Mallorca Olive Press - Issue 47

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Pressure mounts INVESTIGATIONS into a Palma forestry investment firm is heating up after the Olive Press revealed British expat investors may have lost MILLIONS due to mishandling of funds.

Complaints against GWD Forestry have since been filed with police in Spain and the Netherlands while authorities in Canada are believed to have also launched an investigation into the Mallorca firm’s crops there.

British legal firm Carlton Huxley, which has been investigating the company’s Brazil operation, is expecting to release a full interim report in the next two weeks.

“We can confirm that we are probing their projects in Brazil,” spokesman Bill Ferguson told the Olive Press, “We are analysing their value and their accounts to see if there are discrepancies.

“It’s a difficult process but we will have answers and a full report in February.”

The Olive Press revealed in December how GWD Forestry, based in Palma, was accused of the mismanagement of investors’ cash - with most claiming they have never seen a return.

The company, which invests in agro-plantations, told the Olive Press it was working to ‘pay back’ its clients.

One Irish investor, based in Malaga, told the Olive Press he fears he has lost €8,000 invested in eucalyptus trees in Brazil in 2011, before reinvesting another €10,000 in 2013.

“I have received one report in all these years, despite reContinues on page 5

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Vol. 2 Issue 47 www.theolivepress.es January 31st - February 13th 2019

Spanish hunting dogs killed my beloved rescue pup Tommy See page 5

Pedro, Let it go!

Spain PM to bid for Gibraltar’s sovereignty again as Theresa May returns to Brussels

THE epic battle over Gibraltar’s sovereignty has reared its head yet again as MPs

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voted in Parliament last night on a series of amendments which could change the course of Brexit.

Politicians passed a breakthrough, although nonbinding, amendment that rules out the option of the UK leaving the EU without a deal. Lawmakers also voted to reopen negotiations with the EU over the Northern Ireland backstop, which would act as an insurance policy to avoid a hard border IN

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Brussels, now armed with a mandate to renegotiate a deal MPs will back. with Ireland after Brexit.

The EU, however, has fierceMeanwhile, after weeks of ly reiterated that the UK’s refusing to hold talks with Withdrawal Agreement is Prime Minister Theresa May, ‘not open for renegotiation’.

Labour leader Jeremy Cor- It came as Spain, once byn said he is finally ready to again, insisted yesterday on meet and outline the agree- excluding Gibraltar from ment his party wants with all of its post-Brexit agreethe EU. ments with the UK and the Following the monumental EU. Untitled-1.pdf 1 16/06/2017 15:36sources revealed night in the House of ComDiplomatic mons, May will return to how Prime Minister Pedro

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Sanchez looks set to revive Spain’s bid for shared sovereignty over the Rock after the UK leaves the EU. “In every agreement reached with Great Britain there will be an asterisk which explains that the deal will not affect Gibraltar,” the source told Reuters.

Gibraltar, which has been a British territory since 1713, is set to leave the EU alongContinues on page 4

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CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF Plastic free MANACOR has begun to hand out free reusable cloth shopping bags in an effort to reduce the use of plastic bags.

The campaign has begun at weekly markets around the area including Porto Cristo and will spread to shops and supermarkets.

Green island A NEW green law has been passed to limit vehicles on the island of Formentera.

The Balearic government has agreed to invest in better public transportation on the small island and limit cars and traffic.

Big numbers NEARLY 42 million passengers travelled on Palma’s EMT bus services in 2018.

More than 73 percent of users are locals with a bus card.

Spendy street CALLE Francesc Martí I Mora is the street in Palma where housing prices increased the most last year.

The street’s housing increased an average of 17.5% in 2018, where many new homes were built.

January 31st - February 13th 2019

‘Bin man’ caged Serial arsonist arrested following year-long probe by 100 police officers A SERIAL arsonist believed to be behind a year-long campaign of bin fires has been snared.

The 39-year-old man was picked up in Playa de Palma linked to the torching of at least four bins, but probably many more.

It comes after more than 330 council bins - each costing €700 - were set alight in the

By Charlie Smith & Gillian Keller 2

capital over the past 13 months.

It led to a huge police probe, involving over 100 police officers, all working to bring the unidentified man in.

However police now believe the suspect could be one of several different arsonists plagu-

Teen murders older boyfriend A TEENAGER has been arrested after allegedly stabbing her much older boyfriend to death.

The murder of the 31-year-old in Ibiza happened after the 18-year-old began slashing the man’s car tyres as he tried to flee from a violent argument.

When he got out to stop her she stabbed him in the heart.

His dead body was discovered by his flatmate while the girl was later found hiding nearby by police.

The couple had only been together for a few weeks.

The girl has been arrested for homicide.

A BRITISH tourist, aged 69, has died on the strip in Magaluf over the weekend.

The man was out drinking with three friends when a suspected heartattack took the man’s life while at a local bar at around 1am.

ABLAZE: Bins in Palma ing the island.

Investigators are working with the theory that the detainee is a copycat attacker and that other2 firestarters may still be at large.

The man, who has an existing A MOUNTAIN of seized ilpolice record for legal drugs has been finally arson, is being destroyed. held without bail.

Over three years of narcotics His long reign were destroyed in the massive of destruction fire, set at the Tirme plant in came to an end Son Reus. after he was Over 821 kilos of illegal drugs caught after setwere incinerated at the masting fire to bins sive plant. on Dofi Street, in The drugs came from over Playa de Palma 1,950 seizures across the at 3:00am on Balearics.

January 20.

They included some 300 kiGuardia Civil oflogram of cocaine recently ficers arrested found off Ibiza. another four Bales of marijuana, hashish people on arson and heroin were also burned. charges back in August in the

Blazed

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Heart-attack

Triple trousers A BODY has been found in the bay Puerto Pollensa by of local surfers, believed to be an immigrant

who died months ago.

Although the man was in a deep state on decomposition, the multiple layers of trousers lead investigators to suspect he was a fleeing immigrant.

Arms auction THE Guardia Civil has organised an arms auction, taking silent bids for the nearly 2,000 guns on offer.

The lot consists of shotguns, handguns, rifles, revolvers and pistols among other and available for licensed users.

A DOPEY tourist and a drink driver caused two separate traffic accidents in the same blackspot in the space of an hour.

The first happened when an Australian tourist

had a head-on collision

CRIME Very black spot

with a taxi in Palma going the wrong way after the Via Cintura at 6am,down near the Genoa tunnel.

All seven passengers of both cars had to be rushed to

Palma burns

NOT CUBA LIBRE

VICTIM: Robert Watson

FOUR British men have been arrested for stabbing a Scotsman, 31, at a hotel in Magaluf.

A fight between seven British tourists, from Gloucester, and two Scottish brothers left Robert Watson needing gency surgery at Son emerEspases hospital.

His brother also needed treatment to six deep urgent cuts in his chest and back.

The brothers were with the British lads fighting at the Eden Roc Hotel until they were able to barricade themselves in their room to escape onslaught. Andrew Fríes, the 29, who is accused of attempted murder had been celebrating his birthday on the island.

Three of his friends, Anthony Muggleton, Robert Stanford and Kieran Boughton, all 26, are accused of assault. age

The stench of crime

NEWS

Robbers face century COVERAGE: in jail Of bin burners

Wire fraud

October 25th - Novembe r 7th 2018

Have-a-go heroes

AN Indian shopkeeper and his wife have been arrested for sending stolen money BIN BUGS BURN back home using false docuSex bus t ments.

OFFICER The devious pair stole passports and other ID from customers of their ‘locutorio’ inAxe arrest ternet cafe in Palma.

The pair managed to copy the documents and then entown of Inca, as the number of ter bank accounts in order to steal their money. bin burnings shot up in July.

However, the Olive Press re- One victim, also Indian, ported in November that over called in police after he dis20 police vehicles were inten- covered that the pair had falsified his ID to send over tionally set atlight in Palma.

This attack resulted in €1,500 back home. €400,000 of damage as police The pair have now been accars and motorbikes at the Ll- cused of fraud and money evant Policia local station were laundering, while the investi902 123 282 gation continues. torched.

HUNDREDS of motorcyclists donned pink vests paraded on their bikesand support of the Spanish in sociation Against Cancer.AsThe troupe drove from Casa Blanca, through Sa Oms to Can Picafort to Son awareness and fundsraise for cancer research.

THIS winter the Palma airport will have million more seats, 1.5 or 25% more flights than last winter.

From November through next March there will 7.7 million seats, mostly with Tui airlines, Jet2, easyJet and Ryanair.

No doc

26th 2018

Meanwhile in the Spring, 100 from Bonanova people had to be evacuated to Arenal.

The only neighbourhoo from apartment blocks d so from far untouched one such fire. is the historic city centre, where there Four people were taken are to no bins to burn. hospital during the incident, All but one of the fires which could have led have to at- burned so hot tempted murder. they destroyed any evidence or clue National Police have to how launched a fresh inquiry now the fire was started. set up a specialist unit and The one fire that was caught attempt to track downin an in time showed the fire was the started with BBQ firebugs. coals, leaving the arsonist The difficulty comes from the the scene beforetime to leave vast area the arsonists the flames cover, took hold.

Police have asked for from residents to be help aware and take note of suspicious A CUBAN has been extradited back to Spain but activity around bins. to face trial over the death of a Guardia Civil An he fled to Miami soon after the accident. officer in a car crash in international search The 50-year-old man, 2009. led Interpol agents to warrant eventually his address in Miami, in Florida, is to face who had been living where he spent seven trial in Mallorca next months in jail before month. being transferred to Madrid He is accused of manslaughter The prosecution is asking this month.

THREE men have been for two and a half after kill- years ing the police officer while arrested after neighbours ma tipped off police about driving over the years in jail and a driving ban of under four speed limit in Sa Pobla. a massive consignment in Palfor his part in the officers gent marijuana in their of pundeath.

At the time he had been The When police arrived thevan. living in Alcudia, ban family of the victim wish to see the Cuman in prison for 20 years. belonged to them, but three men initially denied the van after a quick search police keys on them. found the

POLICE are urgently arsonists, who have seeking

By Gillian Keller over €200,000 worth caused age from bin fires inof damPalma have been this year. destroyed, each costing around €700.

The firebugs have lit a ing 75 fires, more than shock- An additional €60,000 of double damage was last year’s amount. caused to parked cars that were burnt from A total of 200 rubbish the bins spreading flames.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Flying more

THE parents of a nineyear-old boy have filed an official complaint after their boy was tied to a chair during lunch time.

Police are now investigating the potential abuse case, after an employee of the school in Palma allegedly tied the boy's legs to a chair while he was eating.

It is not known which school or the exact circumstances of the inBrit brawl cident at this stage, although he did not apparently suffer any injuries.

September 13th - September - a drunk driver hit other car, causing a anseven-car collision.

Eight more people were injured causing a large traffic jam as both scenes were cleared and the injured were taken to hospital.

Operation launched down arsonists who to track 75 bin fires this year have lit over

www.theolivepress.es

Riding for cancer

hospital, while the lian driver remains Austrain serious condition.

The second took place 30 minutes later when just - as the road was being cleared

Tough lessons

CALA d'Or has been without an emergency left doctor in the afternoons shortly after the village fought for 24-hour health care.

In March they were promised a 24-hour centre, but far Cala d'Or's health so services close at 8pm on weekdays, and now is shut every afternoon until November – causing frustration with locals and officials.

A TRIO of robbers are facing and taking 120 years in prison around €12m in tivity for rob- items, mostly bery and attempted murder. cash and jew- other before they robbed anhouse in Petra. elry.

The men from the Los gang are on trial for Lobato The gang’s leader, 58, is be- The driver was caught off 21 houses in Mallorca,robbing lieved to have been behind a guard and drove over the offias well shocking 400 cer, as the attempted murder robberies over tres dragging him several meof a the last three decades, down the road.

Guardia Civil officer. but poThe gang - which comprised lice did not have enough evi- Another alleged thief tackled two officers as he tried 12 men over three generations dence to prosecute. to flee the scene.

They were finally caught of the same family by cused of breaking into are ac- Guardia Civil officers last year, The other nine member have also been arrested and homes who noticed the suspicious ac- separate face charges.

A PALMA police officer has suffered first degree

By Gillian Keller burns while extinguishing & Charlie Smith another burning bin fire in Mallorca’s latest arson attack.

Multiple bins were deliber- flames, early yesterday mornately set alight in the ing around 2:30 am. fire crime, while half latest Shocking images cars were also torcheda dozen ma’s local police from Palby the show an inferno of melted, burning

A BRITISH man has been ing maniac attacked him hospitalized after an axe-wieldA bearded Spanish man,before running away.

36, slashed the Brit, 25, head with a small axe before on the fleeing.

Police arrested the man again, got into another six hours later when the two, once skirmish in nearby Plaza An officer fired two warning Gomila. shots in the air to stop tack before arresting the the atman.

A GROUP of four have-a-go heroes jumped in to stop beating his wife. a man The passers-by stepped in as the Calvia man attacked in front of their two-year-old his wife son.

One man was quickly supported by another off-duty police ficer when he spotted the ofTwo motorcyclists also man holding his partner by the neck. pulled over to get the aggressor woman. off the The man was arrested for tody while his wife and gender violence and taken into cusson were taken to a medical centre for treatment.

Police badly burned in new arson attack

garbage, as onlookers and stare at the fires stop which left at least one person injured.

Cars and mopeds can be seen to be damaged also beyond repair, as the vehicles’ bodies are severely melted.

Police and fire crews immediately on the were of the latest spate of scene which affected seven arson, vehicles in total.

The bustling streets of rer de Pere Ripoll i CarPalou

OVER a dozen men arrested for running have been a sex slavery operation that spanned lorca, the Canaries and Malmainland Spain.

In total, police picked up eight men in Palma, with cante and two in the five in AliCanary Islands.

The arrests include various Nigerians and Colombians five women have been , while freed.

A trio of the women leased in Palma, one were reof whom and Joan Estelrich Artigues, had a baby born after being both popular with expats, raped. were targeted in this The women were first most recent vile attack. up as teenage girls back picked Hundreds of bins have in Nigeria and promised home been a betburned in less than a year ter life in Europe.But police continue to hunt as arrived in Spain they once they island’s serial arsonists. the they had to work to were told Last month the Olive debt of €35,000 each,pay off a or their reported that policePress families back home would in sufPalma were hunting fer. down Mallorca’s petty arsonists, Each spent five months walking who already had inflicted through the Sahara desert, via €200,000 in damage Niger and Libya, before taking a year through their antics.this ‘patera’ boat to Italy and finally arriving in Spain.

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www.theolivepress.es A BRITISH aristocrat has been forced to return a series of priceless 7th century Spanish treasures he was using as garden ornaments.

It comes after an art detective discovered the Visigoth sculptures covered in mould and leaves at the back of the British lord’s estate. Dutch historian Arthur Brand found them at the unnamed aristocrat’s land, having spent eight years tracing them around Europe.

The limestone sculptures, en-

STONES: Found

Singing for sanity A DISABLED Mallorcan teenager has made it through the first stage of Spain's The Voice.

Auba Estela Murillo, who has Multiple Sclerosis (MS), has joined Malaga singer Pablo López's team on the hit show La Voz at just 18-years-old.

Murillo, from Sant Jordi, stole the hearts of viewers around the country with her audition.

The teenager was diagnosed with MS last year, and found singing has helped her through a terrible year.

Waltzing on in HOLLYWOOD’S top villain has swooped in and made a guest appearance in the Spanish capital.

Inglorious Bastards star Christoph Waltz, was in Madrid on Friday to attend a photocall for his new film Alita: Battle Angel.

The two-time Oscar-winning actor looked sharp in a light blue open-buttoned shirt, teamed with a navy tweed blazer and matching dark blue chinos.

Directed by Avatar’s James Cameron and Sin City’s Robert Rodriguez, the new flick is a big-budget fantasy adventure based on Japanese Manga comics.

Stone returned

graved with Catholic saints, were stolen from a medieval church in Burgos in 2004.

"The thieves wanted to sell them and make a lot of money, but soon found such heritage was extremely difficult to sell," Brand said. "So, they decided to sell them as garden ornaments." According to police, the

50kg pieces were bought a few years ago by the aristocrat, who was ‘entirely unaware’ of their background.

It is believed the aristocrat spent just €58,000 apiece for the ‘priceless’ works, which are worth millions.

"It is incredible that these priceless 1,300-year-old artifacts were in their garden, exposed to the English rain," said Brand. The artifacts were returned to the Spanish embassy in London.

Wedding balls

The long-time back room supporter of Rafa Nadal is finally to become his bride SHE has only been cheering him on from the sidelines for 14 years.

Now, finally, Rafa Nadal is to take long time girlfriend down the tramline, er, aisle!

The tennis ace has finally proposed to Maria Francisca ‘Xisca’ Perello on a romantic trip to Rome last May but chose to keep the news private until now.

He announced the happy event - expected to take place in Mallorca this Autumn - in an interview with Spain’s famous Hola magazine this week.

The pair, both from Manacor, lead independent lives, with Xisca working in insurance,

having graduated from Mallorca university with a business degree.

While she is usually only seen at the final stages of most tournaments, she is behind many of the projects of the Rafa Nadal foundation where she works.

But she isn’t always there.

“He needs space when he is competing and just the idea of me hanging around and

DOLPH Lundgren has been back on the Costa del Sol. The legendary Rocky actor has been staying at exclusive Nobu Hotel Marbella and posed for pics in a purple jumper matched with brown shades and a blue strap watch.

The blonde Swede, 61, was in town for the premiere of his new action film Creed II. “Such an honour to have you here,” Nobu Hotel said: “Still hot!”

waiting on his needs all day tires me out,” she told the Telegraph.

"It would asphyxiate me. And then he would have to be worrying about me... No. If I followed him everywhere, I think there's a risk we might stop getting along."

The 17-times Grand Slam winner, announced the news after his loss at the Australian open to Novak Djokovic this weekend.

In an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca last year, the Manacor player hinted that he wouldn't be ready to start a family until he had retired from tennis.

'I keep my commitment with tennis and my happiness', Nadal said. 'I enjoy both in tennis and outside it. I have a girlfriend too and I am not alone to take decisions.

"Having family? I don't know, things are not easy to be predict. At this age, I thought that I would have already been a former player and that I would have started a family."

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BEYONCE has donned a Spanish designer in her latest viral Instagram post.

The US superstar rocked red jewelled thigh-high boots and matching red blazer paired with an encrusted chanel purse.

The powerful ensemble is the work of Catalan designer Maria Escote, who shared an image of the look, captioning it ‘The Queen in Red’.

The photo has been liked more than three million times.

Escote, from Barcelona, is seen a rising star in the fashion world and has dressed other big names, including Miley Cyrus.

Kings on the road AMERICAN rock gods Kings its 25th anniversary, the fesof Leon have been confirmed tival has pulled out the stops as the first major headline act signing British pop favourites at Spain’s most famous music George Ezra and Jess Glynn festival. for the four-day festival.

The Nashville brothers head The artists will join the likes the bill at Benicassim in July of previously announced on their first trip to Spain in headliners, such as Lana del three years.

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Gib fightback

Special Branch

From front

side the UK. But Spain is not giving up without a fight - one that Sanchez backs up with the fact that 97% of Gibraltarians voted to remain in the EU during the 2016 referendum.

“After Brexit, Spain wants to include in writing in every document signed with the EU, that it has nothing to do with Gibraltar, which should be based on a different relationship,” said the source. “This strategy will be followed in all agreements that will be signed.”

It comes after a fiery dispute between Sanchez and May over the Rock threatened to delay Brexit negotiations in November, but an 11th hour deal made sure the 27 EU states agreed on the Withdrawal Bill.

But the issue of Gibraltar’s sovereignty will not be the only spanner in the Brexit works.

A spokesperson for President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said that although the EU ‘welcomes’ and ‘shares’ the UK’s ambition to avoid a no-deal scenario, the Withdrawal Agreement is not open for renegotiation.

However there were unconfirmed reports as we went to print that the EU ‘would consider’ an Article 50 extension.

January 31st - February 13th 2019

COMING SOON: (Above) Ash and (below) Magnolia

A SQUAD of tree specialists have been brought in to undertake a mass makeover of Palma’s trees.

The council’s special branch have come up with a new tree management plan which will see a change of the mix of trees around the city.

Palma’s current abundance of elm, pine and ficus trees is set to be replaced with other types of trees when they die, or need felling.

Almond, ash, magnolia and hawthorn trees have been announced as the new popular choices to plant around the city.

A risk assessment project is set to analyse each individual tree to see which need replacing.

The new species of trees are believed to be more suitable because they are able to adapt to a change in climate better and are resistant to many pests and diseases.

They will also produce less pollen, creating cleaner air – better for those with allergies.

Help Irene walk Expat parents appeal to community to raise funds for daughter with cerebral palsy A DESPERATE expat couple have launched a campaign to raise funds to help their fiveyear-old daughter walk.

Dad Vlatko Pesaro and mum Vera, are appealing to the public to fund their only hope of treating little Irene, who has cerebral palsy - a neurological disorder that affects movement, motor skills, and muscles.

The La Linea-based parents have set up a GoFundMe page to raise the €52,500 needed for the procedure, called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) which destroys problematic nerve UK pensioners, students and tourists in Spain will lose free healthcare under a no-deal Brexit, the Government has announced.

Expat retirees living in the EU using an S1 certificate, may no longer have their healthcare funded by the NHS after March 29.

It comes as the UK government yesterday published new guidelines for expats and tourists in case we crash out of the EU without a deal.

By Elisa Menendez

roots in the spinal cord.

The family hope to have it carried out at the St Louis Speciality Children’s Hospital in the US, where ‘one of the top 10 neurosurgeons in the world’ works.

“This sum is unattainable for our family,” Vlatko, who works in Gibraltar as an electrician, told the Olive Press.

“Irene can’t play with other kids or go to the toilet. She has a helper with her constantly at school and she feels rejected by

Health scare The updated advice adds that the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) may not be valid for tourists and students. It will be a huge blow to 250,000 expat pensioners living in the other 27 EU member states. Expats should register for access to healthcare in Spain, while tourists should make sure they have health insurance.

other kids.”

The dad-of-one from Switzerland said the procedure is fairly new and highly risky but the Missouri centre has a high SDR success rate.

His daughter would be able to walk unassisted one week after.

Meanwhile, Spanish doctors have warned it will take years before she can receive treatment in Spain, in which time Irene’s condition would get severely worse.

The tot was diagnosed with CPD - spastic diplegia cerebral palsy - at 15 months old.

Since that day Vlatko and wife Vera - from Bulgaria - have tried everything from rehabilitation, to orthopedic casts, to botox, to wearing splints. But Irene still cannot walk alone.

Despite this, her parents describe her as ‘extremely positive’ and ‘clever’.

Vlatko added: “Our only wish is that we want Irene to be able to walk to school independently on her first day, like any other child.”

To donate visit: www. gofundme.com/pwujy-selective-dorsal-rhizotomysurgery

It’s war on plastic!

BUSINESSES caught selling non-recyclable single use plastics will be fined up to a whopping €1 million.

It comes after the Balearics approved a ban on all single use plastic products, which will come into effect in 2021.

The region’s most progressive waste-

related law will see plastic coffee capsules, straws, lighters, cotton buds, plates, cups and bags made illegal overnight.

The goal is to reduce waste by 20% over the next decade and fines will range from €300 to a staggering €1 million.

FRESH: Almond and (below) Hawthorn

Red flag SOME of the fire stations in Palma are so understaffed they have been forced to remain closed.

Figures reveal the capital is 73 firefighters short with only 190 of the 263 jobs filled.

“Entire stations have to stay closed for days, and many firefighters are overworked,” said Sergi Morcillo, spokesman for the firefighters union.

Response times to many recent fires have doubled while the average firefighter is now working nearly 200 hours of overtime each year.

Another problem in the Palma network is the ageing workforce, with 30% of the workers set to retire within the next five years. The average age of a Palma firefighter is 49.

Palma is also using an outdated fleet of vehicles, with some of the trucks a worrying 35-years-old.

Uber coming soon UBER and Cabify may finally be coming to Mallorca.

The state government is in negotiations with taxi drivers to find a compromise that allows more competition through the two popular ride-sharing apps.

Negotiations are needed, according to the government, to avoid strikes and strenuous situations with taxi drivers like those going on in Madrid and Barcelona.

A new law is expected to pass before the end of the legislature this May.

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Fierce competition THE Balearics have ranked eighth out of nearly 300 destinations for ‘competitiveness in the tourism sector’.

The islands were ranked against 279 holiday destinations in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East in a study

by Impulsa – a local business networking platform.

The elaborate study evaluated 89 indicators in a dozen categories, including safety and hygiene, culture, and tourism labour market, along with the quality and quantity of hotels and car rentals.

The Balearics worst markings were found in the training of employees in the tourism sector, followed by ‘dealing with foreign investments’.

The islands ranked second in quantity and quality of tourist facilities, including hotels and car hire companies, only behind the Algarve, Portugal.

NEWS

Justice for Tommy British activist taking on hunters whose pack mauled her ‘beautiful’ rescue dog to death

A BRITISH expat has called in police after hunters ‘murdered’ her beloved rescue dog Tommy.

Sarah Hermitage, 65, is furious that her Daschund mix was ‘torn to shreds’ by an out-of-control pack of hunting dogs.

The lawyer is also suing her local hunt, which is specifically banned from entering her land.

The Granada-based expat, who is celebrated for fighting cor-

EXCLUSIVE

By Laurence Dollimore

ruption in Africa, told the Olive Press: “I won’t let them get away with it.

“At least 12 hunting dogs came right onto our veranda and attacked poor Tommy. They ripped him apart. Tore him to shreds.

“It is so unfair as he had such a

Crash landing A PLANE was blown off Palma’s runway as it landed in 100 km/h winds.

The Air Europa flight from Valencia to Palma was damaged as it was pushed to the edge of the runway, eventually hitting a lamppost before coming to an emergency stop.

The impact was so great that the lamppost busted a large hole in the body of the plane.

Passengers screamed as the gust of wind struck, causing even more panic on the plane.

“The worst part was that the pilot did not say anything,” said one passenger.

“He did not even welcome us to Palma as we sat there waiting for an explanation.”

Firefighters quickly surrounded the damaged plane, keeping passengers on board while the damage was assessed.

DEVASTATED: Sarah holding Tommy difficult start to life being abused as a puppy,” added Hermitage, “He was a beautiful little soul and didn’t deserve it.

“What would have happened had there been a child standing there?”

The incident happened at the weekend after the hunt charged across her land in leafy Los Guajares, near the Lecrin Valley.

“I came home to find my husband as white as a sheet,” continued Hermitage, who has owned the property for 10 years, having previously lived in Tanzania.

The land around their home has been declared a no hunting zone but that has not stopped local hunters from ‘terrorising’ the residents that live there.

“They are shooting guns at night and are baiting around here, all of which is illegal,” added Hermitage, who blasted the local authorities for letting the hunters get ‘out of control’.

January 31st - February 13th 2019

5

Clues unearthed From front

peatedly asking how my stock was doing,” the investor, who asked to remain anonymous, claimed.

“I have received nothing back and have had no response from the company in months, I fear I have lost €18,000.”

He is just one of dozens from around the world who have yet to see returns on their investments.

Meanwhile, two former employees told this paper the Mallorca office was run like a boiler room, with salespeople selling stock to investors which simply did not exist.

But GWD director Martin Roche told the Olive Press that such claims were ‘completely untrue’.

“It was never run like that. The main reason behind the failures of GWD were due to the Brazilian economy and the devaluation of the Real.

“We are working around the clock to have a package in place and we plan to pay back every single investor.”

A full report on the projects in Brazil and whether or not stock figures were inflated will be released by February 15.

Hermitage famously won a libel suit brought against her by Tanzania businessman Reginald Mengi in 2012, after she revealed how he undertook a campaign of harassment that caused her and her husband Stewart Middleton to abandon their farm.

Hermitage has now sought additional legal advice to take on the hunters and police have been informed.

It comes two years after the Olive Press exclusively revealed how Spanish hunters massacred British expat Illona Mitchell’s pack of dogs after she banned hunting on her land.

The shocking assault, also happened in Granada and also saw Mitchell’s horses attacked.

That investigation is still underway with no one having been charged.

Scooter frenzy NEARLY a dozen companies have applied for electric scooter permits in Palma.

Currently two companies, Wind and Tier, are renting electric scooters through an app.

This is despite the town hall not yet granting any permits to date as they are waiting for a full legal assessment.

Officials have expressed their interest in finding a way to keep the energy and cost efficient transportation scheme going, as long as scooters are not left lying around in public spaces and pavements.

6

FEATURE

www.theolivepress.es

January 31st - February 13th 2019

Voted top expat paper in Spain

A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than 500,000 people a month.

OPINION Action needed IT is heartbreaking that Spanish hunters have again broken the law and killed a much loved, innocent pet.

And it’s not the first time in the Granada area, with expat Illona Mitchell seeing five of her dogs massacred after she banned hunting on her land.

Yet again marksmen have ignored the rules and acted above the law with an illegal and vile hunt.

Tommy, who was abused as a puppy, has now died in agony as a result.

Let’s hope the hunters feel the long arm of the law this time around.

Blame game THE search effort to try and save little Julen who fell down a well captivated the world.

While it ended badly and with a high cost for the state, it is not fair to begin a witch hunt against his family, who are already reeling from the tragedy.

Yes, of course, it was irresponsible of the well digger to leave the hole not properly sealed and, it begs the question, how many other holes like this are lurking around the Spanish countryside?

Publisher/ Editor Jon Clarke jon@theolivepress.es

Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es

Elisa Menendez elisa@theolivepress.es

Charlie Smith charlie@theolivepress.es

Pablo Balbontin pablo@theolivepress.es

Gillian Keller gillian@theolivepress.es Office manager Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@ theolivepress.es

Admin Beatriz Sanllehí (+34) 951 273 575 admin@ theolivepress.es

Distribution ENQUIRIES (+34) 951 273 575 distribution@ theolivepress.es

For all sales and advertising enquiries please contact 951 27 35 75

world wept TRAGEDY: Little Julen (left and far right) lost his life down well and was the second child lost by mum and dad Jose and Vicky (centre)

After the lifeless body of Julen Rossello was finally found, Laurence Dollimore reports how little Julen broke hearts around the world

T

HEY say lightning never strikes the same watched and prayed through 13 dark nights unplace twice. til on Saturday morning at around 1.30am the Tell that to Jose Rossello and Vicky Maria lifeless body of little Julen Rossello was finally Garcia, who had to bury pulled out. their two-year-old son on SunIt was a story, akin to the resday. cues of the Thailand cave boys Few stories The unbearable tragedy, played or the Chilean miners, that endin Spain have out in front of the world’s media, ed up being watched around came less than two years after the world. captured the their first son, Oliver, died of a Few stories in Malaga have heart defect in 2017, aged just attention globally captured the attention globally three. for such a length of time and it for so long The unimaginable began when is fair to say that millions were the Malaga couple’s second holding their breath as the resson, Julen, fell down a well in cue effort went into its final a fluke accident in the tiny Axarquia village of hours on Friday night.

Totalan.

It came after the biggest rescue mission the The couple, a tradesman and fast food worker country has ever seen, involving 300 experts, firemen and police working round-theclock to rescue the tot.

As the days past, no one wanted to give up hope.

No one wanted to believe life could be so cruel.

Encouraged by dozens of local media groups, nearly nine days were spent digSUPPORT: Hundreds of locals attend funeral in El Palo

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‘Julen family must NOT be charged!’

THE uncle of little Julen Jimenez, whose body was pulled out of a well on Saturday, has blasted state prosecutors who are seeking a reckless homicide charge against him.

David Serrano Alcaise is facing prosecution alongside Antonio Sanchez, owner of company Triben Perforaciones, which originally dug the well.

Both are facing between 18 months and four years behind bars and could be ordered to pay up to €1.5 million in costs borne by the state in the biggest rescue mission in Spanish history.

Marbella lawyer Antonio Flores, who is representing Alcaise, told the Olive Press he is

ging two parallel wells, before a crack team of eight Asturian miners were flown in to dig a horizontal tunnel to Julen some 71 metres underground.

After a slew of frustrating setbacks, the group took more than 31 hours, working tirelessly, digging in pairs in 40-minute shifts, to reach the tot.

There was still hope when on the 13th day of the search they finally reached him, with a field hospital of doctors ready to operate and even a helicopter on standby should it be needed.

As the search entered its final hours, dad Jose had to be treated for a panic attack in a nearby

www.theolivepress.es

FEATURE

January 31st - February 13th 2019

7

olive press online

Spain and Gibraltar’s best English daily news website The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:

1 2 3 4 5

- BREAKING: Body of little Julen found in

for julen

ROUND-THE-CLOCK: Some 300 experts were called to the scene in the biggest operation of its kind in Spanish history

EXCLUSIVE

devastated and is still reeling from losing Julen.

“It is a very sad situation and totally unfair,” he insisted. “This family are really poor and are in no way responsible.

“If anyone it is responsible it is the professional who dug the well.

“By law he should have plugged the hole with concrete and he didn’t.”

Speaking from the family home in El Palo, Malaga, he added: “They only bought the land two months ago and wanted to use it for horses.

“We will fight as hard as we can to prevent him having to face these charges."

Little Julen fell down the opening on January 13, sparking a 13-day rescue operation involving 300 specialists and costing the state at least €1.5 million.

His lifeless body was recovered from the wreckage at around 1.30am last Saturday.

Malaga well (53,447)

- Marbella shooting victim identified as high

profile Costa del Sol businessman (19,849)

- Julen rescue mission delayed AGAIN as Malaga miners hit more hard rock (12,999)

- Little Julen suffered severe head trauma

Malaga autopsy shows (12,096)

- WATCH: ISIS terrorist cuffed in popular

British expat hotspot (9,917)

Visitors: 341,294

Page views: 501,448

Average time on site: 5:29

Most popular in Spain

TINY: Opening of well was just 25cm diameter

of missives of support for the family. Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez spoke of his ‘infinite sadness’ at the news, before thanking everyone involved for their ‘tireless’ work.

Describing it as his ‘deepest pain’, the King added poignantly: “Our deepest condolences go out to the whole family of Julen.” home, where he and his wife were waiting for After identifying their own son at the scene of the well, broken Jose and Vicky were whisked news with some 30 friends and family. to a funeral home in El Palo to make the necesThen the news came. sary arrangements.

“Otro vez, no! (Not again!)” they All claims of parental involvecould be heard shouting into the dead of night.

No one wanted ment by countless keyboard warriors were quickly silenced The Malaga suburb of El Palo, to lose hope. No when an autopsy on Saturday where the family are from, alconfirmed he had suffered a most stopped beating. one wanted to severe head trauma consistent It had been silent for the previous 24 hours, with most locals believe life could with the fall, which was ‘hard and fast’. staying indoors, glued to their be so cruel And while of little solace to the TVs hoping for a miracle. parents, we know his suffering The hard cold reality came w a s rushing in that, of course, a twoyear-old could not have survived the 71-metre minimal after the autopsy fall followed by a 13-day stint without food or same showed he died water.

Within hours, hundreds of neighbours made on the same day of shrines adorned with candles and messages, the fall. while social media was flooded with thousands A long parade of

OUTPOUR: Hundreds of locals attend funeral while (inset) vigil in El Palo

EXPERTS: Miners preparing to dig wreaths followed his coffin from the funeral home to the local cemetery on Sunday before he was laid to rest at 1.30pm.

There was ‘absolute silence’ in the streets, followed by an instantaneous ‘shower of applause’ from the few hundred wellwishers, who had gathered to say goodbye.

So what now?

While Julen cannot be brought back, everything is being done to prevent this tragedy happening again.

The well in Totalan has been sealed with a 600kg steel sheet, and the Junta is working to seal as many illegal wells as it can.

But figuring out how many are in the region is ‘difficult’, it says, while building an illegal well is cheaper than paying for the necessary permits.

New president Juanma Moreno has vowed, however, to place special emphasis on sealing all illegal wells in the region as soon as they are discovered.

As for the landowner - who is actually Julen’s uncle reports suggest he could face charges of reckless homicide and be ordered to pay back the estimated millions spent on the rescue mission. It is not yet known if the state is seeking a prosecution. All one can hope, for now, is that little Julen’s death was not in vain and that Spain and the world will not have to repeat this tragedy.

The Olive Press is this week the 204,000th most popular website in the world, more than 650,000 places higher than Mallorca’s very own Daily Bulletin...and even ranked three times higher in Spain P.S: In case you are interested, we are also miles ahead of the Euro Weakly News

Search no further...

THE Olive Press website has had another smash two weeks with more than half a million hits to our website.

And it’s no surprise, with our live coverage of the Julen rescue mission far outpacing the quality of reporting of our English rivals in Spain.

We regularly get over 1,000 visitors to our website at any one time, which is no surprise given that Google rates us as number one for numerous local search terms, including ‘Malaga news’, ‘Costa del Sol news’ and top five for ‘Mallorca news’ to name just three.

It’s another sign that we are seen as the most reliable, informative and genuine English language newspaper in Spain.

8

GREEN

www.theolivepress.es

End of the line A GAS pipeline planned to run through Spain and France has been rejected by regulators in both countries.

The Midi-Catalonia (MidCat) pipeline is now unlikely to be finished after an investment request to build its central section was denied.

Permission for the central portion of MidCat, the South Transit Eastern Pyrenees (STEP), was refused on the grounds of a lack of necessity and high cost The project also ‘fails to comply with market needs and lacks sufficient maturity to be considered,’ according to a joint statement by Spain’s CNMC and France’s CRE. It was also deemed at odds with the EU’s recent environmental goals.

EU clips Spain’s wings over wild songbird contests after almost 2 MILLION are captured and caged for sadistic tradition THE European Commission has told Spain to clamp down on its efforts to end the capture of small wild birds for traditional bird singing contests.

The ancient practice, known as silvestrismo, is an essential part of Iberian culture, according to its supporters.

Between 2013 and 2018, local governments across Spain gave permission for 1.7 million wild birds - such as goldfinches and canar-

January 31st - February 13th 2019

BIRD BAN!

ies - to be trapped with nets, caged and trained for the contests.

In 2018, after intense pressure from Brussels, every region in Spain - except Madrid – agreed to stop giving out permits to catch the birds.

But the EU is demanding further assurances and a complete ban.

SEO/Birdlife, an organisation for the protection of birds, said many varieties of finches are in decline and their populations need to be safeguarded.

Stress

TRADITION: Practice of silvestrismo

Make a killing CORDOBA Zoo is looking for a caterer with a difference – one that can supply 150 kilos of rats, 170 kilos of mice, dayold chicks and 10 kilos of a wide variety of insects daily for its hungry animals.

Their unique dietary requirements could be a real moneyspinner for the right supplier.

The contract, which runs to thousands of kilos every week, is worth up to €350,000 over two years and also includes more regular food items such as meat, vegetables and fruit.

But the zoo animals are picky customers. The rats must weigh between 50 grams and 150 grams each, and the mice must not weigh less than 100 grams each.

And deliveries must be made every morning to allow for feeding between 8am and 10am.

The little songbirds are said to suffer severe stress during capture. A plan has now been put forward to set up a breeding programme for finches so that the traditional singing competitions can continue.

But supporters of silvestrismo say the breeding scheme will not work because it produces weak and sickly birds and adds to environmental degradation.

In the meantime, the EU has warned of legal repercussions unless all the regions of Spain, including Andalucia, fully comply with EU laws on the hunting and capture of wild birds.

Climate campaign

PRIME Minister Pedro Sanchez has vowed to spend €235 billion over the next decade to combat climate change in Spain.

The socialist premier apologised for the country’s inaction on climate change over the last decade, which he blamed on the hostile economic crisis Spain suffered for around six years.

A new energy and climate change plan is expected to be submitted soon to the European Union, Sanchez revealed, which will see investments of €235 billion from 2021-2030.

He added that new eco-friendly legislation will be presented to parliament by the end of January.

“Spain is ready to contribute to creating a global economy that is prosperous, fair and ecological,” the PM announced at a highlevel discussion in Madrid.

Sanchez added that he is aiming for the newly eco-conscious country to become ‘socially just’ while keeping labourers such as coal miners in mind, many of whom are set to lose their jobs as Spain plans to switch to 100% renewable electricity by 2050.

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LA CULTURA www.theolivepress.es

January 31st - February 13th 2019

Send your informa newsdesk@theolive tion to press.es

Rose-tinted glasses PALMA residents are about to witness something special that only happens twice a year.

As the sun hits the two stainedglass rose windows of Palma Cathedral on February 2, the flowers will geometrically line up perfectly above one another.

Creating a perfect figure of eight, residents line up at the cathedral every year with hopes of catching the rare sight.

The natural artwork happens only twice a year and residents will be able to witness it from 7.30am until 9.30am on Saturday.

MUST-SEE: New film

Booked up A DOCUMENTARY about mass tourism in Mallorca is drawing huge crowds in Palma.

Overbooking, screened at the Augusta theatre, analyses ‘years of mass tourism, illegal holiday rentals, traffic jams, the increase of electricity, oil and water consumption and the surge in waste dumped into the sea’.

The documentary, directed

by Alex Dioscórides, questions whether the 12 million holidaymakers that visit annually are beneficial and why an island with so much tourism is not increasing the wealth of more Mallorquines.

The 70-minute film premiered on January 25 and has been so popular it sold out in record time. To respond to demand, Augusta has doubled the amount of daily screenings and extended viewings until February 7.

Light row CONSERVATION groups have blasted proposals to erect six-metre high spotlights around the iconic Palma Cathedral.

ARCA, which defends heritage sites around the Balearics, blasted the idea, saying it would produce a ‘distorting screen effect’ Meanwhile Merce Gambus, scientific-technical coordinator for the Cathedral, has been 'perplexed' by the lack of information about the new lighting plan as she only read about it in the media and was not informed by the city.

Seeing sights AIRLINE operator TUI has been testing new cutting edge Augmented Reality glasses for tourists in Palma.

The German tour company’s Destination Experiences group has started a test phase of the digital glasses, which allow holidaymakers to watch a live view of a place with additional pop up information.

In a bid to encourage viewers to visit new holiday destinations, tourists are being shown everything from background information on an iconic paintings, to meeting the legendary dragon that terrorised Palma in the Middle Ages.

It is expected that the glasses will be introduced into tourist packages soon.

Mystery solved lowing a joint investigation with Guadamur Town Hall, which has led to an established archaeological site now open to the public.

The story of the Treasure of Guarrazar started in 711 when Tariq Ibn Ziyad’s troops invaded the Spanish peninsula before heading to the Visigoth capital of Toledo.

SON Servera will celebrate its biggest festival on February 1 for Sant Ignasi, which the town thanks with flowers for saving them from the plague in 1820.

C

hattanooga Choo Choo

F

THE third annual Mediterranean Cup regatta for the Dragon Boat Winter Series will take place from February 15 - 17 in Puerto Portals.

BEAUTY: Visigoth jewels

Hide

It was previously believed that the Christians in Toledo made a quick call to hide the royal jewels under two graves in the field until the coast was clear. They were found 1,100 years later.

But Rojas said ‘it made no sense’ to hide them in a field’ and, after some digging, he discovered 30 metre-length walls, a basilica, remains of a palace, a Visigoth graveyard and even a guest house for pilgrims.

His research has led to the revelation that the place where the treasure was hidden was not a field at all but

Curtain call A NIGHT out at the theatre in Spain may never be the same now you can livestream it to your phone, pc or tablet free of charge, any time of day.

No need to dress up either - you can even watch it in your pyjamas.

From February 1 the Centro de Documentacion Teatral (CDT) is raising the curtain on Teatroteca, its own vault of 1,500 plays hand-picked from an archive of over 10,000 recorded at theatres throughout the country since 1979.

Watch everything

F

estival season

ired up

a religious complex.

Tickets cost €8 to visit the site www.guarrazar.com

what’s on

THE best of American 30s and 40s swingjazz will be performed live by the Glenn Miller Orchestra on February 15 at the Trui Theatre.

Riddle of Toledo’s priceless Treasure of Guarrazar finally revealed IT is a mystery that has confused and intrigued Spanish archaeologists for 150 years: more than 20 glittering gold Visigoth crowns, wine goblets and jewel-encrusted crucifixes, ditched in the middle of nowhere 15 kilometres from Toledo.

Until now, experts had no idea why the priceless Treasure of Guarrazar had been abandoned in a field near Guadamur - a tale that inspired two books, Jose Calvo Poyato’s The Last Visigoth Treasure and Pedro Antonio alonso Revenga’s The Hidden Treasure.

But Spanish archaeologist Juan Manuel Rojas has finally solved the puzzle fol-

99

January 31st - February 13th 2019

from Shakespeare to Harold Pinter and modern comedy to period classics in Spanish.

Previously only available to researchers, professionals, CDT associates and Spain’s Ministry of Culture Ministry, you just have to register on the Teatroteca website to access the recordings.

“Now every fan can register with the goal of spreading our heritage to a wider society”, enthused Javier de Dios, head of the CDT.

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Send your informa tion to January - February 13th 2019 new31st sdesk@theo livepress.es

www.theolivepress.es

January 31st - February 12th 2019

Treasure Hunt After a series of treasures were located in Spain’s Visigoth region over the past month, Pablo Balbontin takes a look at the country’s most memorable hauls IMMIGRATION and colonisation may be dirty words these days but Spain has foreigners to thank for much of its national patrimony.

Over thousands of years, the Iberian Peninsula has been occupied by multiple civilisations, from Phoenicians and Romans to Visigoths and Moors. Each has left a rich legacy we all inherit.

We’re not just talking about culture either. Gold, silver, jewels, pieces of eight, archaeological and human remains are all part of the booty.

Join us on our nationwide tour of the county’s most glittering prizes and don’t miss the Buried Treasure section of items known to exist but still unrecovered.

You could be lucky and hit the jackpot for yourself!

Treasure of El Carambolo

A haul containing 21 pieces of crafted gold jewellery and plaques was discovered by Spanish construction workers in the town of Camas, near Sevilla, in 1958. Whether of Tartessian or Phoenician origin, the booty - including pendants, bracelets and necklaces hidden in a ceramic vessel - has been dated from between the 7th and 5th centuries BC, making it one of the oldest treasure finds in Spain. Some experts even link it to the legend of the Lost City of Atlantis.

Treasure of Villena This is the second biggest hoard of gold from the European Bronze Age after the Royal Tombs of Mycenae. It consists of 59 gold, silver and iron objects with a total weight of nearly 10kgs.

The iron pieces are the oldest found in

Treasure of Gazteluberri

Spain. The collection was discovered in the Valencian city of Villena in 1963.

Copies of the priceless originals were made for a touring exhibition which has visited Madrid, Alicante, Tokyo and Kyoto.

Buried Treasure

Get out your diving gear and metal detectors - these treasures have yet to be claimed

II Republic’s Gold

The Hoard of Cheste This haul of gold jewellery and silver coins secreted inside two ceramic pots is one of the most important discoveries in Valencia. The collection was found in 1864 in the town of Cheste and can be seen at the city’s History Museum. Experts believe the hoard may have been hidden during the Second Punic War and date it from around 4BC.

Naveta d’Es Tudons

In 1960 an old cowbell discovered in the mountains of Gazteluberri in Navarre yielded up its long-kept secret. Hidden inside it were 52 coins made of gold, silver and iron. They represented various monarchs - Juana I, Felipe II and Carlos V indicating they date from different periods of the 16th century. How they got there remains a tantalising mystery.

Menorca is the place where the oldest tomb in Europe dwells. Resembling a dry stone wall pyramid, it was built circa 1200 and 750 BC. It is presumed to be a collective grave as it contained the remains of at least 100 skeletons, along with bracelets and ceramic and bone buttons on display at the Museu de Menorca in Mahón.

During the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1713) 19 Spanish ships guarded by 23 French ships sailed into the Vigo estuary in Galicia carrying 108 million silver and gold coins destined to fund Felipe V’s side of the argument. But AngloDutch pirates attacked them and, after a gruelling battle, made off with 40 million. The rest of the booty still lies in its watery grave waiting to be recovered.

The Rande Galleons More recently, during the 2nd Spanish Republic (1931 – 1936), Governor Juan Negrin arranged for truckloads of gold and art treasures to be moved from the Spanish Central Bank to Girona, to protect it from fascists, also sending seven trucks to France. Only six arrived at their destination. The missing truck could contain 10 tons of gold but it has never been found.

The Missorium of Theodosius I Discovered in Almendralejo, Badajoz in 1847, this elaborate ceremonial silver dish resides today in Madrid’s Royal Academy of History.

Dated between 388 and 393 AD, it was probably made in Constantinople for the 10th anniversary of Emperor Theodosius I’s coronation, the last Emperor to rule both Eastern and Western Empires.

The law of Treasure Trove Is it finders keepers in Spain? There’s no simple answer. It depends what it is and where it was found. ●●

According to Articles 351 and 614 of the Civil Code, treasure trove belongs to the owner of the land where it was found. If someone else discovers it, they have a right to half its value even if the landowner is the State. But if the treasure is ‘of interest to science and the arts’ the State can acquire it for ‘its fair price’ which opens a whole new can of worms.

●●

For the kind of treasures we’re talking about, the State would almost certainly step in and buy it to retain complete control.

A

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January 31st - February 13th 2019

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ENCIL cases to fill, textbooks to buy, packed lunch menus to plan weeks in advance… the first day of school can be as big a deal for parents as it is for their kids.

For new students, those first tentative steps across a schoolyard filled with strangers is one of life’s key rites of passage.

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The first item on your checklist should be Public or Private – do you opt for an international college or a Spanish state school?

It’s generally an easier decision to make for younger children, as primary schools throughout Europe are more or less comparable.

Around two thirds of expats send their children to local state schools – called ‘colegios’ (primary schools) and ‘institutos’ (secondary schools).

There are two serious advantages to Spanish public schools.

One – children will learn Spanish fast and should integrate well into their new home country.

Younger children, in general, thrive in state schools with the under nines normally picking up impressive spoken Spanish (usually, far better than their parents) within a year, just by socialising with their friends.

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A

ll about

The art of learning

Education

January 31st - February 13th 2019

From front

begin attending ‘infantile’ or ‘pre- in the school and try to get to know escolar’, equivalent to a nursery in the other Spanish parents. Joining the UK. The only costs you’ll have to the parents/teachers association cover are books, school trips and, if certainly helps.” the school has them, uniforms.

If you decide against the Spanish There are also plenty of downsides to state system – either because you Spanish schools. Older, less extrovert fear educational standards are low kids with limited Spanish can have (according to reports, Andalucia does trouble adjusting. And learning maths indeed come well below average), or and physics in a foreign idiom isn’t for because you prefer to have your chilsissies! dren educated in English – then you Also throwing them into Spanish will have no choice but to go private. schools if they are over nine can be Budget is a major consideration but daunting in the extreme. many expat parents say an internaIt is definitely worth considering ex- tional school gives a gentler introductra language tuition outside school tion to education in a foreign country, hours to help ease the transition. with smaller classes taught in English.

Budget up to €20 per hour for private Most international schools even follessons - although there are plenty of low a UK curriculum of GCSE and Aexcellent local acadelevels, with a number mies, offering Spanish of local schools reguand some town halls larly seeing their puAnd learning even give free classes. pils getting into the top Your children will not British universities, inmaths and only be more able to cluding Oxbridge. physics in a keep up with lessons International schools but they are far more have very different foreign idiom is likely to make friends personalities and phiif they can socialise in not for sissies! losophies, and it’s the same language. very much a matter “It is fine if you get the of personal preferkids into school early, ence. But with more at a young age, but if they are nine than two dozen on the Costa del Sol or 10 then they will find it harder,” ad- alone, there are more than enough to vises one English parent whose two choose from. children have been through the local Marbella – with more than 40,000 system on the Costa del Sol. resident foreigners – has the larg“They will almost certainly need some est concentration of international extra tuition and watching carefully. It schools after Madrid and Barcelona. also helps if the parents get involved But most of the towns on the coast

Tips for choosing a new school lIgnore the glossy brochures - go to the school and see for yourself lMeet the head, meet the teachers, and meet the students lIf the students seem happy, chances are your child will be happy too lBe clear about what you want from a school - do lots of research lLook at the exam results lFind out about opening or taster days

CREATIVITY: Art and music at Laude, while (below) netball enjoyed at Prior Park have one or two schools, while Gibraltar has a couple of its own.

The rise of international schools in Spain can be traced back to former dictator General Franco, who introduced tourism to the Costa del Sol. Since then, a torrent of foreign visitors settling along the coast has turned it into a melting pot of cultures, providing endless opportunities for education start-ups.

British schools are now said to account for two-thirds of the international schools on the coast.

The oldest is Swans International School, established in 1971, and named after its legendary headmistress and founder, Tessa Swan.

Others include Sotogrande, established in 1978, which now numbers 980 pupils. Only a few other schools, including Laude, come near that number.

Most British schools are members of the National Association of British Schools in Spain (NABSS) and are inspected regularly by the group, a set-up similar to the UK’s Ofsted inspections.

A great advantage for many parents is that international schools often have a more multicultural environment than state schools. Most have some 20 different nationalities attending and offer a bilingual study programme.

Paul Whitelock, a former UK schools inspector based in Ronda explains: “Pupils meet other students from so many different countries.

“This is such a valuable opportunity as it awakens a curiosity for other cultures, languages, traditions, customs and even food from a very early age.”

To tie in with this, many of the top schools are increasingly offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, as well as the local secondary school qualification, the Bachillerato.

The IB – which may be unknown to

some English readers – is the normal route to university for European students.

The main difference is that IB students take six or seven subjects – which often include elements of community work and public-speaking – as opposed to just three or four at A-level.

As well as a more up-to-date, relaxed approach to teaching, international schools are generally considered to offer a better learning environment.

The most obvious downside, of course, is the cost. Schools range from basic to luxurious but, take note, they come at a price.

Fees range from €3,000 a year for primary school to between €6,000 and €20,000 per year for secondary schools. This generally does not include the cost of books, school trips or uniforms.

A further downside is that children may find themselves in something of a Spanish vacuum, unable to integrate with the local community outside the classroom.

But international schools are begin-

ning to fight this effect, with many more Spanish extracurricular activities available, more access to local culture on school trips and afterhours classes such as flamenco dancing.

Education specialist Whitelock concluded: “Effort and attitude varies considerably from family to family.

Some are content never to venture into ‘Spanish’ situations, while others make every effort to integrate, join sports clubs etc. and have much more exposure to the language.”

But there are no rulebooks or easy answers to choosing the right schools in Spain.

It really all depends on which boxes you need ticked, whether that’s affordability, integration or a smoother transition.

Just one final tip for parents who decide to go with the Spanish system: learn the language yourself. How else will you chat to your kids’ teachers at open days?

And, more important for your kids than that, how will you help them with their homework?

THE BRITISH SCHOOL OF MÁLAGA

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January 31st - February 13th 2019

TEFL-ing terrific T EACHING English as foreign language is a passport to the world - with fringe benefits. You can spend time in different countries, earn a salary and get to know places from the inside out rather than as a tourist or a traveller.

If you’re already living in Spain, becoming a TEFL teacher is not only a fast-track to integration in the community but also extremely rewarding personally and professionally, allowing you to develop all sorts of transferable skills.

How to choose the perfect TEFL course to take you teaching around the world

If TEFL-ing is a course you’re set on, a quick internet search throws up a wide range of ways to qualify, with online, classroom-based and combination courses that vary massively in price, length and content. Which to choose?

Our five-point checklist will help you weigh up

Learning curve Four top tips to step up your Spanish this year

L

Dedicate time to learning Putting money towards lessons

can really help you prioritise your learning and is especially helpful if you’re just starting out.

Learning in a group can be a really fun way to learn.

If you can’t afford lessons, make a weekly timetable and set aside at least four hours a week to learning.

Make sure you nail the basics and try to set yourself daily targets of X amount of new words.

Make it your routine Try to incorporate Spanish into your everyday routine.

This means playing a language app like Duolingo everyday, listening to Spanish music and/ or radio and watching your Netflix or TV with Spanish subtitles.

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Price – How much does it cost?

A course that costs €100 cannot - regardless of any claims on the website - offer the same as one costing €1,500. The cheaper versions tend to be online crash courses or even just a weekend, often described as TEFL taster courses or - as an honest and very reasonably-priced course puts it ‘an

Try Teaching English

T

EARNING a language is hard.

Luckily for us living here in Spain, Spanish is one of the easier languages to pick up.

But we are all busy and despite having the best of intentions it can be difficult to find the time to learn and improve.

Below we have rounded up four top tips which will let you learn the lingo that much faster.

Be opportunistic Try to take advantages of opportunities to speak Spanish whenever you can.

Chat to the locals in the bus queue, in shops and in the street.

Look up local conversation classes or ‘intercambios’, where groups of English and Spanish meet for a copa or caña to practice each other’s languages.

You should also try living with a Spanish speaker which will force you to speak the lingo on a daily basis and will naturally improve your vocabulary.

the options: price, official accreditation and professional recognition as well as the extent of teaching practice and the level of careers assistance.

Pick out the odd word and translate it and add it to a vocab list either on your phone or in a notepad.

Practice makes perfect Don’t underestimate how important it is to practice - constantly and consistently.

Throw yourself out there and speak to the bus driver, hairdresser, shopkeeper or anyone who will lend an ear. If you’re not in a Spanish speaking country, then repeat phrases in front of the mirror, to family and friends or even your dog— basically anyone who will listen!

Don’t be scared, the more you practice the more confident you become.

HE recent boom in p r i v a t e language schools offering English language tuition both on the coast and inland has meant the consequent increase in demand for English teachers. This means that more and more expats living in the area are finding the opportunity of either starting off on a new career or simply obtaining an additional source of income.

Can just anybody get a job in a language school? Surprisingly there are no legally required qualifications to work as an English teacher here in Spain, which has logically led to a lot of shady language schools being run without offering a quality teaching service.

Those looking for work in the sector can start by checking out schools belonging to ACEIA, the Association of Andalusian Language Schools, whose website www.aceia.es has a list of members.

If you have little, or no, previous teaching experience or wish to re-cycle, it would be a good idea, and a very rewarding experience, to take a Cambridge CELTA teacher training course.

Employers around the world, not just in Spain, ask for CELTA - an internationally recognized TEFL qualification which will provide you with the skills necessary to teach in the classroom as well as hands-on experience. A CELTA certificate is regulated by Ofqual at level 5 on the Qualifications and Credit Framework.

A Teaching Qualification does not automatically lead to employment, but it certainly gives you a head start over other people applying for work or setting up on their own in what is currently a thriving business here in Spain.

ideal solution ... in preparation for a TEFL course or course interview’. However some such courses masquerade as the ‘full Monty’ and might well fail to deliver. Does that mean that an expensive course is necessarily better than a cheap one? Not necessarily, but taken together with other criteria, price is a good yardstick.

Accreditation – Who says this is a good course?

There seem to be number of accrediting bodies these days. How can you tell one from another? A good place to start is Ofqual (Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulator) which together with the QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) is responsible for overseeing these courses. If the course you're looking at doesn't clearly state its accreditation, then ask. It might not be clear on the website but if you're not satisfied with the answer, treat with caution.

Recognition – Is the course well-known and well respected by the profession?

While British Council recognition is a good benchmark for courses around the world, the profession is somewhat fragmented internationally and there are significant differences between countries. For example, in Andalucia members of the national association of language schools (FECEI.org) and its regional equivalent (aceia.es) much prefer teachers with a Trinity Certificate in TESOL or a CELTA course qualification.

Careers assistance – How much help do you get in finding the work you want afterwards?

Nearly everybody approaches their TEFL course focused on the job prospects at the end. Some of the cheaper courses will provide you with work after your course but is it where you want to go and the sort of job you want? There may well be reasons why other teachers would prefer not to do these jobs. What might seem like the perfect introduction to the profession may well turn out to be the opposite. A good course should also offer careers guidance, assistance in writing your new CV and ongoing support reflecting the investment you’re making in terms of time, effort and money. Some top courses offer life-long careers support.

If you are thinking about TEFL as the gateway to a year of adventure, go for it, it may well be the perfect course for you. But be aware you may need to take a better-recognised course when you move on elsewhere.

Your TEFL course is your first step into a profession that offers you almost everything under the sun, literally! Make sure your first experience is the one you want.

Have a look at our website activelanguage. net for more information or call Simon on 956221426. We’re taking enrollments for courses all-year round.

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January 31st - February 13th 2019

BUSINESS

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January 31st - February 13th 2019

Jobs up

Back to the Big Apple

UNEMPLOYMENT in the Balearics has dropped over nine percent in 2018.

Last year more than half a million people were registered as employed in the Balearics, 35,700 more people than in 2017. The growth is the highest in Spain for last year at nearly seven percent.

Unemployment dropped in 2018 to just 68,100 people – 7,000 fewer unemployed people than the year before.

DESTINATION: New York link to Malaga

FIGHTBACK: At Brit bar

Ban-ting A BRITISH expat has been threatened by police with an €800 fine for not taking down Union Jack bunting at her ‘Little Britannia’ bar in Spain.

Tracey Walker, 54, from Bradford, and her customers told the Sun that her business in Benidorm was under threat, due to the anti-UK sentiment surrounding Brexit.

“It is a British bar so what harm are some flags doing promoting my business?” she said.

“I wonder if they’d do the same if the flags were Spanish?”

Police even threatened to double the fine to €1,600 when Tracey refused to take down the flags at the bar in the city’s old town.

AMERICA’S Delta Air Lines is bringing back its popular direct flights from Malaga to New York this summer.

The daily service will operate from May 24 until the end of September - and it’s no ‘red-eye’.

Takeoff from Malaga is at a civilised 8.15am with arrival at JFK Airport at 10.35pm local time.

The return flight leaves New York at 5.05pm, landing in Malaga at 6.50am lo-

cal time.

Delta has been offering direct flights between Malaga and the Big Apple every summer since 2008.

All Delta aircraft operating from Spain are equipped with Wi-Fi and customers can enjoy free on-board messaging through iMessage, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

Tickets must be booked through Delta.com or at local travel agents.

Game of halves

Ronaldo pays price for tax evasion in Spain but avoids jail as teammate Alonso risks prison protesting innocence CRISTIANO Ronaldo has been slapped with a 23-month prison sentence as well as a hefty €18.8m fine for tax eva-

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January 31st - February 13th 2019

sion during his time at Real Madrid.

But the deal he agreed with prosecutors is a virtual get-out-of-jail-free

Solicitor

The Yorkshire woman says her bunting has been up for two years and that now she is hiring a solicitor to fight the fines.

One of Tracey’s regulars also told the Sun: “There’s real concern that local bigwigs have ordered a crackdown on Brit bars.

“There’s not a lot of love lost for Brits in Europe right now, and this could be Benidorm officials giving Brits a kicking in their own way,” they added.

The bunting has now been taken down, while Tracey looks to overturn the ban.

UNDER FIRE: Alonso and Ronaldo

card that will keep the five-times winner of the Ballon d’Or from being banged up behind bars.

In Spain convicts rarely do time for sentences of under two years and, due to the non-violent nature of his offence, Ronaldo has received the equivalent of a suspended sentence.

The 33-year-old Juventus forward was all smiles as he arrived at court in Madrid with his fiancee Georgina Rodriguez for sentencing.

The Portuguese athlete’s crimes relate to a period between 2010 and 2014, when he avoided paying tax while a Real Madrid Player.

Forbes lists Ronaldo as the third-richest athlete in the world, and he is thought to be worth more than € 108 million.

His ex-Los Blancos team-

mate Xabi Alonso was also in court, where he maintained his innocence over three counts of tax evasion.

But unlike Ronaldo, Alonso did not accept a deal.

Richest

Prosecutors had asked for a five-year sentence and €4m fine for the Basque player in relation to alleged tax evasion between 2010 and 2012.

He said: “I have the conviction and confidence of having done everything right, collaborating from the start without hiding anything.

“I’ve come here and I’m going to keep going until the end because I have confidence in justice. I’ve done everything right.”

However a longer sentence means that he could face prison time.

OLD NEWS: Pensions up

Pensions hike SENIOR citizens in Spain are to receive an average 6.4% extra in their pension packets this year.

The government has agreed to spend €135 million on retirement benefits in 2019 10.8% of GDP - to bring them in line with inflation.

According to labour minister Magdalena Valerio, the increase will improve the acquisitive power of retirees.

Seguridad Social will receive a loan of €15 billion to put this and other commitments into action - including aid for single-parent families and temporary disability - although it’s hoped they won’t have to use up all the money in the pot.

Sky high THE Balearic Islands spend a more than a staggering €4 million a year on rent, it has been revealed.

Despite the autonomous government owning some 175 buildings on the islands, it spends €4.5 million on renting offices annually.

This is due to the fact that some of the governmentowned buildings are not suitable for office work, while others are historic buildings which cannot be used.

It has been announced that the Ministry of Finance and Public Administration is the department which spends the most on rental offices, at nearly €2 million annually.

Let us guide you home Real Estate | Immobilien | Inmobiliaria

www.themallorcadeal.com | +34 971 961 057

16

PROPERTY Wealth gap

January 31st - February 13th 2019

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Jan 31st - Feb 13th 2019

Alicante neighbourhood labelled poorest as average income in Madrid town is 1000% higher MIND the wealth gap in Spain. There’s a wallet-busting €100,000 difference between the average disposable income of its richest and poorest neighbourhoods.

In the barrio of Carrus Este, in Elche, Alicante, it’s a miserly €13,286 while in La Moraleja, Madrid, it’s €113,642 - the other end of the pay scale.

Carrus Este was traditionally

BIG GAP: Madrid mansion while (inset) Carrus Este

a district of Spanish migrants who came to work in industry.

But the economic crisis hit it more drastically than most.

According to its Socialist Mayor Carlos Gonzalez, it ‘faces a high unemployment, especially among long-term jobless’.

The population is now ‘a depressed zone’ dominated by foreign immigrants whose economic level is very low, explained the mayor. The black economy is another factor, he added.

However despite the deprivations, Carrus Este has its good points. “Living here is very pleasant, despite prejudices,” said Toure Modu Biabo, a Spanish resident of Senegalese origin.

While La Moraleja also has a mix of national and foreign

migrants, they are the kind who can afford to pay half a million euros for a house and send their children to the best private schools. However residents live in virtual isolation behind walls bristling with high security systems, almost totally disconnected from the outside world or the nearest neighbourhood of Alcobendas.

“The kind of lifestyle here is largely indoors”, affirmed one resident.

In fact 30 years ago La Moraleja residents campaigned to separate from the Madrid municipality of Arroyo de la Vega it belongs to, arguing that they paid too many taxes for the services they received. Their proposal didn’t make it but people continue as if they are living in an independent republic.

Cheaters never prosper A BRITISH expat stole more than £46,000 in housing benefits from the UK government while stupidly boasting of her real estate company in southern Spain online.

Louise Jones, 50, was claiming housing benefits for a home in Hull, and another property in Cleethorpes for almost 10 years.

Both homes were owned by her husband, Bruce McHardy, but the couple were actually living near Alicante. In total, Jones illegally claimed a staggering £46,000 between 2007 and 2016.

Exeter Crown Court heard how Jones dobbed herself in after she posted pictures of her wedding to McHardy, a property developer, on social media. With photos on her Facebook page of her engagement to McHardy

Breaking more ground NEW building projects are up by 10% across Mallorca.

Around 2,000 projects were launched in 2018, some 200 more than 2017.

For the first time in years, more apartment buildings were built than singlefamily homes.

A total of 1,005 apartments were started, equating to 18% more than 2017.

Family

The majority of new apartment buildings are in Palma, with 758 projects in 2018, while the majority of single-family houses have been built in Calvia.

There was a fall in construction in the hotel industry, with only five hotels breaking ground last year, two less than 2017.

Up and up BOTH rental and sale prices have shot through the roof over the last half decade.

Both markets have increased by more than 40% over the last five years.

The average sale price in the Balearics is €2,561 per square metre, which is 40% more than 2014.

Square

LOUISE: With McHardy in 2015 and her wedding in July 2017, she also described herself as managing director of his Spanish property business, McHardy Spanish Properties.She admitted eight counts of benefit fraud and was jailed for six months, suspended for two years, by Judge Peter Johnson.

Rental prices across the islands meanwhile have risen by 43% in the same period to €9.85 a square metre, per month.

Palma's average rental price has risen 55% in the last five years.

Palma is still the most expensive area to rent in, with the average cost at nearly €11 per square metre – a new record high average for Palma.

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PROPERTY

January 31st - February 13th 2019

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Jan 31st - Feb 13th 2019

Foreign buyers reject new builds I WE ARE

Interest in the property market is at an all-time high with foreign investors, but it seems they’re not interested in new builds, writes Adam Neale

N a recent article, newspaper El Confidencial questioned whether there is a problem with foreign home buyers occupying more of the market than ever, without being interested in new-build

homes. The publication confirmed that overall interest among international buyers is high, with 53,359 transactions registered in the first quarter of 2018.

Some 33,000 homes were

Hiring!

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Sales Executive

winning Would you like to represent an award media group?

We need agents in Mallorca ence • Must have previous sales experi • Have good local contacts • Be reliable • Be self-motivated • Good references essential

t jon@theolivepress.es ac nt co e as ple en th s ke ta it at wh If you have

sold to foreign buyers in the first half of 2007, just before the property bubble burst. This would suggest we're at an alltime high.

But, according to the article, sales of new homes to foreign buyers are at an all-time low across Spain, despite more new projects reaching the market all the time. This means there is increasing competition among modern property developments, and this proliferation of choice may be one of the reasons why they don't sell as quickly as before.

Property Prices are a contributing factor Another factor is the rise in property prices, which due to limited land and growing construction costs, have increased significantly and more rapidly than those of resale homes.

The latter are now seen to offer a lot more home for your money.

Therefore there has been a notable shift towards resale properties in recent times, and especially in relation to the pre-recession years, when over 60% of all property transactions involving non-Spanish buyers were new. So, while demand is strong many experts worry about the lack of appetite for new homes.

Planning delays are another contributing factor A greater worry is the added time and cost caused by building licences delays and maybe this is a frustration that potential buyers feel as well, prompting them to opt for the easier choice of a resale property ready to move into. There are currently around 200 new projects on the Costa del Sol alone, but if the reports are correct the new flow of developments should begin to slow down considerably.

The British, who have always been keen buyers of both resale and new homes in Spain, have seen their share within the foreign buyers' market drop considerably since Brexit.

Where once they made up over half of the total, that share has now fallen to less than onefifth, and this can be another explanation for the lack of interest in modern properties.

The state of the overall market is healthy thanks to a revival of the domestic market and strong demand from especially Scandinavian, Belgian and French buyers, but right now it's clearly focused on resales.

Terra Meridiana, 77 Calle Caridad, 29680 Estepona Tel: +34 951 318480

Office Mob: +34 678 452109 • Email: info@terrameridiana.com • Website: www.terrameridiana.com

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL www.theolivepress.es

ROW: Between Moro clans

Grapes of wrath A VICIOUS spat has broken out between two leading Spanish vineyards over the right to use their names.

International wine brands - both named Moro - have become embroiled in a real battle of the grapes.

Carlos Moro, owner of Grupo Carlos Moro, which makes Matarromera, and Jose and Javier Moro, owners of Emilio Moro, are at loggerheads over the brand names.

Feud

It had not been an issue until recently as the wineries were based in different locations With one based in Ribera del Duero and the other in Rioja.

But the feud kicked off when Carlos decided to open a winery in La Rioja also under the Moro name.

Now, in a bid to protect their territory, his rivals have launched a huge advertising campaign, with the slogan: “In the wine world, Moro means Emilio Moro.”

January 31st - February 13th 2019

Grape escape

What’s on for foodies!

M

The Spanish Wine Federation have issued advice to the industry to reduce the threat of the UK’s potential no-deal exit from the EU. It told its members to make advanced transportation plans and ensure wine is correctly labeled.

It comes as the value of the pound plummeted on

TO THE RESCUE: Spain’s wine industry

Tuesday night following MPs’ vote on amendments to her brexit deal. This is after Rioja imports have been negatively affected by Brexit since early 2018.

E x p o r t s to the UK Spanish study which found no dropped 16% links between fried food and in the first premature death.

11 months The discrepancy is believed of last year, to have emerged as Spanwhile global iards tend to cook with markets saw olive oil, which is consida 10% slump, ered healthier than normal according to cooking oils, used in the wine associUK. ation Grupo Researchers, however, conRioja. cluded that despite olive oil be“By all means ing a better choice, eating fried we can talk foods still increases the risk. about a Brexit effect,”

Don’t get fried young!

FRIED chicken increases the risk of premature death, claims a new study.

According to the study by the British Medical Journal, eating fried chicken daily is linked to a 13% chance of dying early.

Meanwhile, fried fish was found to be linked with a 7% higher risk.

The BMJ researchers pointed out that the new information contradicts a

eaty night

OD PORT Portals hotel will host a 'Burger meets Gin' night with live entertainment in aid of charity Wings for ALS on February 8.

Wineries in Spain stockpiling booze in UK before Brexit SPANISH vineyards have been sending as much wine as they can to the UK ahead of Brexit.

“We already completed our sales for the first half of 2019 with 90% of our customers,” Santiago Frias, general director of Rioja winery Bodegas Riojanas, said to Bloomberg.

19 19

January 31st - February 13th 2019

Inigo Torres, the group’s manager told Bloomberg.

He added: “Of course it could get worse in case of no deal.

“The sterling would further depreciate and the UK would turn into a third country with no custom agreement and probably higher duties.”

La Rioja is the largest European wine region in terms of exports to the UK. In the first nine months of 2018, its wineries sold 32 million litres of vino to UK buyers - one third of its total global exports.

The UK is set to leave the EU on March 29 and Theresa May now has to negotiate her Brexit agreement with Brussels.

CARAVANING

I

n bloom

SON Servera’s Almond Blossom fair will kick off on February 3 with live music, almond cakes and sweets and handmade almond wood creations.

T

apa fun

TAPAS are hot all year as Palma’s Ruta Martiana Tapa Route every Tuesday in the city’s Sa Gerreria neighbourhood with dozens of bars and cafes joining in from 7pm until late.

2019 a

27 EDITION

FEBRUARY, FROM 8th TO 10th & 15th TO 17th

TWO WEEKENDS

EXHIBITION HALL OF ALICANTE

COME AND DISCOVER THE EXCITING WORLD OF CARAVANING Motorhomes, caravaning, mobile-homes, convertible trailers, accessories and camping equipment

20

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January 31st - February 13th 2019

FOOD,DRINK

January 31st - February 13th 2019

Going local

How I fell in love with vegetarianism, writes Manna Teji, Andalucia based chef who is starting a new recipe series with the OP

I

WAS born in Punjab, India and became known as the into a loving Sikh family. black sheep in a family that I was vegetarian even loved food and cooking. before I was born, as for I went to university where I some reason my mother obtained a masters in classicould not face eating meat cal Indian music. After marwhile she was pregnant with rying I met an exceptional me, which carried on while chef whom I asked to teach I was a baby. Finally when I me to cook. Although I wasn't was three years old, my par- a very good student, he did ents met their spiritual men- give me some advice that tor and the has stayed whole family with me all converted to through my He told me vegetarianism. life - ‘Whatever Growing up you cook with whatever you I lived in love will turn cook with love many differout wonderful’. ent places as At the time will turn out my father's I thought he wonderful work took was just an him around old man that the world. My didn't know parents were great enter- what he was talking about, tainers with food being an but now I know better! integral part of the house- Cooking became my passion hold. Through the different and as I travelled around the cooks we had at home I ex- globe and tasted all kinds of perienced a wide variety of food, curiosity about the difstyles of cooking. ferent gastronomies drove However when I was a child I me to learn, investigate and refused to enter the kitchen, innovate in my own kitchen, every day.

Having children also sparked a new desire to invent interesting, tasty and fun vegetarian food that would be nourishing but appealing.

Finally after living in five different continents, I settled in Spain in 1999 and became a professional vegetarian chef.

I always try to source my food locally, and am lucky enough to live in the agricultural province of Almeria, where I support local initiatives to grow organic produce.

Here I have created food for markets to top restaurants as well as catering for yoga schools, vegans, people with food allergies and a host of other needs.

I am presently advising Albar Restaurant at Casona Granado in the Lubrin area, as well as a healthcare pro-

VEGGIE FOR LIFE: Manna Teji is in love with veggie cooking

vider in London, who are keen to include more vegetarian and vegan choices on their menus.

I currently live just outside Mojacar, where I run a small B&B offering various courses with accommodation.

I also give cookery classes and advise on all aspects of vegetarian catering, from gift hampers to children's parties.

Here (right) is one of my

HOME MEMORIES: A market in Punjab

most popular sweet treats for you to try at home. Enjoy!

Manna Teji is an Indian chef living in Mojacar who is passionate about vegetarian food. Manna welcomes questions on the topic of food and health, especially vegetarianism and veganism, so feel free to contact her at mannateji@hotmail.com

& TRAVEL

21

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January 31st - February 13th 2019

January 31st - February 13th 2019

21

VEGAN STICKY TOFFEE CAKE

Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS: For the pudding • • • • • • • • • • •

250g of stoned dates 250g of flour 75gs of maple syrup 200g of chopped walnuts 2 teaspoons of vanilla essence 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder 2 teaspoons of baking soda 100ml. of olive oil 2 tablespoons of egg substitute (optional) 100ml. of water 1 pinch of salt

Discover The Hamill Care Difference

For the toffee • • •

24/7 Availability

250gms of cane sugar 50gms of vegan butter 80gms of vegan cream (chilled)

METHOD: Preheat your oven to 180ºC/ 375 F. Prepare your baking tray or tin.

Put water, dates and baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) in a pan, bring to boil and simmer on medium heat until the dates are softened.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, sieve the flour with baking powder, pinch of salt and egg substitute.

Add the cooked dates mixture to the flour along with olive oil, vanilla essence and walnuts and mix well.

Put the batter into the baking tin and bake for 40-45 min or until if you prick the cake with a stick and it comes out clean.

Let the cake cool for 20 minutes before turning out.

In another pan, heat the butter and add the sugar. Let it cook without Now carefully pour the chilled cream into the pan and stir well. Cookstirring until it caramelises into a brown syrup. for a further 2-3 minutes.

Pour the toffee generously over the cake and leave to cool before cutting.

Another way is to serve the toffee mixture hot, poured over each serving like a pudding.

• • • • • • •

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Music, gastronomy, design, comfort and great art.

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For work or for pleasure, as a true symbol of quality, OD Port Portals is everything anyone staying in Majorca can ever wish for. A lively place, with its own events, Burger Meets Gin, Mexican Brunch or Tasting Brunch, where locals and visitors are welcome.

Av. Tomàs Blanes Tolosa, 4 07181 Calvià | Mallorca +34 971 675 956 odportportals.com

22

COLUMNISTS

January 31st - February 13th 2019

www.theolivepress.es

Gadget of joy Jan 31st - Feb 13th 2019

Mallorca diaries

By Lesley Keith

It’s small, quiet, easy to use and more than efficient...

I’VE found a sure fire way of making me der a tree from then on. I do love goats smile, no not that (behave will you?), however and really enjoy seeing them this is really brilliant. stroll around the place.

I collect up all my vegetable food waste OK can we keep this between us? I and take them to a local field where know you can keep a secret and are there’s a few goats, geese and chick- probably the only one reading this ens to give them a snack. (apart from my friend Sarah from EngThey now recognise me and charge lish Radio Pollensa and she won’t tell headlong my way once I’ve been anyone) but I seem to have become clocked. one of those women who get excited by Watching them all gallop over is a a Hoover. sight to behold and the likes of seeing I don’t quite know how this has hapa chicken strut around with a tomato pened but I’ve been increasingly in its beak or the huge ram back away drawn in by those adverts for cordless from a determined goose is just won- vacuums and finally succumbed and derful and always makes my day. bought one last week.

The huge ram is very impressive to look at Well I have to say it’s magnificent, just but he seems to want me a small one and it does to feed him by hand, and need recharging freI must admit I’m not quite quently but it’s totally Aboritatiur ready for that yet, he’s amazing, quiet, small, secto ditisi very large with impressive efficient, so easy to use horns, and there’s only a I didn’t even need the non cus aliquid very flimsy looking fence instructions! When I’ve between us so...... maybe mentioned it, as I can’t estiscipicta next time. seem to stop doing, all aliquisti dit ad females seem incredIn fact one of the first bits of practical advice I ibly curious and want got when I arrived here to know if they’re worth was about goats. buying because they too are obviously I was told not to park under any trees. about to become converts. My old HenWell when it’s blisteringly hot and ry which I inherited and hated with an there’s a shady tree that advice was uncharacteristic vengeance has now going to be ignored until I saw a small been dispatched to the charity shop. herd clamber on top of a really nice Something that hasn’t been quite so car to get access to some tasty tree successful has been my efforts to branches. warm my cold and damp flat.

OK then, I got it, no more parking un- We’d eventually accepted that we need-

FALLING IN LOVE: With cordless hoover and goats ed to buy a calor gas heater as we kept going out to people’s houses who had heating or warm bars and restaurants, even just drive in the car to thaw out!

I’d been fighting this because of the condensation it’ll produce and the space it’ll take up plus frankly they’re all so damned ugly! Continual reasoning by my partner, ever the cool head, that it would be instant heat, have maneuverability and would be paid for in advance finally swung it. So we did the 100km round trip to Bauhaus where

they were on offer and brought one home. Problem number one, they don’t come with either a gas bottle or a bottle fitting attachment.

By this time it was Saturday afternoon and everywhere locally was shut. No I wasn’t going to do another 100km to Bauhaus either but luckily my partner’s sister had a spare one (she’s lived here for years and understands how stuff works) so we managed to attach that to the gas bottle. Problem number two, of course our bottle was empty.

The garage up the road was still open but didn’t recognise our bottle’s fitting and wouldn’t change it. Finally on Monday we got a new one and fixed it all together. Problem number three, we just could not get it to light.

After numerous texts to similar heater owning friends we discovered there’s a small switch you have to flick to let the gas through so yay, hooray we have heat at last.

Do you know what, I think I’ll stay in tonight.

THE paper not to miss on Mallorca island THE Olive Press is now distributing all over the island in an incredible 500-plus locations.

Found at golf courses, tourist offices, museums and petrol stations, it has become the most sought-after English newspaper in MalAlaro Alcanada Alcanada Alcudia ALGAIDA Andratx Andratx BENDINAT BENDINAT BENDINAT Binissalem Cala Estancia

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lorca every fortnight. Look out for one of our many stands, as seen here at Santa Catalina market, in Palma, and in Andratx town centre.

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We also want to know where you would like to see it and where you don't think we should

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January 31st - February 13th 2019

Confused?

Ride and seek IRISH Tour de France winner Dan Martin has confirmed he will start his season in Mallorca this week.

Originally from Birmingham, the UAE Team Emirates rider and teammates Fabio Aru and Alexander Kristoff will compete in the Challenge Mallorca race.

This year Martin will target the Ardennes Classics and the Tour de France, in which he won stages in 2013 and 2018.

Marco Marzano, the team director, said: “The Challenge Mallorca takes a certain importance given that we have 12 riders heading there.”

The cycling boss believes the competition, from January 31 to february 3, will boost the team’s 2019 plans.

Mo way MALLORCA runner has admitted ‘fulfilling a dream’ after training with Olympic champion Mo Farah in Addis Ababa.

Eduardo Fuster, 38, from Palma, trained with the fourtime Gold medalist in the Ethiopian capital, a place he usually visits once a year.

After the event, organised by fellow Olympic gold medal champion Haile Gebrselassie, Fuster revealed he even had dinner with Farah.

The Balearic-based athlete told Diario de Mallorca: “It would be like being able to train at the Santiago Bernabéu."

Fuster claims he has completed five marathons, with the quickest being two hours, 57 minutes in Copenhagen.

Search for Sala POLICE have called off searches for Premier League player Emiliano Sala after the plane he was on vanished over the English Channel.

The 28-year-old Argentine, who began his career in Spain had joined Cardiff City in a record transfer of €17m.

But after the forward said goodbye to his teammates at French side Nantes and flew to Wales his flight disappeared near Guernsey. Sala’s family have launched a private rescue effort, with crowdfunding reaching €350,000, including a €30,000 donation from PSG’s Kylian Mbappe.

RIP: Sala

If the UK’s departure from the EU is giving you a headache, Linea Directa is here to help you get the right insurance SOFT Brexit, hard Brexit or no-deal.

What does Brexit mean?

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Nadal crushed by rival Djokovic in Australian Open final

* Fu l l y co m p re h e n s i ve o f fe r va l i d fo r n e w c u s to m e r s o n l y. G u a ra nte e s u b j e c t to cove r, re p a i r at a p p rove d g a ra g e, a n d co u r te s y ve h i c l e ava i l a b i l i t y. S u b j e c t to co n d i t i o n s. O f fe r e n d s 3 0 / 1 1 / 1 8 .

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Hard Brexit In the case of a hard Brexit, the UK may have to give up access to the single market and the Customs Union. EU payments would probably end as would free movement of people, meaning that UK citizens would lose their automatic right to live and work in any European country. The UK would be free to make its own rules and regulations, and negotiate their own trade deals with countries around the world. Trade between the UK and the EU would continue but with more restrictions and new rules on how it would work.

No-deal If a new set of rules and regulations for a hard Brexit cannot be agreed, then the UK could leave the EU with no deal. In this scenario, the UK may have to defer to the World Trade Organisation rules on international trade when doing business with EU countries.

UK exports would be subject to taxes and customs checks. The legal status of UK expats in Europe and EU expats in the UK would be uncertain. Would people require visas? Would the price of food imports rise? Would business be thrown into chaos?

Did you know?

Whatever the final scenario, the UK is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29 2019. Given that negotiations have started, we understand that it is of vital importance for expatriates to stay informed about the outcomes and how it affects them.

For more information please call 902 123 282 or visit www.lineadirecta.com.

Garros.

Djokovic will be looking to steal the title from Nadal, after a blistering run of form saw him clinch his third successive major in Melbourne.

Reflecting on his stunning performance he said: “The first thing I’m going to do is recharge my batteries and obviously then, you know, have time to reflect.”

The match in Melbourne lasted two hours and four minutes as Djokovic crushed his old rival with 34 winners and just nine unforced errors.

The 53rd on-tour meeting between the pair is a repeat of their 2012 final that was the longest grand slam title match in history at five hours and 53 minutes.

Rainbow road A WORLD champion cyclist has given Rafael Nadal a gift in Mallorca hours after the tennis star announced his marriage.

Alejandro Valverde, the current road cycling world champion, presented Nadal with a coveted rainbow jersey at his Manacor tennis museum.

The Movistar rider’s gift to Rafa will be exhibited at the museum and Valverde said his team want to ‘wish Rafa a lot of luck and encouragement’.

The early wedding pres-

Soft Brexit People who voted to remain in the EU are hoping for a soft Brexit. In this scenario, the UK could stay in the single market or the customs union, or both. This would ensure a continuing close relationship with the EU in return for some EU payments to be made, some EU rules to be followed and continuing the free movement of people.

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STAR: (Left) Dan Martin

Grand Slammed RAFAEL Nadal has had his Grand Slams lead over world number one Novak Djokovic cut to just two, after losing the Australian Open final in straight sets.

The Serb defeated the Spaniard 6-3 6-2 6-3 at Melbourne Park to claim a record 7th title in the competition.

The historic win marks Djokovic’s 15th Grand Slam victory and sees him move within five of Roger Federer, who has 20 and just two of Nadal on 17.

“I don’t say I have been destroyed,” said Nadal after the defeat.

He added: “I have been playing against a player that was at the highest level possible, in my opinion.”

Nadal now looks ahead to the French Open in May, where he is known as the ‘king of clay’ for his record 11 singles titles in the Grand Slam at Roland

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January 31st - February 13th 2019

ent comes just hours after the Mallorca native revealed he would marry Xisca Perello, his girlfriend of 14 years.

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Modern activities

FINAL WORDS

THE LAW of Legal Regime has been approved in the Balearics.

The new law regulates modern activities – from co-working to food-trucks and sporting events.

Defence dogs LOLO, Log and Desti are the first three dogs in Mallorca trained to protected battered women.

The project has had success on the mainland, with muzzled dogs trained to pounce on attempted attackers.

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Vol. 2 Issue 47 www.theolivepress.es January 31st - February 13th 2019

Intercourse for concern

Sex on the beach is destroying Ibiza’s sand dunes HORNY holidaymakers are damaging Ibiza’s sand dunes by having sex on the beach, environmentalists warn.

The delicate dunes of the Ses Salines Natural Park could be at risk of erosion due to romping tourists.

The beach of es Cavallet has become a hotspot for late night trysts.

Despite protected areas of the beach being fenced off, couples looking to get it on are frequently jumping over the barriers.

Drop out

Flooring it!

MORE children dropped out of school in the Balearics than anywhere else in Spain.

Nearly a quarter of minors in schools dropped out in 2018 – Spain's highest drop-out rate.

JUST one week after a new speed camera was installed in Son Quint, police have found the speed radar dismantled.

Palma officials had only just installed the radar near the Madre Alberta school where people commonly speed.

The city received many complaints about the camera in the week it was

“Free access like this is causing the break-up of the dunes and their structures,” biologist Joan Carles Palerm told Diario de Mallorca.

He added: “The system that maintains them is very complex and any alteration, such as this continuous installed, until they found it unbolted activity, fatally from the ground and laying on the affects them.” pavement.

All the outdoor It is set to be reinstalled. love-making is

thought to be disturbing small plants that grow in the dunes that are crucial for the survival of the fragile ecosystem.

Environmentalists have also warned that beaches in Mallorca and Menorca are also under threat.

Es Cavallet is an officially recognised nudist beach and with its 1km of white sand it is also a popular spot for playing volleyball.

The south end of the beach also has an active gay scene and LGBT hookups often begin at the beach’s famous Chiringuito.

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A WHALE has washed ashore on Cala Millor Beach.

The massive fin whale was found by locals in the evening, dying on the beach.

The ten-ton mammal was almost dead when police and wildlife officials arrived on the scene – and they found the creature too large to move.

The young female fin whale, about 15.4 metres long, died early the next morning.

The Palma Aquarium arrived later to perform an autopsy on the beach – two large cuts from a boat propeller were easily spotted towards the tail.

Sick

Marine experts concluded the animal was sick, but are yet to confirm how.

The animal had recently lost weight, and most likely was illy drifting when it collided with a boat’s propellers.

The organs will be removed and studied at the aquarium, while the skeleton is hoped to be put in a museum.

Most of the mammal will be decomposed on the beach using lime, as all attempts to move her have failed.

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