March/Spring FREE! 2016
TAURO BEACH PROJECT
Beleaguered timeshare company Anfi, described in press reports as "a tourist company, which belongs to [the] Santana Cazorla Group" started work on their long-touted Tauro Beach project recently with a reported investment of €2.5 million.
The company, who say they expect to complete the expansion work for the new artificial beach later this year, plan to cover the up-until-now pebbled bay with 70,000 cubic meters of sand imported from the Sahara desert.
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After 16 years of red tape the group, chaired by Santiago Santana Cazorla, has finally started work preparing the Tauro shoreline for their project, which has received Ministry of Environment Directorate General of Coasts approval. The economic development of this coastal strip, in the municipality of Mogán, on the south west of Gran Canaria, is expected to finally see the light of day by the end of this year, during which time the group expects to complete its expansion work in the cove. The new beach is set to double its current size to 280 meters long and 50 meters wide. The group holds the government concession of this public domain for a period of 50 years, and has been using heavy machinery to clear the stones that naturally line the seafront at the mouth of the Barranco del Lechugal, clearing space up to the old fish store to allow the new beach area to be constructed. They plan to use 70,000 cubic meters of golden sand to create their newly idealised beach. The initiative, according to sources reportedly close to the company aims to "respect" the majority of the natural environment and "take advantage" of about 15,000 cubic meters of sediment from the beach itself. The site is scheduled to be covered by summer 2016, within approximately two months, by a blanket of golden sand, which the developer has had to import from the African desert. Though they did originally contemplate extracting local sands from the Pasito Blanco area of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, or indeed the transfer of the sand surplus at Las Canteras beach in the capital, finally Anfi has had to resort to importing containers of sand more than 900km, directly from our neighbouring Sahara desert to meet their demand for this natural resource. This will be the second such artificially constructed sandy beach on the island, after Amadores also located in Mogán. The company fenced the work area in the middle of February for security, health and safety reasons and has conducted their preparatory cleanup operation.
N ews ,
S unshine
Editor-in-Chief: Edward JB Timon Editor@TheCanaryNews.com
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For this first phase of regeneration of the beach, Anfi are reported to be investing €2.5 million euros. The overall budget however will soar to six million over the coming months as the second stage of the project includes construction of a promenade that will connect Playa del Cura with Amadores along with a number of additional facilities. 11,000 square meters are to be reserved for parking, commercial space of 1,700 meters and two kiosks on the sand are planned. As well as bathing areas there will be gardens and a rental service for hammocks and parasols. The third phase of the project is planned to continue with a 322 berth marina with space for boats of up to 10m in length. The recreational marina, the new walkways and the expansion of the beach were all set forward under the Special Territorial Plan for the Tauro Coast (PTE 29), approved by the Government of the Canary Islands in 2014, any increase in supply of tourist beds for the Tauro valley, we are told, will need to wait for the Mogán town hall to finally adopt its General Plan, which closed its public consultation period just a year ago having received a total of 50 complaints and objections (known as allegations) from individuals and various administrations. The document in question will allow up to a total of 7,500 tourist beds on the urban land in Tauro, of which 2,000 have already been created in the neighbouring hotels and villas by the golf course . The remaining allotment of beds leaves the way clear for the building of at least six more hotels requiring an estimated capital of €400 million. The new infrastructure and creation of the leisure beach are expected to act as a catalyst to attract new investment partners in the tourism sector, leading to much greater economic growth for Mogán. Source: La Provincia
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Edita: JDC Canarias SL, Imprime: Canarias7, Gran Canaria, España. Deposito Legal GC1291-2013
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29% of GC tourists choose All Inclusive according to the latest report from the Canarian Institute of Statistics (ISTAC)
The latest tourism figures for the entire Canary Islands revealed that All Inclusive packages now account for more than a 1/3 of all tourism, with Germans choosing AI the most, while Spanish residents are the least likely to use this type of deal. 34% of tourists aged 16 and older who visited the Canary Islands in 2015 chose an All Inclusive package, which is two percent more than in 2014,
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Customs rules to be relaxed for online purchases
By island, 55% tourists who visited Fuerteventura chose All Inclusive, followed by Lanzarote with 38%, Gran Canaria with 29%, Tenerife with 28% and, closing the rankings, La Palma with 18%.
By Nationality A higher percentage of Germans chose All Inclusive than any other nationality with 41% of German visitors opting for the AI fixed cost option, compared to 22% of tourists from mainland Spain, who were the nationality least likely to choose an all inclusive package. Locals tend to dislike AI
Canaries were the main destination in Spain in January In January 2016, the main destination in Spain for nonresident travellers was the Canary Islands, with 55.9% of all the overnight stays, according to INE, the National institute of statistics. Foreign overnight stays rose in The Canaries by 3.3% compared to January 2015. After The Canary Islands were Catalonia (with 13.0% of the total and an increase of 12.3% of overnight stays) and Andalucía (with 10.9% of all overnight stays and an increase of 13.5%) For Spanish residents Andalusia, Madrid, Catalonia and Valencia were the main destinations in Spain in January. The Canary Islands were the fifth most popular destination with 8.5 % of all resident travellers.
The Finance Minister of the Canary Islands, Rosa Dávila announced in Parliament this week that purchases made via Internet, and not exceeding €150, shall no longer be obliged to present ‘Documento Único Administrativo’ (DUA) the Single Administrative Document for customs admissions. She explained that this measure will help to save resources by eradicating the need to present up to three million declarations every year. The amendments to the Decree Regulation 268/2011 on Management of Taxes in the REF (Special Fiscal Region), will raise the exemptions from presentation of the DUA from the current €22 to €150. The update now just needs to be published in the official Gazette of the Canary Islands before becoming official. Transfer to the updated system will take some time before the sale and purchase of low value items over the internet gets easier, but this is a start in the right direction. There are limitations imposed by legislation based on the unique tax situation in the Canary Islands, which have been an issue in the past. This has also been one of the reasons that many online retailers do not deliver goods to the archipelago Raising the minimum exemption from the requirement to submit the DUA is only one measure, say the Ministry, on which they have being working, but the main goal is to streamline e-commerce. To simplify the “autodespacho” model is another planned action, instead of having to hire a third party which always involves an added cost and makes it difficult to know exactly what the end price of a purchase should be..
New Land Act meant to protect those living in tourist apartments
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A new Canary Islands Land Law, to be passed by the Canarian Government, has been presented to Parliament as a “temporary” solution for those who have lived for years in serviced apartments making residential use of properties otherwise specifically classified as for tourist exploitation, in effect protecting, those who might otherwise have been negatively impacted by the latest controversial Tourism Act, reported spanish news agency Efe.
Minister for Territorial Policy, Nieves Lady Barreto (Coalición Canaria (CC)), explained that reforms to the tourism legislation will be undertaken in 2017, which are intended to regulate this issue once and for all, but also stated that the government wanted to meet the commitments they have made with the people concerned, consisting mostly of apartment owners in southern Gran Canaria. They have, they say, therefore introduced an additional provision in the new land law that affords “temporary residential uses”, and “consolidated” uses to provide coverage for the de facto situation, whereby many people have been living at these properties as their primary address. This “transitional provision” is meant to regulate mechanisms provided for in the current Tourism Law, whereby the owner of an apartment, in an area classified as a tourist zone, in a complex built under tourism regulations, could theoretically have their property expropriated for trying to exploit it in a manner contrary to the rules. Now this new law is said to be aimed at preventing those rules being applied to people who are simply living in these properties and making residential use of them. Barreto stressed that it is understandable that the new Tourism Law establishes a system of use for apartment complexes, but also argued that this new regime of regulation can not ignore the rights of those who already have established use of their property
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5 Playa del Inglés – © 45photos
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Editor’s Comment: Though details are sketchy right now, and we cannot fully confirm our interpretation of this announcement just yet, it certainly looks like people power, and the strong movement to mobilise affected members of the public has had a significant affect on the speed with which the regional government has acted to try and answer the demands for clarification and protection of peoples right to property, even in a situation where the de facto residential uses have stood in opposition to the original laws in place. Simply put, local and regional government have been happy to register citizens as tax paying residents within these properties for decades, despite the letter of the laws governing tourism. The controversial parts of the texts in these new regulations have been painted by some as an attempt to back pedal on this fact and thereby endanger, at least theoretically, a persons right to choose the use of their own property. Renting directly to tourists will still carry heavy fines, or worse, unless carried out within the regulations (ie with a single authorised managing agent), however the immediately foreseen danger to the thousands who have purchased and been allowed to live in these properties on a residential basis, seems to have been dealt with. We will update you as more facts become apparent. One thing is clear, though first in English, we are not the only news team to pick up on the story, we are also sure that further clarifications will be needed, and it is important to remember, that this is not yet an applied law, but right now just a Government announcement of stated intentions.
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3 detained for 8 Mogán hotel robberies jects like computer tablets, mobile phones, sunglasses, watches, etc. which they then hid in a backpack or bag and simply walked out of the hotel complexes. Sometimes the perpetrators pretended to be tourists so as to not raise suspicion among the staff. by talking to them in English.
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Inside F.Berghorn’s Galeria de Arte in Fátaga, Gran Canaria. CC2.0 By-Nc-Nd Daniele Paccaloni
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A surveillance operation was started, which produced a positive result last 26 February, after a suspicious vehicle driving on the GC-1 motorway towards Las Palmas was intercepted by agents of the 73 year old German artist and gallery owner Friedhelm Berghorn, Guardia Civil in civilian clothes as it was reported lost by his daughter two days after going missing, entered Vecindario. not far from his home of many years near the small settlement
Missing Local Artist Found Dead
The Guardia Civil’s main post in Puerto Rico de Mogán detained a woman and two men, with the initials A.M.S., R.V.H. and S.V. and all foreign nationals, aged between 43 and 45 years old, with numerous previous police records for crimes against property, suspected of belonging to a criminal group thought to have committed eight robberies in the municipality. The investigation started in the middle of February when alleged unauthorised access to various rooms in a hotel in Mogán came to light, in which the perpetrators had used a sophisticated electronic device to open the doors. When connected to the electronic lock on the door this device generates the code needed to open it. From that first report several more reports of similar incidents were received, all regarding unauthorised people entering rooms, while another waited outside the hotel in a vehicle. The goal was to take money or easily transportable ob-
A number of effects from the various robberies were found including 6 pairs of expensive brand label sunglasses, Iphones, a Rolex ‘Submariner’ watch, a Rolex ‘Mastermind’, a Superdry watch, €1390, £400 and 200 Swiss francs in cash.
of Arteara on the Fátaga road. National Police, rescuers and Red Cross suspended their search due to lack of information or new clues. He was known to have mobility problems, having been forced to leave his property because of health issues and to sell it allegedly to pay mounting debts. His lifeless body was found on farmland near Fátaga, four days after he went missing.
Reports suggest that the death of Friedhelm Berghorn, a renowned ”master of glowing colours” , might not have been due to natural They also found among the belong- causes as the National Police proceeded to investigate several claims ings the electronic device used, of an alleged property dispute. Berghorn had been trying to sell his which was concealed so as not to 3 hectare estate for about a year, in an effort to ensure his daughter be recognized, having the overall was provided for, and was close to closing a deal before suddenly appearance of a pen. It was also dying. Local sources have suggested that he may have signed the put inside of a child’s pencil case property away just before going missing. with other colour pens and markers. Apart from that electronic EX-PARTNER IN PLAYA DEL INGLÉS device, other devices and evidence NIGHTCLUB DETAINED ON SUSPICION were found linking the group to the Policía Nacional detained a 46 year old man, with a prior criminal record, who thefts. The system used would be undetectable if the opening of the hotel’s electronic locks were not being recorded and logged.
was a former business partner running a popular nightclub in an unnamed shopping centre in Playa del Inglés, on suspicion of setting fire to the premises to try and collect insurance for which he was the sole beneficiary.
On the afternoon of Saturday 20 February, several witnesses reported a fire at a nightclub in San Bartolomé de Tirajana. Closer inspection indicated that the fire had been deliberately caused, with toilet paper on the ground, gasoline Similar electronic devices have and accelerant “fire lighter” pastels (usually used in BBQ’s ) found, the invesbeen used on other occasions tigation focused on determining the culprit’s identity. Images on the security elsewhere in Spain, with outstand- cameras could not be reviewed, since the hard drives had been formatted.
ing reports and denuncias describing the very same modus operandi in other provinces such as Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Malaga and other municipalities like San Bartolomé de Tirajana.
The agents investigating determined that a former partner in the company, beset by debt and sole beneficiary of insurance in case of fire, was a clear suspect. In fact, it was he who initially went to report the incident to the police with the alleged intention of collecting the insurance compensation. The detainee was made available to the competent judicial authorities, who ordered his release with charges.
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SNOW AT THE TOP OF GRAN CANARIA
Something unusual happened at the end of February. Although not unheard of, snow rarely falls round these parts, so as soon as news came of the Trade Winds bringing a sweep of cold air down from northern Galicia, half of Gran Canaria prepared to go up the mountain to witness this exotic scene. The Cabildo de Gran Canaria (island council) took the decision early, for safety reasons, to close the main roads on the mountain until it had stopped snowing, but as soon as they were open again hundreds of cars filled with locals queued for their chance to throw a snowball and introduce the kids to something they are likely to only see a handful of times throughout their lives. The last snows here were in 2014, but lasted barely a day, while 2016 was kinder providing a week of melting snows and beautiful waterfalls across the mountain, and many smiling faces.
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“THE TITAN” SHOOT ON GRAN CANARIA Thrones) ; British model Agyness Deyn (Clash of the Titans); Mexican actor and singer Diego Boneta; Franco-Algerian dancer Sofia Boutella (due to appear in the next Star Trek); Irish actor Aaron Heffernan; Serbian Aleksandar Jovanovic; Spanish and Nathalie Poza and Gustavo Salmerón.
Actress Taylor Schilling, shared a first image from her Maspalomas hotel on Instagram, where she took the opportunity to send Gran Canaria once more become a film set, greetings to her colleagues at the Screen for “elevated Sci-fi” thriller The Titan, filming Actors Guild awards. for which began in February on the south of the island under the German director Filming of The Titan on Gran Canaria continLennart Ruff. ues until April, with locations both outdoors and indoors. A production by British company The film has a large international cast, and Motion Picture Capital it is based on a story stars actors Sam Worthington (Avatar), by British-Iranian producer and writer Arash Taylor Schilling, (Orange Is the New Black), Amel, author of Grace Kelly biopic, Grace of and Tom Wilkinson (The Grand Budapest Monaco, which starred Nicole Kidman. Hotel, Batman Begins, The Full Monty). The cast and crew landed on the island in January and stayed at the Gloria Palace Royal Hotel & Spa. Filming started at a private villa in the ‘Beverly Hills of Gran Canaria’ residential area Monte Leon, near Maspalomas, as well as various other locations on the south of the island. Many of the sequences were shot outside, providing some great opportunities to see parts of the making of this film, set to be a global blockbuster release for 2017. The three protagonists were joined for the main shoot on Gran Canaria by British actress Nathalie Emmanuel, (Game of
The adaptation of the story to the big screen is the work of Amel, and screenwriter Max Hurwitz, author of the series Hell on Wheels and Simply Plimpton. Local production is the responsibility of producer Nostromo Pictures, directed by Canarian Adrian Guerra, so far the budget of the film is unknown. The plot of The Titan is set in a not-sodistant future hampered by food and natural resource shortages, almost on the brink of a new world war. The film tells the story of a military family intended for a NATO base, who are part of a scientific experiment pioneering the genetic evolution of man in space, with huge consequences for the rest of humanity. “One step beyond the boundaries of human experience”, director Lennart Ruff “seeks to address a series of existential reflections about the universe and our place in the world” according to the producers of the film.
The Titan is to be distributed by Voltage Pictures, and is scheduled to hit screens in early 2017. Taylor Schilling on instagram
TOWIE Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria was on UK ITV at the end of February in the latest series start of “TOWIE, The Only Way Is Essex” which premiered on their ITV-BE channel, watched by nearly 1 million people, having been recorded earlier in Maspalomas and Meloneras on the sunny south of the island. The television network created a “major campaign” to promote the 17th season of the show with estimated impact on more than 1.7 million people through the publishing of an article in British tabloids, talking about Gran Canaria and the new series.
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Language Lesson #100 Theresa Coe Owner of LanguageExchangeGC.es
A PASSION FOR GRAN CANARIA
Londoner Theresa Coe is an extraordinarily hard working bundle of truly great energy. Through her passion for people and the island of Gran Canaria she has built an unparalleled reputation for herself as an outstanding language teacher and highly innovative community gardner, nurturing ever greater interaction. As one of the very first writers and advertisers to work with our newspaper, The Canary, she not only recognised early the value of a widely distributed publication written by native English speakers for reaching a broad audience of foreign residents, visitors and Canarians, but she has also supported the development of the publication from its earliest iterations in 2009 through to the present day. She has stayed with us through thick and thin always positively advocating the publication and its uses. The Language Exchange Groups that she single-handedly created spawned meetings and gatherings across the island, which to this day offer regular cost-free spaces that put language learners, teachers, foreigners and natives in a mutually respectful space from which to explore any second language with new people, for many the LEGs act as a primary social hub, aiding integration and promoting cooperation. We simply can’t get enough of her! Thank you so much Theresa for your hard work!
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Language Lesson #100
with Theresa Coe
THE OUTTAKES What NOT To Say in Spanish
Blimey have I written 100 Spanish lessons already? Or as the Spanish might say: ¡Caramba! ¿Ya he escrito cien lecciones de español? Racking my brains for something special to cover in this issue, I realized that my favourite topic was the bloopers – those hilarious things we say when we get it wrong… like ‘preservativos’ (condoms) instead of ‘conservantes’ (preservatives). Easily done.
something, but rather apoyar. ¡No puedo soportarlo! I can´t stand it/him! And atender isn´t to attend but to take care of someone or something, (to attend is asistir – even though it sounds like ‘assist’). If you have private classes, they are ‘clases particulares’, not privadas, while a prívate rental (without an agent) would similarly be ‘un alquiler particular’. However, you can say ‘it´s prívate’ – es privado - to talk about something that´s not public, like a house-party: una fiesta privada. Here are more ‘falsos amigos’ with their real meanings:
Spanish actualmente constipado un compromiso educado introducir una ganga pretender la ropa remover sensible
meaning currently blocked nose a commitment polite to insert bargain to claim/want clothes to stir sensitive
Spanish de hecho estreñido llegar a un acuerdo culto presentar una pandilla fingir(fin-HIR) la cuerda quitar sensato
meaning actually constipated to compromise educated/cultured to introduce (people) gang to pretend the rope to remove sensible
WHEN GENDER CHANGES MEANING TUVE UNA AVENTURA Often the same word means one thing with an ‘o’ on the
end and quite another if it ends in ‘a’. Sounds like ‘I had an adventure’, right? Wrong! This word The most embarrassing example is el pollo/la polla. The usually refers to an affair or a fling. Especially if you say that you had one. Another word with a double-meaning first is chicken and the second is cock – the male genitais ‘excitado’ (which has sexual overtones), so it´s safer to lia, not the animal. Beware! say ‘estoy emocionado’ (I´m excited, but not in a kinky way). Masculine meaning Feminine meaning Similarly, ‘estar embarazada’ does NOT mean to be embarrassed, but to be pregnant. I´m embarrassed is ‘I have shame’ – tengo vergüenza. And if you want to tell someone they´re a good person, or good at something, make sure you say ‘eres bueno’ because ‘estás bueno’ means ‘you´re looking good’.
FALSOS AMIGOS False friends are words that sound like English ones but mean something totally different in Spanish. ‘Realizar’, annoyingly, doesn´t mean to realize but to fulfill something (like a dream). To realize is much harder to say in Spanish: dar/se cuenta de algo – e.g. me di cuenta de la hora – I realized the time. To support is not soportar, which means to put up with
(el) bolso caballo el corte el cura mañana un palo el Papa plato
’proper’ bag horse the cut the priest tomorrow a stick the Pope plate
(la) bolsa caballa la corte la cura la mañana una pala la papa plata
plastic bag mackerel the court the cure the morning a spade potato* silver
*Note that papá, with the accent or stress at the end (pa-PAH), means Dad.
See more ‘false friends’ at www.notesinspanish.com/files/notes-in-spanish-new-falsos-amigos.pdf
or by visiting my website:
www.languageexchangegc.wordpress.com
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”Sometimes it seems like you´re embarrassed to eat out with me” WANT TO PRACTICE SPEAKING SPANISH? All over the island we have free conversation clubs in Spanish or English as well as language exchanges where people of different nationalities help each other out by chatting in Spanglish. These groups are NOT classes but are a great way to meet new people – especially locals – and practice your Spanish. Check out the new website for the LEG (Language Exchange Gran Canaria) which I´ve just launched to complement the Facebook page. Here you can find a selection of my best Spanish lessons from The Canary News updated and categorized, which I´ll be adding to every week. More importantly, I´ll keep the listings updated so you can easily find the LEG group nearest to you or latest event taking place such as cinema trips, hiking or ‘Spanglish’ meals out.
Find your nearest LEG: www.languageexchangegc.wordpress.com
Facebook.com/LEGintercambio The author of our Spanish lessons these last six years is Theresa Coe from London, who is based in Playa del Inglés. To tie in with her 100th lesson, she´s launched a new website including the best of her lessons from this paper (revised and updated) and the latest news on language exchange events around the island. New lessons will be added as often as possible. She´d also love to hear ideas from readers for her next few columns in The Canary News. What would you like to be able to say in Spanish? Just email her or contact her via the website
www.languageexchangegc.wordpress.com
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Feel at home to March
2016
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More than just sightseeing Did you know that in a recent survey by The Nomad List, Las Palmas was voted the second best place in the world to work? Yes, second in the world! Not Spain or Europe but second best in the whole of the world. First was Chang Mai in Thailand but hot on its heels was our very own capital Las Palmas. Rated high for fun, safety, cost and weather The Nomad List reckons our little island is an almost perfect place to work. “Working in Gran Canaria! Impossible!” I hear you say. “There’s nowhere to work!” - “My boss won’t let me work here!” - “I work in Oslo/Liverpool/Amsterdam/Paris, I can’t work here!”. Well surprisingly enough you can and it’s pretty easy too. Over the last couple of years co-working offices have been popping up all over the islands, so it’s simple to get yourself a desk for a week, month or a year and work in the sun. This month we popped into the newest one, an English run centre right in the heart of Triana, The House, to see what it’s all about. The first thing you notice about The House is that it’s not where you expect it to be. You might expect to be going to the business district of the city but instead you find yourself in a beautiful old colonial house with a big internal patio, right in the heart of the trendy
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Triana shopping area. It’s in a pedestrian street just above a cafe and next door to an Italian restaurant with outside tables, not where you might envisage an office to be. “We chose Triana because we wanted to create an office where people want to go to work, and what’s nicer than working in the most beautiful part of the city?” explains Richard, a co-owner, as he showed us in. We were introduced to various coworkers working that day, we met John, a programmer from Poole, Joanne, a writer from Norwich, Anne-Marie a translator from the USA, Ville and Juho from Finland, Sylvie from Poland, Ted from Chicago, Julien from Lyon, Kevin from Sweden, Gustavo and Ylenia and Jorge from Gran Canaria … all working away and chatting as if they’d been friends for years. “We get about 50% Gran Canarian freelancers and 50% digital nomads from all over the world working here, and on any one day we usually have about 20-25 people in the office.” “Workers have their own desks or they just bring in their laptops, head to a hot desk, connect up to the wifi and get to work”. “There’s a kitchen where people congregate and have a coffee and croissant, and a roof terrace with views of the city where we all eat lunch and meet up. There’s even a hammock.” Richard tells us. “We often catch the digital nomads taking selfies on the hammock on their first day to send to their jealous colleagues in northern Europe.”
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even when visiting Las Palmas
What’s a digital nomad?
Don’t people have offices any more? “Half the people here, tapping away on their laptops just need an internet connection to do their job, and travel the world working in places like this, some are freelance, some work for other companies and instead of working from home, they come here for a few weeks or months. There’s designers, programmers, writers, translators and journalists. Most are self employed, but many work for big companies and just do their job from here. It’s cheaper for the company and preferably for many workers in the middle of February, Digital Nomads are basically just you and me, normal workers who instead of going to a specific office, they set up their lives here or in Thailand and send their emails and answer their Skype calls from the beach rather than the middle of London. Obviously a doctor can’t easily be a digital nomad but you’d be surprised how many can be. We’ve had accountants, marketing teams, telesales guys, currency traders all pass through here.” “Co-working is just an office with many different companies. People rent desks by the month and use the shared meeting room and kitchen. It’s great!” says Richard enthusiastically “I used to work from home, living the dream I thought. No commute, working in a pair of shorts and working the hours I wanted. But I went slowly mad. It was great for a bit but I started to crave human interaction so I joined a co-working centre in Telde and then opened one here. I love it.
It’s really informal, you can work at your desk, on the roof terrace or at the standing desk. If you need a break you just head up to the roof and hang out in the hammock or wander around Triana.” “Co-working is just a shared office really. The biggest company here has 6 employees, others have 2 or 3 and then there are many freelancers. Basically you get to work in a really cool office without having to pay much for it.” According to Wikipedia co-working has been around for about 10 years and started off in San Francisco, quickly moving around the world. The first co-working place here in Gran Canaria opened about 4 years ago and now there are several around the island with most centred around Las Palmas. There’s even an association for them and you can find a full list of all the co-working centres on Gran Canaria through their website Acecanarias.org. Prices start at 100€/month for a desk and most places include a shared meeting room, kitchen and relaxation areas. They all include fast wifi, security and all the extra bits and bobs you need to run your business. So next time you’re sitting at home or in your office or it’s raining outside and you wish you were somewhere warmer, or you simply need a little buzz of activity around you why not give co-working a thought, jump on a flight and come and work in the sun on beautiful Gran Canaria. For more information about The House and coworking in Las Palmas you can visit their website the.house.eu or drop them a line at hello@the-house.eu
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Canary Current
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The
With thanks to:
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News, Views & Sunshine
2016
No.1 - Spring 2016
This article originally published at 5 g y r e s . o r g
THE PLASTIC PROBLEM Plastic pollution threatens our seas, our planet and you
Most of the things we buy use disposable plastic: These five massive, slow rotating whirlpools accumulate plastic, and because petroleum plastics are designed to last, the plastic trash will remain in the ocean for decades or longer. In the ocean, sunlight and waves cause floating plastics to break into increasingly smaller particles, but they never completely disappear or biodegrade. Plastic particles act as sponges for waterborne contaminants such as pesticides.
5Gyres.org
A single plastic microbead can be 1 million times more toxic than the water around it. ... packaging, cosmetics, straws- even fishing nets. Many plastics are designed to be used only once, leading to our landfills and beaches being awash in these single-use plastics. We currently recover only 5-10% of the plastics we produce. 50% are buried in landfills and some are remade into durable goods, but much of it washes out to sea. Our ocean is a network of currents that circulate water around the world - called gyres.
Fish, turtles and even whales eat plastic objects, which can sicken or kill them. Ocean animals are also killed by dangerous plastic waste that entangles or traps them, often suffocating them underwater. Small ocean animals, like fish, ingest tiny plastic particles. These toxic particles pass on to us when we eat seafood. Hundreds of ocean species are threatened by plastic pollution, as well as the survival of the ocean itself. Humans depend on the ocean for food and as a healthy ecosystem that maintains the balance of the greenhouse gas CO2. ...
Scientists agree: If the oceans die, we die.
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2016
News, Views & Sunshine
CAN YOU IDEN
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The waters around Gran Canaria
Teeming with marine life, abundantly replenished from slowmoving, nutrient-rich, upwelling flows; Canary Current copepods and phytoplankton flourish, enriching the waters south-west of them and rhythmically breathing oxygen into life. Three or four degrees downstream of the plankton’s optimal breeding territory, where Spring stalks the trade winds, abruptly mushrooming from the ocean floors, on the edge of the African shelf, our islands disturb this fecund and powerful stream. Travelling, as a great ship, through winter seas of cloud, Gran Canaria provides leeward calm water, and year round refuge for entire bloodlines of cetacean and fish who feed from the eddying swirl of a gyre interrupted. The annual congregation of Tuna, Marlin, Dorado and Wahoo heralds the plentiful summer and the extraordinary wealth of our all encompassing ocean. These subtropical waters maintain a steady temperature, cooled by the deep ocean that rises to meet us just 2km offshore. More than 1/3 of the world’s dolphins and whales share our habitat; many permanent & others along their inherited migratory routes. Communities possessing extraordinary intelligence, with highly evolved social structures, living in pods that stay together their entire lives, roaming territories familiar to them over generations. There is only one authentic way to meet such creatures; in their home, our ocean. Many responsible, professionally licensed whale watching tours work out of Puerto Rico; the abundant wonder surrounding Gran Canaria astounds. Don’t miss out!
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2016
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For your chance to win two tickets to go whale and dolphin watching off the Gran Canaria Costa Mogรกn just tell us which species this family of animals in the image (left) are and send your answer to us by email at
Oceans@TheCanaryNews.com
or text Whatsapp/SMS to
626 641 537.
Entries close at midnight on April 10th 2016 The Prize only includes tickets to board the boat, transfers, flights and other costs are not included.
Simply use this chart (below) to identify the species of mammal in the main picture (above) Terms & Conditions Apply, check TheCanaryNews.com
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2016
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ORION THE SHEPHERD Edwin Butter and Marjo Boertien skipper the Orion of Aberdeen, a research sailing vessel on which they dedicate themselves to conserving and protecting the ocean and its coastlines .
When they decided to live together on a sailing boat and make the whole wide world their backyard, they wanted to give it more meaning. Edwin had been living on a boat for more than a decade. Both of them were aware that the ecology of the planet was deteriorating. So it only made sense to put these two together. That’s where Ocean Conservation came in. They believe that a healthy marine ecosystem is essential for the whole planet. “Think about it” they say “70% of our oxygen is provided by the oceans. To us it is evident that marine life needs protection and conservation now.” They actively support organisations that are involved in conserving ocean life, in order to help them reach their goals. This they do on a completely non-profit basis.
Having sailed in both tropical and arctic waters. Edwin is an HSE certified commercial diver, a surveyor and a sports diving instructor trainer. As an instructor he also has extra experience and licenses, including underwater photography, marine biology and mixed gas diving. Marjo too is a keen traveller having started out in banking, she soon discovered that her real interest lay in the development of people. An active person she loves hiking, biking, kayaking and rafting too. Through Edwin she discovered sailing and the vastness of the oceans, and says she was easily hooked.
They use their knowledge and experience to help marine and environmental organizations contribute to creating awareness about the connection between daily life and the ecology of the oceans. They support the sustainable development of communities living near the oceans and the environment they live in. They reach out to the more ‘land based’ people too helping them realise that their way of living also has an effect on marine life and show people what they can do to make that effect a positive one. They support scientific and educational organizations by: Developing and executing training programs about ocean life and human effects on it, they act as guides and teachers. Accommodating scientists on their vessel on a shared cost basis to facilitate their work. Collecting data for projects and scientists.
With Special Thanks to:
Based in The Canary Islands aboard the ‘Orion‘ they are currently preparing events and projects to help increase awareness of the importance of the oceans among the people of the Canary Islands and their visitors. They not only want to focus on the problems that plastic pollutions are causing to the marine ecosystem, but also want to show the beauty and abundance of wildlife in this part of the Atlantic Ocean that deserves to be cherished. They want to encourage sailors, cruisers, divers and other outdoor enthusiasts to get involved in citizen science by collecting data. The
They themselves have been collecting unique and important data on Microplastics Throughout this spring and summer they will promote and support the research of microplastics in the waters of the Canary Islands, using a collection trawl provided by eco group 5 Gyres. They will be present at Micro 2016, a conference about microplastics to be held on Lanzarote from May 25 to May 27. The waters around the Canary Islands are home to abundant marine mammals. While cruising these waters they will collect data about the sightings of marine mammals, helping to fill data gaps and contributing to
Canary Current in association with
the development of a methodology that can be used by citizen scientists. During their stay at each island, there will be an open day, during which people can visit the Orion and they will present the results of their research so far. If possible they want to give presentations at schools and in communities. Some of the events they are already confirmed at include: Anavre Wine Weekend in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, April 1 – 3 Fimar, nautical event in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, May 6 – 8 Micro 2016, international conference on microplastics, Arrecife (Lanzarote), May 25 – 27
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An oceans series compiled by Timon
2016 .:.
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2016
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Outstanding
Trip Advisors No 1 Boat tours and Water Sports in Puerto Rico
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March
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El Periódico Inglés de Gran Canaria
Twitters from HOLIDAY HEALTH INSURANCE the Atlantic 2016
I am often asked, “Will I need health insurance in the Canary Islands?” to which my answer is always, “Yes, of course”. This is usually followed by a comment that “I have the European Health Card, surely that will cover me?” In theory, the answer is that it should, but in reality, it rarely does. To be clear, the European Health Card is mainly intended for an emergency, such as a life and death situation when emergency treatment is required. It is not intended to deal with existing conditions, minor ailments, sunburn and too much booze, which are often the main complaints. If you are taken ill on holiday, there is a good chance that the hotel or holiday complex will call a private ambulance and not one from the National Health Service. The reason is simple; the hotel will receive a commission on your misfortune. The private ambulance will, in turn, take you to a private hospital. Again the reason is simple; the ambulance company will receive a commission from the hospital. Yes, you will probably receive very good treatment, but only after your credit card has been debited with a large deposit, and a larger bill to follow. Some time ago, I was waiting at the check-in desk of one of the private hospitals on the island. At my side was a distraught holidaymaker, Adrian, from the UK who was trying to get his wife, Ellen, admitted to the hospital for emergency treatment. Ellen had a collapsed lung and was waiting
in the private ambulance outside. The hospital refused Adrian’s European Health Card, and it was only when Adrian agreed to a 3000 euros debit from his credit card as a ‘deposit’, would they agree to admit Ellen into the hospital for treatment, despite Ellen being in considerable pain, and having difficulty in breathing without assistance. To add insult to injury, before the ambulance staff would agree to release Ellen from the ambulance, Adrian had to pay a substantial fee for their service. Later, I met up with Adrian who was waiting outside the hospital. He looked pale and was clearly very anxious. I asked him if I could help and he told me that they were due to leave for home the following day and that the hospital had told him that Ellen would not be fit to travel for some time, and only after a number of expensive tests and procedures had been completed. Adrian did not have enough funds to pay the hospital bills, nor would he have any accommodation for himself the following day. Adrian would have to call friends and family in the UK to ask for money to be sent out to help him until his wife could travel home. He had no mobile phone and so I let him use mine. It was a desperate situation that I have heard many times before. Adrian and Ellen had booked a last minute, cheap, package holiday, but had decided not to buy the optional travel and health insurance, because they already had a European Health Card. In these circumstances, the card would be of no use, unless they could negotiate with the hospital for Ellen’s transfer to the National Health Hospital, which in my experience rarely takes place following admission to a private hospital. Either way, Adrian and Ellen would have a huge financial problem to deal with upon their return home. I have just heard of another very sad story of a holidaymaker who died upon arrival at one of the islands. Again, the couple had no insurance, nor means of paying to get the body home, which alone would cost around 7000 euros. I understand that generous friends and family are currently trying to raise funds in the UK to assist the widow. At times of sickness and bereavement, worry about money should be of the least concern. Finally, do be careful of those private hospitals that advertise acceptance of the European Health Card. They may do, but not for all conditions and not in all circumstances. My best advice is always to take out health and travel insurance before you come on holiday, or bring a credit card with a very large credit limit, just in case.
© Barrie Mahoney
Barrie Mahoney was a head teacher and school inspector in the UK, as well as a reporter in Spain, before moving to the Canary Islands to launch and edit a new English language newspaper. He enjoys life in the sun as a columnist and author, and continues to write a series of popular novels, books for expats, as well as designing mobile apps and websites to promote the Canary Islands.
If you enjoyed this article, take a look at Barrie’s websites: www.barriemahoney.com and www.thecanaryislander.com or read his latest book,
‘Island in the Sun’
(ISBN: 9780992767181). Available in paperback, as well as Kindle, iBooks and Google Play editions. iPhone/iPad and Android Apps: ExpatInfo, CanaryIsle and CanaryGay now available. © Barrie Mahoney
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LAS CANTERAS
BEACH FRONT PROPERTY
March
2016
Calle Portugal is worth looking at as an alternative as it is just one street back from the beach front and will eventually become pedestrian. There are lots of flats and apartments in the Guanarteme barrio behind La Peña and some real bargains.
La Cicer: The Surfing Beach
The southern end of the beach has no protective reef so it gets bigger waves than the rest of Las Canteras. It’s popular with surfers and sporty types and is the most local section of the beach front.
While prices are high by Gran Canaria standards, you get to use your property all year round and have all the conveniences of living in the city with the best climate in the world.
Property here is mostly apartments with balconies or large windows (many properties don’t have balconies as the locals don’t like the wind) but there are some large penthouses and flats.
La Puntilla: The Northern Tip
Prices at La Cicer are slightly lower than at the southern end of the beach but are still over 3000 euros per square metre in most cases.
The northern tip of Las Canteras beach is probably its prettiest section thanks to the fishing boats on the sand, the coconut palm trees and superb views up the coast.
The alternative to frontline La Cicer property is the Guanarteme barrio behind the sand. Most buildings here are below five storeys and there are real bargains to be had.
Properties here are limited as it’s only a small zone, but almost all of them have beach-facing facades. La Puntilla has some the city’s most popular outdoor restaurants, lots of bars and cafes, and all the amenities you need within easy reach. Property prices in this area are high as it’s one of the most desirable areas in the city and in Spain. A good alternative is the area of La Isleta barrio just behind La Puntilla. Here you get a mix of townhouses, some over 100 years old, plus modern flats and apartments.
Las Canteras property prices
Prices on the beach front start at €3.500 per square metre and can be much higher for properties with decent terraces. Back from the beach, prices drop to around €1.500 per metre. While beach front properties might seem expensive, the location is amongst the best (and most in demand) in the whole of Spain. If you want to buy here, you need a good local estate agent who knows what is coming onto the market.
If you are interested in property in La Puntilla, you need to be ready to buy as property here tends to sell fast.
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Playa Grande: The Big Beach
As the name suggests, this is the longest stretch of Las Canteras beach and is the zone that always appears in the tourist brochures.
Laura Leyshon Property Expert
It’s also the area most popular with foreign buyers as it has the broad sweep of golden sand, the gorgeous beach views with palm trees and Teide volcano on the horizon.
C
How can I help you?
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While prices here are high, there is plenty of property in the area.
Y
The alternative to frontline property here is the area of El Puerto district just behind Playa Grande beach. Here you have lots of apartments and flats all within easy walking distance of the beach. CM
MY
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CMY
Playa Chica: The Little Beach
K
Playa Chica is right in the middle of Las Canteras beach and is basically a little beach in its own right. Playa Chica is sheltered and sunny, and property here looks right out over the beach and towards Tenerife.
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This is a high demand area as it is one of the most popular spots for Las Palmas’ winter visitors to gather. It has some of the beachfront’s best outdoor restaurants and is conveniently located for everything in the city and especially for Santa Catalina Square. The alternative is either the port district behind the beach, or the Santa Catalina area surrounding its famous square. C
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La Peña: The Rock
The beginning of the southern half of Las Canteras beach is in less demand than the northern half because people think it is windier.
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bedroom apartments with balconies and sea views, as well as some larger penthouse apartments.
A long stretch of Las Canteras beach front at its southern end and popular with surfers, La Cicer has its own atmosphere.
Las Canteras beach in Las Palmas city is consistently named as Europe’s best city beach and beachfront property is as popular as you’d expect.
Laura Leyshon
News, Views & Sunshine
Y
CM
MY
CY
However, the La Peña area is still sheltered by the reef and doesn’t get the waves that roll in further south; This is still the sunbathing section of the beach rather than the surfing zone. CMY
K
La Peña has a good mix of properties with lots of one- and two-
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Making it simple Contact me today to talk about what you’re looking for or to view our lastest listings. laspalmasproperty.com laura.leyshon@remax.es 608169845
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1 I speak English,
Spanish and French
So I can deal with the local authorities, cutting through the hard work so you can enjoy your property search
2 I understand your needs
As a foreign resident and local property expert, I can help you find what you’re looking for
3 Access to hundreds
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March
2016
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GETTING TO GRIPS WITH CANARIAN SPANISH El Agua de Firgas
By Diego Mesa (Puerto Rico Language Centre)
El Periódico Inglés de Gran Canaria
T he C anary N ews . com
Situated inland of the North Coast, just south of Arucas, Firgas is a name that may sound familiar to you because it has been famous for supplying the island with drinking water for a very long time.
The water which is still sold today is taken from a spring in the ‘Barranco de las Madres’ four kilometers away from the centre of the town. The indigenous population took advantage of the natural spring water resources through an irrigation ditch that existed in the prehispanic times. After conquering Gran Canaria, the Spaniards gave the land in Firgas to one Tomás Rodríguez de Palenzuela, who channelled the water from the spring in the Barranco de las Madres all the way first to Firgas
and then to Arucas. This was the first chapter of how ‘El agua de Firgas’ came into being and inseparable from the history of the island. These days Firgas is well recognised for its landscape filled with irrigation ditches, small aqueducts, springs, wells and spas. These together with the local agriculture, helped to build and develop Gran Canaria’s sugar industry, which was instrumental in the destruction of the surrounding forest known as ‘Selva de Doramas’, and was to have devastating effects on the other existing agricultural industries. To recover from ruin the villagers turned to irrigating the land to support the demand for fresh water from surrounding areas rather than exporting produce like the others who grew potato and corn. The village church, in honour of San Roque, was not built until 1845, ten years after the area became an independent municipality. The population did not accept an earlier chapel in honour of San Juan de Ortega, which was forced upon the inhabitants of the area by the land owning descendants of Tomás de Palenzuela, who originally had wanted the latter to be the patron of Firgas. In the twentieth century banana plantations were introduced in Firgas towards the north coast, giving it a more subtropical landscape. Everyone is encouraged to visit its 30-meter artificial cascade, which runs down through the centre of Firgas, their beautiful church and La Casa de La Cultura de Firgas, which contains a public library, exhibition rooms and the offices of the Department of Culture and Education for the local town hall. Here’s a couple of Canarian words for you to take a look at: CACHARRO A tin can Eg. El aceite de la sartén lo ponía en un cacharrito – He used to put the oil from the frying pan in a small tin can DATA Public documents through which the governor gives land or other assets to conquerors and neighbours, after conquering an island. Eg. Hay algunas datas escritas en Portugues – There are some documents written in Portuguese
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2016
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MODA CALIDA BRIDAL COLLECTION 2016
Moda Calida Bridal Collection arrived in Gran Canaria at the beginning of March.
Packed full of event trends, style and luxury, Moda Calida helps towards boosting the Gran Canaria wedding sector, offering residents a new way of browsing the latest bridal and events developments. Along with the catwalk Spring Fashion & Friends (Fashion and Friends), the Bridal Collection, hosted in the Nestor Museum in Las Palmas, is one of the three major events in Gran Canaria’s Moda Calida calendar. Set in an exclusive atmosphere with a unique edge, Gran Canaria’s finest bridal designers took the stage to present their 2016 designs.
Arcadia Dominguez & Elena Rubio kicked off the event with some exquisite designs, followed by Nieves Barroso, Bello Company, Ogadenia Diaz, Oswaldo Machín, Pedro Palmas, Aurelia Gil & Jose Garcias y Roes. The event also celebrated the latest communion dress designs of Oswaldo Machin, It Child, Mi Menina, Nanos, Elena Rubio and Neck & Neck.
visitors with a array of wedding and event possibilities. Moda Calida events are must visit occasion in the Gran Canaria calendar and not to be missed if you want to stay informed about the latest fashion trends, and this event did not disappoint, with the island becoming better and better known as a perfect weddings destination.
The exhibition area located in the adjoining Parque Doramas Rincon Oriental, gives future brides and grooms the opportunity to sample the fantastic products and services that the Gran Canaria bridal industry have to offer in a magical fairytale setting.
Find out all the latest updates of this fantastic event on my blog:
From the latest floral trends to the innovative culinary creations, Gran Canaria’s manufacturers and suppliers provide its
www.perfectweddingcompany.com
http://perfectweddingcompany.com/en/blog/
Bernadette Garside The Perfect Wedding Company Tel: 653 642 208
Just ten minutes inland from the Costa Mogán and Arguineguín, the popular fishing-cumtourist town on the coast between Puerto Rico and Maspalomas, sits an extraordinary Canarian palm grove known as El Pinillo. This little known campsite, and favourite stopping point for leisure cyclists, offers an authentic taste of the real Gran Canaria, just far enough of a leisurely drive away from the resorts for you to feel completely transported to another world, but close enough for you to drop in & enjoy a relaxed spot of lunch and then get back to the beaches for some afternoon sun. Of course for the smart money it is a good idea to do it the other way round, particularly if you are on a budget. If camping’s not your thing (at just 5€ a night) then they also have a selection of little cabins which can sleep up to four for just 25€ a night. There is a pool, secure children’s play area and walled gardens reminiscent of a Moroccan fortress. Whether its just for Sunday lunch, a special gathering, a cost-effective weekend getaway or a full-on holiday, El Pinillo is to be highly recommended for its tranquility, fantastic range of freshly cook dishes, great service and warm Canarian welcome; just a short drive through some quite outstanding mountain countryside.
Meat Lover? TRY Nino’s delicious Mixed Grill, Thursday - Sunday
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Staying Youthful 2016
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El Periódico Inglés de Gran Canaria
L i l l yR i k h t e r. c o m
Whenever I begin with a new student, I always ask them to look toward their future quality of life. The things that we do, how we feel and who will become are not only based on us as individuals but also on our environment. The difference between having to stand in line for medications at the age of 60, or not, often begins when we commit to conquering the summit, riding the waves and learning to surf. Indeed, in reality, most of us tend to focus on the past. We can get stuck, as though we are holding on to life’s failure, and confident that nothing can change. But this will not help us to feel well. To create change it is necessary to really look at your actual situation, assess what is happening here and now. Do you like your situation? Are you prepared to start making little changes yourself now rather than being a victim to
circumstances later? Are you ready to change your eating habits, perhaps even the environment in which you live? Your future health, your joints, your cardiovascular system, your mood - they all depend on the way you start to live your life now. Do you really want to be healthy? To feel healthy? Do you want to discover new opportunities? Do you want to be an example for the ones you love? You need to think about how you live, right now! Often people with a lot of health problems tell themselves: “I do not know how it happened to me how I became this other me ... I’ve always been healthy and in good shape, able to drop any extra pounds, but over the years it has become harder ... “ Of course, I say, over the years, my friends, and none of us are not getting any younger, as time goes on your metabolism slows down. And what have you been doing to prolong your life?
A free hour of fun and fitness every week with Lilly Rikhter Every Body welcome, every size, shape and ability. You’re beautiful and we know it. Now feel it! Every Sunday from midday, Parque Sur de Maspalomas No catch, no quibbles, just stretching and a little bit of sweat. Feel Fantastic ALL 2016!
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How we can qualitatively change the future: 1. Two elements that can drastically change your health Air and water. Daily walks in the fresh air, not only energise you but also teach your body and mind to to enjoy the sun, our great weather, and the natural beauty that surrounds us. Water is a source of life. Clean water is mythical in its health properties, it is magical, healing, sacred, and so rejuvenating. Our ancestors knew well that in it lies a power that today we seem to have so easily forgotten. Right now it seems the whole world is suffering from dehydration, some estimates say around 80% of the population do not drink sufficient amounts of water. But it is widely agreed that drinking between 2-3 litres of clean water a day (not fizzy but sin gas) can help postpone the need for retirement and many of the health problems associated with age. 2. We are what we eat Up to 70% of all expected results for losing weight depend on a properly constructed diet. I have never understood people who repeatedly “go on diets”. I am against dieting. Your “diet” must be an evolving constant in your life, you don’t want it to suddenly change. You must understand that every time you put on weight, because of indulging a large appetite or through eating the wrong kinds of products, or as a result of going on a sudden diet - you age a little more quickly. Any organism or animal that experiences sudden changes in calorie intake - reacts to the sudden change as stress, and so tries to protect itself. The natural reaction of your body, after any sudden decrease or restriction of food intake, is to try and accumulate an emergency safety buffer, whether through food or water. For instance, swelling of the face or legs can suggest that you do not drink enough water. And your body is trying to keep some in reserve, to protect you from further complications. So, following the rules of a balanced diet and maintaining standards of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, will not only help you stay more youthful, but will always help you to be in better shape. 3. The movement of life Every person must work a little to help their body carry its own weight correctly, taking into account your individual characteristics. I strongly advocate “Power” training using just your own body weight or with additional weights to build your core strength and of course “cardio” through which we are actively able to lose volumes, as well as developing heart strength, because it is also a muscle. And do not forget to exercise every morning! Even if it is just a little. Develop a habit, and you will not only improve the quality of your life for the future but you will also help protect yourself from injuries during the course of a normal day. After just a little while you will find that it invigorates and energises better than any cup of coffee leaving you feeling uplifted! So friends please start to care about your future right now! Exercise, eat right, drink water and enjoy your life! Though it may seem like a lot of effort at first, or even impossible, it really doesn’t take long to start to notice the improvements, once you commit to trying, constant maintenance in small amounts is always better than trying to drastically fix a bigger problem later.
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r e t h k i Lilly R
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2016
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A DEATH ABROAD
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2016
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For many foreign visitors and residents on Gran Canaria death and bereavement are the very last things they think about having to deal with. But of course we will all die one day and it is inevitable that some will die while away from their country of origin. In fact more than 6000 Brits die abroad every year. One of the most important things to be dealt with is whether your deceased loved one will be buried, cremated or their body repatriated to their country of birth. Language barriers, cultural differences and funeral/repatriation procedures can complicate an already difficult situation. If you live in The Canary Islands, elsewhere in Spain, or indeed anywhere abroad, it makes good sense to get your head around some of the procedures involved. If you want to avoid large unnecessary costs, not to mention stress, it is most important that you have an idea where to turn, what to do and who to talk to. Talking about death can be difficult, but nowhere near as difficult as being in an unexpected situation with a dead relative, friend or acquaintance and having no idea what to do next. The British Consulate is pretty awesome in situations like this and is always on hand to assist, when possible they can often liaise on your behalf with the locals where necessary, and can always supply a list of local funeral directors, translators and other authorities with which you may need to deal. If you are on holiday, get in touch with your local holiday rep too, they will have a procedure in place to help you deal with all the formalities.
Procedures
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pen next, whether the deceased will be buried locally, cremated or their body repatriated. In Spain it is law that all bodies must be embalmed within 48 hours of death, and the same goes for any deceased being sent out of Spain, so it is worth keeping in mind that nobody gets a choice in that Next of kin also need to talk to any insurers as soon as possible to ensure that all the costs involved will be met. If the deceased has no insurance, then the family will have to cover all the costs directly. Unfortunately this is not something that the Foreign Office, Embassy or Consulate can help with. It is everyone’s own responsibility to either have appropriate insurance or else raise sufficient funds to deal with the costs, which are commonly more than €5,000 and can go much, much higher. It is also worth remembering that a lot of small print on insurance contracts can leave you excluded from repatriation in many types of circumstance. When buying insurance, always read and understand exactly what they will cover, and what they will not. As soon as you have spoken to the insurance company, to clarify what they will or won’t do for you, then you can appoint a funeral director, to look after the deceased and decide how it is you want to proceed.
Repatriation To The UK
When you are properly covered by an insurance company they will often already have an existing relationship with an international funeral service, to aid with repatriation etc. you will need someone local as well, but again they may be able to deal with that for you. If not covered by insurance, then it is down to the family to appoint an international funeral director from the UK or a local one who can provide repatriation to the UK. The Spanish undertaker will provide all the necessary documentation like death certificate, certificate of embalming and permission to transfer the remains to the UK. In most cases, repatriation from Spain to the UK takes between 8 and 10 days to complete.
The British Consulate should be able to help you find an undertaker if required. It is definitely worth remembering that undertakers in Spain are well equipped and well trained modern professionals, many can provide you their service in English or with the help of a translator. In Spain a deceased person can be formally identified from the documentation they carry, so there will usually be no need for a relative to personally identify them. Drivers licenses, passports, bank cards and other identifying factors are easy enough to verify and if there is any real doubt then a DNA sample will be taken for Local Burial In Spain the record. If the deceased has been living in Spain for a while, or indeed It will have to be next of kin however who decide what is to hapthere are financial issues, then a local burial here in Spain is also
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an option, the local funeral director should be able to take care of all the formalities and many can speak English, but if not the British Consulate will often be willing to speak with them on your behalf. It is worth remembering that there can often be added extras for things like pall bearers which may not be included in the price given, so it is important to understand what is included before signing a contract with a funeral director.
Local Cremation In Spain
Cremation is most common in Spain. Spanish crematoriums are well run, properly equipped and modern much like those in the UK. Should you wish to return the ashes home, again the local funeral directors should be able to provide all the necessary documentation and any special transportation that may be necessary. It is certainly also worth checking with the airline to find out if they have restrictions or any necessary procedures to follow allowing you to fly with the remains.
Inquests
In cases of unexpected, unusual or sudden death an investigation may be required, or at the very least a preliminary examination by an examining magistrate, interviews may also need to be conducted for an investigation which can ultimately delay the whole process of the release of the remains, registration of the death and subsequent repatriation. If the person died alone, a summary report will be prepared by an examining magistrate before a decision can be made on release for cremation, burial or repatriation. Filed by the Court these reports can only be released to a legal representative from the relatives of the deceased. Obviously if the death was connected to any sort of crime then the police will need to investigate fully. A decision will then need to be made as to how to proceed and if a prosecution will be pursued, all of which can delay the burial, cremation or repatriation.
Post-Mortems and Removal of Organs
If a court appointed forensic doctor requests a post-mortem for any reason, organ and tissue samples may be needed and even whole organs could be removed for testing. Such an order requires no permissions from next of kin in Spain, and if it is necessary you
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may not even be told at all. Once completed and the body released by the coroner you will often be able bury, cremate or repatriate even before the testing of any organs has been completed. British_Consulate_Las_Palmas_2_0The British Consulate is there to help all British nationals, particularly in a serious emergency and are only a phone call away. They excel at providing the right information and will do their best to advise you well. They are not able to help financially, but they can support you when needed through providing local contacts and sometimes liaising on your behalf. For more information about bereavement in Spain then check out the British Government’s webpage and guidance at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bereavement-informationfor-spain British Consulate Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Calle Luis Morote 6-3º 35007 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Spain Email: spain.consulate@fco.gov.uk Fax+34 928 267 774 Telephone enquiries: +34 928 26 25 08 The British Consulate in Las Palmas represents the UK government on the islands of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura and provides services to British nationals living in and visiting the region. Services are also provide at the British Embassy Madrid and consulates in Alicante, Barcelona, Ibiza, Målaga, Palma de Mallorca and Tenerife.
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Quinny’s Say: BEWARE THE COLD CALL SCAMMERS
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Did you know that there are scammers who use cold calling to try get control of your PC, laptop or device? Throughout the month of February I was subjected to a daily call from someone claiming to be from a well known company. Little did they know who they were dealing with.
been around a few years and there are at least two different ways it works. Method 1 is they offer to email you a program to reboot your pc, which could cost around 200€ or method 2 they try to ask you to let them have remote access to your device so they can ‘fix’ the problems, then they steal your personal details including bank details so beware. Once their The caller, a foreign national, announced he was ringing from in your machine they can even continue to monitor you or Microsoft’s London office, and he already had my first and hold all your data to ransom, only releasing it on the transfer second names so using this to try and gain my confidence, of a large sum of money. he informed me I would need to open program files that he would send to my computer, alarm bells started ringing On checking the internet I discovered that Microsoft scams straight away so I politely told him I had no intention of folare quite common and I was urged to report it direct to the lowing his request and that my laptop was working fine and company, they e mailed me back to confirm that they would hung up. NEVER cold call, e-mail or write to a customer unsolicited, use this as a rule of thumb for all large organisations. This guy’s appetite for being insulted and hung up on a daily basis was huge, after the first week of this I decided to do So please be aware of this and many other scams if it is too some research and found out that this Microsoft scam has good to be true it normally is.
Send your answers by email to: Quinny@TheCanaryNews.com, text them to 626 641 537 or call 928 987 952 for your chance to win dinner for two (2 starters & 2 mains & dessert), from Taste of India, the very finest authentic New Delhi kitchen on Gran Canaria. All correct answers will be collected together, independently drawn and announced in the next edition Last edition’s winner is Darren Lean, who has won dinner for two at A Taste of India, Phase 2 CC Puerto Rico!(subject to availability - CALL 928 153 620) 1. What reptile has salt and freshwater species?
6. What word can go before dog, meat, roll?
2. How many points is the outer bull ring worth in darts?
7. The Dell was the original ground for which premier league team?
3. What is the Spanish word for cold?
8. A3, A4, A5, are sizes of what everyday item?
4. Which country produces feta cheese?
9. What is the worlds most sold toy?
5. What’s new pussycat was a hit for which singer?
10. Pyrophobia is the fear of what?
Ans Leicester City
Ans Dad’s Army
Ans David Bowie
Ans Birds
3. Which wartime sit com has just been released as a movie? 2. What does a ornithologist study?
1. Minky, Sperm, Killer are types of which sea creature? Ans Whales
5. Which premier league team used to play at Filbert Street? 4. Which poster sang in character as Ziggy Stardust?
Ans Germany
7. The Bundesleaga is which country’s football league?
Ans Google
6. Which internet giant has been accused of UK tax evasion?
Answers from last edition Ans Tarde
10. What is the Spanish word for afternoon (1pm-7pm approx.)?
9. Mary Shelley wrote the books about which monster? Ans Frankenstein Millie
8. Which singer had a hit with my boy lollipop?