the catch was so good that boats came in from outside, or moored in rows inside harbour walls, feature on the old postcards. Although these cards, by now into their umpteenth reprint, are still on sale, the fishing boats have largely disappeared. The images still sold and sent as being typical island scenes, sadly, no longer represent reality. La Gomera’s fishing fleet is a thing of the past. There are two or three boats in Playa Santiago, none in San Sebastián and only one in Valle Gran Rey. Whilst it is true that locals still keep smaller, one-man boats for a spot of occasional fishing, the bigger, more powerful boats that regularly went out with crews in search of a commercial catch appear to have chugged off, never to return. Local fishermen blame, vari-

The days of fishing boats in rows are a thing of the past

kids, ‘how do you fancy moving, let’s go and buy that place we like’. I wasn’t the only one. We were rich, not often, but it was certainly well worth our while. The fishermen on this island had the possibility of making better money than anyone else. There was always that chance you’d get a very good catch. The chance of making a couple of million pesetas in a few days was a great incentive to get out there”, continues Pedro, a fourth generation fishermanprobably further back than that, as he says. Recent news of rising sea temperatures around the Canaries does not bode well for the tuna catch and bad fishing practice pales into insignificance beside global changes. Fishermen, like the rest of us,

La Gomera

Gone fishing Old postcards always tell a story By Barbara Belt

ously, rising costs of maintaining a working boat; increasingly stringent restrictions and requirements; over-fishing of tuna in their waters by Japanese factory boats (but this was back in the late sixties and early seventies); indiscriminate drag net use - to which most admit an element of guilt when pressed, and all leading to plummeting numbers of fish in the sea. “There just aren’t as many fish as there used to be,” say Pedro and companions in Valle Gran Rey.

Fishing has always been a precarious source of income. There were sometimes months of very little, but the bonanza days that everyone remembers, when literally millions of pesetas could be made working flat out when the time was right, no longer happen. “I bought our house cash with the proceeds of a week’s fishing when the tuna were running! This was a lot of money, for a lot of very hard work. It was great to come ashore and be able to say to the wife and

perceive this as being outside their control. The island’s few remaining registered fishermen still fish, but say they won’t encourage their children to carr y on. Pedro and his fellow fishermen concur that, “there’s no future in this. Fishing’s finished as a way of making a decent living. Anyway, the kids aren’t interested. It’s hard work, it’s sometimes dangerous and they like an easy life”. In an attempt to change this unhappy scenario, at least in the

short term, La Gomera’s island council is investing resources and hope in its Escuela de Pesca, Conser vación y Protección del Litoral (school of fishing and coast conservation and protection). The only one of its kind in the Canaries, according to Cabildo chief Casimiro Curbelo, “the school’s been open since last October. We decided to set it up to provide new employment oppor tunities whilst doing something about protecting the island’s coasts and fishing industry”. “We’re paying a wage to twenty young people between the ages of sixteen and twentyfour and giving them practical and theoretical training. They’re learning about fishing, environmental issues and sustainable tourism. The aim is to enable them to set themselves up after the course, as either professional fishermen, boat skippers, tourist guides or marine conservationists”. The Escuela Litoral, as it is popularly known, has now been given a boat to restore and use. “We’re very grateful to the Fishing Cooperative in Valle Gran Rey”, says Emiliano Coello, head of the Cabildo agriculture and fisheries department. “We’ve brought it round to San Sebastián now and the students will start work on the restoration soon. We’ll teach them how to repair and maintain the boat, which will be a useful, marketable experience for them in the future”. “We have to find a way to regenerate our strong connections with the seas around us. If it’s taking out so called eco-tourists on sea life tours, rather than the fishing our grandfathers and fathers knew, so be it”.

Rivero confident

Crisis exit near

Canarian president Paulino Rivero says he expects the islands to emerge from the recession during 2011, although he warns the exit will not be swift. Giving his first formal address of the New Year, Rivero said the signs pointed optimistically to “the end of the tunnel” during the next twelve months. “We were the first to be hit by the crisis and we are set to be the first to emerge from it, but it will not happen overnight” insisted Rivero in his message, in which he praised the region’s population and various levels of government for “pulling together in these times of great difficulty”.

El Niño Lottery

GC win

The second big lottery draw of the festive period brought cheer to Gran Canaria, particularly Las Palmas, which has ended its run of seven years without a major prize. Tickets for the second prize in the El Niño draw were sold by a lottery office in the Ballena Shopping Centre in the capital, bringing almost €20 million in prize-money to the holders. Each €20 ticket has earned the lucky owner €100,000, according to the office manager. Most of the winners are locals and include many labourers and tradesmen working on building sites near the shopping centre

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TenerifeGeneral

ISLAND CONNECTIONS :: EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011

Santa Cruz mayoral race

Candidate announcement row

The news that the leader of the Popular Party in Tenerife is to stand for mayor in Santa Cruz in May has not received a unanimous welcome from certain sectors of the party.

Cristina Tavío says she intends to run both for mayor and a seat in the Canarian Parliament but her decision, which is expected to be endorsed today by the party executive in Madrid, has been described as ‘a gift’ to rivals the Canarian Coalition (CC). Critics, including influential voices Juan Torvisco and Alfonso Soriano, say she has no chance of winning in Santa Cruz and should step aside to allow a stronger candidate to take on the CC’s José Manuel Bermúdez.

Siam Park

Record breaker A 91 year old German man became the oldest person so far to have the courage to ride Siam Park’s scariest and most exhilarating attractions. Franz Meyer climbed the 160 steps up the 28 metre high Tower of Power and went down the slide where you can reach speeds of up to 80 kilometres per hour. The acute angle of the slide gives a feeling of freefall and before sliding into the landing pool you travel through 18 metres of acrylic tube with sharks swimming all around you. After lunch at the Beach Club,

among much laughter, he told members of his family and the Park’s Director, Christoph Kiessling, that on his next visit he’d be having a go at riding the biggest artificial waves in the world in Siam Park’s Wave Palace

Infierno

Barranco danger D

espite the fact that the Bar ranco del Infierno, in Adeje, remains closed to walkers it would seem that members of the public, either blessed with an ability to avoid danger or a level of ignorance or stupidity that beggars belief, are ignoring the well placed signs, climbing the ver y closed gate and traversing the ravine. One Adeje resident who has a bird’s eye view of the spectacular walk has sent us a series of photographs showing both the ‘closed signs’ very well placed at the start of the walk and some foolhardy walkers who have ignored said signs. Years ago the Barranco del Infierno was open to the public all year around, but with a noticeable threat to the indigenous flora and fauna as well as some deterioration in the walkway the council closed it for repairs. When they reopened it they introduced a limit on the number of visitors (no more than 80 at any one time), a charge of €3 per person , except on Sundays and for organised school groups, etc, and guides to advise visitors as to what they were seeing and precautions needed during the walk. Over a year ago a walker died following an accident in the Barranco and the site has been closed ever since, and at

the entrance zone and on the gate to the start of the walk the closure is clearly signposted in Spanish, English, German and French. However this is, as our vigilant resident has pointed out, “at the bottom of a one way descent side road. While most walkers accept the situation and go elsewhere others, not knowing that heavy rainfalls in December 2010 destroyed some of the path, find an entry and do the walk. Mobile phones,” she adds, “are unlikely to work in the farthest section of the path where the ground can be both damp and slippery underfoot.” The other issue is that the street signs further down in the town continue to

People continue to do the walk despite the closure

The closure is clearly signposted in four languages

direct would be walkers up to the Barranco when it might be easier and safer to place closure notices under those signs as well. At a meeting just before Christmas the Tenerife environment councillor Wladimir Brito said that the Barranco was operating “in a fur tive manner”, adding that while the Cabildo were keen to see the walk reopened there existed

discrepancies between the island and local technical experts as to what exactly needed to be completed to make the walk safe again. In the meantime it would appear that a blind eye is turned to those who find a way to visit the Barranco, but who will blamed if someone else is injured or, in the worst case scenario, loses their life attempting an unguided walk.

SPAR FAÑABÉ

SPAR COLUMBUS

SPAR EXPRESS STARCO

C.C. Fañabé Plaza (opp. Hotel Jacaranda)

C.C. Hotel Columbus, Playa de Las Américas

C.C. Starco, Playa de Las Américas

COSTA ADEJE

ARONA

EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011 :: ISLAND CONNECTIONS

ISLAND CONNECTIONS :: EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011

TenerifeGeneral

EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011 :: ISLAND CONNECTIONS

delight’ zone promoting spa and health tourism at the fair, which is considered the third most important in the sector, behind the WTM in London and the ITB in Berlin. The stand will also, of course, promote the excellent climate and superb beaches the Canaries have to offer as well as its relative closeness to Europe and levels of security which mark it ahead of many other potential holiday destinations. De la Puente Armas said the stand will “be aesthetically pleasing while integrating all the distinct spaces and zones built in. Top quality materials are used in construction and

The stand for the Canaries at Fitur 2011 will have a ‘wellness delight’ zone

Madrid tourism trade fair

The future at Fitur T

he Tenerife Cabildo will be using their time at Fitur, the Madrid International tourism trade fair, to work on increasing air connections between the island and the Spanish peninsula. Fitur takes place between January 19 and 23 and is considered one of the most important trade fairs of its kind in Europe. According to the Cabildo’s tourism chief, José Manuel Bermúdez, he and his colleagues will be asking national

airlines to look again at recent decisions to cut down on flights to Tenerife, a trend that has been reversed by international carriers who are increasing the number of scheduled and charter flights to the island. He told local paper Diario de Avisos, “we will be sitting down with representatives from tour operators and national airlines to ask for explanations and looking for future cooperation. He said that these meetings would be helpful in ensuring a ‘good summer’ for Tenerife. Bermúdez said that overall

the outlook for the Canaries in general and Tenerife in particular were positive with regard to both air connections and tourist ‘packets’ sold and said numbers should match those of 2009, “good news for us”. The stand On a general basis, according to the regional tourism deputy minister Ricardo Fernández de la Puente Armas, the Canaries will be using Fitur to win back tourists at both a national and international level. The stand for the Canaries will have a new area, a ‘wellness

the stand of fers innovative treatments, textures, colours and forms producing a very pleasing visual effect”. The stand will, of course, promote the range of products on offer – holidays designed around families, health, volcanoes and the sea – and also boast a large meeting place where up to 200 can comfortably sit and talk all under the double image presentation of the sea and the skies. Last year 219,070 people visited Fitur, both private individuals and professionals.

23rd. Infant’s drawing and

Adeje

English begin on February 24th, and English for adults and reflexology begin on February 28th.

Spanish course for Verdict due foreigners ‘Revenge father’ Registration is now open for the Spanish course for foreigners which is to be held at the Universidad Popular de Adeje. Those interested can sign up at the town’s cultural centre up until January 28th.

Adeje’s councillor for education, Epifanio Díaz Hernández pointed out that, “the Universidad Popular de Adeje has been set up as an educational tool which offers Adeje residents, as well as those from other parts of the region, an alternative education option, from which many people have benefitted”.

The Spanish classes actually begin on January 24th and registration for those interested in courses on English, reflexology and infant’s drawing is open from February 1st to 25th. Children’s English classes begin on February

reservation recommended 922 750 036 WWW.mongolian-bbq-tenerife.com c.c. mirador avenida san francisco / avenida amsterdam locales 3 y 4

As we go to press, the trial of a Gran Canaria father who stabbed a man who sexually abused his 13-year-old daughter has ended in Las Palmas and the verdict is awaited with keen interest.

Miguel Angel Almeida has admitted the attack but denies attempted murder. “He laughed at us as we walked along the street just days after an injunction was issued to keep him away from my daughter. I totally lost it when he made an offensive gesture and I stabbed him. I could have killed him there and then but didn’t” said Almeida, whose controversial actions brought him hero status in the town.

His target was later sentenced to five years in jail for forcing the girl to perform a sex act.

TenerifeGeneral

ISLAND CONNECTIONS :: EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011

Swami Swaroopananda

Life management

Plane danger

Radio closures

The recent closure of an unlicensed radio station in south Tenerife was the seventh ordered by the authorities in 2010 due to interference caused to communications at Reina Sofia Airport. Radio Gigante was ordered to stop broadcasting after losing its legal appeal against the closure. It could also have to pay a fine of up to €60,000 for breaching broadcasting legislation. According to the La Opinión paper, the Airport Authority has repeatedly alerted to the dangers of illegal radio masts sited on Guaza mountain, which affect planes taking off from the airport nearby. One of the stations shut down last year was operated by the Tourist Initiatives Centre, which also faces a heft fine

Niño de Adeje

Celebrating 20 years of care

he Adeje crèche, Niño de Adeje, recently celebrated its 20th anniversar y with a party and concer t in the presence of the local councillor for education, Epifanio Díaz Hernández.

centre who cared for the health of thousands of Adeje’s children, Carmen Rosa González Cabrera, councillor for citizen participation, and the borough’s deputy mayor, Ermitas Moreira Garcia. It was a day of joy, memories and celebration.

Joining parents and pupils past and present were Marina Amador who is president of ACINTE (the association of children’s centres in Adeje), Amada Trujillo, the pediatrician from the Adeje health

“The histor y of the Niño de Adeje are the stories that each one of you have about this school, its life, that’s what is important”, Isabel Fernández, owner and director of the school, told those present. “All

1. Celebrating twenty years, authorities and representatives 2. Parents and pupils past and present attended the 20 year anniversary event

of these ‘pieces of life’ are what form the essence of this place, which has been and will be the place for our children”. The doors of the school opened to the public on December 3rd 1990, and perhaps the success of the Niño de Adeje is reflected in its philosophy; transparency, a work/play ethic geared to meet the needs of each girl and boy. As Isabel stated, child psychologists have confirmed that the vital age for human cerebral development

is between the ages of 0 and 3, and the school takes that concept on board. Twenty years on the hundreds of graduates from the Niño de Adeje are a living testament to its ongoing success, a success which has been recognised at a national level by those in authority and reflected in the numbers who attended the event. For more information see the school’s website www.escuelainfantildeadeje.com.

www.torreswines.com

©Copyright Miguel Torres S.A.

Swami Swaroopananda from the CHINMAYA Mission will give a series of free talks in February in Tenerife at the Indian Cultural Centre, in Adeje. According to the organisers, “Swami Swaroopananda gathers a bouquet of insights from some of India’s most cherished philosophical texts to inspire a dynamic outlook. A very dynamic speaker and story teller well versed with the Sacred Texts who has reached youth and adults, he makes people laugh and cry in moments”. The talks will deal with a series of issues. For Adults they are ‘Managing life with challenges’, Friday February 4th, 7.45pm, ‘Managing love and relations’, Saturday February 5th, 7pm and ‘Managing wealth’, Sunday February 6th 7pm. There will also be a talk for kids and teenagers on Friday February 4th at 5.30pm and Saturday

5th at 11 am. For more details contact Priya Bhatia 606956565. The Indian Cultural Centre is in Calle Galicia, next to Villa Tagoro (supermarket), Torviscas Alto.

TenerifeGeneral

A charity event organised earlier in the month by one of Tenerife’s oldest Equestrian Clubs and starring the Three Kings helped raise hundreds of euros for an OAP home and dozens of presents for needy children. The Atalaya Club outside La Laguna held a Kings Day Paella to raise funds for a centre for the elderly in Puerto de La Cruz and everyone who went along for the day was asked to contribute, in addition to the €5 lunch fee, a toy or gift for a youngster. All the presents were handed over to the Three Kings, who made a surprise visit to the Atalaya on board a horsedrawn carriage lent by near neighbours the Manchón Club and then personally arranged delivery of the sacks of gifts to the Red Cross for distribution. The Kings also took late letters from the youngsters with their wish list for 6 January.

EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011 :: ISLAND CONNECTIONS

Atalaya Club event

Kings help at charity event

The Civil Guard in Tenerife have made one of their most satisfying arrests almost a year after a brutal break-in at the home of an elderly woman. he 81-year-old woman was dragged across the floor and badly beaten by three masked intruders who entered the house she shared in Llano del Moro with her 56-year-old son at the end of January 2010. The pair were subjected to a barrage of torture to force them to reveal the whereabouts of valuables kept in the house but the burglars then realised they had targeted the wrong premises and left, taking €40 and a mobile phone with them.

No licence

nvestigating officers refused to give up on the case and monitored the missing phone regularly to see if it was ever switched on. The breakthrough came early this month when the mobile signal was picked up again. Three men were arrested a few days later in connection with the robbery and remanded to Tenerife II jail pending trial.

Car problem for Puerto mayor Marcos Brito hit the headlines when it was discovered that an Audi A6 registered in his name had been stopped by

Mobile snares brutal burglars

The Kings attended the special party at the Atalaya Club

Puerto de la Cruz’s mayor could be in trouble for allowing a car owned by him to be driven by someone without a licence.

Tenacity pays off

traffic police outside the town after dangerous driving by the occupant, local TV station owner Pepe López, who has never sat a driving test despite driving for many years. The mayor insisted he had given the car as a gift to the daughter of the driver instead

All Saints Church

Tradition and the New Year

As well as the traditional Christmas Carol services and Midnight Communion, the British School were present in the church just before Christmas. On a beautiful night they donned Dickensian costumes and led parents and friends around the churchyard for drama, singing, and the playing of recorders and ukuleles. After a glass of mulled wine and homemade biscuits, the evening ended with carols sung in Spanish, English and Latin together with readings. A wonderful evening to celebrate Christmas. After a break during January, the ever-popular Car Boot Sales at All Saints begins afresh on Saturday 5th February at 12.00. All pitches are already taken and bookings for March are well on. Gates open at 12.00 and a big crowd is expected with over 40 stalls to choose from. Anyone wishing to keep up with what is happening at All Saints can look at our new Facebook page – All Saints, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife. There are pictures of past events plus news of up-coming events and services.

of scrapping it four years ago but had “forgotten” to notify the authorities of the change of ownership. He could face prosecution under Spanish law for the oversight, which has put him in the firing line of opposition parties in Puerto, not to mention the Tenerife media. López pleaded guilty and was fined €1,400 for the offence.

Puerto mayor Marcos Brito had a spot of car bother

Tenerife II visit

Families inside Fa m i l i e s of a group of inmates at Tenerife II prison were invited to the jail at the end of last year for a ‘get to know you’ visit, which aimed to show them what the inmates have achieved during their stay. The idea, proposed by prison staff and approved before Christmas by the Interior Ministry, saw almost 30 families spend the day at Tenerife II to see what life is like behind the walls. The visit began with a video setting out the activities of inmates at the newly-created Respect Wing, which houses 27 prisoners who have signed up for a programme to change their social behaviour. The video was followed by a short play and musical show prepared entirely by the inmates

‘Worse than Tutankhamun’

Beetle bother

The head of the watchdog body set up to ensure the building of the new port in Granadilla does not impact negatively on the environment has criticised the fuss created over the relocation of a group of rare beetles to another site to allow work to proceed.

ntonio Machado says the level of interest in the fate of the beetles was way out of proportion to their status, largely because the insects were being used solely to obstruct the port work. “Some people out there have only got involved in the conservation of the beetles as a way of halting the port. The beetles were not in danger of any kind but we had to organise a massive operation to move them to a new site. You would have thought we were moving the remains of the Pharoah

Tutankhamun, judging by the commotion triggered” complained Machado, who admitted he occasionally became ‘very downhearted’ at the criticism he has drawn for his role of late.

Arico

Graves raided

An Arico woman who went to place flowers on the grave of a relative earlier in January received a nasty shock when she discovered that graves nearby had been dug up and emptied of their remains.

ccording to the La Opinión paper, the macabre discover y is being investigated by the Civil Guard, who do not rule out the possibility that the human bones were taken from up to seven graves for a satanic rite of some kind.

he tomb raid, the third in less than a year, has triggered outrage among locals who have urged the council to provide round the clock security for the secluded cemetery on the outskirts of Arico.

MD Anderson Cancer Clinic

Hospiten expansion

The Tenerife-based chain of private hospitals, Hospiten, has taken a m a j o r s t e p towa rd s raising its profile in Spain and abroad with the acquisition of a major stake in one of Spain’s top cancer treatment centres.

ospiten announced recently it had bought a 46 per cent share of the MD Anderson Cancer Clinic in Madrid, a subsidiary of the internationally-renowned MD Anderson network of cancer centres based in Houston, Texas. The acquisition was a joint operation with another leading investor, REA Investments, which has taken a 30 per cent stake in MD Anderson after the latter’s recent eight million euro share capital increase.

TenerifeGeneral

ISLAND CONNECTIONS :: EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011 Salvatore is nephew of the head of the mafia in Trapani

Tenerife is attracting back tourists in growing numbers

From pound to prison

A Santa Cruz man who tried to reclaim his car which had been towed away in the city has ended up in police cells after a check showed the car had been stolen.

Salvatore Marino

Sighting leads to Mafia arrest A chance sighting by an Italian prison officer on holiday in Tenerife was behind the recent arrest of one of the most wanted members of the Mafia. Salvatore Marino was detained thanks to a joint operation by the Italian and Spanish police after he was spotted on the island by the prison officer, who immediately alerted the authorities in his home country, setting in motion a swift extradition procedure through Interpol. Few details of the actual arrest have been released, apparently to protect the identity of the

prison officer, but it is known that Marino, 50, was wanted for a triple murder committed in Brescia in 2006. The 50-yearold is the nephew of the head of the mafia in Trapani (Sicily), the notorious Girolamo Marino, and is thought to have been living under a false identity in the Canaries since an international warrant was issued after he was sentenced in his absence to life imprisonment for the horrific murders. His arrest has led to various newspaper articles on the presence of high-profile criminals in Tenerife and calls for closer scrutiny of their activities here.

Police say the 27-year-old turned up at the car pound to collect the Citroen without realising that inquiries into its chassis number had shown it had been stolen in Playa de Las Américas and that it was being driven with false number plates, belonging to a Seat scrapped in 2002.

Teide

Helicopter rescue

A tourist had to be rescued after an accident in the Teide National Park. The woman hiker had

fallen and hurt one of her legs in a difficult access area close to the Roques de García. The helicopter evacuated her to the firemen’s heliport in Adeje where she was transferred to Hospiten Sur.

GREEK FEAST

Credit: Turismo de Tenerife

Stolen car claim

November statistics

Tenerife tourists up According to the latest official figures released and studied by the Tenerife Cabildo the island showed a continuing trend of an increasing number of visitors in November 2010 and when released the overall figures for the year will show a steady upward swing over 2009. In November of last year 398,982 tourists visited Tenerife, an increase of 7.31 per cent with the positive figures registering in both

the hotel and non-hotel sectors. According to the island’s tourism councillor José Manuel Bermúdez, Tenerife has managed to end the year on a positive note statistically despite such setbacks to the tourism industry as the Icelandic volcanic ash, the air controllers’ strike and harsh weather conditions which closed outbound airports a number of times during the year just ended. “We will be looking at an overall increase of two percent, a favourable result and in particular with

regard to the overseas market”, he said. In that regard the number of British visitors in November was up by 10.81 per cent, Germans by 2.89 per cent and the number of Nordic tourists rose by 7.45 per cent. The average stay duration was 8.16 nights, also up on 2009, and more people (10.43 per cent) chose to holiday in the south of the island. It is expected that overall figures for the year will show a small but steady increase in the number of visitors with a healthy increase in those arriving (or returning, as the case may be), from the UK.

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Tenerife & SouthWest

EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011 :: ISLAND CONNECTIONS

Luxury hotels for Playa San Juan

December weather

Baby, it’s warm outside

Five star Guía

While Britain suffered its coldest spell since nationwide records began over a century ago, people here can take comfort in the news that the Canaries enjoyed one of the warmest Decembers for 50 years.

uía de Isora’s drive to attract upmarket tourism continues to gain force with the early stages of planning approval for two new luxur y hotels in Playa San Juan. Town mayor Pedro Martín said that a new zoning plan has been agreed by the council after lengthy negotiations with other levels of administration and with the companies behind the project, which will see a total of 1,100 new hotel beds added to the area, along with an upmarket thalassotherapy centre. “We are adamant we only want a few hotels and the ones we do allow must be five star” explained the mayor. The council will also go ahead with public works which will improve parts of Playa San Juan, particularly those close to the locations of the new hotels. According to the mayor there will be a new connecting path created between Calle Artes de Mar (the road that goes down to the beach) and a new urban zone which will also boast one of two new public parking areas for the town, the other to be constructed near the Agua Dulce

The Met Office says the temperatures, averaging nearly 21ºC in coastal parts, with highs of 31ºC on two days in the month, were around two degrees higher than usual. However, the month was slightly cooler than December 2009 and was not free of less pleasant weather phenomena such as heavy rain (four days) and blustery winds (two days). Despite the warmer temperatures, Mt Teide in Tenerife still retains its snow cap.

Teide

Helicopter rescue A tourist had to be rescued after an accident in the Teide National Park.

Land for the new hotels has already been allocated

neighbourhood and the TF-47 and the new hotel sites. According to Mar tín the council’s planning is three-fold. “One, to acquire and develop more public spaces which will happen within the plan: Two, to see two new luxury hotels built with the intention of turning Guía de Isora into a reference point in the world

of tourism, and last but not least to inject some economic life into the zone”. Regarding the latter, the mayor said that the economic benefit of having five-star hotels in the areas were two way, “just as the hotels will benefit from having a beach nearby, the beach wins too by having such hotels in the proximity with people com-

ing and going, commercial activity and an increase in the leisure activity”, all leading, it is hoped, to economic benefits for the area. Council approval has now been sent to the regional government as well as the Cabildo and the Coastal department and once all the approvals have been received work can begin.

The woman hiker had fallen and hurt one of her legs in a difficult access area close to the Roques de García. The helicopter evacuated her to the firemen’s heliport in Adeje where she was transferred to Hospiten Sur.

Granadilla

Green renting Tenerife’s unique bioclimatic housing development is finally available for renting.

Sporting destination

Room for improvement

t a recent conference examining the potential Tenerife has as a sporting tourism destination the overall conclusions reached were that there needs to be more investment and improvement to infrastructures before any serious spor ting events could be staged here. Held in the Abama Hotel in Guía de Isora, the first sport and cities forum saw tennis player and Davis cup coach Emilio Sánchez Vicario outline the measures needed to make a destination a Nº One sporting choice, such as Valencia, which has remodelled and renovated its infrastructure and hotel offer, doubling the number of five star hotels in just four

years. Today Valencia is a hub of sport for sailing, motorbikes and Formula One. “Tenerife has the potential to be a sports events destination”, Vicario told the forum, “but it needs to be

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better known at international level”, he added. He also praised the level of cooperation that already existed between private and public bodies promoting the island. Alberto Bernabé, director of Turismo de Tenerife, said that developing sporting tourism was not yet a reality due to a lack of funding and appropriate infrastructures, and pointed to the fact that the island wasn’t chosen as a site for a Davis Cup final due to the lack of necessary installations saying that major investment in that

L-R Oriol Montal, Abama DG, Emilio Sánchez Vicario, Miguel Ángel Santos, Alberto Bernabé

area was still lacking. Adeje tourism councillor Miguel Ángel Santos said that little by little the area was starting to attract top sports stars and teams thanks to the T3 Top Training centre in Adeje. However he did say that cer tain developments were stymied by the Coastal laws which “are putting the brakes on by restricting the building of marinas”, citing La Caleta as an example.

We have covered this enterprise from the beginning and recently published a special feature on the houses and in particular the winner of the original architectural competition in The Magazine. There are 24 bioclimatic houses in total, all designed to be energy auto-efficient, to use as few resources and produce a little rubbish as possible. Each has been designed by a different international architect using wood, stone, water, the wind and the sun as essential elements in their creation. The properties are in an exceptional and tranquil area in front of the sea, next to the Montaña Pelada Natural Monument, in Granadilla de Abona. Use your time there as a complete break or combine a rest with a learning experience by using the Renewable Energies Technology Institute’s (ITER) visitors centre. Each of the houses offers the comfort of a private holiday home with all the conveniences you would expect to guarantee your ease and independence. Prices per day are €200 for a small home to suit three to four people, €240 for a home for five and €280 for a home which will suit six. More information on the houses and how to book can be found in three languages on http:// casas.iter.es/.

Business NEWS

ISLAND CONNECTIONS :: EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011

Historic lows

What does 2011 hold in store for interest rates? By Bill Blevins, Financial Correspondent, Blevins Franks

2010

started with the Bank of England (BoE) and European Central Bank (ECB) base interest rates at the historic lows of 0.5 per cent and one per cent respectively. Savers would have hoped to see an improvement by the start of this year, but rates are expected to remain low for a while yet. Can you afford to put up with such low rates for much longer, especially if you are at risk of earning a negative rate of return once tax and inflation is taken into account? In the UK, for example, inflation increased to 3.3 per cent in November and using Moneyfacts data the Telegraph revealed that for basic rate taxpayers there are currently only three accounts paying a real rate of return. Higher rate

taxpayers only have one. Inflation in Europe is also starting to rise. Overall EU inflation was 2.3 per cent in November compared to 1.7 per cent in January. In Spain it had risen from 1.1 per cent at the start of the year to 2.3 per cent by October. Your personal rate of inflation may be higher than the average. The general expectation is that we will have to wait until the final quarter of 2011 for a rate rise in the UK, with many economists predicting the first rise won’t come until October. Some believe we’ll have to wait until 2012, while the Ernst & Young Item Club warn that rates could remain historically low for several more years. Roger Bootle of Capital Economics also said that in his view, “there is still absolutely no reason for the MPC (BoE Monetary Policy Committee) to raise interest rates for a long time”. Many exper ts warn that savings accounts are a, “waste of time”, whereas they are upbeat on prospects for the stock market. If you leave all

circumstances. While investing money always carries some risk, so does leaving it in the bank (in terms of inflation eroding its spending power) and professional advice will give you reassurance that you are not taking on more risk than you need to. The level and bases of, and reliefs from, taxation may change. Any statements based on taxation are based upon current taxation laws and practices which are subject to change.

your savings in the bank, at the moment your chances of earning a real return are slim. If you invest them with equities, although the value can fall as well as rise your capital does have the opportunity to grow and give you a return above inflation. Equities are not the only

option for those looking for an alternative to their cash savings. While you can invest in funds which provide an income through dividends, you can also consider bond funds and real estate investment trusts which also generate a natural income. When looking to move mon-

ey out of cash it is important to consider what other investment assets you currently own and what your objectives are. Speak to an experienced wealth manager like Blevins Franks for peace of mind that your portfolio is specifically designed around your risk tolerance, aims and personal

Many experts are upbeat on stock market prospects *To keep in touch with the latest developments in the offshore world, check out the latest news on our website: www.blevinsfranks.com

Business NEWS

EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011 :: ISLAND CONNECTIONS

Wikipedia

Free knowledge at a price Are you a regular dipper and diver into the free online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia? Were you aware that it is a registered charity and a non-profit organisation? Every year the Wikimedia Foundation set a fund raising goal. This year the sum was $16 million for cash used to support technology and people. The site is the fifth most visited website on the Internet, but it employs only around 50 people who provide technical, administrative, legal and outreach support for the global community of over 100,000 international volunteers who write and edit Wikipedia. This year’s fundraiser was the highest ever and also took the shortest time. Good news for the foundation as it goes

into a year where the online information service celebrates its tenth birthday. There will be celebrations all over the world, find out the nearest one to you at http://ten.wikipedia. org, and if you haven’t already

Competition

Bottled water

This year the Sol Meliá group will give €1 to the World Wildlife Fund for every reservation they get.

The Government claim to have made it easier for the water industry by separating the laws in relation to bottled spring water and ‘prepared’ waters.

Save the animals

They are asking members of the public to propose which animals in danger of extinction the cash should go towards helping. Put your suggestion on their facebook page at www.facebook.com/ayudaaunaespecie, and as well as helping your chosen species, you will be in with the chance of winning a five night stay at the exclusive five star deluxe Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora in the south of Tenerife.

Less red tape

Prepared waters are those which are obtained by methods other than natural springs and treated physically or chemically to be suitable for human consumption. Laws stating the methods of collection and processing have been clearly laid out in both cases and the consumers’ rights to full information guaranteed.

Buying a home Energy costs

Gas bills rise

It’s not only electricity that has increased in price already this year, gas has too.

Average prices are expected to increase by 3.9 per cent for natural gas users, increases that are sure to percolate on down to bottled gas users like the Canary Islands.

Youth income

Not a lot of hope for young homebuyers with the latest news from the youth housing observation group.

They estimate that a young couple need to earn over €2,200 a month to be able to afford to buy a home, some 74.62 per cent higher than the amount they currently receive. A medium mortgage will take up around 52-

made a donation, there is also information there on how to do so. As a registered charity donations made may be allowable against your tax.

4 per cent of their earnings, however curiously if they rent a place they will only be able to get an apartment of around 45.3 square metres, whilst the same amount spent on a mortgage will get them 57.3 square metres, over 25 per cent more room. Government grants are available to help young people put their first step on the property ladder.

Fiscal report

Low tax lie

Claims by Minister for Development, José Blanco, that Spanish taxes are very low needing to be equalised with the European Union, have been slammed as fallacies in some quarters. The Juan de Mariana Institute affirm that businesses here pay 11 per cent more Social Security than the average in the countries linked to the Organisation for Cooperation and Economic Development and the taxes paid by small and medium businesses are two per cent more than the average. The report published by the Institute, The Fallacy of Low Taxes in Spain, shows that the fiscal contribution made by businesses here is 0.14 per cent higher than Germany and the UK and six per cent more than Norway.

ISLAND CONNECTIONS :: EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011

Canarian Government

Special shopping days

The dates for sales and Sunday and bank holiday openings in 2011 have now been announced. By law, sales can only take place twice a year, once at the beginning of the year and once in the summer and must last between one week and

two months, depending on each individual business. This year’s winter sales started on January 7th all over the Islands and will finish on March 6th. Summer sales start on July 1st and last until August 31st. Businesses are allowed to open on nine Sundays and

bank holidays throughout the year and these dates too have just been announced. Across the Canaries, the first of these was January 2nd and will be followed by April 21st. After that the shopping schedules differ somewhat. In El Hierro opening will be allowed May 29th, August 14th, December 4th, 8th, 11th, 18th and 26th. In La Palma May 29th, November 1st, December 4th, 8th, 11th, 18th and 26th. In Fuerteventura, May 30th, October 12th, November 1st and December 8th, 18th and 26th. Gran Canarian businesses may open October 12th, November 1st and December 4th, 8th, 11th, 18th and 26th. In La Gomera, May 29th, August 14th, December 4th, 8th, 11th, 18th and 26th. In Lanzarote May 29th, August 15th, December 4th, 8th, 11th, 18th and 26th and in Tenerife, May 29th, October 12th, December 4th, 8th, 11th, 18th and 26th.

Winter Sales: January 7thMarch 6th Summer Sales: July 1st -Aug. 31st

Business in Brief

Minimum income

Wage rises Those on minimum wages should expect a rise this year to €639.66 a month.

That is the new amount proposed by the Government as the minimum wage, an increase of €6.33 a month, or one per cent for those in full time work at low pay jobs. Unions have asked for an increase to €680 and underline that the increase is not in line with the cost of living index which rose 1.5 per cent and therefore the increase is really a step backwards. They also confirmed that if the rise is only one per cent it will be, “practically impossible” for the minimum wage to reach the promised €800 a month by the end of their term of office. Unions also revealed that the Spanish minimum wage, at 41.1 per cent of the average wage, has been criticised by the European Committee for Social Rights as, “manifestly unjust and inadequate”.

Air traffic controllers

Consumers’ compensation This time, consumers have definitely had enough and moves are on the way to claim compensation for losses and problems caused by the illegal air traffic controllers’ strike early last December.

The newly founded organisation of those affected by the airspace closure, has organised a board of 150 notaries all over Spain to collect powers of attorney to allow them to take whatever legal steps they find necessary to claim compensation for the strikers’ actions. They are aiming for an across the board payment of €10,000 for each of those affected by the strike. The largest number of those affected are in Madrid, Barcelona, Tenerife, Seville, Mallorca, Málaga, Bilbao, Valencia, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Zaragoza.

Statistics

Tourism spending up Foreign tourists continue to spend more.

For the seventh month running the average spending by foreign tourists has increased. Foreign tourists left €2,930 million in Spain in November an increase on the previous year’s figures of 3.1 per cent. The average amount spent by each individual grew by 0.4 per cent to €1,009. In the first 11 months of last year, with December’s figures yet to be totted up, foreign tourists spent €46,259 million, an increase of 2.4 per cent on the first 11 months of 2009. German tourists spent €489 million, the British €466 million, Scandinavian countries €381 million, the French, €279 million and the outstanding success for the period, the Italians who spent €200 million, an increase of 50 per cent over the previous year. The Canaries were the main beneficiaries of November’s foreign tourism, attracting foreign tourist spending of €914 million.

Business NEWS

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living lifestyle

EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011 :: ISLAND CONNECTIONS

HouseCalls

Dr. De La Flor

healthytenerife@gmail.com

Dear Dr. De La Flor

I always tell the same to diabetes patients – “Make your feet your friend.” Diabetes is a chronic disease where your body can’t use glucose, or sugar, the way it should.

I have high blood pressure and recently was told of initial stage heart failure. How do I know that my heart failure is getting worse?

If you have a wound, no matter how small, take the following steps to avoid infection and promote healing: Rinse the wound under running water to remove dirt. Don’t use soap, hydrogen peroxide, or iodine, which can irritate the injur y. If necessar y, apply antibiotic ointment to prevent infection, and cover the wound with a sterile bandage. Change the bandage daily, and use soap to clean the skin around the wound.

Sincerely, Vince

Dear Vince, You already know the importance of cutting back on salt, smoking, staying physically active, and if weight is an issue, losing those extra pounds. Heart failure is a progressive condition. You may be stable for weeks or months or years and then have a worsening of symptoms. It can be very subtle. Here are some signs you should watch out for:

Inspect your wound daily for any signs of infection. Prevention makes all the difference!

Unusual fatigue,

especially while going about daily activities.

Shortness of breath: the scrotum or vulva). People

Weight gain:

Putting on pounds may be evidence that the body is retaining fluids. Fluid retention can cause swelling in the lower extremities. But swelling can also affect other parts of the body (thighs, buttocks, hands, and even

My husband has been diagnosed with diabetes. I’ve noticed his blister from playing tennis take too long to heal. What can I do? Sincerely, Sarah Dear Sarah,

Dear Dr. De La Flor

A reduction in the heart’s pumping efficiency causes fluid to accumulate in the lungs. Even mild ‘air hunger’ should be reported to your GP, especially if it occurs at rest or with minimal exertion or even trouble sleeping because you find it hard to breathe when lying down.

Dear Dr. De La Flor

who develop fluid retention in the abdomen may experience nausea or a loss of appetite or feel uncomfortably bloated.

Palpitations:

Heart rhythm disturbances (ar rhythmias) are more common among people with hear t failure. Some arrhythmias stem from a potassium deficiency caused by the diuretics used to treat heart failure. In such cases, a medication adjustment or potassium supplements may be all that’s required.

Changes in Blood Pressure:

A significant decrease in blood pressure without a change in medication can be a sign that the heart muscle is not functioning as well. An increase in blood pressure might suggest that medication needs to be adjusted. In either case, it’s important to alert the doctor. Vince, your heart is more than just a pump, it’s the single most important muscle of your body. Pamper it by staying fit and happy (happiness is the single most important pill for the heart!) Make it a great year!

Look for blisters, calluses, chaffing, and redness. Check for small, seemingly minor skin problems like infected hair follicles or inflamed areas around the fingernails. Use a moisturiser to keep the skin on your feet soft and supple. Wash your feet daily (especially if you are planning to see me ;) ... After washing, dry them carefully, including between the toes. After your bath or shower, use a pumice stone to gradually remove calluses. Never cut calluses with scissors or a nail clipper. Keep toenails clipped and even. Wearing well-fitting shoes can help you avoid blisters. Closed-toe shoes reduce the risk of foot injury. Buy socks that keep moisture away from skin. Avoid socks with seams. Preventing serious foot wounds also means keeping your diabetes under control: monitoring blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels; eating healthily; exercising regularly ... Basketballer Bill Walton used to say “I learned a long time ago that minor surger y is when they do the operation on someone else, not you.”

Unfortunately, man may be the captain of his fate, but is also the victim of his blood sugar. To avoid surgeries and amputations, your job starts today. Be proactive, and put your feet first! Best wishes

Coaching Corner ::

2011…

another brand new year … and another opportunity to grow, to improve, to make a difference in other people’s lives by changing our own.. I’m so thrilled about it! Yes, but let’s be specific. Let’s try to make a leap in health in 2011. Let’s try to be careful owners of our body and to treat it with love and respect, not as if we were just renting it. Normally we tend to focus on the ‘physical’ part of health. In 2011 we are going to follow a higher path.

Resolution:

Let ’s try to spend five minutes per day to meditate; let’s shut down the ‘computer’ (the imagination…) and try to get to know ourselves deeper, to be more aware of the uniqueness of being us, you and me. As a father, if I do not give love and affection to my kids today, they probably won’t get that portion I have to offer from anyone else. Let’s wake up to reality and realise that being extraordinary, and you are, is simply putting a great fight in being ourselves, in performing a multitude of daily tasks with love and care, if we avoid them, they will be left undone. I can’t wait to talk to you in two weeks. Make it a great day! Dr. De La Flor, licensed G.P. Holds certificates in coaching, nutrition and medical exercise from Berkeley University and the American Council on Exercise. His medical approach is highly influenced by Positive Psychology; an empowering, encompassing way of approaching patients through the study of their strengths and virtues to enable them to thrive and lead fulfilling lives, accept the past, find happiness in the present, and hope for the future. You can reach the doctor at 0034-697.888.666 to schedule a consultation in his surgery or in your home/business.

Healthy lifestyles

Alzheimer´s and nutrition T

here is a growing body of study linking the risk and speed of development of Alzheimer’s disease with what we eat and drink.

In 2004, the British Alzheimer’s Society began to fund the Hearts and Brains Project, which aims to raise general awareness of vascular dementia and has a particular focus on the potential for both prevention of dementia and slowing deterioration through a healthy lifestyle. In a review published in the Journal of Quality Research in Dementia (Issue 3), findings of some major studies examine how dietary habits have changed over the years and discusses the implications for the future of dementia care and research. Diet is not the only factor in the development of dementia, but there is evidence that those who live an unhealthy lifestyle could be at increased risk. There are now indications that vascular risk factors, (hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart conditions) are also risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. Investigation highlights the following key areas of our diet:

 Fat

In one study they found that those with the highest saturated and transfat intake had a risk 2.2 times higher than the lowest intake band of contracting Alzheimer’s disease.

 Salt

There is a positive correlation between the amount of salt we eat and high blood pressure – one of the biggest risk factors for dementia.

 Oily

fish

One American study found a 60 per cent reduction in risk of Alzheimer’s disease in people who ate oily fish at least once a week.

 Antioxidants

Fruit and vegetables are an important source of antioxi-

ISLAND CONNECTIONS :: EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011

health directory

Health Directory

 Folic

Hospitals USP COSTA ADEJE HOSPITAL Urbanización San Eugenio, s/n, 38660 - Adeje Tels: • 922 752626 • 922 791 000 • 900 112 111 Hospital La Candelaria Carretera Del Rosario 145 Santa Cruz de Tenerife 922 602 000 hospitaldelacandelaria. com

acid

A recent study showed that eating more than the UK daily recommended dose of folate reduced the risk of Alzheimer’s be 55 per cent.

Hospital Universitario Carretera Cuesta-Taco San Cristobal de La Laguna (Tenerife), 922 678 000 www.huc.es

It’s believed that the levels of dementia could be reduced by 50 per cent if the onset could be delayed by five years. Although more research is needed, we know enough to say that a healthy diet benefits our emotional and physical health and may also reduce our risk of developing dementia. Much more attention needs to be focused on changing people’s lifestyle behaviour and attitudes now, in order to maximise the chances of a healthier old age.

HOSPITEN SUR Playa de Las Américas Arona-Tenerife Tel.: 922 75 00 22. Fax: 922 79 36 18 HOSPITEN C/ Pescadores, Edf. Discovery, Carretera Gral. La Cuesta. Taco 38108 La Laguna Tel.: 922 626240 Fax: 922 614355 HOSPITEN BELLEVUE C/ Alemania, 6 Urb. San Fernando. Puerto de la Cruz Tel.: 922 38 35 51 Fax: 922 37 03 12

Useful Vocabulary

Describing your symptoms

I have a pain (here) Tengo dolor (aquí) I have stomach ache Tengo dolor de estómago I have chest pain Tengo dolor en el pecho I have a sore throat Tengo dolor de garganta I feel sick Tengo nauseas I feel dizzy Tengo mareos I have a temperature Tengo fiebre I have diarrhoea Tengo diarrea I have cramps Tengo calambres I have sunburn Tengo quemaduras del sol I have something in my eye Tengo algo dentro del ojo I have difficulty breathing Tengo dificultad en respirar I am sick a lot Vomito mucho It itches Me pica I get pain when I pass urine Me duele cuando orino I have high blood pressure Tengo hipertensión

HOSPITEN TAMARAGUA C/ Agustín de Bethencourt, 30 Puerto de la Cruz Tel.: 922 38 05 12 Fax: 922 38 08 50 HOSPITEN RAMBLA Address: Rambla General Franco, 115. 38001 Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Tel.: 922 29 16 00. Fax: 922 29 10 88 Hospital San Juan de Dios Ctra. Gral. del Norte, 53. Santa Cruz. Teléfono: 922 64 55 11 Fax: 922 64 93 52

Home care or home help in your hotel or apartment from 1 to 24 hrs. Dementia care a speciality. Rates start at just €7. Tenerife Nursing and Care S.L.

Tel. 922 163 236 or 639 977 334

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Gynaecology Dr Michael Theis Calle La Hoya 55 Puerto de la Cruz In the south on Saturdays at Hospital Las Americas Tel 922 370 897 Specialist in gynaecology

Gran Canaria Hospital Dr. Negrín

C/. Barranco de la Ballena, s/n. 35020 Las Palmas. Tel. 928 450 000 Fax: 928 449 100 Hospital Insular

Plaza Doctor Pasteur 35020 Las Palmas. Tel. 928 313 033

Materno-Insular

Avda Maritima del Sur 35016 Las Palmas. Tel: 928 444 500 Fax 928 444 288 Clínica San Roque – Sur

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Physiotherapy PHYSIOTHERAPIST / OSTEOPATH Officially registered Nº967 Philippe Hoogstoel Home visits Tel: 677 818 661 English, Spanish, French, German spoken

Fire Brigade Local Police National Police Guardia Civil

Counselling Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) South:

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 5.45pm, Friday at 11.45am. 1st Floor Apolo Centre, Los Cristianos (next to bus terminal).

630 478 448 (24 hrs).

M. Dr. Jorge Prieto Col. 3806773

Family doctor – Ultrasound – Home visits 24 hour service 14 years of experience in USA Also office in Plaza del Charco (Puerto de la Cruz) & Las Galletas Please ring mobile

669 603 979

Your German dentist in the South

Dr. Martin Seth Free consultation Implants, Quality Dentures General dental care Edificio Maria, Local 3-4 C/Principe Pelinor s/n, Adeje centre (Near Town Hall, Cultural Centre, Oasis Restaurant)

MOTORWAY EXIT 79

Tel.: 922 78 10 03 Mobile: 637 81 93 18 (24h)

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dants such as vitamin E, which it’s believed help fight the harmful effects of free radicals on the brain. A six year study in Rotterdam found that a high intake of vitamin E reduced the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 43 per cent. Other studies have shown that those obtaining this vitamin from food rather than supplements showed a 70 per cent lower risk of the disease.

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living lifestyle

EDITION 634 :: 13/01/2011 - 27/01/2011 :: ISLAND CONNECTIONS

All photos: Marks and Spencer

Marks & Spencer for quality

fashion

or many women, their favourite store for fashion and lingerie is Marks and Spencer, because they know their clothes are well made, that they will fit well and last for years. You can dress yourself from top to toe, from lingerie to overcoats in a wide range of sizes, footwear, costume jewellery and accessories, and know that you are getting value for money. Don’t forget that the winter sales here in the Canary Islands run from January 7 to March 6, so pop in to your nearest store in Tenerife or Gran Canaria and pick up a quality bargain.

14th - 27th January :: BBC1 / BBC2 / ITV1 / Channel4 / Channel5 / Skysports1 / Skysports2

Drama >

ITV1 / Soap 14th January onwards, see guide for more details

14 DAY GUIDE

ITV1 / 23rd January / 8.30pm

Emmerdale

Wild at Heart

It is Danny’s first day as State Vet and when he helps rescue some smuggled animals he feels he’s making a difference.

soap > Channel 4 / 21st January / 6:30pm

Hollyoaks The 3,000th Hollyoaks episode marks an extraordinary event for the teen drama and promises to be memorable.

comedy >

Tragedy has struck Emmerdale

he locals watched in horror as the flames engulfed a row of cottages on Main Street and threatened the lives of some of the show’s bestloved characters. Betty was left fighting for her life when the fire hit Keepers Cottage, while

ITV1 / 21st January / 9.00pm

Comedy Rocks

Gennie, Chas and Katie’s lives are at risk inside Victoria Cottage. Brenda and Terry could be in danger when their home was caught up in the inferno. Lives will be lost and families will be destroyed in some of the show’s most spectacular scenes ever. As the villagers mourn the

loss of their neighbours they’re horrified to learn that this was no accident...

Meanwhile, Viv is alone in the flat drowning her sorrows after Terry has rejected her advances. Will she get out before it’s too late?

In another show packed full of entertainment, Jason will be joined, once again, by the award-winning Russell Kane

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TV22

IC TV GUIDE

/ Friday 14/01/11

ITV1 / Documentary

14th January 11:50pm 30 Years of An Audience With...

This edition looks back at unforgettable appearances by Dame Edna Everage

one 6:00 9:15 10:00 11:00 11:45 12:15 1:00 1:30 1:45 2:15 3:00 3:05 3:35 4:00 4:30 5:00 5:15 6:00 6:30 7:00 7:30 8:00

8:30 9:00

10:00 10:25 10:35 11:20 11:30 1:25

Breakfast Wanted Down Under Homes under the Hammer Saints and Scroungers To Buy or Not to Buy Bargain Hunt BBC News at One BBC London News Doctors Cash in the Celebrity Attic BBC News Deadly 60 Me and My Monsters Dani’s House Tracy Beaker Returns Newsround The Weakest Link BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show A Question of Sport EastEnders Shirley, Phil and Glenda are thrown together by an unexpected business venture, but will Glenda succumb to Phil’s advances again? Mistakenly believing their secret to be safe, Carol takes some dangerous risks with Connor. Meanwhile, Dot finds another reason to spend time with Edward, and Roxy is displeased to discover who Jack has sold his share of the club to. QI Hustle When Emma finds out that ex-boyfriend Joe Ryan is facing eviction, the team find themselves travelling to Birmingham to take on Georgina Althorp, owner of an unscrupulous law firm. Mickey and the gang set about the ambitious task of selling Georgina a castle and a title - but will she bite? BBC News at Ten BBC London News The Graham Norton Show The National Lottery Friday Night Draws Starship Troopers Science fiction adventure. Weatherview

TWO 6:00

11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 1:00 1:25 1:30

5:15 6:00 6:30

7:00 8:00 8:30

9:00