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Triple threat By Simon Wade
THE first three coronavirus cases have been reported in the south of the Costa Blanca, taking the total number in Spain to 213, with 22 of those in Valencia. One of the unlucky trio, an entrepreneur from Orihuela, had just returned from the Milan Footwear Fair. Another victim had also returned from Italy, where 107 people have died at the centre of Europe’s Covid-19 outbreak. He was diagnosed at his home in Torremanzanas, 20 miles inland from Villajoyosa, where he remains quarantined. The third victim, a young man, is in isolation in the General Hospital of Alicante. He hasn’t been to Italy, but it is understood that his family have. Meanwhile an 82-year-old man in Biscay became Spain’s second coronavirus fatality last night after suffering from pneumonia. The country’s first death in the outbreak was a 69-year-old man in Valencia, who succumbed to complications after being diagnosed. Currently there are no plans to curtail any public events or cancel inbound flights to Elche or Corvera Airports.
First three coronavirus cases in south of Costa Blanca as tourism fear takes hold It comes as nervous hoteliers and restaurateurs are bracing themselves for the devastating effect coronavirus could have on Spain’s tourism industry. They are joined by tourist chiefs who fear a major hit to critical Semana Santa week, which heralds the start of the holiday season. Data from travel analytics firm ForwardKeys shows international flights booked from the UK and the US were down almost 20% for a five-week period up until February 23. British Airways, Easyjet, Ryanair and Lufthansa have all started cancelling flights within Europe and to China. Some have drastically cut prices in order to fill empty seats, with Ryanair reducing flights to Italy by 25%. Israel also announced it will place all travellers arriving from Spain into quarantine upon arrival, with the strict protocol also applied to Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France.
Stocks are plummeting too, with IAG, the company that owns British Airways, Vueling and Iberia suffering a drop in value of more than 9%, the highest of any company in the Ibex 35. The International Air Transport Association estimates that the virus outbreak will cost the sector more than €26 billion in 2020. Travel and tourism analyst, Ralph Hollister, from GlobalData said: “If the virus is still having the same impact by the end of April, cancellations could start to increase at a rapid rate as consumers deem the risk to their health to be greater than their need for a holiday.” With Semana Santa starting on April 5, businesses in Spain are worried about whether one of Spain’s busiest weeks will go ahead as normal. More than one million visitors traditionally descend on Sevilla and Malaga combined during Holy Week. A total of 14% of Spain’s Gross Domestic Product comes from tourism, according to the European Travel Commission. It’s Executive Director Eduardo Santander said: “The impact of the virus on European tourism will be massive — we’re talking about big losses.” Opinion Page 6
PLUS: The opinions of eight leading ladies to celebrate International AWE CAN DO ANYTHING! Women’s Day 23
A special four-page pullout
March 2020
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N equal world is 1911, so now in a new cenan enabled world. tury and a new decade are Over a century after This is the theme of we making International Women’s Day a difference? International Women's Day 2020. On March At first glance, it’s easy to first started, Karen Livermore 8 the spotlight turns to wo- say yes. There’s something asks, are things really any men throughout the world in the air that feels like real who are striving for gender change. The #metoo and better in 2020? #timesup movements were parity in the workplace, media giants, companies, in unpalatable men from their their businesses, in sports, a palpable moment where politicians and stars. women were not only being Bein culture and arts, and ing male, rich and powerful positions, but the views in heard, but their voices they represent, from public were their communities. powerful. They were calling was suddenly no longer a acceptance. The movement started in out previously untouchable shield. Out of it has come a Things that matter to and real effort to shift, not only affect women, are finally
getting heard, and action women is still alarming. Last is being taken. But there is still so far to go. We may be year was a dark 12 months celebrating the downfall of in Spain with 55 women kiHarvey Weinstein, and the lled either by partners or ex shaming of Placido Domin- partners. The highest figure go over his admission of se- since 2015. It's not the only xually harassed women, but country where these figuin Saudi Arabia women are res are rising. However, in still high fiving their right to a disturbing move the Vox own a passport without the party is lobbying for cuts in funding to combat genconsent of a male guardian. Gender violence against Continues overleaf
We needed to change the work culture
Women on the frontline in Spain
Let’s raise a glass to celebrate national Women’s Day 2020 Interor, as we say in Spain, Día Internacional de la Mujer. Ten women in all walks of life share theirSpain from views and inspirational stories
that we needed to change the work culture and in doing so society if we wanted to see advances in the field of equality. “Since then these ideas have been reflected in the equal opportunity policies that we first pushed for in Banesto, then in Santander in the UK and more recently in the Santander continued. “In that speechgroup as a whole,” she I emphasised the benefits of diversity in the company. And with data in 2015, she was also awarded from different studies, I explained that having the first Award for Responsible more women in managerial positions, apart from taking the helm the year before. Capitalism after being fair, was good for business. Ana, 59, is also a pioneer. women bring skills to business Besides talent, The first that complement woman to run those of men – a major European bank, she’s better interpersonal communicaon the Forbes’ list of World’s been ranked eigth tion, cooperation, horizontal men. Within her corporation, Most Powerful Wo- city to really listen as well thinking and a capaas more empathy and has made a point of boosting this financial whizz the ability to prioritise.” female direction, ai- Botín ming for 30% of its CEOs has also introduced a life-work balance (they currently account forto be women by 2025 scheme because, ‘one of the aim is technical equality, 20%). Beyond 2025, tunities lies in domestic the keys to equal opporwork.’ 40% ratio, irrespective of which means a 60%- She said: “For men to increase In an article she publishedgender. responsibility, we need public their share of this policies that allow in response to a debate overon her LinkedIn page for greater flexibility in the workplace.” tials, she wrote, “I have spenther feminist creden- Ana is adamant there will be no discrepancy in years as an executive; years in which I have seen enough to know salaries between male and female staff members that in general women don’t taking on equal responsibility in a banking instituspeech delivered to a room get a fair deal… In a tion that is ranked 16th in the world. in 2008, I talked about the full of men in Bilbao Forbes magazine also notes importance of women that Botín has a poacting with more confidence licy of ‘backing small companies in ourselves and owned and companies by women’.
Ana Botín, President of the Santander banking group
ot only was Ana Botín N dame by Queen Elizabeth made an honorary II for services to the Financial sector
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NEWS IN BRIEF
Truth hurts A LANDMARK case in Spain has seen its first-ever charge of ‘fake news’ brought against a Barcelona woman. The woman tweeted a video calling all young immigrants ‘violent’ and will be tried on March 9 for a crime against fundamental rights.
Clampdown MADRID’S town hall has begun fining tourist ‘hotels’, set up without correct authorisation and oversight, after inspecting 11,025 apartments last year.
Catcalling A LAW of sexual liberty passing through Spain’s congress will seek to penalise sexual harassment and abuse on Spanish streets – i.e. sexist or humiliating expressions – with fines, house arrest and community service.
2020 vision ALICANTE’S new Policia Nacional chief, Ignacio del Olmo, has begun his stewardship with a pledge to make the province ‘the safest in all of Spain’ for women with abusive partners.
Absolutely lorried MURCIA Policia Local arrested the driver of an articulated lorry last month, after tests revealed he was SIX times over the limit for a professional driver.
Mexican marble haul A RECORD-breaking haul of narcotics has been found hidden inside blocks of marble. The incredible 752g of methamphetamine was found carefully sealed into the marble. A gang of five has now been charged with the importation and distribution of Class A drugs around Spain. Investigations began in August 2019 when suspicions were raised about the 25-tonne marble blocks being imported from Mexico to the Port of Valencia for no apparent reason. When the blocks were followed to La Romana and Novelda, some of the culprits were recognised as being known to the police. When police raided their properties they discovered €150,000 in cash, firearms and numerous telephones. In total, some 19 properties have now been seized, as well as 14 vehicles.
CRIME
No perfect match! NICKED: Costa Blanca expat Charlie McEntee
By Joshua Parfitt
A FINANCIAL advisor ‘seeking work’ on the Costa Blanca has been arrested on suspicion of burglary. UK police are probing whether Charlie McEntee better known as ‘Ascot Charlie’ for a racy dress worn at the famous racecourse stole designer watches from an ex-lover’s house. Essex Police arrested the
Expat financial advisor arrested over €150,000 theft claims from an ex-lover she met on dating site
49-year-old as she landed at Stansted Airport from Alicante on Valentine’s Day last month. They are investigating the alleged burglary of a home she had been sharing with property developer John Carey in Essex. It comes after Carey also
Famous five finished FIVE arrests have been carried out in El Pilar de la Horadada and Torrevieja for numerous robbery offences. The quintet, well-known to Guardia Civil, have been under investigation since August, when their modus operandi was first rumbled. The mixed Moroccan and Algerian gang, were arrested for numerous house robberies, two crimes of theft, credit card fraud, two assaults, vehicle theft, attacking a police officer and resisting arrest. Victims included the elderly and vulnerable - with one being hospitalized and requiring surgery
March 5th - March 18th 2020
claims she stole a €140,000 house deposit for a home they were buying on the Costa Blanca. The pair, who were renting a €300,000 villa in Murla, in the Jalon valley, split up after he heard a series of allegations about her. He was particularly upset that she had been married six times before and that she had apparently taken a deposit he had given her to buy a villa in Spain. “She assured me that a house purchase was on track and to leave financial matters to her,” he told the Sun. “But everything changed in November last year when a letter revealed she had been married six times since 1992.
Aggressive
“It contained some serious allegations. She instantly turned aggressive and I asked for my €140,000 deposit back.” After failing to track her down, Carey - who met McEntee on dating site Match.com - went to both UK and Spanish police to seek justice for the respective losses. She is also allegedly facing
further probes over a theft at a care home and is locked in a legal battle with another ex-husband. The problems could damage her plans to work as a financial advisor on the Costa Blanca.
Denied
One local source, who works in finance, revealed that she had been looking to ‘semi retire and work parttime’ here. He said she wasn’t the sort of woman you’d want handling your money. McEntree is a director of her own financial firm, Lecrin Wealth Management Ltd, based out of Essex, having previously worked for Doyne Ditmas Limited. It is unknown if Lecrin Wealth has any connection to the Lecrin region of Granada, where various other financial advisors are based. McEntee’s Spanish lawyer Ignacio Pellicer insisted the claims are all ‘lies’ and the ‘deranged rantings’ of ‘psychotic ex-partners’ and a ‘jealous brother’. The firm has not responded to a request for further comment.
INFAMOUS: ‘Ascot Charlie’ on the Sun´s front page
Most Wanted CAUGHT THE alleged ringleader of a British cocaine trafficking gang has been arrested at a Marbella strip club. Dominic McInally, 29, from Merseyside, had been on the run from UK drugs charges for six years. He was detained by cops in a raid on the Casa Masa Club, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has revealed. Merseyside police had been looking for him since January 2014, when officers intercepted his car and found six kilos of cocaine inside. Five members of the group allegedly led by McInally were later sentenced to a total of 48 years’ imprisonment. McInally, who was one of the fugitives featured on the UK’s
By Dilip Kuner
‘Operation Captura’ most wanted list, has been taken to Madrid for extradition proceedings. Andy Cooke-Welling, Head of the NCA’s International Crime Bureau, said: “It is yet another success under Operation Captura, which has resulted in dozens of fugitives being brought to account, many of them after years on the run. “It should be clear to those attempting to flee from UK justice that they can never rest easy.” This is not the first time The Casa Masa Club – which is on Marbella’s Golden Mile – has been in the news. In 2017 five people were arrested after a brawl ended with four people being shot, with one needing emergency surgery.
Cop nicked for murder A LOCAL policeman has been accused of the violent murder of an 83-year-old for her €1.5 million inheritance The woman died after allegedly falling down the stairs of her home in Madrid while she was in the sole care of the policeman. The officer was tasked with the 24hour care of the lady and despite not being a direct relative, was due to inherit her €1.5 million fortune once she passed away.
NEWS
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Rise and fall
March 5th - March 18th 2020
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Rapprochement? REPUBLICAN vice president Pablo Iglesias has been snapped for the first time alongside Spain’s favorite thrifty royal, Queen Letizia. Iglesias’ Podemos party is known to be anti-monarchy but that didn’t stop the pair sharing a flight to attend the Princess of Girona Foundation Awards. The queen, who reigns alongside Felipe VI, donned a chic green pant suit for the occasion.
Tokio in Tokyo CORONAVIRUS has taken over Instagram as well news sources. Celebrities across the world such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Kim Kardashian and Kate Hudson have shared pictures on the social media site wearing face masks. Spanish celebrities have also jumped on the wave, with La Casa de Papel star, Ursula Corbero (above), being one of them. The 30-year-old, who plays the much-loved Tokio in the hit series, posted two pictures of herself in the Japanese capital wearing a face mask.
SOL SEARCHERS: Winners Martina Puigvert, Fina Puigdevall for Les Coles and Javier Olleros of Culler de Pau (left). Loser Dani Garcia (above right) A PAIR of Costa Blanca restaurants are among the rising stars at the latest food guide awards. Beat in Calp and Magoga in Cartagena are among the 23 restaurants in Spain to have been awarded their second ‘Sol’ in the new Repsol guide.
Pair of Costa Blanca restaurants win big in new culinary sol awards They are joined by a further six restaurants from the region of Valencia that secured their first Sol, at the the annual ceremony,
New meaning to Survivor
SPANISH reality television show, Supervivientes, has had to be suspended and contestants evacuated due to adverse weather conditions. The show which is based on the US version, Survivor, is filmed on the islands of Cayos Cochinos, off the coast of Honduras. However, a storm is ravaging the islands, with waves ‘as high as five metres’ and the production team have made the decision to evacuate the contestants for their own safety. The team tasked with the evacuation procedure managed to take everyone to safety on boats. A contestant, Vicky Larraz said: “At one point I thought we were going to capsize.”
Last song SPAIN has cancelled opera star Placido Domingo’s concerts over sexual misconduct allegations. The disgraced 79-year-old singer has had his next performance cancelled by Spain’s
Ministry of Culture, as he battles allegations by fellow performers and assistants. The Government made its position clear by banning the singer from the performance of operetta Luisa Fernanda at the Zarzuela Theatre in Madrid on May 14 and 15, pledging its support for the women who have been affected by the allegations.
which took place in food capital San Sebastian. The Valencian eateries to break their Repsol duck include El Bressol, Habitual, Rausell, Sucede, Alicante Orobianco and Tula. Meanwhile, the Michelin-starred Beat in Calp, the brainchild of Jose Manuel Miguel, went from one to two Sols. A record ten new restaurants each won a Sol in the 2020 edition of Spain’s most important eating guide, now in its 41st year. At a national level, 102 restaurants were awarded Sols, with only two hitting the top spot this year – Les Cols in Catalunya and Culler de Pau in Galicia. A total of 23 restaurants were awarded two Sols, while 77 were given one. Two lucky restaurants also bagged their third Sols, including Culler de Pau in O Grove (Pontevedra) and Les Cols in Olot (Girona). The awards are decided by 50 inspectors, who between them tried the food at more than 1,300 restaurants in Spain. Other Spanish winners:
TWO SUN WINNERS
●Bagá ● (Jaén) ●Bardal ● (Ronda) ●La ● Costa (El Ejido) ●Lú ● Cocina y Alma (Jerez de la Frontera)
ONE SUN WINNERS
●Almocadén ● (Alcaudete) ●Arriaga ● (Granada) ●Cañabota ● (Sevilla) ●Celia ● Jiménez (Córdoba) ●Dama ● Juana (Jaén) ●Faralá ● (Granada) ●Godoy ● (Málaga) ●Ispal ● (Sevilla) ●Mantúa ● (Jerez de la Frontera) ●Taberna ● de Miguel (Bailén)
Bond ambition BEFORE making her name in Tinseltown, ambitious Cuban-Spanish actress Ana de Armas packed her bags and moved to Madrid to pursue her acting career where she landed appearances in the tv series El Internado (The Boarding School). Ana now joins the high-profile cast for the latest Bond saga No Time to Die, although she admitted that before taking on the role in the 007 franchise she found the female characters ‘unrelatable’. However, the 31-year-old was reassured by the script, co-written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, describing her character as a ‘real woman’. It’s not the first time Ana has worked with Daniel Craig, recently starring in Knives Out alongside the Hollywood heartthrob.
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Reporters Simon Wade and Joshua Parfitt
Start me up
EXCLUSIVE By Joshua Parfitt
Meanwhile, Smart was able to delay attending the hearing until next month due to damage to a restaurant she owns during Storm Gloria. Court transcripts passed to the Olive Press reveal how the ex-employees denied all accusations put to them. The defendants claimed that former boss Kirby was responsible for moving the funds from low-risk to highrisk. One of the victims, former Blackpool bus driver Les Hutchings, 67, lost nearly his entire €117,000 private pension when it ended up in toxic portfolios without his knowledge. Another is widow Karen O’Hagan, who lost €72,000 of her RBS pension. It came after she was told by CWM staff that transferring the money was the only way to protect it for her two young children if she passed away. Angela Brooks, who is leading the private prosecution, told the Olive Press the case will set a major ‘precedent’ across Europe. “It’s a disgrace that it’s taken a Spanish lawyer in Spain and a Spanish criminal judge to recognise the wickedness of
Four things you should know when setting up a Spanish limited company (SL), write Sun Lawyers
S
o, you want to start a business. Many investors looking to start up will immediately think of a limited company – SL in Spanish – formed via a notarial deed of company incorporation. But for many more, that might be as far as they know. So we’ve compiled four must-know points for any prospective SL owner or director. SLs are not devised for one-man bands. The Spanish Hacienda, whilst accepting that an SL is a legitimate form of conducting business, will not accept those that lack an infrastructure to carry out the commercial or professional activity – be that human or material resources, such as staff and office. These companies are described as ‘dummy’ or ‘shell’ companies, and operating through them could be challenged by Hacienda. This is the case too with services where the company could not exist without the founder
– think of medical doctors, dentists, singers, elite sportsmen and women etc.
SLs cannot be ‘closed down’. I typically hear people talking about ‘closing a company down’ when debts become insurmountable. But a company can only be closed if there are no debts – if there are, the director is obliged to file for bankruptcy, through the courts, within two months after it becomes insolvent. High vs low share capital. Unless you are looking to show financial credibility with your potential clients or lenders, shareholders and directors should go for a lower share capital. The lower this figure is the less they will be personally responsible for. But this has downsides too: if a company has a net worth below 50% of the share capital, it is technically insolvent, being a legal ground for forcible wind up. An SL is not a personal piggy bank. Company money and personal money are separate, no matter how much we try to try to stretch it – logic and common sense must prevail here. Here are some tips of what is deductible and what not: shopping list (if consumed by the business), clothes (only if they have a logo or anagram of the SL), vehicles and petrol linked to the SL, business meals (up to 1% of the net income of the SL). Not deductible are holidays, new home kitchen, kids schools, etc.
Have you got any questions on limited companies? If so, then please do let us know. Sun Lawyers is a Spanish law firm founded in 1985 with more than 30 years experience. Our team of English-speaking Lawyers represent both residents and non-residents of Spain in all aspects of Legal, Fiscal and Property Law. At Sun Lawyers we pride ourselves in giving every client a personal experience however, as a majority of our clients remain in the UK throughout the buying process we have become experts in dealing via email or phone. Contact details: Email: admin@sun-lawyers.com
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HE average property price two consecutive years for in Spain has grown The national for average housethe first time in a Prices rise decade. price rose Along the3.9% to 8.4%, according from between Mediterranean for two consecutive to most foreigners while mortgage coasts andvarious sources. buy, the average cording to on values continueyears, Tinsa, Spain’s price hike the islands, where However, But the figures has been 4.06%, leading property he added ‘at Balearic Islands. to grow Spanish property have mostly the very during the aclong six year not yet made appraisal company. “Prices have continued least, the data suggests Mortgage been up for the to grow last recession, that the big drops but nothing like rising most years January to lending to home buyers with the exception year.’ they since the recovery 19,390 new meanwhile of the enough to claw back did in the boom loans, according was up 6.1% began, Spanish Notaries. years, and respected to the Association analyst Markthe ground lost nowhere near The average in in the bust,” Stucklin, of an increase new loan made in of Spanish Propertyexplained January had of 0.9% in a year. As a value of Insight. residential acquisitions long as mortgage €135,616, the last few continues lending years, the Spanish to increase, property marketas it has done for is set to grow.for
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Pension peril
CATALUNYA’S leader has vowedbeleaguered to fight on from abroad. It came after Carles Puigdemont handed himself in to Belgian police when pean arrest warrant a Eurowas issued. He and four other politicians are accused on charges of rebellion, sedition, misuse of public funds, disobedience and breach of trust. A judge in Belgium now has EXCLUSIVE up to two weeks By Joe Duggan they will extraditeto decide if the group to Spain. BRITISH expats to €20 million in who lost up Fight sion advisory firm a failed penbelieve their signatures may have been phoGiven the whole tocopied onto investment docuprocess can take extradition ments. up to 60 days, it means Around 300 Brits, he may have to run his entire in Spain, are battlingmost living election to retrieve campaign for their funds after Alicante-based the Catalan European Democratic firm Continental Wealth ManParty agement from Belgium. (CWM) folded in SepHis party wants tember, as first reported him to fight in the for continued leadership Olive Press the regional parliament of Boss Darrena month ago. Kirby left for Ausin tralia the December 21 following the elections. Puigdemont denied the company’s main closure of he had Javea offled to Brussels fices. tice but that he to avoid jus- Victims, who left because are spread across the Spanish government Spain, was lorca, as well as in Ibiza, Malpreparing a ‘wave Portugal, France of oppression and violence’ and Turkey, fear illegal against after practices separatists. being asked to sign blank “I’m absolutely dealing instructions. that the state was convinced Their pension a harsh wave of preparing invested in pots were then repression high-risk assets for which we would which promised to have all pay out large been held responsible,” commissions. he One said yesterday. 69-year-old “The Spanish state told the Olive Presspensioner is comhe lost mitting a brutal €210,000 if we don’t battlerepression… €470,000 after transferring despite stating repression together, the Spanish he had a ‘low to medium state to risk’ aversion BOSS: Kirby now may win this fight.” in attitude to investment. Australia In a show of support “I was asked, deposed president, to the blank form. ‘Can you sign this he said. We will fill in the around 200 Catalan details.’ I Untitled-1.pdf “They should have 1 been looking 16/06/2017 dence mayors pro-indepen- would act did that trusting they 15:36 in my best interests,” out for me travelled to but they Brussels on Tuesday feathering their own were just to stage nests. To a rally.
FIND OUT WHY INSIDE
Expats who lost millions rage at ‘unauthorised’ deals involving ‘worrying’ signing of blank sheets
C
M
Y
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A PALMA thief is facing MY18 months in jail for stealing a leg of ham. CY Prosecutors are the lengthy term requesting CMY the eight kilogram for taking co Jotas' ¡ jamon leg of 'CinK from a shop in the capital. The Iberico ham €685, and has yet is valued at to be recovered.
me they knew what they were doing.” He added: “I believe rying’. some of the investments “This negates the were made without my knowledge. of the service they very essence that is the case because I think offer,” said Flores. are meant to recall signing sheets I do not cheque to invest“It is a blank wherever, investments I had.” for all the whenever. An email, seen “If standard practice, has gone down by by the Olive this is Press, shows CWM very worrying. need compensation half and I asking a clito get it ent to sign and return “Signing blank back on track. documents a blank dealing instruction. “But some people would be seen Another British expat, have lost everyas irregular in a is trying to recover 55, who thing and don’t court of law. The €200,000, said some around have enough to problem pensionwith ers ‘have lost everything’. live on. One rethese firms is that “My paper work tired victim only they were all inPENSION vesting has been altered, that I sent has €50,000 left in highly was changed frommy risk level OUTRAGE risky from €480,000.” ‘medium’ to investments ‘high’ and my dealing Andalucia-based without the cliinstructions have been lawyer Antonio ents knowing.” photocopied repeatedly for buying Flores, He claimed that whose ing assets I didn’t and sellfirm losses sustained Lawbird authorise,” he said. are by representinvestors “I still have some ing some CWM would hopefully and I am still youngmoney left victims, said signing be get compensation, enough to as the investments recoverable vestment sheets was blank inbut my fund ‘very worto perform, or went that failed bust, were linked to life insurance policies. Pension trustees and Trafalgar are Momentum now attempting to recoup CMW clients’ losses. SPECIALIZING IN: The Olive Press has CRIMINAL LAW unable to discover so far been if CWM was registered to provide CIVIL LAW investment advice with Spain’s official financial regulator BANKING (FLOOR CLAUSE) CNMV. Voted BEST
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PENSION OUTRAGE
SPAIN’S accused prime minister Catalan has Puigdemont leader Carles sion’ after of causing ‘confusigning a of independence. declaration Mariano clarify if Rajoy demanded he had really he independence declared following day’s nail biting address TuesCatalan parliament. to the If so, Rajoy trigger Articleinsisted he could 155 of Spain’s constitution take direct to allow Madrid to “There is control of Catalunya. put an end an urgent need Catalunya to the situation to is going through that - to Continues
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Expats
millionslose in life savings
reigns over should foot through who hotels hit the bill for Mallorca failed by the collapse investment line Monarch. of airBalearic scheme €10millionhotels are facing a lapse that bill over the colEXCLUSIVE repatriationsaw the emergency By Joe of over back to Duggan 110,000 Palma. the UK, many from HUNDREDS Administrator KPMG Olive Press ish of Brit‘the debt told the to expats are Monarch battling retrieve to hoteliers owed by as an unsecured sions after their penwill rank the defunct claim’ against losing up £20 million to “They will airline. in a failed pension the joint have to file a claim investment OFF scheme. the moneyadministrators for to Spanish-based TO OZ: they are all and (above) Boss Kirby a spokesman. owed,” said cial advisory finanteam at “It has firm Con- March charity tinental (yet) hownot been determined bash agement Wealth Manavailable much money will (CWM) to creditors.” be last month folded Many of
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whose by hasboss Darren Kir- It is moved tonow allegedly 300 believed at least Australia. One clientsof CWM’s 900 Costa-del-Sol- pension have had based expat their Olive Press pots decitold the mated, £59,000 he sunk shocked with victims CWM, through cover the to later dis- to end value of up back had lostonly realising he investments their ain on benefits.” in Brit£39,000 his pension had plum- “I have when meted dramatically. sent a statement. trustees However, praise for nothing but “I couldn’t a source [Trafalgar Tony Barnett close have lost believe sisted: to the case MD] and Stewart pounds,” thousandsit. I many ‘There are in- mentum Davies customers still revealed of are [Movictim, tive]. Theychef executhe happy asking main anonymous. with who to re- pension portfolio.’ their magnificent have been “The adviser An ing to recoup in trying me, kept tell- tax d a l u c i a - b a people’s s e d money.” specialist teed, it ‘This is guaran- Brooks, a leadingAngie The Olive certain can’t go below level’.” a pert on pension ex- derstands Press uning many obliterat- transferred them had His money, eration it is highly Untitled-1.pdf possible schemes lib- may their pri- others acrossand that of the founder vate Brits’ life heartbroken legal action 1 16/06/2017 and UK be savings. Spain through15:36 of Pension pensions France, Life, has parties taken by some the company, high-risk was put and a against fight now launched into CWM, investor ‘professional tims’ to help get money back. vichas been only’ assets, it She is working claimed. side pension alongTrafalgar trustees International and Momentum sions. Pen- based out of headquar“People ters in Alicante, are terribly executives. distressed,” and its based Brooks Granada- Both the office Olive Press. told the and the in Javea lost large “They have recently website have amounts shut. their of When the Olive ings.” retirement savspoke to Press boss Kirby She added: ‘definitively’ he these people “Some of responsibility denied are going crash. over the world,” “I have lost my A closehe said. associate Kirby’s of told the Press Olive Find out former staff were more on all ‘veryCWM page XX set’. up20 “It is still quite for them, Ave de Gabriel working and they raw Roca 4, Palma next,” he out what to are do said.
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announced commitment his strengthen to the central government’s role in the run to the national up He insisted elections in a fortnight. that such a prevent corruption move and lead to would in taxes. a drop It comes as EXCLUSIVE off the threatthe party attempts to By Joshua Party, whose from an insurgent see Parfitt Voted REuse autonomous leader has described Vox expat REduce paper the THE REcycle in Spain cer of Spain’. parliaments as the ‘canbeleaguered Voted Govt in wealth managementboss of a failed Under the plan, exile expat company which paper allegedly lost se resources the PP wants to increaREuse in Spain REduce million has expats more than €20 REcycle delegations for regional government ignored a summons and paralyse court. transfer of power any Confusion to reigns to the regions.further Darren Kirby, of Alicante-based Continental (CWM), failedWealth Management Supremacy court on March to turn up at Denia Casado insisted 26. the move According Who’s Spain being paying us? administered would see was due to Olive Press sources tively’. ‘more effecto turn up, he alongside former business partners, The election The case involves who did turn up. party would hopeful stated that a trio of investors, view of how carry out a sweeping his who lost substantial re- money the regional amounts of operate looking Should when the company Three Lions have pub at ‘efficiencyauthorities 2017. ty.’ legged it folded in and equiKirby allegedly Spain’s quasi-federal Three Lions pub fled to Australia HOW WE llowing the political system of ‘autonomous TOLD IT: focollapse, finally ning to Our 2017 the constitution states’ was added retur- England.” reports to “DarrenAlicante last year. in 1978. Prime ter Pedro Sanchez, has been Minis- which The Olive Press the constitution, whose party drafted he didn’t sign sent a Burofax exclusively former how CWM for, so will now plan, insisting strongly opposed abruptly folded revealed “It was member of staff. the ways,” have to pursue himthe court losing hundreds a prestigious in ‘tooth and nail’the PSOE would defend in other a source said. of expats’ 2017, day they just place but one vings in the the principal “A judge is life sa- said, nal self-government. shut the door,” process. of regiodealing with The firm, which asking it’s under she this and legal review,” Victims had not to be named. Marriott Hotel, was based out of “We understand he added. in Denia, had the asked to signraised fears about being to ten’ he is currently blank dealing in ttered telesales staff and clients‘eight tions and their pensions instrucaround Europe, sca- vested being inin high-risk revealed a NO SHOW: large commissions.assets which paid Darren Kirby res. “It is a One pensioner blank cheque based on the wherever, whenever. ta Blanca to invest Costold the Olive lost €210,000 Press he “It is very worrying after transferring investing clients’ as they €470,000 despite stating money in were low to medium he had a risky investments as highly funds just because well as dubious “I was asked, risk attitude. ‘Can you sign they paid the gher blank form. hithis He commissions.” ls.’ I did thatWe will fill in the detaiadded investors that losses sustained in my best trusting they would by interests,” he act verable should however, “They should said. as the investments be recoled to perform, for me and have been looking that faiout linked or went bust, their own they were just feathering to life insurance were nests. To me policies. what they were they knew When the Olive Press finally hold of Kirby Lawyer Antoniodoing.” got in October Flores, whose denied all responsibility. Lawbird is 2017, he firm See pages 26-29 of victims, representing a number my world,” he “I have lost said. ment sheetssaid signing blank investwas ‘very worrying’. Are you a “This negates the very essence member? victim or former staff financial advisory services,”said of the case? Do you know more about Tel. (+34) 96 649 18 29 Contact the Flo- newsdesk@theolivepress.es Olive Press info@hispaniahomes.es at www.hispaniahomes.co.uk
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NOTORIOUS: Disgraced businesswoman Jody GUIDE accused in financial Smart A WELL-KNOWN expat scandal signer has been accused fashion deEXCLUSIVE of receiving up three British claimants are to €1million from an unlicensed By Joshua Parfitt seeking crim- after CWM’s Costa inal charges for aggravated Blanca financial advisory September 2017 collapse company. accounting and belonging fraud, fake left him with just €22,000 huge sums ‘without falling Companies in Jody Smart’s from initial to a criminal investments into organisation. given the money by defunct name were Worse, it comes as it emerges losses’. of more than ₤800,000 that doz- The complaints Continental ens of victims (approx €900,000). Wealth Management (CWM) concern bungled left destitute years’ before its high-profilein the two less by the Denia-based firmand penni- transactions, unpaid loans and house Davison was diagnosed with depresfailed are suing collapse Smart and her sion just weeks after the left hundreds of investors collapse, before former partner Darren pension investments that lost the claim- turning ants over €1million between to alcohol abuse and develop€20million out of pocket, an estimated Kirby. them. it can be re- In the ing type-2 diabetes, One of the victims, vealed. first case to reach the courts, ically died, aged Mark Davison, trag- shot just before his according to a video A total of €999,435 was death. 59, in July this year His body, covered with to her fashion label Jody paid lesions and sores, had lain undiscovered SL and property holding Bell coma week in the mid-summer for up to pany Mercurio Conpro SL heat at his behome in Sanet. tween 2015 and 2017, accordIn documents seen “Mark died as a result of ing to bank statements shown what had been Press, CWM was paid by the Olive done to him,” Timothy Benjamin, to the Olive Press. €3,391,873 of a felcommission for selling low claimant, told the Olive Brit Jody, 43, was also paid bonds and investment insurance “By the end he didn’t want Press. a €144,000 salary - despite the daylight prus-based financial s by two Cyto appear.” telling a court that she ‘did firms, between October 2015 and September Benjamin, 67, likewise know what it meant to not felt ‘ashamed’ 2017. A January 2019 after he lost his sole director of company’be a €250,000 statement from and Spain’s financial regulator sion, reinvested by CWMprivate penwas only involved in ‘marketrevealed insurance bonds investments, via QROPS. into ‘risky’ ing and PR’. breach of the law. were sold in In his official testimony In a series of shocking he told the decWhat is certain is court how he had transferred larations given to Denia’s that this money funded a ‘lavish lifestyle’ (€375,000 approx) from ₤325,000 Court of Instruction No.3 players Kirby and Smart, for its key it sale to CWM on the basis a property has emerged that the compathe firm was in a relationship together who were investing it in a villa in Monte ny could ill afford to pay these to March 2017, according from 2011 But court papers revealed Pego. to former staff members. went directly to the bank ₤200,000 account of
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whose boss It is believed by has nowDarren Kir- 300 at allegedly of CWM’s least moved to Australia. 900 clients have One had their Costa-del-Sol- pension pots decibased expat mated, with Olive Press told the shocked victims he sunk to later to end £59,000 through cover the value of dis- ain on up back in BritCWM, only realising benefits.” their he investments had plum- “I have nothing had lost £39,000 when meted dramatically. but praise for Tony his pension Barnett trustees However, a source [Trafalgar sent a statement. close to the MD] and “I couldn’t case in- Stewart Davies sisted: ‘There [Momentum have lost believe it. I many are customers still tive]. Theychef execuof are pounds,” thousands revealed the have been happy with who magnificent victim, asking their pension portfolio.’ ing to recoup in trymain anonymous.to re- A ndalucia people’s “The adviser - b a s e d money.” tax specialist ing me, ‘This kept tell- Brooks, Angie The Olive Press una leading derstands it teed, it can’t is guaran- pert go below a is highly on pension ex- possible certain level’.” liblegal action eration schemes His money, and may be taken by some the founder parties against others acrossand that of Life, of ing many heartbroken Spain and prihas now Pension CWM, vate 1 UK 16/06/2017 pensions France, was put into a fight to helplaunched Brits’ life savings. through15:36 get victhe company, high-risk ‘professional tims’ money investor only’ back. assets, it She is working has been claimed. alongside pension trustees Trafalgar International and Momentum Pen- based out of headquarsions. ters in Alicante, “People are and its terribly executives. distressed,” Both the office based Brooks Granada- and in Javea told the the website Olive Press. have “They have recently shut. lost large amounts of When the Olive Press their retirement sav- spoke to boss Kirby he ings.” ‘definitively’ She added: responsibility denied these people “Some of crash. over the are going “I lost my world,” hehave said. A close associate of Kirby’s told the Olive Press former CWM staff were all ‘very upset’. Find out more “It is still on page XX for them, andquite raw 20 they are working out what to do Ave de Gabriel Roca next,” he said. 4, Palma
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Carles
Confusion reigns SPAIN’S prime accused Catalan minister has Puigdemont of leader Carles causing ‘confusion’ after signing of independence. a declaration Mariano Rajoy clarify if he had demanded he independence really declared day’s nail bitingfollowing Tuesaddress to the Catalan parliament. If so, Rajoy insisted he could trigger Article constitution to 155 of Spain’s allow Madrid take direct control to of Catalunya. “There is an put an end to urgent need to the situation that Catalunya is going through - to
Who’s paying us?
CONFUSION through failed should foot thereigns over who hotels hit by thebill for Mallorca investment line Monarch. collapse of airscheme Balearic hotels €10million bill are facing a EXCLUSIVE lapse that saw over the colthe emergency By Joe Duggan repatriation back to the of over 110,000 UK, many from Palma. HUNDREDS Administrator ish expats are of BritOlive Press ‘theKPMG told the to battling retrieve debt owed by Monarch to hoteliers sions after their penwill rank as an unsecured £20 millionlosing up to the defunct airline.claim’ against in a failed pension “They will have investment OFF TO OZ: to file a claim to scheme. Boss Kirby the joint administrators and (above) for all Spanish-based the money they team at finan- March charity a spokesman. are owed,” said cial advisory firm bash Continental “It has not been determined agement Wealth Man- Many (yet) how much (CWM) folded of money will be last available to creditors.” transferred them had month obliterattheir Untitled-1.pdf
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Wickedness In what is Spain’s largest legal scrutiny of British-run financial scams to date, the trio were grilled about falsifying documents and miss-selling toxic investments. A total of 17 claimants have brought the private prosecution as Denia court seeks to bring former boss Kirby and sole director Jody Smart to justice. Kirby failed to attend the hearing on February 24, and could now face arrest.
March 5th - March 18th 2020
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DEFENDANTS in a ‘landmark’ case against a British-run financial firm have denied all knowledge of a scam that lost €35 million of its clients pension investment. Instead they blamed the boss of Continental Wealth Management (CWM) Darren Kirby (above) for destroying the hopes and dreams of 750 expats around Spain. In a tense hearing at Denia Court three former employees denied they knowingly put their clients funds into ‘high risk’ investments. The trio, Anthony Downs, Neil Hathaway and Dean Stogsdill, are accused of fraud, disloyal administration and falsifying commercial documents.
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yond into acknowledging what many offshore 96 649 1883 advisors have been doing for years. “The scale of this case has made the courts sit up and take notice. ” Smart has previously denied ever dealing with clients or having anything to do with the running of CWM other than promotion online and in the media.
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actions taken by all parties concerned. “There is no precedent for this. It is going to shame all the other jurisdictions throughout Europe and be-
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A BRITISH tourist has been stabbed, robbed and hospitalised by three minors who recorded the attack on their phones. The trio were cuffed by police in Sant Vicent de Raspeig, near Alicante, after their victim suffered a collapsed lung and had to undergo emergency surgery. A statement said the group stabbed the victim in the back with a pen-knife, whilst recording the attack on their mobile phones. The unnamed holidaymaker was taking a morning stroll when he sensed he was being followed, so returned home as a precaution. The gang caught up with him and a struggle ensued, where he was attacked and robbed of his wallet and mobile. A passerby stopped to help, calling an ambulance straight away. The man suffered a collapsed lung and immediately went into surgery. CCTV quickly established the identity of the attackers, two of which were already known to police. Matching clothing and the weapon used in the attack were found in subsequent house searches. The 16 and 17-year-olds arrested were charged with the crimes of robbery with violence and wounding with intent.
Scroungers FALSE employment contracts were allegedly sold by a gang of Alicante fraudsters so others could claim Spanish residencia and benefits, it has been revealed. Police have arrested 21 people involved in the sale of fake contracts, which cost more than €1700 each in most cases. Three of the detainees, from Spain and Pakistan aged between 41 and 51, have been charged.
Power cut A MAN who was caught riding a banned electric scooter in Murcia is facing prison. The Guardia Civil caught the man riding on a highway in San Javier, near Cartagena, riding with a friend without a number plate, insurance or a driving licence. All three became mandatory since December 3 to regulate the boom in electric scooters. The scooter caught on the N-332 highway had a 1,400W capacity, with a maximum speed of 25 km/h and with a seat 700m high. The driver has now been charged with a crime against road safety and could face between three to six months in prison and a heavy fine.
Paddy power ORIHUELA Costa town hall has released details of its 2020 St Patrick’s Day Party after being labelled among the Top 10 celebrations in the world by National Geographic. Sunday March 15 is the date for your diary for the huge parade through the streets of the Cabo Roig resort. Local Councillor for Tourism Mariola Rocamora said she ‘wants to do it big’ this year after bringing it forward by two days so it could be held on the weekend and draw bigger crowds. Organised in conjunction with Oc Avanza and Cabo Roig Strip, more than 20,000 revellers are set to descend on what will be the party’s 10th anniversary. Some 3,000 green scarves are set to be handed out to guests throughout the day. The celebrations will begin at 1pm and will feature kids’ activities and face painting. The traditional parade will kick off at 3pm from the Urbanisation Aquamarina featuring representatives from the Moors and Christians Fiestas as special guests.
NEWS Break out the Guinness, as tens of thousands of people to descend for St Patrick’s Day party after its named in world top 10
Mayor, Emilio Bascunana has invited people of every creed to join in the fun, promising: “We will be very well-received by our Irish hosts, who ensure their traditions are not lost.” National Geographic has included the day-long party among its Top 10 St Patrick’s Day parties in the WORLD.
The Cabo Roig fiesta ranked ninth in the list which saw New York, Boston and Chicago, all in the US, filling out the top three. The Spanish party was only two spots below Dublin. ●New ● York, USA ●Boston, ● USA ●Chicago, ● USA ●Georgia, ● USA ●Montserrat, ● West Indies ●Montreal, ● Canada ●Birmingham, ● UK ●Cabo ● Roig, Spain ●Auckland, ● New Zealand
March 5th - March 18th 2020
Clean up your act! RESIDENTS at the southern end of the protected Mar Menor lagoon have announced a peaceful protest for March 15 over the conditions of the beaches at Los Urrutias. The focal point will be Cartagena Town Hall, despite council staff clearing 175 tonnes of seaweed and waste from the shoreline in recent weeks. According to locals the budget isn’t available for all five bathing stations that have been promised for Los Urrutias beaches, adding to the anger felt by residents. Marches were also staged in July 2019, when hundreds protested at the muddy beaches and lack of infrastructure.
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OPINION The World’s End CORONAVIRUS is the word on everyone’s lips at the moment, no matter where you are. The outbreak started in December but it was not until last week when it hit Italy, that everyone started freaking out. Yes, it’s a lot closer to home and the number of patients are increasing constantly, but people don’t need to stress as much as they are doing. It’s definitely more serious than a simple virus because it’s something new that the World Health Organization (WHO) needs to get its head around, but so far it has only killed 2% of those who have caught it. Those most prone to dying are older and therefore more vulnerable. Could it have been contained better at the start? Of course, but that’s not the average Asian person’s fault and it doesn’t give people the excuse to be racist just because you may think every Asian has the virus or because they should have self-quarantined. Is the world going to survive this? Of course it is, and the mask manufacturing-companies will have made billions in the meantime.
The fight goes on IT’S 2020 and yes women’s rights have come a long way and one could be forgiven for thinking the fight for women’s rights should finally be over. But alas, this is not the case, the fight goes on...let’s look at the facts: In Spain, there have been 1,047 victims of sexist violence since records began in 2003. In 2020, at least 14 women have been killed in gender violence attacks so far. Every four hours there is a report of gender violence in Spain. However, the forthcoming celebration and promotion of International Women’s Day is not only to highlight gender violence but many other aspects such as equal pay and access to jobs and even just the simplicity of being able to leave fear at the front door and enter the outside world carefree, equal and accepted. So we have taken the opportunity to join in the celebrations and to highlight that we are backing the fight for women’s rights and look forward to more positive headlines such as: ‘Spain has no further gender violence attacks in 2020’, ‘Women succeed in fight for equal pay and status’ or ‘International Women’s Day no longer necessary’.
we can do it! A N equal world is an enabled world. That’s the theme of International Women’s Day 2020. On March 8th the spotlight turns to women who are striving for gender parity in the workplace, in business, on the sports, in culture, and in their communities. IWD started in 1911, so now in a new century and a new decade are we making a difference? Atfirstglance,it’seasytosayyes.There’ssomething in the air that feels like real change. The#metooand#timesupmovementswere a palpable moment where women were not
Over a century after International Women’s Day first started, Karen Livermore asks, are things really any better in 2020? only being heard, but their voices were powerful. They were calling out previously untouchable media giants, companies, politicians and stars. Being male, rich and powerful was suddenly no longer a shield. Out of it has come a real effort to shift, not only unpalatable men from their positions,
Women on the frontline in Spain
Let’s raise a glass to celebrate International Women’s Day 2020 or, as we say in Spain, Día Internacional de la Mujer. Ten women in Spain from all walks of life share their views and inspirational stories
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Ana Botín, President of the Santander banking group
The first woman to run a major European bank, Ana has been ranked 8th on theForbes’listofWorld’sMostPowerfulWomenandwasalsomadeanhonorary dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015 for services to the financial industry. Ana is adamant there will be no discrepancy in salaries between male and female staff members taking on equal responsibility in a banking institution thatisranked16thintheworldandhasrecentlyintroducedawork/lifepolicy “Ihavespentyearsasanexecutive;yearsinwhichIhaveseenenoughtoknow thatingeneralwomen don’tgeta fairdeal.Ina speechdeliveredtoaroomfull ofmeninBilbaoin2008,Italkedabouttheimportanceofwomenactingwith moreconfidenceinourselvesandthatweneededtochangetheworkculture and in doing so society if we wanted to see advances in the field of equality. “Sincethentheseideashavebeenreflectedintheequalopportunitypolicies that we first pushed for in Banesto, then in Santander in the UK and more recently in the Santander group as a whole,”. In that speech I emphasised the benefitsofdiversityinthecompany.Andwithdatafromdifferentstudies,Iexplained that having more women in managerial positions, apart from being fair,wasgoodforbusiness.Besidestalent,womenbringskillstobusinessthat complement those of men – better interpersonal communication, cooperation, horizontal thinking and a capacity to really listen as well as more empathy and the ability to prioritise.” “Still today, one of the keys to equal opportunities lies in domestic work. For men to increase their share of this responsibility, we need public policies that allow for greater flexibility in the workplace.”
but the views they represent, from public acceptance. We may be celebrating the downfall of Harvey Weinstein, and the shaming of Placido Domingo after he admitted he sexually harassed women, but in Saudi Arabia women are still high fiving their right to own a passport without the consent of a male guardian. Gender violence against women is still alarming. Last year was a dark year in Spain with 55 women killed either by partners or ex partners-thehighestsince2015. Inadisturbing move the Vox party is lobbying for cuts in funding to combat gender violence and a repeal of laws that protect women. Thankfully the government is ignoring these calls from the far right party. So what does IWD mean to me? As I see it, it’s not just about highly priced conference’s lauding business women and telling them how to make more money. That’s not the spirit of IWD. Work is only a part of who we are. Surely we should be joined in a common goal, not asking for special treatment, but equaltreatmentineveryareaoflife.Supporting each other and celebrating achievements - large and small. No one should feel if theyaren’tsuperwoman,theyaren’tworthy. IWD is inclusive. It’s about me, you, your mother, daughter, friend, niece, aunt. It’s not just for high flyers. It’s about the women who encourage other women in all areas of their lives. In the 1980s I worked in a high pressured, hard nosed news room of a national tabloid newspaper in London. The editor was a woman. She was tougher than the men - she had to be. It had been a hard climb to the top for her. She was firm but fair with her team and encouraged female reporters to thrive. She always had time to act as a mentor for all members of her team. Although she was clever, talented and deserved her role, behind her back, the men on the paper sneeringly called her ‘Gladys’ and plotted her downfall on a daily basis. In the end they won. But this feisty woman was not going to let the bastards grind her down, and she went on to create Women In Journalism, a group that provides mentoring, guidance and sponsorship for female journalists. She is still its Honorary President. So this International Women’s Day, wear purple- the colour of the movement - with pride. Let’s celebrate us and what we have achieved and what we can continue to achieve.There’sstillalottodo.Sowho’swith me? Contact us at: newsdesk@theolivepress.es
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Jennifer Cunningham, Jennifer Cunningham Insurances SL
“I went into a man’s world of insurance as one of the first women to do so – and it was not easy to be part of a male dominated industry. I was viewed with suspicion which became worse in Spain. They regarded me as rather strange, they found direct eye contact difficult and then none of the banks took me seriously, which made life hard. I decided long ago to try and ignore the difficulties and just go forward. After 28 years, I am comfortable in my shoes and my business goes from strength to strength. Our predecessors fought for us and opened doors for us. I think as women we don’t always praise ourselves enough. There’s that saying ‘behind every great man is a strong woman’. Well, we don’t want to be strong women standing behind men. We don’t want to be strong women standing in front of men. We want to be strong women standing shoulder to shoulder with men.”
Femke Eliza Utrecht, Head of Marketing, BinckBank part of Saxo Bank
Women don’t want inance is a male dominated industry, but times have “F changed and it’s a much more level playing field now. I have never felt any prejudice. BinckBank is very
inclusive. Women have the same opportunities as men here. My advice to young women wanting to get into finance is be confident and trust your abilities – women are great at investments. “Our predecessors fought for us and opened doors for us. I think as women we don’t always praise ourselves enough. There’s that saying behind every great man is a strong woman. Well, we don’t want to be strong women standing behind men. We don’t want to be strong women standing in front of men. We want to be strong women standing shoulder to shoulder with men.”
Gemma Broad, Telitec Business and Promotions Manager
“I’ve been working in Spain for over 17 years; I’ve been the public face of several companies, and currently with Telitec SL. In my role, I speak to many businesses,and men and women from all walks of life and have found on the whole that many are like me, want to advance, promote and have a great working relationship. However, over the years I have also come across obstacles put in my way by both men and women equally. I have been quite lucky regarding bad experiences in the workplace, but I think that is because in promotion and sales being a girl has helped me. This is one reason why I have organized the International Women’s Day on March the 8th at Altea Golf Club, not only to strengthen relationships between these women, but to show how by working together – men and women – we can be much stronger. See more by viewing the Facebook event ‘International Women’s Day’ hosted by Telitec Communications and Altea Golf Club.
Olive Press online Belinda Beckett, freelance writer and Olive Press columnist “Igrewupin1960sBritainwhen‘women’slibbers’weremocked as bra’burning lesbians who cultivated underarm hair and slept with a copy of Germaine Greer’s The Female Eunuch under their pillow. “Fortunately, journalism offered equal opportunities – female and male reporters alike were sent off to cover football, darts and dustmen’s strikes, although only the women were forced to brave barrages of blue ‘humour’ to get their story. We were expected to be ‘adult’ about wandering hands and ‘show us your tits’ quips but not considered grownup enough to open a bank account without our father’s or husband’s signature! “Thanks to the Sisterhood, we’ve moved on. Harvey Weinstein’s recent conviction is another giant step for womankind on the rocky road to equality and perfect timing for International Women’s Day. As for female eunuchs, there’s no such thing. Show me a woman who doesn’t have balls!”
Maura Hillen, illegal homes campaigner
Strong role models “I think it’s a good idea to celebrate anybody who’s working on behalf of their community, but I understand the need for International Women’s Day,” says the President of AUAN (Abusos Urbanisticos Andalucia No). “I see myself as a leader, but it’s up to other people to decide if I’m inspirational. “There are a lot of women killed in Spain as a result of domestic violence, there’s a certain amount of machismo in the culture. “I think it’s decreasing, but it’s still an issue, and I have seen studies to suggest that young men view themselves as superior to women. “I grew up in a traditional society in Ireland and had strong female role models. “I wouldn’t necessarily classify myself as a femenist, but I am independent and I know my self worth, and would encourage every man, woman and child to do the same.”
‘Spain’s best English news website’
Users
795.3K 1.6 M 2.2 M
ON TOP: Olive Press website traffic for last four weeks
TOP 500 T
HE Olive Press website continues its march across Spain. Our online portal www.theolivepress.es is entering uncharted territory as it soars up to 460th position in Alexa’s official ranking for the country’s top sites. The most trusted English website in Spain, we are also making huge in-roads in both the UK and Ireland, where we also sit comfortably inside the Top 500 sites for each country. We put this down to proper relevant content. Carefully researched and compiled, we stick to our remit of covering the key stories that matter around the peninsula and its islands. We are not interested in Eamonn Holmes’ tax bill, a shooting in a Manila shopping mall and, particularly, the death of the Monkees singer some 12 months late! And nor are the 1.5 million visitors who came to our site in the short month of February. According to Google analytics, they were treated to 2.1 million ‘hits’ (or pages read) on everything from the sustainability of patio heaters in bars to tax increases for British homeowners in Spain, and from the march of the coronavirus to a man who lost his view to a giant pile of rubble. The site has become the only resource expats interested in Spain need to use, not to mention tourists arriving here in their millions each month. Visit www.theolivepress.es and see how much content we have... # and if you’ve got a business just how much exposure we can give you. #
11,982
Gabriella Chidgey, self-employed businesswoman and hotelier
“ I first started developing Romantic Ronda, five luxury holiday apartments and country houses, around 15 years ago. There have been frustrations. The bureaucracy has been a pain, but finding the right people to work with has been a steep learning curve. Would I have faced some of them as a man? I’m not sure.“It is still a macho environment. I experienced a number of architects, lawyers,and builders until finally, I have found people I can trust to get the job done and who work well with women.These were not men that cemented a deal with a drink. They were immediately direct and professional, respected my viewpoint and what I wanted. Several years ago the constructor I worked with ignored me, threw my carefully drawn plans onto the floor of his car, and gave me design ultimatums that suited him.“He was the most successful builder in the region. I knew four women running renovation projects with him, and none chose to use him again. He did not survive the recession. “I don’t want special treatment as a woman, just to have my business acumen acknowledged and my viewpoint respected. It’s got so much better - at least contractors will deal with me now rather than asking when my husband will be there!”
Here are the top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: BREAKING: Family isolated for possible coro1- navirus on Spain’s Costa del Sol after returning from Italy trip (70,843 visitors) Four new coronavirus cases confir 2- BREAKING: med on Spain’s Costa del Sol (66,316) REVEALED: A Place in the Sun is filming across locations on Spain’s Costa del Sol and inland 3-these Malaga THIS WEEK (35,995) warning for Spain’s Malaga and Costa Sol as Storm Karine to bring strong winds and 4-delWeather rough seas (26,830) Hundreds of workers sent home on Spain’s del Sol due to possible coronavirus exposure 5-Costa (26,124)
Get in touch today at sales@theolivepress.es or call us at 00 34 951273575 for a special quote
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GREEN
March 5th - March 18th 2020
Naked cleanup
CRACKED IT: Nudists clean up beach
GUARDAMAR del Segura council has pledged to clean seven kilometres of its sandy beaches by hand. The Costa Blanca town’s well-known nudist resort at Los Tusales is included, along with Los Viveros and Les Ortigues. Councilwoman, Mari Carmen Aguilera stressed the necessity of the clean-up saying, “Our beaches are among the most important in the entire Mediterranean.” Initially, five staff will maintain the beaches’ natural profile by removing man-made waste leaving
Costa Blanca nudist resort opts for manual litter-picking to maintain ‘virgin and natural beaches’
only natural elements such as vegetation, algae and stones. Efforts will focus on sev-
Cleaner waste
GUARDAMAR del Segura has splashed out €80,000 on two electric vehicles to collect household waste from local residents. The pricey motors arrived at the town hall last week where mayor Jose Luis Saez described them as emblematic of its commitment to using non-polluting vehicles. PILAR de la Horadada council has chosen its own San Isidro neighbourhood to experiment with a pilot door-todoor rubbish collection scheme. Local Councillor for the Environment, Pedro Miguel Moya, said the scheme will start in March with residents leaving rubbish out in designated bins, four times a week. The Integrated Waste Plan (PIR) was approved in April 2019 by the regional council of Valenciana, which forms the first part of a whole new management model, striving towards a ‘zero-waste’ community. Moya claims she wants, ‘to reduce waste at source and prepare the rest for quality recycling.’ She also thanked the residents of the neighborhood in question, ‘who are going to be pioneers of door to door collection at a regional level.’ Different days of the week represent the collection of
en of the 11 kilometres of sand, with a further eight labourers joining the team on May 16. According to Aguilera, those areas are considered ‘virgin and natural beaches that make Guardamar an example that the conservation of natural heritage is perfectly compatible with sun and beach tourism.’ Clearing the beaches manually, instead of using mechanical means, has a more positive impact on the environment due to the selective nature of waste removal and value for money.
Heroes to zero different kinds of waste, such as paper, glass and organic material. Street dumpsters will also vanish. At a meeting with local residents, Councillor for Public Services, Adrian Lopez, distributed specially-produced guides and leaflets for residents, advising them what to throw out, and when.
Toxic terrors THE deadly processionary pine caterpillar is arriving early this year thanks to climate change, experts have warned. The prickly fiends, whose hairs prove toxic to dogs and pets, have been encouraged due to a lack of rain and an increase in temperatures. According to the National Association of Environmental Health Companies (Anecpla), it means parks, gardens or forests with pine trees have already witnessed the return of the caterpillars. The group said their arrival is a month ahead of schedule and reiterated the threat they pose to domestic animals. Even the slightest of contact can cause dermatitis, eye damage and strong allergic reactions, including tongue swelling, often resulting in death.
Necrosis
The experts have warned citizens to take extra caution when walking their dogs. It comes after two sisters, aged five and ten, had to be treated by emergency paramedics in Ceuta after coming into contact with the pests. Both girls, who had been walking in San Amaro park, became covered in hives and their body temperatures soared. Both have now recovered fully. Malaga, Caceres, Alicante and Valencia have all seen the caterpillars, the experts warned. They are particularly dangerous as you do not need to even touch them to be impacted, as when threatened they can shoot their spiky hairs as a defence mechanism. Acting as darts, they carry their toxic allergen and are just as dangerous. Each caterpillar has around 500,000 of the hairs, known as trichomes. In animals, the toxin from the hairs can cause swelling of the mouth, tongue and head along with intense itching and over salivation. If they eat a caterpillar, it can cause necrosis of the tongue and throat, causing death.
LA CULTURA
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March 5th - March 18th 2020
Shock death MUCH-loved expat radio presenter Dean Alexanda has died suddenly. Fans of the Costa Blanca personality were left in shock after he passed away from a suspected heart attack while preparing for a gig at Whispers, in San Miguel de Salinas. After telling his bosses about ‘feeling funny’, a replacement for the evening was quickly sent for. Soon afterwards, the 57year old collapsed and died.
Tributes pour in for recentlymarried Big FM DJ who dropped dead before gig Emergency ambulance staff tended to him for an hour but could not revive him. He leaves his wife of only three months, Jan, and two sons, Joe and Jay. Dean had reported no signs of ill health, although he was a wellknown ‘workaholic’ in the
Costa Blanca area. He was frequently found undertaking duties at parties, hosting karaoke night and presenting his breakfast show on Big Radio Spain. Station manager Richie Sparks said: “Dean came to Spain to join me at Big FM and has been a huge part of
the station for the last four years. “His endless energy and
passion for his job and family was an inspiration and he will be sadly
ly fragile and can be damaged just by being touched, with experts trying to find ways of preserving them. The
world-famous cave paintings of Altamira in northern Spain are thought to be up to 20,000 years older.
Los Flintstones A STUNNING collection of prehistoric carvings have been discovered in Catalunya. Archaeologists came across the 15,000 year old depictions of horses, deer and bulls, as well as a multitude of abstract symbols evidencing the artistry of ancient humans. There are over 100 etchings carved into the soft rock walls of the cave, which dates back to the Palaeolithic or Old Stone Age era. A team of archaeologists led by Josep Maria Verges uncovered the art within the Cave of Font Major complex, 90 kilometres from the Catalan
capital. Incredibly the subterranean system was first discovered in 1853 but it was not until last October that experts were
sent in to analyse the etchings. Parts of the three-kilometre complex are open to the public, although no access has been given to the stretch of the cave containing the carvings. Maria Verges, from the Catalan Institute of Human Palaeoecology has described the find as ‘exceptional’ and compared the cave to a shrine. The carvings are now being studied and recorded using 3-D scanning technology. They are said to be extreme-
missed.” Carla Stone from rival station Sunshine FM in Orihuela Costa told the Olive Press: “Losing someone from the entertainment world in what is a small close-knit community is devastating to so many people - our hearts are with all of Dean’s family.” Another popular entertainer, Bee Rumble, added: “We always found Dean to be full of fun, laughter and a great buddy. “Dean once invited me and my husband Lee over for lunch, and he served up cheese crackers - we ribbed him for years about it!” A book of condolence has been opened in reception at the Big Radio studios on Calle Blanca, Ciudad Quesada.
Coronavirus and your finances I’m sure many of you will be aware of the negative effects Coronavirus fears have had on the global investment markets. This is what we call a macroeconomic event. This means it is something that effects the entire global economic system rather than any specific fund or stock. At the end of last week, global markets were down nearly 15% from their recent highs in the space of just over a week. In fact, at the time I’m writing this article, the FTSE 100 is down 10.5% over the last 3 months. What is perhaps reassuring is that our Chorus Balanced portfolio, is down just 0.8% over the same period and is still 9.1% up over the last Panic 12 months.
clients of other firms. The reason for this is that during good markets it is quite easy for clients to not be aware that they are in low quality funds, or paying far too much in charges, but when markets fall the effects of this are magnified. A well-diversified, fairly priced portfolio is designed to weather out the worst of a market fall, so although no advisor can ever guarantee the performance of a portfolio, Chorus can guarantee that you will be in fair priced plan, with the best possible portfolio to get you through volatile markets.
Over the last few days I have personally reached out to all my clients to reassure them selling and explain our approach to such markets. In reality is not the Many of you who have the proven way to deal way to deal monitored your pensions with such market moves or investments over the is to sit tight, ride them with such last few years will recall we circumstances out and put faith in the had similar market action fund managers we use in December 2018. During to manage the risk to the a 2-week period the marbest of their abilities. kets fell more than 10%, and again, our Although portfolio values can and will Chorus portfolios held up very well. fall at certain times, such price moWhat we did see however, was an ves actually present opportunities for influx of enquiries from concerned good fund managers, and whether the
Providing multi-award winning advice for your pensions, investments & tax planning.
By Sam Kelly DipPFS, EFA, BA (Hons). Managing Partner, Chorus Financial effects last from just a few weeks to several months, our experience has shown that panic selling is not the way to deal with such circumstances. If we were inclined to sell funds during a fall, all that does is lock in losses for our clients, leaving the risk of missing any subsequent recovery. History has shown that as long as you are in a good portfolio, regardless of the length and severity of a market fall, we would expect to see a recovery and new highs over time. For new investors, pull-backs like this may present a good opportunity to enter the markets. If you have any concerns about anything discussed in this article, or want advice on a new or existing investment or pension, please contact me direct on +34 664 398 702 or s.kelly@chorusfinancial.es.
Investment contracts are intended as medium to long term investments, and all investments have some level of risk. Figures in our articles are examples of what can be achieved and cannot be guaranteed; the value of your investments can go down as well as up. Fees and charges can vary and will be fully explained to you before any advice can take place. This article should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular product.
Chorus Financial is a trading style of Tourbillon Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission (Gibraltar), Licence Number FSC1118B, registered with the UK FCA reference 539348, registered with the Spanish DGS and CNMV Nº Registro Oficial 3214.
965 641 163
www.chorusfinancial.es info@chorusfinancial.es
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March 5th - March 18th 2020
LA CULTURA
I would not let a dictator dictate my life Ahead of International Women’s Day, Cristina Hodgson sits down with a feisty Franco survivor honoured for her heroics in a fascist, male-dominated world
RESILIENT: Isabel Marquez Fexias Sula
‘T
O tell a woman everything she cannot do, is to tell her what she can’ is a Spanish proverb that perfectly fits Isabel Marquez Fexias Sula. She grew up in Cordoba during the Franco regime when women were treated as second
class citizens. It was unthink- ternational Women’s Day on able for them to have careers March 8, ‘An equal world is - although prostitution was al- an enabled world’ - but only lowed. collectively, with each individBut this determined young ual taking action, is that world woman refused to play by Fran- possible. co’s rules and would not let a The global awareness day first dictator dictate celebrated in her life. Now in 1911 to honher sixties, she Argentina alone, our women’s has just received achievements two awards. One horse trekking in is supported by from the Municover one million Guatemala and people today, no ipal Council of Montilla in Corso in Spain, scuba diving in less doba and one a country that from Mancomu- the Bay Islands recognises the nidad Campina independence of Sur Cordobesa, women. Howevboth given for her role as a pi- er, it wasn’t always this way. oneer in the struggle for gender Isabel railed against the reequality. strictions on women during the Her story perfectly illustrates Franco regime which led her to the theme for this year’s In- emigrate to the UK in the 60s
- an unthinkable act for a teenage girl in those dark days, just 18 with not a word of spoken English and just a few pesetas to her name. Now back in her home town of Montilla on the outskirts of Cordoba, I meet up with Isabel at her country hacienda. A spectacular view embraces our surroundings, rolling hills stretch as far as the eye can see, green and earthen hues blend into one as olive groves and vineyards fuse, intermingling with the azure sky. Isabel is watching me intently, a friendly smile on her face. “Welcome,” she says, gesturing for me to sit. Her tone reflects confidence, assurance and peace and I immediately feel at home. I’m intrigued to hear her story for, there’s no doubt, this is a woman who has overcome many hardships, building inner strength with every challenge she faced. First and foremost, she tells me, she considers herself a ‘person’ first, then a ‘woman’. She has LEADER: Isabel inspired other young women to follow her never allowed herself to be victimised or put off from doing something because of her They were denied many op- stood her distress, but it wasn’t gender. This philosophy, and portunities, especially in the going to stop me from going. her adventurous spirit, enabled workplace where professional I felt so suffocated by the reher to overcome the obstacles careers for women were un- pressed society it was a relief thinkable. Ironically, prostitu- to leave. I did cry for the first placed in her way. During over 40 years of self-ex- tion was permitted. Education month as I missed my family ile in Britain she became a followed very strict rules and but there was no regret in leavsuccessful business woman, we were taught by nuns whose ing. I just remember fitting in running her own Montessori knowledge was rather limited. from the get-go. I didn’t speak school which permitted her to In fact, I ended up explaining a word of English so I took travel all over the world giving basic arithmetic to the nuns language classes and started conferences - something that and my classmates. University working as a cleaner to pay my could never have happened was out of the question for me way. I never felt a foreigner in and women in general.” all my years in Britain. In fact had she remained in Spain. I am almost hypnotised as she “Women were only honoured in I felt I didn’t fit in or belong in their role as wife Spain at that time. ” whisks me back and mother. Had in time with tales stayed in Spain I Montilla is a relatively of her exploits; Worked as an Iwould have been small, inland town. Did you white water rafting in Costa interpreter for expected to mar- perceive any stigma - that ry and then, only people turned their backs Rica, crossing Argentina alone, the BBC covering if my husband let on you or saw you as a me, would I have bad influence for their own horse trekking the Spanish been allowed to daughters? in Guatemala travel, pursue a “No stigma at all. Spain was and scuba divelections career, own prop- ready for change. Women were ing in the Bay erty. Like I’ve starting to mark their place Islands … the said, this was not in society and my decision to stories spill out in an endless stream. Clearly not a woman to the future I wanted and my only leave caused a wave of other young women in town to follow be restrained by society, I’m in- solution was to leave.” my steps. Most of my friends trigued to find out more about the young Isabel, the one who How did your parents react followed suit and flew out to when you told them you the UK shortly after me. I was broke every rule in the book. were leaving? the only one to remain permaHow did you see your future “There were some men who nently in England, however, saw the potential that women but it was encouraging to see in Spain when you left? “I saw no future as a young had, and I was lucky that my a lot of young women breaking girl,” she says bluntly. “The so- father was one of those special the norm and seeking their inciety during Franco’s era was a men. He agreed when I told dependence as well. I would man’s world so that’s why I left. him my thoughts about leav- not let anything stop me, I was Unfortunately, despite many ing, in fact he encouraged me determined. I worked in the advances it is still a man’s soci- and was happy for me to go. My fashion industry, worked as an mother, on the other hand, was interpreter for the BBC covering ety,” she adds. “My home town was too small very unhappy and didn’t take the Spanish elections and set for me. I would have been mis- my departure well. She locked up a successful Montessori erable had I stayed. Let me herself away for a week when school in Wimbledon. explain. During the Franco era I left, refusing to eat, and cried “The only issue I had was when (1939-1975) women in Spain all day. Thankfully, she got over I married, as my then British were second-class citizens. it. And if I’m honest, I under- fiance was protestant and
LA CULTURA
ADVENTURE: Isabel scuba diving, white water rafting (top left), being awarded for her battle for gender equality (top right) and solo trekking across Argentina (right)
FAMILY: Isabel (left), younger sister Ana (right) and younger brother Paco BONDING: Isabel and daughter Cristina make the International Women’s Day salute marriage in those days had violence taking place. But we to be canonical, that is, per- need to keep focused and conformed under Roman Catholic tinue working hard.” law. None of the priests in town Where would wanted to peryou like to see The process is form the ceremowomen’s posiny.” very slow, but tion in society in five or ten what is clear is years? Your advice for young women “I would like to that we must today? see women po“Aim high and sitioned equally never give up achieve higher, in society NOW, that is the only not in five or ten way we will make our way, be years. Unfortunately, we all recognised and understood. know that it’s still not possible. And it’s especially important Society is taking a long time for society to understand how to realise the value of women hard it is for women, specifi- … how they care for their chilcally now with so much gender dren and how, in most cases,
CREATIVE: Isabel is also now a whizz at making ceramics
their careers are put to one side to look after them. However, if women didn’t have children, we would not have this world. Given that simple fact, I don’t know how women are not valued as they should be. Sadly, complete equality cannot be guaranteed in five or even ten years as the process is very slow, but what is clear is that we must never give up.” Today, although ‘retired’, Isabel’s adventures continue in Spain. She has discovered a new ‘career’ through her love for photography and ceramics, specialising in Raku, and her exceptional work is often on display at exhibitions in Cordoba. This is clearly a woman who will never give up.
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March 5th - March 18th 2020
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What’s on
LA CULTURA
Wed 11 Mar FORMENTERA DEL SEGURA, Floyds Lounge Bar, 5.30pm. Towie Okie, great fun. TORREVIEJA, Los Angeles, 8pm. Country Music with BIG FM’s Cherry K. LO CRISPIN, La Hacienda, 3pm. Ian’s Fun Quiz & Rock n Roll Bingo, suitable for all. Fri 6 Mar VISTABELLA GOLF, Flannigan’s Irish Bar, 8.30pm. Rain O’Connor - karaoke & live vocals. LOS MONTESINOS, Oasis Bar & Restaurant, 8.30pm. Nikki G sings from past to present. LA MARINA, The Final Whistle, 6pm. Bee Rumble sings soul and Motown.
ALGORFA, Jilly’s Bar, 8pm. Handover Party everyone invited. QUESADA, Aurora Bar & Lounge, 8pm. Ian’s Crazy Karaoke. ALGORFA, The Yorkshire Pud, 9pm. Free Quiz Night with great prizes.
QUESADA, The Black Sheep of Quesada, 9pm. DJ Powell plays soul, funk, pop, house & more.
Thu 12 Mar CAMPOVERDE, Jenny’s Bar, 8pm. Disco with Big FM’s Garry Vincent & Play Your Cards Right.
ALGORFA, Jilly’s Bar, 8.30pm. Skittles Night - all invited.
FORMENTERA DEL SEGURA, Rumours, 8.30pm. Quiz Night with Ian.
Sat 7 Mar FORMENTERA DEL SEGURA, Floyds Lounge Bar, 6pm. Special Tapas Night, followed by Emanuel Panderas on clarinet & sax.
QUESADA, Aurora Bar & Lounge, 5pm. Rock n Roll Bingo.
CABO ROIG, Auld Dubliner, 9pm. Rain O’Connor - karaoke & live vocals. FORMENTERA DEL SEGURA, Rumours, 6.30pm. Music Trivia Quiz followed by Rock & Roll Bingo with Ian.
SAN LUIS, Reflections Bar, 7.30pm. Murder Mysrery Dinner - booking essential. Fri 13 Mar QUESADA, Aurora Bar & Lounge, 6pm. Melissa Jade, Queen of Sass, sings soul & Motown.
LA ZENIA, CC’s Bar, 9pm. Andy Owens, the King of Swing.
LOS MONTESINOS, Oasis Bar & Restaurant, 8.30pm. Vibrant vocalist, Dani, sings 70s to now.
ORIHUELA COSTA, Cosy Corner, 8.30pm. Soul Explosion.
TORRE PACHECO, Parafe el Pasico, 1pm. Discount Shopping Fair, with live music.
Sun 8 Mar LO CRISPIN, Lo Crispin Tavern, 4pm. Karaoke with Samantha Curtis & Andy Jones. QUESADA, Spanglish Bar, 8pm. Fun and free Quiz.
Sat 14 Mar CABO ROIG, Caboo, 9pm. Boogie Nights, dedicated to the 70s & 80s. BENISSA, Plaza Juanme, 9am. Farmer’s Market - food, handicrafts, demos etc.
ALMORADI, Plaza de la Constitucion, 10am. Artichoke Fair and Tapas Festival.
Sun 15 Mar GRAN ALACANT, The Pub, 6pm. Debbie H sings pop, rock, ballads & more.
ALGORFA, La Vista Bar & Lounge, 3pm. DJ Rob Stansfield plays soul & Motown.
LA FLORIDA, The Local, 4pm. Bee Rumble’s Soul & Motown afternoon.
QUESADA, La Vida Sunset Bar - Dona Pepa, 7pm. Karaoke with Samantha Curtis
CABO ROIG, Urbanization Aquamarine, 1pm. St Patrick’s Day Parade.
Mon 9 Mar BENIJOFAR, La Cosecha Restaurant, 7pm. Debbie H sings pop, rock, ballads & more.
LO CRISPIN, Lo Crispin Tavern, 9pm. Amanda’s Quiz with Play Your Cards Right.
Tue 10 Mar LOS MONTESINOS, Oasis Bar & Restaurant, 9pm. Free Quiz, great prizes. QUESADA, Coopers Arms, 9pm. The Incredible Dougie Munro, playing live. QUESADA, Sam’s Bar & Kitchen, 6pm. Towieokie night!
Tue 17 Mar CABO ROIG, Auld Dubliner, 9pm. Rain O’Connor - karaoke & live vocals. FORMENTERA DEL SEGURA, Rumours, 1pm. St Patrick’s Day Party - Music, BBQ & fun. FORMENTERA DEL SEGURA, The Inn Place, 7pm. St Patrick’s Night Party - booking essential.
Palace pride
THE Alhambra Palace has sold 12,590 tickets in the first eight hours of launching a new ticketing system. An incredible 1,200 tickets per hour were sold, with up to ten purchased per person. Costing from €14.85 for a basic ticket, it is expected to lead to more overnight stays in Granada city. The system was introduced after years of complaints over the old sys-
tem, which lent itself to fraud and much abuse by both staff members at the palace and local travel agents. The new official site, in English and Spanish, allows visitors to purchase their tickets three months ahead. Soon it will allow visitors to book a year ahead, while some will be made available to be purchased on the day. Visit www.tickets.alhambra-patronato.es
Lights, camera, action ATTENDANCE at Spanish cinemas has grown by 37% in the last six years. According to a report by the Federacion de Cines de España (Fece), the number of cinema tickets sold since 2013 has grown by 37% to 105 million in 2019. In 2013, in comparison, only 77 million were bought. The figures since then have shown constant growth, with last year having 7.7 million more ticket sales, in comparison to 2018.
100 Spanish Icons In the first of a new series we look at the famous names you may have heard of, but probably don’t know the fascinating history behind. And as it’s International Women’s Day, we start with one of Spain’s leading ladies
1. Maria Zambrano
You may have travelled from the Maria Zambrano train station in Malaga without thinking about the woman this bustling station was named after. Here’s what you need to know. Where does she come from? María Zambrano was born April 22 1904 in Velez Malaga and as a teenager discovered a love of philosophy and politics that was to shape her life. What did she do? Unusually for a woman then, she went to Madrid University and after graduating taught philosophy there. She published her first book Horizon of Liberalism in 1931. At the same time she became heavily involved in volatile Spanish politics. What was the political scene then? The country was in turmoil. Maria campaigned for the establishment of the Second Republic - the democatic government that existed in Spain from 1931-39. She turned down an offer to become an MP for the PSOE party. But she sided with the republic when the Civil War broke out in 1936. When Franco established his mil-
itary dictatorship, she fled. Good move as she had been openly critical of his regime and of the dictator - which was a dangerous move! What next? She wrote many acclaimed books on philosophy and poetry, but led a somewhat sad existence for the next 32 years. Living in Havana, Italy, France and Switzerland, she never settled as nowhere compared to her beloved Spain. But she swore she could not return until Franco died. Did she ever come back? Maria stepped on Spanish soil again in 1983, 42 years after her exile. She was 77 years old. Still a prolific writer, she was named the Favourite Daughter of Andalucia and given an Honorary Doctorate by Malaga University. She also set up the Maria Zambrano Foundation in Velez-Malaga. In 1988 she was the first woman to be awarded the prestigious Cervantes prize for literature. She died in Madrid in 1991, but is buried in Velez-Malaga in the shade of a lemon tree. In 2006 it was decided to name the train station after her.
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March 5th - March 18th 2020 Check out our issues online at www.theolivepress.es
LETTERS
Ramp fail
OLIVE PRESS
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LEAMING like hills above a white pearl in the Marbella, no wonder, is the Benahavis classic whitecrown jewel of Andalucia’s Grant, Rod with the likes of visitors Stewart and Hugh villages for sons. do contributing Cristiano Ronalso many reato the town Most famously, The village hall coffers. it’s the richest cipality in billionaires is second home to a host of wealthiest the region and the muni- neighbouringwho have bought property per capita second swankiest La Zagaleta, in average income in all Spain Andalucia’s private with Putin pushing €29,000. is reportedlyurbanisation. Vladimir And one - although the Continues
overleaf
February 2020
Westminster vs Wellington
23
The British dukes of hazard battling to be Spain’s biggest property moguls
Unlike its well-heeled residents you don’t need deep pockets to enjoy the wealth of natural wonders in Benahavis, writes Joanne Oakley
See p18
Find out on p9
Boffin breakthrough Trashy tourism means exactly that
By Isha Sesay
A DAMNING study has found that 50% of the Med’s beach plastic ‘comes from tourists’. The project, by Blueislands, comon pared plastic and other waste three different beaches on eight different islands. litIt found that 80% of beach ‘diter was plastic, with tourism the rectly’ accounting for 50% of plastics. On each island the researchers a looked at a busy tourist beach, less popular locals beach and one almost ‘untouched’. de In Mallorca, Calvia’s Playa Santanyi, near Caragol, Es Tora, and the natural beach of Sa Canova near Arta, were studied. Rubbish, including micro-plastics collected, was and small particles, catalogued and analysed at intervals throughout the year. Other islands in the study included Sicily. Mykonos, Malta, Crete and it is estimated that some 752 million 3.7 plastic particles weighing a total of tons are present in the sea. The vast majority are microplastics of less than in five millimetres in size, as detailed a recent study by the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies. Opinion Page 6
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UCKED Irish Pubdown a side local pub. was always street in Sabinillas, a cosy, However welcoming, McGuinness’ further its stellar FUN IN if unassuming EU. THE SUN: reputation sode of afield, until it For local It is no families And its Channel 4’s Awas launched was relatively surprise into patrons, and McGuinness New Life unknown age of Brits as Manilva get-up-and-go expat in The TV stardom in on the padron officially patrons an epi- Brits in the 12,000-strong Just around spirit of couple Micheal Sun. Micheal in Spain. has the highest And it isn’t and Danielle, the cornerSabinillas, Duquesa and Danielle Duquesa There are percent- from all walks just those municipality. typify the make up 42% is Kinsale in Sabinillas some 4,000 washed port, where and Manilva. up of from restaurant you can Shelton, of Likea newspaper life and occupations BRUNOSof Manilva’s Blighty. Other This localdown with a Guinness. order a population, Manilva’s here!) they settled on the Manilva local, fantastic in the heart favourite (Ed: Some too, as and one first health all have something according expats help the Roman homemade of Most Costa del Sol. recently ITV News have even of the only in these baths around to Dean tourist, pie Duquesa, descended had its moment in common.set parts inhabit Tyler here for Julius British for Brexit politicians fed by thea temperate life 60BC, it seemsCaesar, who either night as in the spotlight San Luis which sits at visited Walking fruits of the beneath the that de Sabinillas the end the coral-white the UK sea. jaw-droppingpeople come left the itself. Jackson, around the yacht-dotted or up on of the mile-long marina of Though mountains, a 74-year-old the hilltop beachfront La lows, the Brits lookout of ish watching them Scotsman, marina I meet and the of Manilva baguette. 180-odd eat crumbs counting expat “It’s a really other nationalities from his the fish in the John well maintained pan flauta, shalcome former business or Spanconsultant port, friendly told the and Olive Press, safe too,” which is the also MÁLAGA Continues CAR RENTAL
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‘Trust women’
By John Culatto
‘WE need to trust women’ was the message from the wife of Chief Minister as she gave an the impassioned speech at Casemates Square. Justine Picardo (above), herself a lawyer, was one of a number of top speakers who spoke in favour of a Yes vote at the March 19 referendum. The marchers walked from the Piazza to Casemates Square brandishing banners and chanting, ‘Home, safe, legal’. “We have the opportunity to vote for something meaningful that will improve the lives of women to come,” said Picardo. “Being pro-choice doesn’t mean we are pro-abortion or anti-life. “It is not something we ever wish to have to choose but it can be a necessity for a number of women who find themselves in unfortunate choices.” “This referendum is about whether we should trust a woman about when to have a baby to choose for herself what to do with her body and her life.”
Extreme
She told the crowds of when she had a miscarriage which could have needed an abortion so as ‘not to risk death’ for herself. Picardo scoped that even in scenarios of rape or casual the sex the Pro-life group would suggest these babies were given for adoption.
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TRAVELLERS from coronavirus risk areas will have a ‘legal duty’ to report to the Gibraltar authorities. A raft of new measures have been brought in to tackle COVID-19 in Gibraltar where the threat level is still ‘low’. A number of possible arrivals from the Far East have been put into self-isolation for 14 days but no case has been reported to date. The government has revealed it is checking people coming to the
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Simulations and battleplans being drawn up to prepare for coronavirus on the Rock
Rock after having been in the hardest hit countries, mainly in the Far East and northern Italy or Iran.
In February, the Government set up the Coronavirus Co-ordinating Group to ramp up its response to the global crisis with the Gibraltar Health Authority. “These active measures include the publication of regulations imposing a legal duty for travellers arriving in Gibraltar within two weeks of travel to an at-risk country to report to authorities on arrival,” said the Gibraltar Govern-
SPOTTED: Medical staff in hazmat
suits have been seen assisting members of the public in Gib A couple of simulations have al- staff are thoroughly prepared ready been held to practice for the the procedure is streamlined, and discovery of a coronavirus case and on ready in case it is ever needed,” the Rock. said the GHA. “Repeat practices ensure that all “The global spread of COVID-19 is “The anti-choice group does being constantly monitored not lawyer. realise the mental and psychologdaughters to have access to safe under continuous review. and is “Women would be accused ical trauma of carrying a baby of medical treatment “The risk to Gibraltar currently renine months only to give it up for claiming false cases of rape in or- medical treatment to have safe mains for der to have an abortion. under any cirlow.” adoption,” she said. cumstances. Minister for Public Health John “How can we as a society believe “No-one has been able to produce “Voting no is telling society that Cortes said everything was being a law only for rape and incest, that it is acceptable to force bewe are not to be trusted by having done to protect the public. pregnancy on women against theira cause they know no such law is free will over our own bodies and “In the meantime, possible.” will? it is always do what is right for ourselves. “We need to be able to trust wom“I don’t understand how any wom- good practice to keep good hand en.” Compassion en has any right to vote against hygiene and use tissues to catch coughs and She said that passing a law just for Picardo concluded that the March this law or how any man has any them away sneezes, and throw incest or rape was a non-starter. as soon as possible,” he 19 referendum was an opportuni- right to vote no. Vote yes because “Such a law would take us to you have empathy,because you added. ty that the other extreme,” continued the modernise people should take to are compassionate, “Anyone travelling outside of Githe the law. because you braltar is asked to pay close at“Gibraltar now can sense her fear, because you tention to the changing situation needs to step can walk in her shoes.” into the 21st Together Gibraltar said she was worldwide, and contact Gibraltar concerned authorities as soon as possible Century,” if she could stop that the ‘social bonds’ they people from voting in are in an at-risk area. continued. “We need to have the referendum. a choice law, not “The referendum is here and we Proud because we are need to vote,” said Marlene Has- “All travellers returning from an pro-abortion but san Nahon. because we are “We need to make people under- at-risk country within two weeks stand what is at stake here. of arriving back in Gibraltar have pro-women. “We want our “We need to trust women, get out a legal duty to report.” and vote for Yes.” For his part, Paul Balban, Minissisters, daughter for Health and Care, said: ters and grand“I Both sides Page 5 am extremely proud of the GHA for their work in preparedness and planning, and I am happy with the progress to date. “It is up to all of us to do everything that we can to protect ourSee page 24 selves and others by keeping our hands clean and fulfilling our duty to report any travel to at-risk areas.” Opinion Page 6 ment.
“They will be contacted by a Public Health professional who will advise on the best way to protect themselves and others.”
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TWO SPANISH HEROINES: One who escaped Franco to another whose infamous name has been adopted by a train station
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Your expat
voice in Spain
Vol. 13 Issue 338 www.theolivepress.es March 4th - March 17th, 2020
TRAVEL TROUBLE By Dimitris Kouimtsidis
NERVOUS hoteliers and restaurateurs are bracing themselves for the tating effect coronavirus could devashave on Spain’s tourism industry. They are joined by tourist chiefs who fear a major hit to critical Semana Santa which heralds the start of the holidayweek, season. It comes as Spain has seen its number cases soar to over 150, with the number of in Madrid doubling almost overnight. Data from travel analytics firm Keys shows international flightsForwardfrom the UK and the US were booked most 20% for a five-week perioddown alup until February 23. British Airways, Easyjet, Ryanair and Lufthansa have all started flights within Europe and thosecancelling Some have drastically cut pricesto China. to fill empty seats, with Ryanair in order reducing flights to Italy by 25%. Stocks are plummeting too, with IAG,
n plan through Inheritance Tax Mitigatio imate Spanish political as a24). EU, essentia sees the Moore Rose Issue pg 4,lly, nt (Victory, investme the safe 7). The pg 325, Issue proud, and (Leave hip dictators they adwhich that and motive, main the was This states, sovereign 28 are There . opposite the is seminars reality sales many their at extolled vertised, and which voluntarily chose to become the including Spain. ut UK, througho UK would r victims Dunne pensione us the d. Steve experts,that associate taxbelieves Spanish Not being going to not I’m a us and so.such Not of prestigio terms. WTO and on word name betterthe fair trusted chapter and page by the scheme. in quoting letters your to invest downed bank weigh establish Hacienthethe withinto Steve looks nd that checked recommelawyers ourI Spanish Whenbut verse, any advannot offer That Trump it did knows. d that he transpire industry da, it later of any specifics and furtherm UK shouldore we s whatsoe EU-free with anver, a trade deal get purpose totax tryingfor istage authorities tax deals to defraud attempt trade led to Trump’sthe been had to know: want all you you tell scheme. thelabels. through Finally, Brent Mahler speaks for US-first have claims, bank’s moreofabout a lot wary actually is of force armed an EUthe UK citizens number a There afcontents contract altering agents, illegal their and ideas are these , However and an ever closer union. with vastly inflated property along signed, being ter am I policy. floated by specific people and not EU s etc. valuation of pro40-plus years at the insidious worried be more of which makes a clear gone into, all That could by the Mail, Telegraph, EEC/EU the against paganda fraud. and ng mis-selli for case What Sun. we Theyears, of course, and,after Times Express, starting aredid some 14 finally, Thank God so an-to the he was why asked was he when say Murdoch returned mind of peace and to see justice done, go into “When Ican of:around g along Somethin have our ti-EU? us still of lines thosethe so that victims, they do what I say: when I go to the EU.” The 10back. No. lives ent! spiran appointm to ask forless, he hadnonethe and a great is thatarticle implicati a good It was on it-raiser for all of us, thank you.
Steve Bicknell, Mallorca
Hotel and restaurant owners watch with fear as the coronavirus tightens its grip on Spain and Europe ahead of Semana Santa
With Semana Santa starting on businesses in Spain are worriedApril 5, about whether one of Spain’s busiest weeks will go ahead as normal. More than a million visitors traditionally descend on Sevilla and Malaga combined during Holy Week. A total of 14% of Spain’s Gross Product comes from tourism, Domestic according to the European Travel Commission. It’s Executive Director Eduardo Santander said: “The impact of the virus the company that owns British on EuVueling and Iberia suffering Airways, ropean tourism will be massive — we’re a drop in talking about big losses.” value of more than 9%, the highest of any But despite the surge company in the Ibex 35. in cases here, the UK authorities has yet to issue The International Air Transport travel Associawarnings to the country, as Spain has tion estimates that the virus outbreak will done with Italy. cost the sector more than €26 billion in The UK Foreign Office 2020. simply insists that travellers should comply with Travel and tourism analyst, Ralph any additer, from GlobalData said: “If the Hollis- tional screening measures put in place by still having the same impact by virus is the Spanish authorities. of April, cancellations could startthe end Meanwhile, football may be the most crease at a rapid rate as consumers to insee page 4 the risk to their health to be greaterdeem than their need for a holiday.” Opinion Page 4
Spirits raised I would like to mention that the main reason that so Rothschild duped bycate us were edu many ofGet dBank is because the scheme was marketed and sold by them as a legit-
PLUS: The opinions of ten leading ladies to celebrate International Women’s Day See special supplied inside 23 A special four-page pullout
March 2020
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WE CAN DO ANYTHING!
Typical Spanish local authority logic! They show no embarrassment. No one is responsible. The pavements are in desperate need of repair, but this is of little matter when we can build a silly ramp. Douglas Ross, Marbella
Just a thought
Why didn’t they just install a lift for disabled peoplel only. Linda Radmore, Malaga
Public information
Money to burn
There is help for the homeless in Fuengirola, at Lux Mundi Centro Ecumenico (The forgotten, pg 7, Issue 337). The homeless are given clothing, hot meals and help to get medication. Anybody can help there as a volunteer.
Whoever approved this total waste of money should pay for it. Pauline Laverick, Torrevieja
Challenge accepted
Lorna Henry, Marbella
It almost makes you want to get a wheelchair just to see if it’s possible to go up it! Lionel Cooper, Cranfield
No love lost She’s his mum (Hearing about Hercules, pg 2, Issue 337). However I’m not shedding too many tears. When you read his record and the fact he pulled a loaded gun on the streets of Estepona… His mum needs to understand that the Spanish police don’t mess about when it comes to handling violent disorder, unlike the sadly neutered British cops who have been undermined by the race industry among other things. That card wont work here thank God. Ambrose Boxwell, London
No laughing matter
This has to be a joke. As a carer of a 220kg man in a wheelchair, this would just about see me in a wheelchair myself! Lola Lopez, Sabinillas
They don’t care
No logic, this is ignorance mixed with arrogance yet again at a Spanish town hall. Arroyo D’Flint, Manchester
Has anything piqued your interest in this week’s Olive Press? Have your say on the matter by emailing letters@ theolivepress.es or message us on at www.facebook.com/OlivePressNewspaper or Twitter @olivepress
A
N equal world is 1911, so now an enabled world. in a new century and a Over a century This is the theme of we making new decade are International a difference? International after Wo- At men's Day 2020. getting heard, Women’s Day On March say first glance, it’s easy to first 8 the spotlight started, Karen is being taken. and action women is still yes. There’s something turns to woalarming. Last But there is Livermore men throughout in the air that still so far to go. year was a dark feels like real asks, are things 12 months who are striving the world change. The really any celebrating the We may be in Spain with #metoo and better in for gender #timesup 55 women kidownfall of parity in the workplace, 2020? Harvey Weinstein, lled either by partners movements were in a palpable or ex their businesses, shaming of Placido and the partners. The moment where media giants, companies, highest figure in sports, women in culture and politicians and unpalatable men go over his admissionDomin- since 2015. It's were not arts, stars. Benot the only from their of setheir communities. and in heard, but their only being ing male, rich and powerful positions, but the views xually harassed women, but country where these figuThe movement powerful. They voices were was suddenly they represent, in Saudi Arabia res are rising. were calling no longer a started in out from public However, in shield. Out of still high fiving women are a disturbing move previously untouchable it has come a acceptance. their right to real effort to shift, Things own a passport party is lobbying the Vox without the not only affect that matter to and consent for cuts in funding to women, are combat genfinally Gender of a male guardian. violence against Continues overleaf
We needed to change
Women on the frontline in Spain
Let’s raise a glass national Women’s to celebrate InterDay 2020 or, we say in Spain, as Día Internacional la Mujer. Ten de all walks of lifewomen in Spain from share their views inspirational stories and
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that we needed doing so societyto change the work culture and in if we wanted to Ana Botín, the field of equality. see advances in “Since then these President of equal opportunity ideas have been reflected the Santander in the in Banesto, then policies that we first pushed banking group recently in Santander in for the UK and ot only was Ana in the Botín made continued. “In Santander group as a whole,”more dame by Queen that speech I emphasised she Elizabeth II for an honorary nefits of diversity Financial sector services to the the bein the company. from different the first Award in 2015, she was also awarded And with data more women instudies, I explained that having taking the helm for Responsible Capitalism managerial positions, after being fair, Ana, 59, is also the year before. apart from was good for business. a pioneer. The women a major European Besides talent, first woman to run those of bring skills to business that bank, she’s on the Forbes’ men – better interpersonal complement list of World’s been ranked eigth tion, cooperation, men. Within her Most Powerful horizontal thinking communicahas made a point corporation, this financial Wo- city to really listen whizz as well as more and a capaof boosting female ming for 30% empathy and direction, ai- the ability to prioritise.” Botín (they currentlyof its CEOs to be women by 2025 schemehas also introduced a life-work account for 20%). the aim is technical because, ‘one of equality, which Beyond 2025, tunities lies the keys to equalbalance 40% ratio, irrespective means a 60%in opporof gender. She said: “For domestic work.’ In an article she responsibility, men to increase their share in response to published on her LinkedIn we need public of this page for greater policies that allow tials, she wrote,a debate over her feminist credenflexibility in the “I have spent years tive; years in which as an execu- Ana is adamant there will workplace.” I have seen be no salaries that in general women don’t get enough to know taking between male and female discrepancy in speech delivered staff members on a fair deal… In a tion that equal responsibility in a banking in 2008, I talked to a room full of men in instituBilbao Forbes is ranked 16th in the world. about the importance acting with more magazine also of women notes that Botín confidence in ourselves and licy of ‘backing small companies has a poowned by women’. and companies
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LEAVERS: Trio of Brits in Spain
of ‘wonder substance’
ZOOMED IN: Microscope image
Mallorca scientists develop material capable of absorbing microplastics from the sea
BOFFINS in the Balearics have come up with an ingenious invention that can absorb microplastics from the sea. The team at Mallorca University substance filters out pollution (UIB) made the breakthrough while ISLAND REVOLUTION: Hybrid conducting experiments in the lab. water, and could Based on the doctorate of PHD stu- Researcher del Rio had always fo- of contaminated sea pollution, posdent Mateo del Rio, the team discov- cused his doctoral thesis on solving serve to monitor sibly leading to larger scale projects. ered a material that can extract pol- water pollution problems. The young chemist stressed the need lutants from water, including dyes to raise awareness about safeguarding and plastics. Exploitation the environment. Team leader doctor Gemma Turnesa in “You have to locate where the probhopes that it can now be used asthe According to his study, published order to act as soon as magnet to remove pollutants from the ACS Applied Materials & Inter- lems are in respond to natural disaspossible and sea and other bodies of water. faces scientific journal, the material in ters,” he added. The Chemistry Faculty researcher can extract pollutants from water His hybrid substance has a metal-orit was extremely stable, both just ten minutes. added 15:36 (MOF-74) and porous 16/06/2017 chemically and thermally and is easy It can be used to clean small samples ganic structure carbon. to regenerate. There is currently concern much about the overof exploitation natural resources, which has led to a range of measures UK BASED being rolled out across the island. Between Mallorca and Menorca alone,
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HEAD TO HEAD
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A PEARL BEYOND PRICE
Why is Spain’s second richest town in a rural backwater of Andalucia?
INVESTIGATORS have once again the inspected the pool which took lives of three British holidaymakers in Andalucia on Christmas Eve. alIt comes after a Malaga judge lowed a ‘parallel’ probe be launched by the Diya family into how the pool at the Club La Costa World Resort, Gain Mijas, could have killed dad briel, 52, daughter Comfort, aged nine and son Emmanuel, 16. The site was visited by an engineer, professional diver and an assistant. The experts carried out several tests Jain front of the Diya family lawyer vier Toro. Guests of the hotel remained lounging on sunbeds as the diver entered the water for around half an hour.the He took photos of all areas of pool, focusing on its suction systems and drains. The group then introduced a piece of cloth into the water and analysed how it reacted to the suction system. They then did the same with a swimming cap, similar to that of Comby fort’s, which had been found Guardia Civil officers in the main foldrain of the purification system lowing the tragic incident.
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Your voice in Spain
February 21st - March 5th, 2020 Vol. 3 Issue 74 www.theolivepress.es
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I’m in the US and have booked for my first trip to Spain for many months. Unless the airline cancels the flights I have no choice but to go or waste my ticket. I definitely have concerns about travel and your reports are helping me to understand this very fluid and constantly changing situation. Please keep reporting on it and let us readers/tourists know if your famous landmarks are being closed. Paris closed the Louvre. I wonder if the authorities in Spain will close La Sagrada Familia, the Prado and/or Guggenheim Museums and the Alhambra Palace? Katherine Wenglikowski, California
Olive Press readers react to a new 60-metre-long wheelchair ramp at a school in Andalucia (Donkey wrong, pg 56, Issue 337)
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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
15
March 5th - March 18th 2020
Turning Japanese BRITISH film-makers have tried to unravel the mystery of why something so Mediterranean is so big in Japan. Olive oil is to become the subject of a fascinating new documentary by Bristol’s FareLight Productions. They are working with professional olive oil taster, Johnny Madge, to produce a film following the mysterious journey of Extra Virgin olive oil’s popularity from Spain to the Far East.
The story will follow Madge into the lesser-known world of olive oil tasting, aiming to unearth the rapidly growing demand for the ‘liquid gold’ in the Japanese market. The documentary will be called Orībuoiru, Japanese for olive oil. Madge said: “In the 80s there was almost no olive oil being imported into Japan, but in 2015, almost 62,000 tonnes were im-
Step aside sangria
A SPANISH startup has developed a beverage that’s distilled with cannabis. The newly created startup 420 Neo Drinks launched a blue drink based on cane rum infused and flavoured with cannabis. Founders of the company Juan Manuel Caro, Pablo Saura and Raúl Calvo, claim that the idea arose when they saw the great increase that is taking place in the world of cannabis-related products. Saura said: “We wanted a drink to get away from the negative concept that this substance has had until now. The tipple is 37.5% ABV. A 700ml bottle is available for €25 on Amazon.
Documentary sets out to discover why Spain’s ‘liquid gold’ has become a bizarre hit in the Far East ported.” The team flew to Spain during the harvest period to meet with Madge, olive oil producers and experts to discover its roots and origins. As well as revealing what makes an olive oil Extra Virgin, they also wanted to set the record straight about the popular foodstuff. “There is a huge amount of misinformation on olive oil in the UK, I’ve even heard people say that you shouldn’t cook with it - but try telling that to anyone in Italy!” said film director, Lucas Sinclair. His fellow filmmaker, Leora Bermeister told the Olive Press “Japanese cuisine is built on tradition, with recipes handed down from generation to generation,
East coast to Med coast - how Brit couple made Our Plaice like home to a whole community BRITISH expat, Jim Barclay, had been retired and living in Spain for less than a year when he started looking for a challenge. His itchy feet quickly became fishy fingers when he and his wife, Carolynn, opened what became the popular Our Plaice, in La Marina. The fish restaurant in the San Fulgencio urbanisation, opened in 2017 and soon gained a reputation for quality fayre, all sourced locally - and served with proper chips! Understandably, the proud Scotsman wanted to expand his menu, but although the site was suitable - Jim thought an upmarket menu deserved an upmarket venue. So, along with Carolynn, he took the plunge and invested in transforming the restaurant into the brightest most luxurious eating place for miles. Both from the East coast of Scotland, they told the Olive Press they were delighted with the refurbishment work, which took six weeks. “We’ve changed everything from the front ter-
race and dining area to the kitchens and toilets at the back”, enthused Carolynn. “We must thank Paul of Leddy Contractors for both the amazing transformation and finishing bang on schedule, continued the ex-travel agent. Jim, who used to be a manager on North Sea oil rigs, stressed the importance of integration. “We get involved as much as we can, especially with the Tapas Runs, held regularly,” said Jim. “Being part of the community is so special, particularly in THIS community,” he continued. Jim admitted, “After all, you know you’re ‘home’ when you can get good fish and chips.” A special opening night was held tonight, March 2, ahead of tomorrow’s official re-opening. In time, Our Plaice will be expanding the menu to include a much greater selection of seafood, so watch this space for news.
PIONEERS: Japan is fastest growing Asian market for extra virgin olivre oil so when I heard that Japan is the fastest growing Asian market for high quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil - I was hooked!” Previously, the pair have funded the project themselves, relying on the generosity and hospitality of people they’ve met during the film-making. However, with the documentary becoming such a mammoth task, and alternative investment unlikely, FareLight decided to crowd-fund the
project, asking for small donations from the public and other industry professionals. Bermeister admitted: “A huge leap of faith in the generosity of others may be all that is needed to see this film completed. “Lucas and I have long dreamed of working on a project like this but never thought it was actually possible. We have spent years honing our skills in preparation for a project of this scale.”
Rock bottom SPAIN’S Government has responded to the agricultural crisis, but insists it is facing an uphill struggle. Thousands of angry farmers have pushed the issue to the forefront in recent weeks. Those in the agricultural sector have taken to the streets over the continued struggle they face to stay afloat. Their fury over rock bottom olive and orange prices has proved a headache to government leaders who in turn face pressure from the European board. In an attempt to prove that the farmers’ voices are being heard, The coalition government’s first step is to reform the current Food Chain Law by raising prices ‘at the gate’ and helping manufacturers cover costs of production and staff wages. However, the government cannot regulate prices by law, therefore it must only strongly suggest measures and hope that companies take them onboard. Spanish farmers have been holding nationwide protests in the past few weeks in response to low prices, the threat of fewer subsidies from the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the announced minimum-wage hike.
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March 5th - March 18th 2020
,DRINK ,DRINK FOODFOOD & TRAVEL & TRAVEL
Lifting the Val It’s been dubbed ‘the world’s best ski resort’ and ‘gee, even bigger than Vail’... Jon Clarke (right) takes a trip to Baqueira and the Val d’Aran and finds a lot more than just snow-plough fun
W
E’RE at the top of Baciver ski lift, some 2,610m high in the Pyre-
phone, is my wife having an entirely different day out. While also enjoying the mountains, her relationship with the snow is visual, not tactile, as she hikes just below the snow-line with a friend and a packed lunch at the ready. Not a fan of skiing? No worries, Baqueira Beret is part of Spain’s wonderful Val d’Aran, a totally independent fiefdom of fun and festivities, where there’s more to do than you can shake a ski-pole at. The Pyrenees only East-West facing valley, this impressive mountain redoubt counts 33 towns and villages and even has its own language. Some 3000 local souls speak Aranese, but don’t worry they also speak plenty of English, along-
side the obligatory Catalan ers and sisters, nephews and Spanish. and nieces, explains the reWhat’s more of relevance sort’s marketing chief Pep. to the traveller though is “The Bourbon family were nees. the rich local given the villa There’s a light dusting of culture... and, in 1984 by repowder snow and the kids particularly, the sort chiefs and Where the are itching to go. food. only they can We’re in Baqueira, southern The region’s use it,” he exKing of Spain Europe’s largest ski station, architecture plains. counting 161km of runs over is distinct and chooses to hone The former disfour distinct areas and six the local au- his turns, minus graced PP party soaring peaks. thorities (the treasurer Luis his wife Letizia Barcenas also Some 1,000 metres beAranese have low, at the end of a mobile their own govcoincidentally ernment, it has a villa here. turns out) have done well “But we try to keep that quito maintain the integrity of et,” adds Pep. their villages, which could Described by the Daily Telehave been ruined by modern graph as the ‘perfect ski blocks a la many European resort’ and by the Financial ski resorts. Times as ‘Spain’s true seBut then this is where the cret’, there really is someKing of Spain chooses to thing incedible charming hone his turns, minus his about Baqueira. wife Letizia, who - like mine Local American business- is not a fan of the winter man/writer/estate agent sport. Keith Kirwen arrived as a He has a splendid villa, ap- snowboarder two decades propriately just above the ago and totally agrees. main lift up, and pops up a “I found this small paradise few times during the season by accident and couldn’t bewith friends, as do his broth- lieve it was bigger than Vail, Colorado,” he reveals. Coming from an American, that is something. But the statistics are certainly impressive, even when compared to the best US resorts and those in France or Switzerland. The ski area extends from 1,500m to 2,610m and counts 99 runs and 35 lifts. Opened in the 1960s, it has 161km of marked pistes, seven kilometres of marked off-piste runs and seven kilometres of cross-country runs. It’s laid out in four separate areas; Baqueira, Beret, Boniagua and the recently-opened Baciver, which has created half a dozen new pistes. Due to its north facing aspect and close proximity to the Atlantic, it has some SCENIC: Typical Val d’Aran village and (above) Jon’s kids get set to ski of the best snow in Europe
and, should the snow gods French resistence smuggled not shine, there are 50 20,000 Jews through the snow cannons to help things high mountain passes to along. safety here and en route to We certainly found plenty to Portugal. entertain us; the snow park You really get a feel for this, for the kids with its myriad heading up into the Rio of jumps, being a highlight, Verde mountain pass above as well as the wonderful Eth the wonderful medieval vilCoret run that snaked its way lage of Bagergue, which at through a pine forest. 1419m is the highest in the Classes were easy to arrange valley. through the Era Escola, who This is part of the celebratprovided the wonderful Aly- ed (Grand Route) GR211 cia for the kids, while I even footpath and is a lovely tried a couple of advanced walk, often below the snowsessions with local lad Fran- line, where you should spot cis, who took us off piste eagles, vultures and even, and even taught us a bit of if lucky, one of the brown Aranese. bears reintroduced a few But the key to a successful years back (don’t forget, they family holiday are the nearby hibernate). mountain villages, that each Best of all, when you get offer a cornucoback to the pia of churches village - voted and museums among Spain’s Should the to visit, as well most beautiful snow gods not - there is an inas numerous local restauteresting arteshine, there rants. san museum, a The history of cheese factory are 50 snow the area is fasand shop, and cannons cinating, being four superb a key mountain restaurants, pass used by each with its Repulicans to escape during own specialities. the Spanish Civil War as Other villages of note are well as a later base for the Salardu and Arties, which Maquis (the guerillas who has a river running through continued to fight on against it and a stunning church, Franco well into the 1950s). plus the famous Urtau tapas During World War II, the joint, where punters queue
Let the train take the strain One of the real joys of getting to the Val d’Aran was the train. The high-velocity AVE takes just over four hours to get from Malaga to Lleida, thanks to a recent spur opened around Madrid to the East. The scenery is wonderful as you head through the Sierra Morena, where we spotted deer and wild boar, and later the Zaragoza desert, where we spied fields of saffron and wide expanses of cherry and almond blossom. In Lleida we hired a car for the two-hour drive up to the slopes, which is a wonderful drive into the Pyrenees foothills and made an hour quicker since the five kilometre Vielha tunnel was finished in 2007. Another alternative is to fly to Toulouse, and hire a car, or to drive, which takes around 12 hours.
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
17 17
March 5th - March 18th 2020
VARIETY: Local highlights include Arties village. churches, cheese and artisan products
Where to stay
outside before a 7pm opening time and it’s elbow-room at the bar from 7.30pm. The capital of the region is Vielha, a bustling town, with plenty to write home about. Take a stroll around keeping an eye out for the San Miqeue church, which is a 600-year-old gothic gem, known for its 12th century bust of a very haggard-looking Jesus. Take my advice, hire a car and have a really good poke around the valley when you fancy a break from the snow... you never know you might even decide to pop across into France, with Fos, some 25 minutes away! For more information visit www.visitvaldaran.com or www.baqueira.es
For classic village charm stay in Hotel Seixes in Bagergue, the highest village in the Val d’Aran. This great value hotel (left) has wonderful views and best of all has four excellent restaurants within a two minute walk. www.hotelseixes.com For five star luxury, it’s hard to beat Hotel Pleta, which sits at 1700m and counts on its own pool, spa and gourmet restaurant. There is a separate cigar room, a shuttle to the ski lift and easily one of the best breakfasts I have ever eaten. www.lapleta.com Looking for a villa or apartment, the best local company is Feel Free Rentals, which has hundreds to rent from isolated farmhouses to centrally located in the heart of Baqueira. www.feelfreerentals.com.
Buy AND cash in
Looking to enjoy skiing holidays in Spain’s top resort AND make money from an investment there? Specialist real estate company Feel Free has decades working with owners in Baqueira, who both use their properties, as well as rent them out for many weeks during the year. The holiday rental company, based in San Sebastian and the Val d’Aran, locates, manages and rents hundreds of villas and apartments across the two key areas. “We are experts in these types of projects and many of our owners are foreigners, as we speak all the main languages, English in particular,” explains CEO Roberto Jimenez. they have a big range of new-build projects for sale, as well as quite a number of off-plan schemes. Visit www.feelfreerentals.com or call (+34) 943 56 36 54
Where to eat
The real beauty of Baqueira is its proximity to the Val d’Aran and its collection of excellent eateries. Every village has a good choice. Take Bagergue, whose 107 local residents are spoilt with four. The cuisine is a good mix of Spanish and French, plus a few local chestnuts, such as an Olla Aranese, a lovely rich bean and pork stew that warms the cockles after a hard day on the slopes. The cheeses are excellent, as are the lamb chops and steaks. I particularly liked the trio of places I tried in Bagergue, each quite different in style and flavour. At Casa Rosa, I loved the cheese plate as a starter, while the pate and tortilla espanola was delicious. Jardi dels Pomers has a charming garden for spring and summer, while in winter a big log-burner to aid the ambience. Here, definitely have the beef consome, as well as the cep mushroom-filled ravioli with truffles. Meanwhile, Unhola is Basque and you appropriately sit under a large
SERVICE: At Casa Rosa copy of Picasso’s Guernica, chowing down on some excellent crab and wild mushroom crepes, cabone, plus an intriguing wild seabass burger. I would also recommend a trip to Urtau, in Arties, but get there early as you cannot book, if sitting down is essential. If not, you can perch at various tables or at the bar and graze on the dozens of creative tapas, that are remi-
niscent of San Sebastian at its best, if not quite up there for quality. The Vinoteca Eth Cerer, in Unha, is a long-standing favourite for the apres-ski crowd and it is certainly a well-oiled machine, with two great-value set menus (€15 or €18 a head) and a good wine list. Make sure to get there early to have a poke around the village.
18
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PROPERTY Constructively eco-friendly SPAIN has shot into the worldwide top ten of countries with the most sustainable buildings. This is the result of a change in mindset over the importance of energy efficiency and sustainability in the real estate industry. As 28% of CO2 emissions are produced by buildings, action to reduce this is essential to comply with environmental requirements.
British Boom
Obligation “Europe is leading the battle for sustainability,” says Javier Torralba, director of Breeam, a sustainable certification platform in Spain which has just elevated Spain to sixth in the world rankings. This method of evaluation and certification did not land in Spain until 2010. Breeam certification initially focused on housing and didn’t really kick off until 2014 but since then, the increase in certification has grown exponentially across different types of real estate. Impact Torralba added that, ‘sustainability is no longer an option, but an obligation.’ These sustainable developments are not only better for the environment, but are also good for both tenants and the property as the energy saving in a Breeam-certified property is between 30% and 70% and the reduction of water expenditure is approximately 40%. The evolution towards this greener industry can be seen through the growth of the certification platforms that rate the impact of buildings on the ecosystem, such as Leed and Well.
THE number of British buyers in Spain has more than doubled in a year - at least according to one big homebuilder. Taylor Wimpey España has reported a staggering 125% increase in UK nationals buying homes in Spain, as uncertainty around Brexit has finally forced people into action. Brits were the top buyers over the months of December and January, accelerating strongly following
With the uncertainty of Brexit over, British buyers are forced into action to beat the transition period deadline the mid-December general election. Andalucia meanwhile, was the most popular region registering 19.55% of total sales, according to the official Colegio de Registradores.
Better together A GROUP from the UK has arrived in Alicante this week to copy the design of an apartment block designed to bring young and old generations together. The Plaza de América block in the Costa Blanca city was built in 2008, with 56 apartments for people aged over 65 and a further 16 apartments for people aged 18-35. The younger homeowners are tasked with carrying out community work in an arrangement that keeps neighbours of different ages in day-to-day contact. The older residents also take care of building maintenance and activities depending on their health and abilities. Alicante’s Councillor for Housing, José Ramón González, said the UK wants to create its ‘first intergenerational community’ following the Alicante example. “Our building will become a benchmark for social architecture at an international level, and a role model of solidary coexistence between young and old.”
The 25 UK visitors are part of a group of charities and nonprofit organisations interested in how the project works. The timelapse of 10 years since construction means that successes and failures can be easily witnessed. The groups comprise of the Anchor Society organization, with 250 years of support for elderly people in need, as well as All Saints Church Lands Charity, Bristol Together, The Cote Charity and Noma Architects. Tom Blathwayt, the consultant who will develop the project, also attended alongside Bristol and Bath Regional Capital, which in recent years has contributed 38 million pounds to social initiatives. The homes were awarded in 2010 with the first prize of the Spanish Association of Public Housing and Land Promoters for the best performance in the field of socio-community intervention. In 2012, the block was a finalist in the World Habitat Awards of the Building and Social Housing Foundation.
The second most popular region was Catalunya coming second at 16.41%, while sales are also up for British buyers in Alicante and Mallorca. The Costa del Sol is the most popular area, with almost all British buyers during that period choosing the coast as their favourite place to buy. “The British love of the Costa del Sol dates back decades,” explained Taylor Wimpey España Sales Director, Marc Pritchard. “While the drawn-out Brexit process caused many buyers to pause, they are now pushing ahead with their plans and buying Spanish second homes at an impressive pace. “With a range of styles and price points available, the Costa del Sol is perfectly positioned to meet varying needs as sales pick up speed, during 2020. “It’s that time of year when many British families are planning and looking forward to their summer holidays. “For those buying a holiday home, it’s an incredibly exciting time, with some superb locations offering sun, sand and sporting facilities to suit every taste and budget.”
BUSINESS THE Government has repealed a law allowing businesses to dismiss workers who accumulate too much medical leave. Adhering to a manifesto promise the PSOE government scrapped the law, put in place by the PP in 2012.
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Unfair
Air bust AIRBUS employees have rejected the company’s plans to cut more than 600 jobs in Spain. A series of walkouts are being planned, while bosses of the aerospace giant have called for unions to attend talks set for this week. Proposals include axing 630 jobs across Madrid, Andalucia and Castille, while Airbus has planned 2,362 job losses across Europe by 2021. No further specifications have been given but it is thought that the plan will affect 332 direct jobs, workshop operators mostly, and 298 indirect jobs. The European manufacturer has not broken down the number of job losses in Spain by department. It has urged unions to enter negotiations, a proposal that the unions have ‘unanimously’ rejected, according to the UGT union. Unions will not negotiate this adjustment until the end of July, when the legal period of the consultation ends. However, they have said that they do not accept the proposed dismissals because they have not been justified by the company. Airbus employs about 12,600 staff in Spain, of which 7,560 work in the area of Defence and Space. According to the plan, 829 jobs will be lost in Germany, 357 in the UK, 404 in France and 142 in other countries. A number of demonstrations are set to be called in the week before Easter.
ur s to Yo ory d 00 er st ote 0,0 low 2 l om ly fo pr ar ok ne bo ce Fa
“We are repairing an anomaly in which this unfair dismissal does not exist, and that provides legal certainty,” said Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz. “It is not fair to sack people who can medically justify their absence.” The law was introduced despite the European Court of Justice warning Spain that firing employees on the basis of illness was discriminatory. It aimed to allow greater flexibility in the labour market, facilitating lower wages and lowering the dismissal of workers. Its supporters argue
te l ee ia 00 si Fr tor 0,0 eb i 1 w ed ur ay o -d in r-a to si vi
Health first
When you take out an 19 19 advertising campaign March 5th - March 18th 2020 with the Olive Press, you get a lot more than just the printed newspaper
‘Unfair’ sick leave law repealed by government in boost for workers’ rights it helped make Spain a more competitive market, but its opponents believe it eroded workers’ rights, while promoting job insecurity and lower wages.
It could be argued that the law has helped to reduce unemployment, as it fell from 27% in 2013, to 13.8% in the final quarter of 2019.
The current government believes that the rate of unemployment will stabilise at 13.6% in 2020 and fall gradually to 12.3% in 2023.
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March 5th - March 18th 2020
Big problem ALMOST 25% of people in Spain are overweight, according to a new study. The figures obtained from a study undertaken by the European Association for the Study of Obesity also suggest that by 2030, half of Spain’s population will be overweight. The Spanish government is trying to curb this trend, considering increasing IVA on high calorie products, such as fast foods, pastries and soft-drinks, with the aim of reducing their consumption. According to a report by UNICEF’s Spanish Committee, up to 40% of young people between the ages of eight and 16 are overweight in the Iberian country.
HEALTH What virus?
Too far
A CORONAVIRUS victim in Valen- Local victim he feels cia has revealed he feels ‘f**king ‘brilliant’ while recovering brilliant’ despite having caught the from COVID-19 in Valencia bug. The 31-year-old told his parents Speaking from the La Plana isolathat it just feels like ‘common flu’ tion hospital, in Castellon, where and ‘not to worry’. he must stay for 15 days, he added
Butt out
SPAIN’S ban on smoking in public spaces and workplaces has made a huge dent in tobacco sales in Cordoba. Spain joined its European neighbours in banning smoking in public in 2006, in line with EU regulations. The move was a clear statement of intent to improve the nation’s ever increasing problem with lung and heart disease. Before the ban, 72 million packs of cigarettes were purchased throughout the province, but since then, figures have steadily dropped to bring the 2019 figure down to 31.5 million packs. The numbers were released in a recent report by the Tobacco Market Commission of the Ministry of Finance. In 2007, the figures steadily declined to 66 million, before plummeting to 30.9 million in 2018, the lowest figure on record, with a slight rise to 31.5 million then recorded in 2019.
HEALTH APPOINTMENt
his symptoms were minor and being treated purely with paracetamol. “It’s just like a normal flu and I’m sending a message of tranquility to everyone, because I feel f**king amazing, and please don’t worry,” he wrote in a text message.
Stag do
The Valencia resident had picked up the virus while visiting Milan on a stag do. Tests confirmed he was the first patient to catch the bug in Valencia. A second coronavirus patient, journalist Kike Mateu, 44, added he too felt ‘perfect’. He picked it up while covering Valencia´s football match in Milan against Atalanta. There are now more than 200 confirmed coronavirus cases in Spain.
NEARLY 90% of pregnant women who want to have an abortion have been harassed by anti-abortion groups, according a report. Asociacion de Clinicas Acreditadas para la Interrupcion del Embarazo (ACAI) is an organisation that runs abortion clinics and has released a report stating that 89% of women who have tried to terminate their pregnancies have been pressured by anti-abortion groups. Sonia Lamas, a spokesperson for the organisation described some of the examples of abuse the clinics face: “We reported months ago the harassment we suffered, but the authorities don’t even come to clean the graffiti.” Of that 89%, 67% felt threatened during the medical procedure because of the harassment they had faced previously. Anti-abortion groups such as Hazte Oír, Derecho a Vivir, Más Futuro and Asociación Sifra dedicate a good part of their time and resources to put obstacles up in place for women trying to get an abortion. Examples of that include going to clinics in the mornings and planting themselves there, waiting for women in order to persuade them to change their minds, sometimes by giving them brochures and sometimes even through harassment, by grabbing their arms or calling them ‘murderers’.
By Jeremy Kenton
Women are well informed about the risks of breast and cervical cancer, but men should be checking their own parts too, writes expert osteopath Jeremy Kenton
Check your balls W
ith every woman in the UK more aware than ever of cervical cancer, it is easy for us males to forget that we might have our very own health time bomb waiting to explode. Just think: women check their breasts regularly and cervical smears are recommended to spot early onset of cervical cancer. But what about us males? What do we check, what should we be checking? Well, here is an interesting fact: 2,000 males between the ages of 18 and 40 are diagnosed each year with testicular cancer in England alone. So what are we talking about? Let’s run through a quick Q&A with me as the doctor whispering in your ear. I have a lump, so what? If it’s left unchecked it could spread. One of them is sore and tender when I feel it. Then it’s time to go to your doctor now. I am afraid to go, anyway what’s the worst that could happen? Having one or both testicles removed to stop a further spread or, in the worst cases, even death. Most lumps are benign, but you should still get them checked out. OK, I get the picture, so how do I check them? 1. Feel them regularly so you get to know what the normal testicle feels like – a good idea is to feel them in the bath as they drop with the heat which makes it easier to feel around 2. Support each one to get to know the weight of each testicle, feel each to get to know the size of each ‘ball’ 3. Compare the two for any obvious changes, by rolling each testicle between fingers and thumb feeling each one all around (do not be alarmed by the cord like structure at the back as this is the epididymis which is meant to be there) 4. Feel for lumps, swelling, tenderness, or a change in firmness, anything unusual, dull aches, unusual heaviness, pain or discomfort, enlargement of tissues, collection of fluid etc... 5. Look at them in the mirror, and perhaps get your partner to do it for you as well if you like...health can be fun!!! So I am worried now? DO NOT PANIC. These symptoms don’t always mean you have testicular cancer. But you should see your doctor if you are concerned about your symptoms. Where can I get more information? A really funny but informative read is “One Lump or Two” by Darren Couchman. Darren’s book is an account of his own experiences from spotting the cancer to his treatment and birth of a child afterwards. Also do check out Cancer Research UK. How regularly should I check myself? At least once a month...and don’t forget perhaps you should make the 1st of the month BILLS and BALLS DAY!!!!
30
Health & Beauty
HEALTH
Look better in the buff: Get your sexy back 21 Health & Beauty without giving up everythingdoing you love hard time 30
www.weekender.news
March 5th - March 18th 2020
Own better Medicine Look in the buff: Get your sexy back without giving up everything you love SUFFERERS of muscle strains can face daily challenges in exercising, cleaning the house or just picking up a chair. Physiotherapy can be expensive or time consuming leaving many living with unnecessary burdens. But the pioneering doctors at Clinica Britannia have introduced a treatment that could help using your body’s own incredible ability to heal itself. Platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP) is a new advancement in orthopedic – or musculoskeletal – medicine that can heal injured rotator cuff tendons, bicep tendons and even labral tears of the hip.
It works by enhancing the ‘growth factor’ in a patient’s own blood. Growth factors can be hormones or proteins that stimulate cellular growth or healing, for example growth factors in blood platelets stimulate the healing of wounds. The PRP process is surprisingly simple: blood is drawn from the patient and processed in an approved medical device, to separate the healing power of platelets from blood plasma. The doctor then takes that concentrated healing platelets of the patient’s own blood and re-introduces it or grafts it into the injured site, which has been identified on MRI and Ultrasound imaging.
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something you can do about it that doesn’t involve giving up carbs and sweets, doing Britishcrunches dentist or Calpe excessive having invasive cosmetic surgery. Fully one-third of Americans opt for minimally invasive fat reduction or body sculpting treatments to look better in the buff, according to a new survey of 500 men and women from Cutera, Inc. And those who exercise regularly DREADED is the dentist – and dreaded still are dental implants. are most likely to have a The popular procedure to turn toothless grin into beaming smile is costly, lengthy body-sculpting treatment, and requires intensive surgery to screw a tooth into your gums. It’s not for thewith
Dr Karan Sud
Bridge the gap
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22
March 5th - March 18th 2020
GetTING ConnectED By Loraine Gostling
COLUMNISTS
Oh no you’re not! Message in This week, I am removing my Javea Connect hat and becoming a little more fruity with you all! When I say ‘fruity’, I am actually quite fruit specific... a banana, to be exact. Please bear with me as this story will get to the point, but I need to go back in time a little: three years ago to be pretty precise. So, in 2017, a post appeared on the Javea Connect group, asking who might like to get together and form an amateur drama group. The idea at the time was geared toward The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a movie I had only seen once (partially), had not understood what the hell was going on BUT.. I did know how to ‘Timewarp’ from parties back in the 70’s, when I was young and I could dance for more than 10 minutes without having to call an ambulance. Nevertheless, I duly commented on the post that I could ‘do the Timewarp’ and, from then on, my life changed dramatically (s’cuse the pun). From that day on, I never looked back. About 25 people gathered in Javea one Sunday afternoon and it did not take long for many of us to click. Although we had no name at the time, Bananadrama had been born! Three years later, we are not so much a drama group, as a family. People have come and gone, as will always happen, but there is a core team who put their heart and soul into the shows for no financial reward whatsoever. Now, I cannot imagine life without them. The Bananas have already raised around
€9,000 for Cancer Care and Help of Dama and now the latest show Adrian is about to hit Alcalali Broadway next week. Now, I hear you all say ‘Never heard of it’... well no, you probably haven’t. But believe me, it is a very funny script, that revisits your most cherished pantomime stories, except now Pinocchio’s a bratty teenager, Wee Willie Winkle’s in court for disturbing young children and Bo Peep’s just realised that shepherding isn’t her passion in life. So please, if you want a very different night out, do come along and support our bunch of Bananas. And if there is anyone out there who would like to join us in the future, we always need new people. It matters not if you have never set foot on stage before (many of us had not) all you need is a sense of fun, team spirit and can be free most Saturday afternoons. Slip over and see us next week at the Careline Theatre or you can get in touch with the group on Facebook (What’s On With Bananadrama).
Farm Flash
a pot-belly
As miracle pig Rupert falls ill with cystitis, a chance encounter with a vet brings an important message to animal lovers far and wide IT appears the lost pig who turned up at the Easy Horse Rescue Centre last year came with an important message. Rupert the miracle pig, who made frontpage of the Olive Press last August, fell ill with cystitis, and by pure chance his vet has issued a warning for pig owners in all of Spain. Cystitis is common in Rupert’s breed of pig, but it’s been difficult to give him medication as he spits it back out. Injecting such a large pig is another challenge, so we managed to find probably the only farm vet in Alicante to treat him – normally with pigs you have to go Murcia as the Valencian Community has few pig specialists. As this lovely vet came to check on him at 9am she noticed our other pigs: our pot-bellies Isadora, mum Penelope (another mysterious arrival out of nowhere) and her two boys, Leonardo and Leonard. By pure chance she told us that new laws have come in forcing all pot-bellied pig owners to microchip their animals, register them and sterilise them.
By Susan Weeding
The pigs have recently been classed as ‘invasive’ and, as of next year, anyone owning a pot-belly without fulfilling these requirements will have it immediately removed and slaughtered. As of 2022, no one will be able to own, purchase or rehome a pot-belly. The trouble is that, with so few pig specialists in Alicante, most pot-bellied pig owners will have no idea about the new laws. So we are trying to reach as many as possible hoping that, because of Rupert, many pigs could be saved. If anyone wants information or a contact number for the vet, they can contact the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre and we will give you everything you need. On another note, Linda who supplies our catering, donated some scones and donuts for Rupert to put his medication in and hopefully he swallows the lot. He’s had his injections, and will hopefully feel better soon. We’ve been told his life expectancy is about 17 years, and as we believe his first birthday is coming up soon I’m sure he’ll make the papers for a long time yet! For the meantime, we’ve got enough on our hands with the pot-bellies. When the pig vet came the babies started running around everywhere, and one of them even jumped in the fish pond to escape. I thought I was going to have to jump in myself, but thankfully I’ve been spared that column for another week. Contact the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre here: rescue@easyhorsecare.net
OP Puzzle solutions
Quick Crossword
Across: 7 Serve, 8 Aseptic, 9 Easiest, 10 Supra, 11 Primer, 13 Enrol, 16 Agape, 18 Fiddle, 21 Until, 23 Advance, 24 Selects, 25 Darts. . Down: 1 Dressing, 2 Recede, 3 Oast, 4 Person, 5 Step, 6 Scram, 7 Sleepy, 12 Rue, 13 Elf, 14 Ordinary, 15 Renews, 17 Palace, 19 Invade, 20 Curse, 22 Talk, 23 Also.
SUDOKU
Javea Connect admin Loraine Gostling reveals her moonlighting as a pantomime actress as Adrian: A Fairytale of Happing Endings is set to infect the Costa Blanca with laughter
6 9 5 7 4 2 8 3 1
1 7 3 9 5 8 6 4 2
2 8 4 1 3 6 5 7 9
7 2 8 4 6 9 1 5 3
3 5 9 2 1 7 4 8 6
4 6 1 5 8 3 2 9 7
9 1 6 8 7 4 3 2 5
8 3 2 6 9 5 7 1 4
5 4 7 3 2 1 9 6 8
Puzzle by websudoku.com
SPORT
23
March 5th - March 18th 2020
For the love of the game EXCLUSIVE By Dimitris Kouimtsidis
FOR many football fans, the team they support means the world to them, but one superfan takes it a step further. British expat, Jan Formella, 44, is a die-hard Tottenham fan, who’s had a season ticket for more than 15 years. When he upped sticks to Alicante five years ago, the Londoner refused to leave his beloved Spurs behind. The father-of-three makes the 1,400km trip from his home in Javea to London’s newly-built Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as often as he can. He claims he’s never sat down and calculated
As Tottenham struggle for form this season, one superfan from Spain is earning his spurs, commuting to London to watch as many matches as he can
the costs of attending a match, but, believes it is somewhere in the region of €500 and €600. “I probably catch around ten home games a season, along with the odd European one away,” he told the Olive Press. To make this possible, he tries to schedule UK busi-
Fair play
ness trips to coincide with midweek fixtures. Formella runs his Surrey-based IT and recruit-
Vroom boom MURCIA is hosting the Spanish motocross championship at the Las Salinas circuit on the weekend of March 21 and 22. This huge event in the Alhama de Murcia municipality attracts visitors from all over Spain and Europe and is part of the Spanish National Championships circuit. Competitions will include MXS18, MX65 and MX35. On Saturday, there will be a qualifying practice session with the main racing falling on Sunday from 10am onwards. The superfinal will take place at 12pm that day.
JAN: With pals at Champions League Final in Madrid and (left) former Spurs manager Terry Venables - ‘El Ted’ who lives in Alicante
ment company, Cornucopia IT Resourcing Limited, remotely from Spain. “I fly either the day before or on the morning of the match, either from Valencia or Alicante. “I then get the train to Surrey and go into the office, have my meetings and then head off to meet my mates at the pub for some pre-match beers.” Despite the increasing popularity of resell websites such as Stubhub and Viagogo, Formella refuses to use them to sell his
seat when he’s absent, as he ‘doesn’t want to make a profit out of other fans’. If he can’t attend, he either gives his ticket to a mate, or sells it through the club exchange programme. When asked if he ever saw himself stopping, Formella said: “I say every season is my last one, but it’s an addiction, I can’t stop. “Football is a community thing, that’s why I go back, to meet up with friends and experience it together.”
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AHEAD of International Women’s Day, female football players in Spain’s top division have secured a minimum wage deal. The footballers have signed their first collective agreement on pay and conditions, breaking an impasse with sporting authorities, which led to a strike last November. The Association of Women’s Football Clubs (ACFF) and various players’ unions had been locked in talks over the league’s first ever collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for nearly 18 months. This agreement guarantees Primera Division players a minimum salary of €16,000 per year, along with paid holiday and maternity leave. Sports Minister, Irene Lozano said: “This is a historic day because this collective agreement is very important for players who were worried about their futures.” Ruben Alcaine, president of the ACFF, added: “This is a moment to celebrate and now all actors in women’s football need to work together.”
VALENCIA’S Oceanographic has become the world’s only aquarium with a pair of ‘pig sharks’ – as the breed is known in Spanish. The sharks are so rare that staff don’t know what to feed them.
FINAL WORDS
Picture that PICTOGRAMS have been painted on zebra crossings in the Valencian town of Sagunt in a new initiative to help people with learning difficulties, especially autism, better navigate the streets.
Duck’s sake A HUNTER has been fined €720 for shooting a western swamphen – a protected species – after confusing it with a duck in a Valencian lagoon four years ago.
Bank and file BANKIA has launched a float of 12 ‘office-buses’ that serve remote hamlets across Spain – including in the Valencian Community – without a bank in their municipality. The buses have cashpoints, a waiting room, and claim to aid 250,000 people in 373 municipalities.
OLIVE PRESS Dirty cops The The
Surf or turf?
COSTA BLANCA
Your Your expa ex patt
COSTA BLANCA SUR / MURCIA
FREE FREE
voice in in voice Spain Spain
Vol.1 Issue 1 Issue7 9www.theolivepress.es www.theolivepress.es February March 5th 18th, 2020 Vol. 6th- -March February 19th 2020
By Laurence Dollimore
POLICE on Spain’s Costa del Sol don’t have enough money to wash their own vehicles.
Penny-pinching police cannot afford to clean their own cars
That’s according to the notice board at Estepona’s Policia Nacional station which said it
Flying off shelves ENTREPRENEURIAL online salesmen are selling a Dean Koontz novel at €50 each amid claims the 1981 book ‘predicted coronavirus’. Andrea, a seller on Spanish online marketplace Wallapop, has listed the novel Los Ojos de la Oscuridad (The Eyes of Darkness) claiming it ‘forewarns’ the global outbreak. The 312-page novel published 39 years ago follows grieving mother
Christina Evans as she realises her son, Danny, has been infected with a man-made bio weapon created in WUHAN, China. “They call the stuff ‘Wuhan-400’ because it was developed at their RDNA labs outside the city and it was the fourth-hundredth viable strain of man-made microorganisms created at the research centre,” a passage in the book reads.
did not have the budget to pay for the essential service. “As of today, February 10, and
until further notice, official vehicles cannot be washed due to a lack of budget,” the notice reads. Miguel Millan, chief of Policia Nacional in Malaga, told El Mundo that Estepona could be the first of many to stop washing their cars. It comes after the Automotive Department received a significant budget cut. “There is no money at all,” he told the respected Spanish paper, “the cars are in an unfortunate hygienic state. “Of course officers clear away their food etc but there is also lots of dust, dirt, glass…many of the vehicles have never seen a vacuum cleaner.” He added that the most worrying aspect is that they are not being disinfected, labelling the situation as ‘outrageous’. He said he would be submitting a request to have the budget restored.
Racked with guilt DEFROSTING meat on the washing line may have seemed a neat idea at the time. But for one apartment owner in northern Spain, the ingenious idea led residents below to panic after seeing ‘drops of blood’ appearing on their patios. When police were called to investigate they eventually found it was coming from a rack of veal ribs drying on a clothes line above. “Blood had begun falling as it thawed out which freaked everyone out,” a spokesman for Pamplona police revealed.
