Olive Press Spain Issue 387 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

The Mijas Costa

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ll about

Your

Education

Olive Press A Education goes back to school with our 12-page special pull BLACKBOARD JUNGLE out inside “ ll about

A 12-page Olive Press special pull out supplement

February 2022

expat

voice in Spain

MASKING THE CHALLENGES: While masks are pupils at Laude school, here to stay for a in Marbella, are making few more months the most of it (see at least, page 6)

XPAT children have faced with a significantlong been challenge when taking the leap Spanish Baccalaureate from the to the UK university system. Or that of most northern European countries. Bombarded with reams terial to learn verbatimof stodgy ma- from their schooling for the final reel with the ability to school exams, 18-year-olds off every date in Spanish emerge WITHOUT mostly questioning history why any I was

Vol. 15 Issue 387 www.theolivepress.es February 9th - February 22nd 2022

After years of being Spain makes a bid criticised for its antiquated curriculum , world. But will it to prepare its students for the succeed, asks expat modern mum Heather Galloway of it happened.

never taught at school so I was to think or reason at a complete loss when I got to university.

“

OLIVE PRESS

ANDALUCÍA

Meanwhile 17-year-old while in Maths, formulas language students are asked not so the explanations abound, but to of their potenmatical use of every identify the gram- tial application. ce, but are never word in a senten- According to Maia Taylor-Firth, taught how to link information or build a marketing graduate from Edinburgh’s NaLiterature students an argument. pier University the actual reading paradoxically miss “I was never who grew up in Spain: taught of classic novels at school so I was to think or reason at a complete loss as

to how to write an essay when I got university.” to The student, who passed reate in Madrid, adds: her Baccalaubadgering my tutors, “I had to keep but there wasn’t much help. “I simply learned from we got and a processwhat feedback of trial and error”. As a mother, who has brought up two children in Madrid, Spanish education I railed against the system during my Continues on Page

dm O issi pen o

Today more than ever, we believe in providing a safe for our students to and happy learning achieve more than environment they dreamed possible. Contact our admissions team for more information curriculum from 3 on our unique international to 18 years. Avda. La Coruña 2 San Pedro Alcántara

952 799 900

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TO LILIBET WITH LOVE IT was a very special day for Queen Elizabeth, and her distant cousin King Felipe was not about to be left out. He and wife Letizia sent their congratulations to Queen Elizabeth II as she celebrated her Platinum Jubilee. It was a warm and affectionate message commemorating the seven decades since Elizabeth’s coronation. “With this message, we would like to join you in celebrating this remarkable anniversary and wish you all the best for the years to come. With much affection,” it read. The Spanish royals are known to have a warm relationship with the British Royal family, calling Queen Elizabeth ‘aunt’ and her late husband Philip ‘uncle’. The two royal families have close blood links. Queen Elizabeth is the great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, while King Felipe VI is her great-great-great grandson. Romantic ties began when Spain’s King Alfonso made a state

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visit to Britain in 1905 and met Queen Victoria’s granddaughter, Princess Victoria Eugenie. The pair married, the princess becoming Queen Ena of Spain, and their grandson no other than Spain’s former King Juan Carlos I. Juan Carlos I abdicated in 2014 in favour of his son, King Felipe VI. Felipe’s maternal great-grandfather (King Constantine I of Greece) was also Prince Philip’s uncle. Blood ties were strengthened during King Felipe VI’s state visit to the United Kingdom in 2017, when the Queen gifted him love letters sent from Princess Victoria Eugenie to King Alfonso. Following Prince Philip’s death in 2021 the Spanish king wrote of his sorrow at the passing of his ‘dear Uncle Philip’. He also referred to the British Queen as his ‘Aunt Lilibet’, revealing a previously unknown affection between these royal households.

NO TIERS Expat wedding planner who shattered dozens of couples’ dreams led down the aisle… to prison Dream Weddings, went bust. But rather than coming clean and telling clients about her financial problems she carried on trading and failed to return deposits. The 48-year-old and husband Howard Danker had previously featured in an Irish TV documentary in 2007 called The Great Escape, about their move from Dublin to Marbella to set up their wedding business.

By Kirsty McKenzie

She later appeared in the reality TV show Clubland, The Wright Venue, in 2015, after she fled from Spain amid the financial scandal. We first reported that Danker had run into financial difficulties in October 2012, after a string of expats revealed they had lost their dream weddings thanks to the planning scam. Danker admitted in a Dublin court that she continued to trade until September 2012 when she no longer had enough money to pay contractors. She pleaded guilty to three

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January 22nd

- February 4th

2015

Cop killer ‘on the run’ in Spa in

A RUNAWAY murder suspect is being hunted in Spain. Merseyside police has issued an appeal for help to track down Timmy Donovan,30-year-old connection to the wanted in murder of a policeman. A European Arrest has been issued Warrant for Donovan - also known O’Sullivan - who as Timmy to have killed PC is believed 36, on a night outNeil Doyle, in December. FUGITIVE: Donovam He attacked the who was out onpoliceman, Donovan is described force Christmas a police as 5ft 8in tall, broad Liverpool. He laterbash in build, died of with dark brown massive head injuries. blue eyes and hashair and Detectives believe a Liverpool accent. Donovan could be in Please contact leaving EnglandSpain, after the Olive at about Press at newsdesk@ 8:30pm on December theolivepress.es and through the Eurotunnel 19 the Matrix Serious Organised . He is believed to Crime Major Crime driving a grey have been Unit on 0800 230 0600, A180, with the Mercedes or registration Crimestoppers, YE62 NWG. mously, on 0800 anony555 111

counts of deception, and three of theft on dates between September 7 and 10, 2012. Her victims included Sarah Foran and Colm Moriarty who paid her €10,000 to organise their nuptials. Detective Garda James Codd told the court that Foran discovered that none of the contractors had been paid a week before the big day.

CRIME NEWS

Wedding runner returns

A wedding scammer who left various couples out of pocket for their nuptials is set to appear in a reality TV show

IN THE SPOTLIGH T: Danker with husbandSue Howard and (below) posing for promo photos

EXCLUSIVE By Rob Horgan A WEDDING planner who left a trail of debts has grabbed a starringin Spain role on an Irish reality TV Sue Danker (who show. the name Suzannenow uses Mulvey) ‘vanished’ from the Costa del Sol in 2012, leaving couples high and countless dry on the day of their nuptials. After fleeing to Dublin thousands in debts, leaving Danker apparently disappeared . But now the Olive reveal that Danker Press can herself a plum job has landed to a multi-millio as the PA naire in Ireland. And to add insult she is starring this to injury, brand new TV showweek in a Michael Wright’s based on in Spain lined up on the celebrated Press’s Olive nightclub, The Wright website and a FaceVenue. book page, In what will comes as a major propriate’ to slam the ‘innapembarrassment decision to feature for Ireland’s her. national broadcaster RTE, “It is a the high profile programme on the total shock to see her Clubland features show after what she Danker has done. among the raft of his key staff. or have She must be stupid Launching tonight, a she is al- Danker’s short memory,” said ready seen in former employee promotional and wedding material and sources singer Arran told the Harding. Olive Press, she is expected to “My hope is that be ‘one of the key to drop her from RTE have Last night, victimscharacters’. the show. It of Danker would be nice if she lost her

Smack-down

THE leader of a drug gang, which included who hid heroin in a Cornish Stephen Blundell, her pasties, has been arrested in granny after pleading guiltyoriginally from Liverpool, fled Spain. 2013, before he couldto conspiracy to supply herointo Spain in April be sentenced. The 36-year-old is now being held Warrant, after handing on a European Arrest himself into authorities He will serve nine in Tenerife. Blundell is the 64thyears in jail. through Crimestoppfugitive to be caught out of 76 publicised ers Operation Captura.

Church

The list included a florist, a DJ, a videographer, a singer and a flamenco dance troupe. In addition, church fees had not been paid. “We are both reasonable people and would have worked with Suzanne,” said bride Sarah, adding that because Danker had cut off communication, they were left feeling powerless at an important moment in their lives. Danker had continued to seek payments from the couple and the court heard that she was ‘scrambling and floundering,

A WEDDING planner the Olive Press exposed as a conwoman in Spain a decade ago has been jailed in Ireland. Expat Sue Danker has been found guilty of deception and theft over a series of weddings in Andalucia. The Irishwoman pleaded guilty of fleeing Spain, leaving a trail of debts in 2012, before reappearing on a reality TV show in Ireland. We revealed how Danker had left countless couples high and dry on their big day when she ‘vanished’ from the Costa del Sol after her company, Spanish

Opinion Page 6

trying to offset deposits and commissions from one wedding to fulfil obligations to another wedding’. Her defence insisted that she had successfully organised about 200 weddings but had been let down by an investment of €12,000 promised earlier that summer. While admitting she ran the business ‘in a chaotic and haphazard way’ she was let down

See page 32

ss.es

UNDER FIRE: Christy Kinahan

Blow for drug empire

THE Costa del Sol’s torious drug empire most nocould be about to come crashing It comes after police down. cracked down heavily on the Irish Kinahan clan, based in Estepona, freezing their bank accounts and grilling key accomplices. Kinahan brothers and Christopher Daniel, 36, reportedly had , 33, have to return to Ireland in a desperate bid to raise cash, after around €500 million was frozen in both Spain and Brazil. “The Kinahans have a cashflow problem at the a source told the moment,” Irish Sun. “They haven’t got access to their the same wealth in Spain because operations againstof ongoing them and they’re getting increasingly desperate.

Murder

“The gang isn’t as strong as it once was because and English mobs Russian vying for supremacy. are now ” A further problem has emerged after a key enforcer Paul Rice, 44, left the gang to return to the UK to forge linkes with Scottish and English gangsters. Rice split from the gang following the murder close friend Gerard of his ‘hatchet’ Kavanagh in September, in Marbella, possibly because he believes the Kinahans were responsible. Kavanagh was shot in broad daylight nine times in Elviria, when he was summoned to a bogus meeting.

job altogether.” The Olive Press first reported on Danker and her business partner husband/ Danker in October Howard many expats lost 2012, after out to their company Spanish Dream Weddings. AN illegal factory One Irish couple producing scammed out of who were 65,000 packets of cigarettes 2012, last night €15,000 in a day has been smashed by they are still takingconfirmed cops near Sevilla. legal ac- The plant tion against the former wed- uncovered is the largest ever ding planner. in Spain and 10 people The bride, who wishes to re- nection were arrested in conmain anonymous to it. don’t know of any , said: “I More than 30 tonnes of procases that cessed tobacco have been resolved. was confiscatI am aware nobody As far as ed along with four vehicles, their money returned.has seen firearms and €60,000 cash. The tobacco confiscated “This company at and dry on theleft me high the farm in the village El Casday of my tillo de wedding and should las be made edge of the Guardas, on the to pay.” Aracena Natural Park, is estimated RTE - who previously to be worth fol- more than €6 million. lowed Dankers’ Spain on their move to Most cigarette packets bear Great Escape in show The the brand ‘American Legend’. 2009 - said The organisation they will not comment on edly made up of – report‘personal circumstanc a number of es’ that European nationals are ‘not directly – relevant used a to te farm as a front documentary’. for the illegal production.

Stubbed out

FLASHBACK: our previous stories on Danker

Tel: 952 147 834 TM

www.theolivepre

by a partner in Gibraltar who did ‘a runner with the money’. We later revealed how Danker had landed herself a plum job as the PA to Irish multi-millionaire Michael Wright in 2015 and went on to appear on Irish TV. “Suzanne has committed to resolve all issues with parties involved,” said The Wright Venue’s press officer Tatum Rooney at the time. In Clubland’s first episode, Rooney ironically admitted that she wanted ‘the most press coverage possible’. Danker had her three-year prison term suspended on condition that a sum of €9,500, was paid into court. She must pay another €5,000 over the next two years.

CRIME

www.theolivepress.es

NEWS IN BRIEF Dolphins inquest MALAGA marine experts have launched an urgent investigation after a dozen dead dolphins were found on Costa del Sol beaches in just four weeks.

Tragic stat A WOMAN aged 50 has become Andalucia´s first domestic violence fatality this year after she was shot dead by her husband in Granada, who then turned the gun on himself.

Bad husband A MALAGA man faces a 10 year jail term for allegedly twice drugging his estranged wife to sexually abuse her despite having a restraing order in place against him.

Text advice CAIXABANK has told customers to ignore bogus text messages that try to hijack their personal details so they can empty their bank accounts, urging clients to never click on any links sent to them.

February 9th - February 22nd 2022

WE SPOKE ON NIGHT!

Girlfriend phoned Madeleine McCann suspect as he drove on long journey through Portugal

THE ex-girlfriend of Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner has admitted she spoke to him on the night the toddler went missing. Nicole Fehlinger confirmed he was on a long drive in his huge winnebago on May 3, 2007. The German, 46, who the Olive Press revealed was dating the dangerous sex offender at the time, said he was driving from northern Portugal. But critically, she couldn’t remember if she had seen him later that night at their shared home in Foral, on the Algarve. She said Brueckner, who spent a lot of time in Spain, had rung

By Jon Clarke

to say he would be driving his winnebago to Foral ‘from the town of Tomar’, 341 kms north (at least a five-hour drive). “I don’t know if he came late that night and parked his vehicle outside and slept in there, and left that morning again, or he did not turn up,” she said. She refused to admit if this was the critical 30-minute conversation Brueckner had in Praia da Luz at 7.30pm just hours before Maddie vanished. But she did confirm he was ‘obsessed’ with young girls and

Desperate abuser A Madrid man imprisoned his ex-girlfriend and squashed her into a drawer under a bed before police searched his home. The 31-year-old man has been arrested and charged with kidnapping, gender violence, and breaking a restraining order. The 25-year-old victim sent a text message to a friend saying she was being held captive by her ex-partner. Her mother was informed and contacted the police who visited a property in the Salamanca area of Madrid. The man told officers that he knew nothing about the whereabouts of his former partner but they called her mobile phone and heard it ringing in the flat.

LINKS: Nicole was much closer to Brueckner than first let on liked ‘violent sex’. “He said he liked the bodies of girls before they reached puberty,” she told the Mail on Sunday. The winnebago is the same Tiffin Allegro Bay RV that Brueckner told Fehlinger’s father Dieter he could smuggle 50kg of marijuana or a ‘small child’, adding: ‘nobody can catch you’. Nicole added that Brueckner had speculated that Madeleine was taken by ‘the underworld’, understood to be a paedophile network, while adding ‘the police will never find her’. Police have twice investigated and shut down paedophile rings in the northern Portuguese town of Tomar over the last 15 years, one centering around a priest and another a lawyer.

She added: “Looking back, his behaviour did not change and he did not look suspicious after Maddie disappeared – but he is a person who was good at hiding his feelings.” She had previously told German police that she was NOT a girlfriend of Brueckner and had only met him half a dozen times.

Crimes

A German police source told the Olive Press this week: “She is definitely covering herself and being very selective with what she does and doesn’t reveal. “The German police are certainly closely exploring her links to Brueckner and his crimes.”

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Car hash A MAN aged 23 has been arrested in Estepona after hashish and €72,000 cash were found after a routine traffic stop. During the check, it was found that the suspect, a passenger in a car, was in possession of a bag filled with hash and €1,125. The police then went to arrest the man but when they were about to check the identity of his companion, the driver of the vehicle fled at high speed. Police were given a warrant to search the arrested man’s home address. Officers found 206 grams of hash and €72,000 cash which had been hidden inside a specially-adapted false roof.

Homeward bound A BRITISH man wanted by UK authorities after skipping jail for weapons offences, has been arrested in Marbella. The 29-year-old fugitive, with the initials CHTM was detained at a routine police checkpoint. Police said he had been previously arrested days earlier in Estepona for drug trafficking. He had been serving time for the illegal possession of weapons, ammunition and explosives. He had served half of a five year and nine month jail term before slipping out of the UK.

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es COMEDIAN Jimmy Carr, who has recently caused a storm over a routine about the Holocaust on a Netflix special, is bringing his controversial brand of humour to Gibraltar. His gag about the murders of hundreds of thousands of people from Europe’s traveller and Gypsy communities has been described as ‘truly disturbing’. UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said his jokes were ‘abhorrent and they just shouldn't be on television’. The offending line was that people only ever spoke

about the murder of Jews and never about the killing of Gypsies. This he said was one ‘positive’ of the Nazis. He has now added Gibraltar as a venue for his Terribly Funny 2.0 show. And judging by the promotional material for the October 8 and 9 dates at St Michael's Cave, there will be no holding back with his material. He promises that the show will ‘contain jokes about all kinds of terrible things, terrible things that might have affected you’.

Incognito

“We were as surprised as everyone else - they came in incognito and booked a table through the hotel … we had no idea who they were,” owner of Almocabar Monolo Arias told “They were just really friendly…she is Argentinian and spoke to me in Spanish, perfect Castellano, while I spoke to him in English. “They ate wild grilled asparagus, fresh foie with berries, Rabo de Toro and roast lamb accompanied by a €150 vintage of Pago de Carraovejas,” continues Arias, a self-taught chef, whose restaurant has been a local dining secret for two decades. He added they were ‘very normal’ and chatted easily with other diners, even later posing for photographs with staff.

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Like any normal couple’ the King and Queen of Holland booked a restaurant and chatted to tourists and staff in Spanish and English

Elle of a girl

Carr crashes in

CHINWAG OVER THE CHORIZO! IT was a usually busy Saturday night in one of Ronda’s most popular restaurants. As the noise levels were shifting up a gear in came the middle-aged couple, who had booked via their hotel. Squeezed in among their fellow diners, they chose a typical range of local dishes before chatting and joking with the table next to them. They put on no airs and graces and spoke a mixture of English and Spanish. So, it came as a massive surprise for staff at Almocabar when they discovered the couple were the King and Queen of the Netherlands, no less. King Willem-Alexander and Maxima had been on a 20th anniversary tour of the region, where they first met and fell in love in Sevilla.

January 26th - February 8th 2022

HUNGARIAN supermodel Barbara Palvin has featured on an industry-first NFT front cover for Spanish Elle magazine. The photo shoot, which took place in Sevilla, has been transformed into an NFT which will be sold at auction. NFTs - Non-fungible tokens are virtual collectable tokens that cannot be copied and are bought and sold using cryptocurrency. In recent years they have exploded onto the market, and have been endorsed by a range of high-profile celebrities. The cover was created by Catalan crypto artist Gala Mirissa whose unique brand of photography combines art with ‘motion graphics’. The cover, titled Mujer ELLE, will be auctioned off later this month with the proceeds going to the Childhood Cancer Organisation.

By Jon Clarke

“They were squeezed in like everyone else (it was actually quite uncomfortable as we were very busy that night) but they didn’t complain… they chatted to a couple of tables next to them in English - a British guy and his girlfriend from La Linea and they never guessed they were royals. “However, a Dutch couple sitting on a neighbouring table did a double take when they recognised them! They couldn’t believe it and came HAPPY COUPLE: Willem-Alexander and Maxima over later to say hello.” The culmination of their trip, troversial as Maxima’s fa- The couple have which also took in Cordoba, ther, Jorge Zorreguieta, had three daughters, the Jerez and Granada, found been a prominent member of Princess of Orange, them staying in the Parador of the Argentinian military dic- Princess Alexia, and Princess Ronda at the weekend. tatorship. Ariane. It was a romantic return for the CATE Blanchett will recouple, who ceive the first-ever Interfirst met national Goya Award at the during the Spanish film awards gala SPAIN’s most acclaimed film director Pedro Almodovar could April Fair two go with her two Ossoon add another statue to his already heaving awards cabinet. in Sevilcars. His latest film Parallel Mothers, starring one of his favourite acla in 1999 The Australian actress tors Penelope Cruz, has been nominated for Best Forand marwill collect her award eign Language Film in the 75th edition of the Bafta ried three in person at the cereawards (British Academy of Film and Television Arts). years later mony in Valencia. The film, which has had rave reviews, delves into one on February The Spanish Film of Spain’s most enduring wounds by focusing on the 2, 2002, in Academy has cretens of thousands of people who disappeared Amsterated the award for during the civil war and still are buried across dam. ‘personalities who Spain in unmarked graves. At the contribute to cinHe has already won three Baftas for All About t i m e ema as an art that My Mother (1999), Talk to Her (2002) and The the marunites cultures and Skin I Live In (2011) as well as an Oscar for r i a g e spectators from all Best Original Screenplay for Talk to Her. was con-

Mum’s the word

KIM CLARK

Goya Cate

over the world’. The 52-year-old was chosen as ‘an extraordinary figure’ and ‘an actor who has played unforgettable characters that are already part of our memory and our present’ said an academy spokesman. Last month it was revealed that Blanchett will produce and star in Pedro Almodovar’s first feature in English, an adaptation of Lucia Berlin's book, A Manual for Cleaning Women.

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NEWS

February 9th February 22nd 2022

Pulling together EXPATS on the Costa del Sol have rallied round to make a big difference in the life of Maria Benitez Gutierrez, a six year old with a rare form of epilepsy known as Dravet Syndrome. The big-hearted group at the Rose and Thistle bar in Duquesa have raised €4,000 to help the six-year-old who suffers frequent seizures brought on by numerous factors, even including a bout of the giggles. The cash was used to buy a pushchair and other special equipment. Her mother, Maribel, told the Olive Press Maria was first diagnosed with the illness when she was just five-months-old while on a day at the beach.

Rare

“She’s can be having a good time and laughing and then she just starts to convulse,” said Maribel. “If she stumbles and starts crying, that is enough to trigger a convulsion. If she's not rested and doesnt sleep, the convulsions come.... It’s a nightmare.” There is no cure for the rare disease and although anticonvulsants are prescribed to relax the brain, there is no drug that can definitely prevent seizures. Every minute of Maribel’s day is taken up with caring for her daughter, plus the financial strain of surviving with a meagre €300 a month disability allowance.

HELP: Maria in her brand new pushchair

CLERGY SEX PROBE LAUNCHED

Spain to probe church sex abuse with independent national commission

Christmas Gift of the Year

SPAIN is launching a nationwide investigation into Catholic church sexual abuse - after its clergy chose to hush up the issue. The country’s ombudsman is being brought in to oversee the investigation after an Episcopal Conference ruled out compiling its own nationwide report in December. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stepped in after the church merely agreed to set up commissions at diocese level to hear complaints from abuse victims.

By Fiona Govan

“The victims cannot be silenced,” said Sanchez. “It is time to heal our wound and prevent it from happening again.”

Committed

He added the government was ‘committed to not letting the abuses go unpunished’. It comes after El Pais handed over a dossier to Pope Francis cataloguing abuses of 1,237

Orgy of death

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victims by priests over a 75year period in Spain. The ombudsman Angel Gabilondo will be joined on the commission by two MPs, one each from the PP and Podemos parties. The move comes a week after Spain’s Attorney General, Dolores Delgado, ordered 17 regional chief prosecutors to send details of current judicial probes into child sex abuse. The regions have been given one week to send their dossiers to Madrid. All criminal investigations involving the Catholic Church must be reported, as well as any other complaints that may not have reached the courts.

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SLAUGHTER: Aftermath of the ‘hunt’ THEY each paid €1000 to participate in the shoot which took place on a huge private estate in Andalucia. The 70 hunters dispatched half a dozen boars or deers each which were fenced in and could not escape from the Los Posteruelos estate. It was certainly an orgy of bloodshed, clearly seen, when helpers laid out the hundreds of dead animals together. Now, after going viral online, it has been widely condemned by animal rights and environmentalist groups. Joaquin Reina from Ecologists in Action labelled the hunt an ‘orgy of blood and death’. Manuel Gallardo, president of the Royal Spanish Hunting Federation, defended the shoot saying such hunts are 'necessary due to the overabundance of species'. He added that hunting generates €6.5billion a year in Spain.

A FOOTBALL coach labelled as one of the most prolific sexual predators in Spain is facing a ‘thousand years’ prison sentence over the abuse of at least 98 children. Prosecutors are calling for a 1,324-year jail sentence for Jose Angel S.S, who appeared in a Madrid court accused of over 200 crimes of abuse and corruption of minors, prostitution, and child pornography. But he can only serve a maximum of 30 years under Spanish law. A Madrid court heard that Jose Angel, 31, who worked in a law firm and coached a football team, had preyed on children, grooming them over social media. He had opened an Instagram account posing as a teenage girl named Lorena and used it to lure new victims.

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

Shut down

AMNESTY International has slammed Spain for failing to launch investigations into the deaths of tens of thousands of nursing home residents as the coronavirus pandemic hit. The human rights organisation revealed that court probes had been dropped without even contacting staff or families to find out what happened. The group said that during the Spring of 2020, the prosecutor's office had made no effort to understand or clarify how so many deaths were allowed to happen. It claimed that almost 90% of investigations were shelved. In 127 cases Amnesty revealed that none of the relatives were interviewed and in many cases there was no inspection of the residences. The report concluded that Spain’s Attorney General's Office had failed to comply with its obligations.

SEVERAL of Spain’s most powerful businessmen are once again implicated in a far-reaching spying scandal. On Monday Spain’s High Court placed Antonio Brufau, chairman of oil company Repsol, and Isidro Faine, former chairman of Spain’s Caixabank, under formal investigation for a second time as part of a decade-old alleged spying case. Last month Iberdrola’s Chief Executive Ignacio Sanchez Galan appeared before a judge as part of the same spying case. All are being investigated over allegations that they contracted a security firm belonging to the disgraced former police chief Jose Manuel Villarejo to spy on rivals. The court is investigating whether Iberdrola - which is set to benefit from massive electricity price hikes and in the past has been found guilty of price fixing - hired Villarejo’s private intelligence services company Cenyt to spy

THE European Cricket Network, dubbed the ‘Champions League of cricket’ is underway in Malaga. The tournament sees 30 European nations battle it out in fast-paced 90 minute cricket matches at the Cartama Oval. Five Malaga schools are attending the tournament with around 30 students each. The tournament has been designed to ignite the interest of kids in keeping with the tournament slogan: ‘Cricket’s Cool’. Spectators can have their photographs taken with the European Cricket League trophy and have the

February 9th February 22nd 2022

Fat cats Business bosses under renewed investigation over corporate spying MURKY: Jose Manuel Villarejo

on Real Madrid soccer club president Florentino Perez. His construction company ACS was fighting for a seat on Iberdrola’s board in 2009. While Repsol and Caixabank are being investigated over

Cricket showcase option to act as ball retrievers in the live games. The children will also be able to go ‘behind-thescenes’ of a live broadcast to see how cricket is broadcast in real time. Students will be taught the basic skills of cricket, with sessions laid on each morning by two qualified coaches including the assistant national team coach for Spain. It is hoped that the tournament will inspire even more Europeans to get involved in the sport which is rapidly growing on the continent. The event is being shown across 40 different countries.

hiring the security firm to spy on Luis del Rivero in 2011 and 2012, when he was chairman of Sacyr. Villarejo, 69, who is on remand facing separate charges of bribery, money laundering and operating a criminal organisation, combined spy work for blue-chip companies while he was police commissioner. His shenanigans have also rocked the political establishment implicating a veritable Who’s Who of Spain’s elite, from former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to King Juan Carlos. Villarejo is also alleged to have carried out massive spying on behalf of BBVA bank. He is in addition accused of spying on Catalan pro-independence politicians and creating false corruption files to smear the left-wing party Podemos.

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NEWS FEATURE

www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain

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

OPINION TIME FOR A ROYAL VISIT AS Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Platinum Jubilee, becoming the first monarch ever to mark 70 years on the throne, isn’t it about time she paid a visit to Spain and Gibraltar? When Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia made their first state visit to the UK in July 2017 it raised anticipation that the British monarch might make a trip to their country in return. It’s been a long time since 1988 when she made her one and only trip to Spain, a country where she is widely respected and shares none of the scandal that taints her distant cousin King Juan Carlos. She received rapturous applause when she addressed Spain’s parliament to pay tribute to the nation’s peaceful transition to democracy on the death of Franco in 1975. “The democratic Parliament before me, and the manner in which it was achieved, will stand out as one of the brightest pages in your nation’s long and proud history,” she said. And there is obvious affection between Her Majesty and King Felipe as revealed in a poignant condolence letter on the death of Prince Philip in which he wrote to his ‘Dear Aunt Lilibet’. Of course she is adored in Gibraltar, where she made her only state visit as monarch in May 1954 joined by the Duke of Edinburgh and their two eldest children Prince Charles and Princess Anne. We can blame the thorny issue of Gibraltar’s sovereignty for preventing her repeat visit to the tiny British outpost at the foot of Spain, fearing a royal visit could flare up diplomatic tensions. But what better sign of the ‘strength of friendship’ and the ‘resilient spirit of cooperation and goodwill’, to quote the Queen’s own speech at the state dinner for King Felipe, than a final tour of the Iberian peninsula? Viva La Reina!

THE HIGHWAY TO It is 85 years since Franco’s forces massacred thousands of civilians as they fled Malaga in the exodus known as La Desbanda, writes Tallulah Taylor

N one of Spain’s darkest along the coast, with orders chapters, thousands of to take Marbella and then civilians were massacred Malaga, before swooping while fleeing from Mala- inland towards Granada. ga to Almeria in what has Just 12,000 troops stood been dubbed ‘southern in their way and, with little hope of holding out, the Spain’s Guernica’. decision was Men, women made to evaand children, cuate Malaga. from babes in Hemmed in in arms to elderly by mountains, Hemmed by mountains, grandparents, were subjecthere was only there was only ted to machine one viable one viable gun fire and escape rouescape route te - the N340 bombing coast road that both from the hugged the sea and air - as they tried to escape to safety shore for 201 kilometres to Almeria. 85 years ago this week. They were making a des- So on February 7, 1937, perate attempt to evade the the citizens of Malaga set clutches of the Nationalist off, carrying what they could forces of Franco bearing as they abandoned their down on the hopelessly out- homes in an event that has numbered Republican units become known as La Desbanda, (the disbanding). defending Malaga. The fascist troops - bolste- The fascists under General red by Italian and German Queipo de Llano showed air support - had crushed little mercy to the city, which the government forces who was severely bombed, and had attempted (and failed) even less to the refugees as a last ditch defence of Ron- they struggled on their long da and were now sweeping trek to what they hoped

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bruary 9 - two days after the refugees had set off and a day after Malaga

Given the bird

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

would be a safe haven. The general himself made a radio broadcast on Fe-

They share the skies above us but the relationship between birds and airplanes is not a happy marriage

IRD strikes are a growing problem ther of modern-day environmentalism’ as they have become frequent, and television personality, was the first very expensive and sometimes to introduce falconry units to Spanish fatal. airports. In 2019 alone, there were 16,000 report- In 1968 he teamed up with airport safety ed incidents, averaging more than 45 officials with falconers in an attempt to per day. The problem of bird strikes has rid the airport of bird strikes. cost the aviation industry an average of The falcons are trained to circumnavigate $50,000 per incident or more than $1.2 the airport at various times of the day billion a year. making a time-tested stateInterestingly, some creative ment that they, the falcons, efforts are under way at are in control. 95% of major various Spanish Airports Falcons have exceptional airports in to mitigate this problem. powers of vision with a viLet’s take a look…. sual acuity 2.6 times that Spain use Airport safety committees of the human eye. Furtherfalcons as a throughout the world have more, their ability to change experimented with various direction is unprecedented. deterrent methods of controlling the Combine these attributes number of birds that pose with the fact that falcons a danger to air transport. are the fastest moving creaExamples include controlling the number tures on earth with a diving speed of 200 of local bird populations, removing local miles per hour! surface water and eliminating food sourc- Instinctively other birds like pigeons, es (eg, land-fill dumps). doves, sea gulls, geese and other waterOfficials have also tried flying drones that fowl, will sense extreme danger and flee emit sounds to repel troublesome birds. the area to stay well clear of their natural Additionally, they have tried using pyro- enemy. technics, flashing lights, loud speakers, Today, 95% of the major airports in Spain poison, bird detecting radar - all with lim- use falcons as a bird strike deterrent. At ited success. Madrid’s Barajas airport, a ‘fleet’ of 70 Ironically, the most promising attempt at Peregrine falcons have been trained to bird strike mitigation involves bringing in patrol their runways. more birds! In this case, birds of prey - From the Barajas control tower, authorities namely falcons. can call for the help of falcons to keep the Felix Rodriquez de la Fuente, Spain’s ‘fa- sky clear if controllers decide there is a

bird strike possibility. Similarly Barcelona’s El Prat, an airport which averages some 22 bird strikes per year, employs a team of 80 falcons as an integral part of their safety programme. Aside from their regular patrol, the falcons are on alert and often released in response to reported sightings of birds by pilots. This practice has not gone unnoticed at the Castellon Costa Azahar Airport (Valencia Province) where €90,000 of its safety budget is allotted to falconry. Malaga’s Costa del Sol Airport - Spain’s 4th busiest - has an established 30-year falcon programme with a safety record that continually trends positive thanks in part to its falcon fleet. Falconry has a 2,000-year cultural heritage in Spain. Records indicate that the use of falcons was introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by the Moors where it has been practiced as the ‘sport of kings’, a military weapon, and as a way of hunting. To this list we can now add airport safety to the legacy of falcons in Spain.

February 9th - February 22nd 2022

HELL

LEADING FROM THE FRONT A focus on Olive Press editor Jon Clarke

T HORRORS: The people of Malaga fled the bombing of their city that killed many (above) while General Queipo de Llano (top) crowed in a radio broadcast about ordering his airforce to attack the civilian columns

had fallen. His words - that showed not an ounce of compassion -

are chilling. He crowed: “A report from our air force told me that large masses of

DANGER: The perils of birds to planes have long been known (right)

people were fleeing at full speed towards Motril. “To accompany them in their flight and make them run faster, we sent our air force to bomb them, setting fire to some trucks…” The air force did more than set fire to a few lorries. The columns of refugees were gunned down from air, land and sea in a massacre that left around 5,000 corpses lining the highway. Many of them were women and children. No one is quite sure how many people were making the tragic journey. The generally accepted figure is 150,000, but more recent estimates are as high as 300,000,

with the numbers of Malagueños bolstered by around 80,000 refugees from elsewhere in Andalucia. They had fled with good reason. Many of those who chose to stay were killed, raped and buried in many of the mass graves which have come to define Franco’s rule. And those who survived to reach Almeria found no haven. The city closed its gates to the refugees out of fear that Malaga’s fate could be visited on Almeria if it came to their aid. Some managed to get onto trains that took them to Alicante and Valencia, but many had to turn around and make the long walk back home to Malaga and face the forces they had made such a desperate effort to escape from.

Paying respect

William Shakespeare was a falconer and his word choice (especially in The Taming of the Shrew), reflects this fact. For example, to be ‘hoodwinked’ (deceived) is putting a leather hood on a falcon so it can’t see to fly. ‘Fed-up’ (disinterested) is when a bird has eaten too much of its prey.

‘Under my thumb’ (control) comes from falconers holding a falcon in such a way to restrict flight. And American aviation pioneers, the Wright Brothers, noted on their second flight in 1905, that they ‘hit a bird’ with their top wing.

DID YOU KNOW?

To mark the tragedy of memorative mileston La Desbanda a comnext to the Barranco e has been placed route of the old road de Maro bridge on the Each year modern dato Almeria. along a section of they Malagueños march ignated a Place of His route - officially desdalucia - from this sptorical Memory of Anthe thousands of the ot to pay homage to in February 1937, fleir forebears who died eing the violence of the Civil War. The marker post, se tural Association ant up by the Socioculbanda, Nerja City Cod Hiking Club La Desof Education and Cuuncil, the Department honour these civil wa lture, is intended to r refugees.

HE Olive Press counts on over 20 journalists and writers spread around Spain. Over 75% of our staff work in editorial… and there’s a good reason why. The paper’s editor and owner, Jon Clarke, is a journalist who leads from the front on a daily basis. Rolling up his sleeves - particularly around deadline days - he is the driving force in finding exclusive stories and interesting content for every issue. And it’s not just for the Olive Press. The former Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday staffer has been an investigative journalist for over two decades. Passionate about exposing corruption, crime and injustice, he has interviewed hundreds of VIPs and celebrities from Jamie Oliver to Joe Strummer and Gordon Ramsay to Abba. He has also covered some of the biggest global stories, from Chernobyl to the death of Princess Diana and from the Epstein scandal (see below) to the abduction of toddler Madeleine McCann. It’s why he is frequently found on Sky News and the BBC and, most recently, with a German TV documentary on the prime suspect in the Maddie case (see promotional poster above). As well as publishing three books - the most recent on Maddie - he loves travel writing, food and wine, and has penned a lot for the UK national press. He fell in love with Spain after living in Madrid in the 1990s and now divides his time between Marbella and Ronda with a wife and two kids.

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: owner who failed to pick up after 1- Errant her dog on Spain’s Costa del Sol tracked down to home. Spain’s Modelo 720 will change in 2- How2022 and can you claim back fines. MUST READ: European court of justice ru3-lesLaw against Spain’s Modelo 720 Foreign Asset including a system of excessive fines. for people traveling to 4- Easyjet warning Spain’s Balearic Islands. of missing American-Russian 5- Body woman found in shallow grave in Spain’s Valencia as husband goes on the run.

Get in touch today at sales@theolivepress.es or call us at 00 34 951273575 for more info

GREEN

www.theolivepress.es

Power on!

SPAIN has unveiled plans for a massive green energy project in the northeast region of Aragon that aims to meet 30% of the nation’s hydrogen demand. Development has been earmarked to begin in late 2023 led by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners in partnership with Spanish companies Naturgy, Enagas, Fertiberia, and Danish wind turbine manufacturer, Vestas. Dubbed ‘Project Catalina’, the energy plan aims to develop a total of 5 GW of combined wind and solar, producing green hydrogen using a 2 GW electrolyzer. “Once fully implemented, Catalina will produce enough green hydrogen to supply 30% of Spain’s current hydrogen demand,” CIP said. At the moment most hydrogen is produced using natural gas.

February 9th - February 22nd 2022

CASH UP FRONT

THE European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a deal with investment firm Ben Oldman, paving the way for a €114 million fund to finance new solar and wind energy projects in Spain and Portugal. It is estimated that the funding will provide enough renewable energy to provide for 200,000 households.

Multi-million deal for renewable energy investment The agreement will see the project funded by unitranche debt, a form of financing in which secured and unsecured debt are combined into a single loan, meaning they usually have a more predictable repayment schedule.

Ricardo Mourinho Félix, EIB vice-president, said: “The Spanish and Portuguese markets have huge potential for renewable energy, and the EU bank is pleased to lend all our support to the investments need-

As electricity prices soar, end users might like to know about one of the fat cats cashing in

ABUSE OF POWER

PAIN’S electricity giant Iberdrola has in excess of 48 million customers worldwide. It made a profit of €3.6 billion euros in 2020 and is expected to see that figure rise to €3.8 billion euros last year. By 2030 it projects a giant profit of €7 billion a year. Great news for shareholders, but not great for consumers struggling after two years of COVID and an alarming rise in inflation and, in particular, electricity prices. The monstrously high electricity bills of recent months have risen by more than 400% in just one year. But, before you were thinking that a corporate giant like Iberdrola might find a moral and social conscience to help its customers, you better read on. The company, based out of Bilbao, has never been far from scandal for nearly two decades and is back in the news for all the wrong reasons. Let me explain. THE VILLAREJO CASE The links of former Spanish police chief Jose Manuel Villarejo to Iberdrola are depressing and predictable. It is an alarming story that says much about Spain’s lack of transparency and it will gather a head of steam in the months to come. National Police boss Villarejo has been dubbed ‘the Spanish state’s secret fixer’, and is now facing a series of criminal trials over dirty dealings linked to 25 separate cases. Remanded in custody after his arrest in Madrid in 2018, the authorities seized countless files and secretly recorded conversations, which showed exactly to what extent he would go to help his clients beat rivals and get away with skullduggery. A veritable Who’s Who of modern day Spain, these customers include public bodies, corporate giants and many politicians. Some you will already be familiar with.

ed to meet objectives on renewable energy generation and decarbonisation of the economy.” The EIB is one of the world’s largest investors in green energy, having committed to ending its investment in all fossil fuel related energy projects. In January it announced it would finance energy storage company GravGreen Matter s itricity’s plan to build a By Martin Tye renewable energy storage facility in the Moravian Silesian region of Czechia.

Jobs

The main ones to have hit the media are: ●

● ●

The secret taped conversations with the ex-lover of former Spanish king, Corrina zu Sayn-Wittgenstein The Operation Kitchen case involving stealing documents from a former treasurer of the ruling PP party during Mariano Rajoy’s era. And now Iberdrola, after judge Manuel Garcia confirmed, last week, that he would allow a former executive, Jose Antonio del Olmo to give evidence on the company’s wrongdoing.

And there’s more….

The affair began 18 years ago when Olmo deposited a report listing ‘various irregularities’ at a notary’s office in 2004. It has taken a long time to get to court and the investigating judge has now extended the operation for six more months as he plans to summon 16 more witnesses and two defendants to testify… one of them, Enrique Victorero, ex-corporate security boss, when suspicious activity is alleged to have taken place at the company. The whole thing stinks and it is set to come out in the wash. Iberdrola certainly has previous form:

●

Spain’s High Court placed Iberdrola’s CEO Ignacio Galan under investigation for bribery and fraud in 2021 as part of a probe into an alleged spying case dating back more than 15 years. The High Court will also investigate if Iberdrola hired Villarejo to spy on Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez, when his firm ACS was fighting to secure a seat on Iberdrola’s board in 2009 It will investigate whether Iberdrola hired Villarejo to repel local opposition to a power plant in Southern Spain, and if Villarejo was hired to obtain evidence about Manuel Pizarro, the former chairman of utility company rival Endesa.

●

In August 2021 Iberdrola was accused of draining reservoirs to take advantage of high electricity prices in Spain. It was a ‘total scandal’ insisted Minister for Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera. A cyber security company filed a $110million lawsuit in New York in December, accusing Iberdrola of bid rigging and racketeering under an elaborate scheme to generate millions at the expense of its customers in New York, Maine and Connecticut. The company was accused of bribery in Iberdrola’s successful effort to win contracts for two power plants in Latvia in 2004 and 2008. The company was accused of fraud when it failed to tell the World Bank about its employment relationship with an agent in a power plant deal in Albania. Price fixing in Spain led to big fines in 2010 and 2014. It was fined €25 million for altering the price of electricity to make ‘an illicit profit of €20 million’ during a cold winter spell in 2013.

Yes, they are a greedy lot, looking after their bottom line. Corporate greed affects us all. Is it time you took a closer look at your electricity contract?

Martin Tye is the owner of energy switch company Mariposa Energy. +34 638145664 ( Spain Phone ) Email him at martin@mariposaenergia.es

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Green Energy

The programme is also expected to create at least 700 jobs in the construction industry. The Spanish government is aiming to source 42% of its energy from renewables by 2030. It announced in December it had met its 2021 target of 20% of energy coming from renewables.

Bad idea SPAIN has said that the European Commission’s (EC) proposal to class nuclear and gas as ‘sustainable energy investments’ is a ‘big mistake’. The new rules would add gas and nuclear power as ‘transitional’ technologies towards the target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. But Ecological Transition Minister Teresa Ribera wants investment in renewables such as wind and solar rather than feeding the nuclear and gas industries. She did not, however, make a commitment to joining Austria and Luxembourg in legal action against the rules.

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Dear Jennifer: Your future is created by what you do today

S many are aware, the rules for staying in Spain and the EU in general, and the regulations for making Spain your home, are now far more important and thorough. It is vital that you seek good advice before committing yourself to living in Spain or the EU. My company is knowledgeable regarding Spain, be it moving here to become a permanent resident or for extended trips as tourists, with or without holiday homes in Spain. New residency/visa applications have to be processed via the Spanish Consulate in the UK. Having chosen your location and started your application for your visa, my company is there to help with Health Insurance, which is a requirement for your residency. Jennifer Cunningham Insurance can then provide all your insurance, from fully comprehensive home insurance, car, pet and life, travel and funeral, to ensure all your needs are covered to keep yourself and your loved ones protected. We also work with trusted associates, such as lawyers, accountants and financial advisors, as part of our Expat Services division. Why Jennifer Cunningham Insurance? I established the company nearly 30 years ago, to provide a secure, professional service, with knowledge staff, created to provide the Expats here in Spain with the correct insurance policies with the cover they were used to, with unique Renewals and Claims departments to provide a full service and support in English for my clients. Both Liberty Seguros and ASSSA Health Insurance, in my professional opinion the best in Spain, provide special Expat policies, in your own language to make life easier for you. For those of you already settled in Spain, now is the time to check your insurance policies to ensure you have the cover you need. You can visit one of my offices, if one is nearby or telephone and my staff can assist you, checking and explaining your policies and special points of information that are necessary to make like simpler for you, such as the legal requirement to have vehicles insured at all times, whether they are being used or not and tailoring the policies for your family’s needs.

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COLUMNISTS

February 9th February 22nd 2022

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU!

Urologist James Allan explains why men shouldn’t shy away from having a prostate examination

ONGRATULATIONS on having the courage to come and see us. The most important fact is that the vast majority of men that pay us a visit can be easily helped with relatively little bother. You will have a diagnosis and a treatment plan very quickly. The first stage is for us to listen to you and your story so that we understand your symptoms, the trouble they cause and the So we pop a finger into your tail end and impact on your lifestyle. We ask you to fill in a validated question- feel your prostate through your rectum. We naire, called an IPSS score, which allows are looking to assess the size and consisus to objectively assess the severity of your tency of your prostate to make sure it is problem. We will ask you lots of questions normal and doesn’t feel suspicious! to make sure you don’t have any ‘red flag’ Once this is done we will look at your blood symptoms, whether you have had any tests to make sure that your kidneys work bloody or red urine, any waterwork infec- well and will check whether you have had tions and if there is any history of prostate your Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) done. cancer in your family. PSA is a controversial test We may get you to pee into that your GP may have chaMost men are tted to you about. It is not a a clever bucket that records test and has weakhow quickly you wee and hugely relieved perfect nesses and strengths. then scan your tummy to see if you are absolutely empty. to be told that This week we will concentraon gentlemen with normal You’ve never had this much they don’t have te PSAs. fun and it’s all evidence to base our treatment on! prostate cancer So we have listened to your story, examined you, asAnd yes we will examine sessed the severity of your you! Men are notoriously bad at engaging with healthcare and yet symptoms and now it is all about making they have so much to gain by taking ad- you better. vice. They can minimise symptoms that Most men are hugely relieved to be told would otherwise compromise their lifestyle, that they don’t have prostate cancer. Even helping them have the best quality of life though they don’t verbalise the anxiety it’s possible. the elephant in the room and until we look Importantly, examinations spot problems you in the face and reassure you that we are earlier and so help maximise the possibility simply dealing with an older bigger prostate, you and your loved ones will worry. of a good prognosis.

Mr. James Allan FRCS

We classify symptoms into mild, moderate and severe. There is a ladder of treatment and we start on the bottom rung with simple advice about lifestyle issues and education. The simplest treatment is to start some tablets which may help you quite a lot. There are two groups of tablets for prostate problems, one relaxes the muscle in the prostate and is called an alpha blocker. The other group shrinks the prostate and blocks one of your male hormones. If your prostate is larger, then we may use both drugs together to have the optimum result. If you have ‘irritative’ symptoms, with a naughty bladder secondary to the blockage from your prostate, we give a drug to dampen down the bladder’s irritability. After a couple of months, we will meet again to see if you are happier. If the drugs worked then great, stay on them and stay away from a surgeon! However, if they didn’t, or if you had side-effects, then we need to start talking about operations and the risk benefit equation. The skill of surgery is getting this right. Luckily there have been some huge improvements in minimally invasive prostate treatments that have radically changed the risk benefit equation for men. Probably the most important is ‘The Urolift’ and that’s what we are going to discuss next month. So pluck up the courage and join Mr Hughes and Mr Allan at HC Marbella or at www.theurologyclinic.gi

OP QUICK CROSSWORD Across 6 Long-distance digits (4,4) 7 Hue (4) 9 American aviator --- Earhart (6) 10 How one may be repaid (2,4) 11 Public passenger vehicle (7) 14 Men of the future? (4) 15 Strongbox (4) 16 Jogged along (7) 20 Attempt to tempt (6) 21 Harbour guides (6) 23 Very productive (4) 24 “Riders on ---” (The Doors) (3,5)

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Down 1 Black Sea peninsular (6) 2 Be toppled from power (4) 3 One of 32 written for the piano by Beethoven (6) 4 Examination starting command (5) 5 Police surveillance (5-3) 8 Almost-perfect scores? (5) 12 Served at 30,000 feet (26) 13 Automated performer of computer tasks (3) 15 Mountain also known as Horeb (5) 17 Super toned (6) 18 Restaurant clientele teased teaser (6) 19 Manuscripts (5) 22 Diet-friendly (4)

All solutions are on page 24

ll about

February 2022

Education

A 12-page Olive Press special pull out supplement

MASKING THE CHALLENGES: While masks are here to stay for a few more months at least, pupils at Laude school, in Marbella, are making the most of it (see page 6)

BLACKBOARD JUNGLE

“

After years of being criticised for its antiquated curriculum, Spain makes a bid to prepare its students for the modern world. But will it succeed, asks expat mum Heather Galloway

“

XPAT children have long been faced with a significant challenge when taking the leap from the Spanish Baccalaureate to the UK university system. Or that of most northern European countries. Bombarded with reams of stodgy material to learn verbatim for the final school exams, 18-year-olds emerge

from their schooling with the ability to reel off every date in Spanish history WITHOUT mostly questioning why any

I was never taught to think or reason at school so I was at a complete loss when I got to university.

of it happened. Meanwhile, 17-year-old language students are asked to identify the grammatical use of every word in a sentence, but are never taught how to link information or build an argument. Literature students paradoxically miss the actual reading of classic novels

while in Maths, formulas abound, but not so the explanations of their potential application. According to Maia Taylor-Firth, a marketing graduate from Edinburgh’s Napier University who grew up in Spain: “I was never taught to think or reason at school so I was at a complete loss as

dm O iss pe io n ns

Contact our admissions team for more information on our unique international curriculum from 3 to 18 years. 952 799 900

Continues on Page 2

Today more than ever, we believe in providing a safe and happy learning environment for our students to achieve more than they dreamed possible.

Avda. La Coruña 2 San Pedro Alcántara

to how to write an essay when I got to university.” The student, who passed her Baccalaureate in Madrid, adds: “I had to keep badgering my tutors, but there wasn’t much help. “I simply learned from what feedback we got and a process of trial and error.” As a mother, who has brought up two children in Madrid, I railed against the Spanish education system during my children’s entire schooling.

info@laudesanpedro.com

www.laudesanpedro.com

ll about

Education

From front page

IT’S ALL ABOUT TO CHANGE The relentless rote-learning always struck me as senseless and it felt like Spain was languishing in the UK or Germany in the 1970s. And it is a notion echoed by Andreas Schleicher, the man behind The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s PISA report, known as the most influential international assessment of students’ worldwide. Of course, now that my children have graduated from high school, it’s typically all about to change. Or at least that’s the theory; a draft of the Baccalaureate element of the new education law, variously known as the LOMLOE or the Celaa Law, has just been placed in the hands of the regions to finish hammering out. “It’s obvious that the system needs to be updated,” Raimundo de los Reyes, President of Spain’s Public Secondary Schools

Federation (FEDADi), tells the Olive Press. “In general, the teaching community agrees that the amount of material taught in Baccalaureate has been excessive and the curriculum needs to be revised.” The amount of time students here are expected to spend poring over facts and figures amounts to an annual 1,045 hours compared to a European average of 893 hours, and that’s before knuckling down to the two or three hours of homework per evening. As Carla Smith, a second year Biomedicine student at Southampton University, says: “When I was in Madrid doing the Baccalaureate, I was working so hard, I couldn’t breathe. I woke up at seven and went to bed at midnight. At uni, there’s a lot more time to do things. Now I can go to bed at nine if I want.” But what’s particularly of note is that despite the time put in, students in Spain still score below average on the

BRIGHT FUTURE: But Maia Taylor Firth (above) and Carla Smith (far left) found they and their contemporaries were worked s

PISA test – an assessment generally carried out every three years. In the last test, in 2018, Spain came 35th in Maths and 31st in Sciences on a par with Hungary and Lithuania. Asked if the new Baccalaureate might reduce the actual hours students spend behind a desk, FEDADi’s Raimundo is doubtful.

Teachers of the future

Using the latest technology to inspire the next generation

HE appeal of CLIC International House has infiltrated every corner of the globe. With language students from the UK, Russia, Ireland, China and the US, their teaching methods and flexible timetables can suit just about everyone and anyone. Located in Malaga, Cadiz and Sevilla, the school stands out for its dedication to inspiring the next generation of English language teachers as well as helping expats brush up on their Spanish. But with coronavirus in mind, classes can now be taken online over Zoom. The live Spanish course means Brits won’t have to rely on isolated self learning but can instead connect with classmates from any country in the world and learn from expert teachers as a cohort. Meanwhile, those hoping to inspire the next generation of English speakers can enroll for the Cambridge accredited CELTA course. Taught in four weeks (in person) or in 15 weeks (part time morning course online via Zoom), CELTA is the most prestigious Teaching

“I’m afraid the number of hours will remain the same for now,” he says. “What will change is the material which was deemed to be excessive by experts but will now be more in line with students’ hopes for the future. The changes will be as much in quality as quantity.” In essence, it will become a more General Baccalaureate, allowing students to create a personalised curriculum. It will also divide the Art stream into

two: Music and Performance Art, and Visual Arts and Design. Besides new subjects, there will be an overhaul of the old to boost the students’ engagement in the learning process, with the emphasis on skills, application of acquired knowledge and analysis of more current ‘woke’ material, if you like. It means more study of identity diversity and sustainability, as well as more on climate change and global migration. Spanish history will now have students

EYE-WATERING!

English as a Foreign LanSPAIN’S education system is und guage (TEFL) qualification According to the latest PISA repo er the cosh. And rightfully so. rt, 29% of Spanish students have out there. repeated a year at least once, com pared to just 2% in the UK. This is one of the highest rates Carefully designed, it alglobally and well above the OEC average. D lows budding teachers to Spain meanwhile comes in 35th develop confidence and expertise in the in tel: +34 954classroom. 50 21 31 Mat hs, com pare d to the UK at 17; while in sciences, Spain clim Like a passport to paradise, students who have comat 15. In both these areas, Chin bs up to 31st compared to the UK 19,in41001 pleted the course have goneAlbareda on to work Mexico, a com es out on top. There is also a huge divide betw New Zealand, New ZealandSeville, and Japan. SpainAvailable gions north of Madrid and the een north and south with all rethroughout the year, the next round of classes runs Bale arics beating the OECD average in Maths is and Scie ncemiddle Our14 language school and CELTA Centre in Seville right in the of the old town, s. from March 7 (online) and March ( 4 weeks in MalWell below average are Murcia, aga or Seville). Seville’s extremely photogenic historical city centre. We offer Cambridge CELTA English , Extremadura, Andalucia, the Canaries, Melilla and Valencia Ceucustomisable With an emphasis on fun andteacher practical exercises, the in Seville and ta, which falls almost 100 training courses Málaga. and join us in one our poin ts beloCome w Nav arra . both in the classroom and beyond. classes at CLIC are filled with laughter upbeat courses andand make the most of yourAcco timerdin in our beautiful city, g to Eurostat , some 17.3% of Spain’s youth learning with a great atmosphere. So, whether you’re are ‘ninis’ youngsters who neither study nor work, the third highest figu – a budding teacher or inquisitive student, you can carin re US NOW the EU. NEXT CELTA COURSE DATES: Malaga or Seville 14/03/2022 – 08/04/2022 CONTACT ry on learning anywhere in the world. All you need is a The Canaries has the highest amo unt at 23%, while Andalucia comfy chair, enthusiasm and some wifi to get started. scores 22%, the Baleares Contact Clic at www.clic.es

21%, Rioja the lowest at just 11%. Valencia 16%, Murcia 15%, and La

tel: +34 954 50 21 31 Albareda 19, 41001 Seville, Spain Our language school and CELTA Centre in Seville is right in the middle of the old town, Seville’s extremely photogenic historical city centre. We offer Cambridge CELTA English teacher training courses in Seville and Málaga. Come and join us in one our customisable courses and make the most of your time in our beautiful city, both in the classroom and beyond.

NEXT CELTA COURSE DATES: Malaga or Seville 14/03/2022 – 08/04/2022 CONTACT US NOW: training@clic.es

destination for UK-aligned quality standards, a on employability and a personal learning expe

3 February 2022

Not making the best of it

NIVERSITY N

OUR

OW that schools have returned to some sort of normality following the pandemic, the debate on school hours in Spain is set to reignite. Figures gathered before the start of the pandemic showed a student at a Spanish high school received an average of 1,045 hours of class time a year. This was in sharp contrast to the mere 808 hours given to a pupil in Finland. But those extra hours did not translate into attainment – Spanish students scored considerably worse than their Finnish counterparts when scored on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) test, according to the OECD. The study ranked Spain in the middle for academic attainment, while Finland was an international leader. Sweden, Norway and Japan also had substantially fewer class hours than Spain, yet were amongst the top placed nations when it came to academic achievement. As well as having more class hours than the EU average of 893, Spain also had more lessons in language, mathematics and foreign languages. Raimundo de los Reyes, the head of FEDADI, the federation that brings together the leaders of public secondary schools, believes students in Spain study for too many hours – six hours in class plus three or four hours on homework, projects and other school activities. “That is longer than the working day of many employees.” “I would do away with 10 hours if in exchange we had fewer students in the classroom and could give them more personalized attention. We need resources, more assistant teachers, and to give more time for teachers to prepare all classes, not just the ones in English,” he added.

r is establishing itself as a so hard ‘they couldn’t breathe’ d quality standards, a focus studying the role of women in society ersonal learning experience. and their struggle for equality as well as examining the Second Republic and Franco’s 1936 power grab, which will be termed a ‘coup d’état’ for the first time ever. Maths, meanwhile, aims to broaden the subject’s appeal and reduce ‘stereotypes and preconceived ideas’ with regard to ‘gender’ and ‘aptitude’ with lessons revolving around problem solving and with ‘special attention to non-mathematical areas and their relationship with other subjects and with reality’. Above all, the new Baccalaureate curriculum aims to make learning a more meaningful process.

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ll about

February 2022

Education

MAKING THE RIGHT

Picking the correct path through the education system is crucial and more complicated than simply adding up 2+2

PAIN offers a wealth of educational opportunities to parents. Whether you have only recently arrived or lived here for years the question of how to make the best of these options can be a tricky one. Your selection will depend on certain key factors: distance from home, budget, academic standards, teaching style and word-of-mouth recommendations, to name just a few. So where do you start? The first item on your checklist should be Public or Private - do you opt for a Spanish state school or an international college? It’s generally an easier decision to make for younger children, as primary schools throughout Europe are more or less comparable. Around 80% of expats send their children to the local state schools – called ‘colegios’ for primary schools and ‘institutos’ for secondary schools. There are two serious advantages to Spanish schools. The first is that children will learn Spanish fast and should integrate well into their new home country. Younger children, in general, thrive in

state schools, with youngsters under nine normally picking up impressive spoken Spanish (usually, far better than their parents’ Spanish) within a year, just by socialising with their Spanish friends. The majority of foreign parents and students find that integration with other nationalities is normally handled with skill and consideration. The second key advantage is that state schooling is free of charge from the age of three, when children can begin attending infantile or pre-escolar, equivalent to a nursery in the UK. The only costs you’ll have to cover are books, school trips and, if the school has them, uniforms. There are, however, downsides to Spanish state schools, particularly if your child is older or more timid. There are sad – but by no means common – stories of the 11-plus ‘guiris’ being ignored by their teachers and bullied by their classmates, or finding themselves left entirely untutored. Older children with limited Spanish can

often have trouble adjusting, finding the move to a different country combined with schooling in a language that might as well be Greek to them way too much to cope with. Learning maths and physics in a foreign idiom isn’t for sissies! It is definitely worth considering extra language tuition outside school hours to help ease the transition. Budget for up to €20 per hour for private lessons. Your child will not only be more able to keep up with lessons, but is far more likely to make friends if they can socialise in the same language. “It is fine if you get the kids into school early at a young age, but if they are nine or 10 then they will find it harder,” advised one English parent, whose two children have been through the local system in Manilva. “They will almost certainly need some extra tuition and watching carefully. It also helps if the parents get involved in the school and try to get to know the other Spanish parents. Joining the parents/teachers association certainly helps.” If you decide against the Spanish state system, either because you fear the educational standards will be low (according to reports, Andalucia does indeed come well below average), or because you prefer to have your children educated in English, then you will have no choice but to go private. Budget is a major consideration but many expat parents find that choosing an international school gives their child a gentler introduction to schooling in a foreign country, with smaller classes taught in English. Most international schools even follow a UK curriculum, with GCSE and A-levels, with a number of local schools regularly getting kids into the top British universities, including Oxbridge. International

schools have very different personal- Schools in Spain (NABSS) and are inities and philosophies, and it’s very spected regularly by the group, a set-up much a matter of personal preference. similar to the UK’s Ofsted inspections. But with more than two dozen on the A great advantage for many parents is Costa del Sol alone, there are more that international schools often have a than enough to choose from. more multicultural environment than Marbella – with more than 40,000 state schools, with most having more foreigners living in the town – has the than 20 different nationalities attendlargest concentration of international ing and offering a bilingual study proschools, after Madrid and Barcelona. gramme. And Malaga, Mijas, Fuengirola, Benal- Paul Kelly, an education consultant madena and many other resorts have and former headmaster of a private their own options. school in Marbella – said: “Pupils meet The rise of international schools in other students from so many different Spain can be traced countries. back to former dictator “This is such a valuable General Franco, who IB students take opportunity as it awakintroduced tourism to ens a curiosity for other the Costa del Sol. Since cultures, languages, six or seven then, a torrent of foreign traditions, customs and subjects rather visitors settling along even food from a very the coast has turned it early age.” than three or into a melting pot of culTo tie in with this, many four A levels tures, providing endless of the top schools are opportunities for educaincreasingly offering the tion start-ups. International BaccalauBritish schools are now said to ac- reate (IB) programme, as well as the count for two-thirds of the international local secondary school qualification, schools on the coast. the Bachillerato. The oldest is Swans International The IB – which may be unknown to School, established in 1971, and some English readers – is the normal named after its legendary headmis- route to university for European stutress and founder, Tessa Swan. Others dents. include Benalmadena International The main difference is that IB students College, which is celebrating its quarter take six or seven subjects – which often century on the coast. include elements of community work Others such as Laude, in San Pedro, and public-speaking – as opposed to has around 1000 students and is ac- just three or four at A-level. knowledged as one the top 100 inter- Catherine Davies, based at Laude, national schools in Spain by El Mundo in Marbella, said: “You can go anynewspaper. where in the world with an internaMost British schools are members tional education, it’s like an internaof the National Association of British tional currency.”

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CHOICE As well as a more up-to-date, relaxed approach to teaching, international schools are generally considered to offer a better learning environment. The most obvious downside, of course, is the cost. Schools range from basic to luxurious but, take note, they come with fees to match. Fees range from €3,000 a year for primary school to between €6,000 and €20,000 per year for secondary schools. This generally does not include the cost of books, school trips or uniforms. A further downside is that children may find themselves in something of a Spanish vacuum, unable to integrate

with the local community outside the classroom. But international schools are beginning to fight this effect, with many more Spanish extracurricular activities available, and more access to local culture on school trips. Many of the schools also include Spanish offerings such as flamenco dancing classes after school finishes, while others offer basketball, sailing and in one case, even a polo academy Education consultant Paul Kelly concluded: “Effort and attitude varies considerably from family to family. Some are content never to venture into ‘Spanish’ situations, while others make every

Safe, nurtured and valued Calpe School is bringing a new dynamic approach to Primary Education on the coast

effort to integrate, join sports clubs etc. and have much more exposure to the language.” No guide can decide your child’s education for you, and there is no easy answer. Choosing a school in Spain is as much a personal choice as in any other country, whether your biggest consideration is cost, integration or a smoother transition. Just one final tip for parents who decide to go with the Spanish system: learn the language yourself. How else will you chat to your kids’ teachers at open days? And, more important for your kids than that, how will you help them with their homework!

ALPE School is a private Primary School offering the British National Curriculum. Founded in 1973. It has been successfully teaching children of all abilities, from the ages of “2 to 11 years” for over 49 years. It enjoys a stunning beachside location in San Pedro, Marbella; and provides a vibrant and supportive environment where every child is valued as an individual, and inspired to achieve their full potential. Our aim is that every pupil placed in our care feels safe, nurtured and valued. With a long history of educating the whole child, which is an important aim of our school, means that our children are independent, well-mannered, show respect for others and are resilient. It is these values that provide a strong foundation on which to build our future. Pupils flourish in this caring and professional setting due to the ‘high teacher to pupil ratio’. The school is known for its high academic standards of achievement and progress with strong educational foundations. Calpe School provides a high level of care and safety, and the children leave with the confidence to succeed and a life-long love of learning. This makes Calpe School the ideal start! A warm welcome awaits you at Calpe School from the moment you step through our door, fulfilling our ‘Happy to learn’ motto. For more information, go to www.calpeschool.com Viewing is by appointment only Contact us through info@calpeschool.com, call us on +34 952 786 029 WhatsApp us on 609 000 399 Follow us on Facebook and Instagram

ll about

Education

Keep on learning... The students at Laude San Pedro have adapted well to the ‘new normal’ IT’S been a tough couple of years for students and staff at Laude San Pedro but the youngsters have adapted and are as busy as ever. School Principal Amanda Hughes, explained: “Whilst the last two years have definitely been challenging, it has been amazing to see how the students, staff and families have adapted to our ‘new normal’ and become increasingly resilient to change. “We are still operating as normally as ever, even re-introducing residential trips and sports tournaments for the children, whilst following all COVID protocols fully to ensure that we keep the classrooms open and the children learning.”

50 and thriving

NE of the most important things a school can do is to create an environment which allows its students to truly thrive – academically, emotionally, personally and socially. Sunny View School in Torremolinos, which this year is celebrating its 50th anniversary, places a high value on its inclusive, caring and respectful atmosphere, a quality often commented on by visitors and newcomers to the school. The school’s academic success is evidenced by its students’ examination re-

Sunny View School celebrates a milestone and looks to the future

sults, which are consistently well above the UK national average. The majority of its A level students go on to study at universities in the UK, Spain, elsewhere in Europe or the USA. Sunny View School firmly believes that the path to such success is as important as the results themselves. At each stage of the curriculum, from Preschool to A levels, the school’s team of experienced, UK-trained teaching staff strive to make learning fun, interactive, engaging and inspiring, with students actively involved in their own learning and development. This commitment has remained unchanged during the pandemic. As always – and working within the current safety protocols – a wide variety of activities inside and outside the classroom allow students to broaden their experience and take on new challenges. Sunny View is also a richly diverse school, with students representing some 35 different nationalities. Even as it celebrates its 50th anniversary, the school has its eyes set

on the future and continues to expand and upgrade its facilities and resources. Ahead of this academic year, the science building underwent a major renovation including improved layout and equipment in all the laboratories, while the school’s music room was enlarged and outfitted with new instruments. The school also recently launched Little Sunny View, a daycare centre for children aged 1 to 2. Yet while always evolving and advancing, Sunny View School has maintained its strongest focus on what it does best: delivering quality, British education here on the Costa del Sol.

Go to www.sunnyviewschool.com for more information and to get a flavour of the dynamic educational experience offered. Email: admin@sunnyviewschool.com or call the school on: +34 952 38 31 64.

5 January 26th - February 8th 2022

50 years of experience | Fully qualified and experienced teaching staff Modern facilities and well-resourced classrooms Safe, inclusive, nurturing school environment National Curriculum taught throughout | Highest academic standards Students from 1 to 18 years of age

To see for yourself what makes Sunny View School so special, contact us to arrange a visit email: admissions@sunnyviewschool.com tel: 952 38 31 64

Sunny View School, S.L. – C/ Teruel 32, Torremolinos, 29620 Málaga – Spain

www.sunnyviewschool.com

ll about

February 2022

Education

RUNNING A RULE Sunny View

Calpe School

Location:

Torremolinos

San Pedro de Alcantara

Headteach

Founded:

Victoria Mid

1973

Curriculum

mer

: English natio nal curriculu m Contact:

Mr J Proetta

952 38 31 school.com 64 – admin@sunnyvi ew

Curriculum: British National Curriculum 952 786 029 –www.calpeschool.com

, Málaga

er:

Head teacher:

Contact:

School

Reasons fo r –info@calpeschool.com

Reasons for choice:

abilities, from the ages of 2 to 11 Successfully teaching children of all years since 1973. ol, providing a vibrant and supCalpe School is a private Primary Scho is valued as an individual, and child y ever re whe portive environment l. inspired to achieve their full potentia essional setting due to the high prof and g carin this in ish flour ils Pup enjoys high standards of achieveteacher to pupil ratio. Calpe Schoolcational foundations. edu ng stro with l ment and progress care and safety, making it the idea The school provides a high level of choice. the moment you step through our A warm welcome awaits you frommotto. n’ lear to py ‘Hap door, fulfilling our

school.com

choice:

Benalmadena International College

Laude San Pedro International College

Location:

Benalmadena, Málaga

San Pedro, Málaga

Founded:

1997

2004

Head teacher:

School Principal:

Keith Ellis

Amanda Hughes

Curriculum:

UK national curriculum with sixth form completing A-levels

s (IGCSE, A-Levels). Spanish NaFull British Curriculum from 3-18 year) from 12 years of age. tional Curriculum (ESO & Bachillerato

952 561 666 / www.bic-benal.com

Contact:

Reasons for choice:

ege is a reputed International Laude San Pedro International Coll oke education where students School offering an inclusive and besp academic success, but also take are encouraged not only to achievedevelop life-skills through amazing advantage of every opportunity to m covers from the Early Years and learning experiences. The curriculuSecondary School and Sixth Form. Foundation stage through to the top 100 international schools in The school has been voted in theInternational Schools’ Partnership, Spain and is proud to be part of the h now operates across Europe as a growing educational group whic Middle East and Southeast Asia well as North and South America, the

ew-

Established bringing out 50 years ago, Sunny V ademic succ the best in its studen iew School has a long ts, with a st sive and sa ess and personal devel rong focus tradition of ondary, the fe environment. Throughopment within a nurtuon both acmake learninschool’s fully qualified out Preschool, Primar ring, incluthe skills, kn g engaging and fun asUK-trained teaching st y and Secan ever-chan owledge and confiden they work to equip stuaff strive to environmen ging world. Sunny Vie ce they will need to dents with of learning. t, where children can w is proud of its warm succeed in thrive and d an evelop a lifel d caring ong love

From across the Costa del Sol, the Olive Press presents report cards from four leading private schools

issions. Mercedes Colmenar, Head of Adm com / www.laudesanpedro.com 952 799 900 / info@laudesanpedro.

– www.sunny vi

Contact:

Benalmadena International College has an excellent reputation for academ success and caring staff, with outstanding facilities for learning and preparaic tion for university life. The co-educational college’s philosophy is to give each child focused learning and confidence in an enjoyable environment. With committed staff, the college prides itself on languages and science technology, with sport playing a vital role in children’s overall develop Home to more than 28 different nationalities, pupils are surrounded by ment. ent cultures, and many can speak several languages before reaching differschool. Just 300 metres from the beach, the 17,500 square metre senior campus comprises the senior school building, cafeteria and games room, and primary building. The sports centre and swimming pool are still undera new construction. The college has been officially inspected and approved by a team of British inspectors from the British Council. It is also registered and licensed with the Spanish Education Authority, allowing the college to teach student s to university entrance level

9 February 2022

THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT

The Benalmádena International College gives children an opportunity to thrive with the school motto of Building Inner Confidence

D Try teaching English

HE recent boom in private language schools offering English has meant a bigger demand for English teachers in Andalucia. This means that increasing numbers of expats are finding the opportunity of either starting off on a new career or simply obtaining an additional source of income. But can anyone get a job in a language school? Surprisingly there are no legally re-

quired qualifications to work as an English teacher in Spain. This has, of course, led to plenty of poor quality language schools setting up. Those looking for work in the sector can start by checking out schools belonging to ACEIA, the Association of Andalusian Language Schools, whose website www. aceia.es has a list of members. If you have little, or no, previous teaching experience or wish to re-cycle, it would be a good idea, and a very rewarding experience, to take a Cambridge CELTA teacher training course. Employers around the world, not just in Spain, ask for CELTA - an internationally recognised TEFL qualification which will provide you with the skills necessary to teach in the classroom as well as hands-on experience. A CELTA certificate is regulated by Ofqual at level 5 on the Qualifications and Credit Framework. A teaching qualification does not automatically lead to employment, but it certainly gives you a head start over other people applying for work.

YNAMIC, vibrant and dedicated to educational excellence, The Benálmadena International College, is a modern-day school offering the British curriculum to children and young adults from three to eighteen years old from 30 different countries. The school is one of only 15 in Spain to have been inspected and accredited to BSO standards (British School Overseas). We are proud to have passed all inspection standards in our recent inspection. Since the inspection the school continues to grow from strength to strength. The school is situated in an idyllic, yet convenient location just 300 metres from the beach, between the coastal towns of Benalmadena Costa and Fuengirola. Its location of less than thirty minutes from Malaga airport and city centre, makes it the ideal place for the many international students who attend BIC, and participate in its popular Student Homestay Programme.

Founded in 1997 by current school director, Mr. Keith Ellis, the school’s philosophy aims to give each child focused learning in an enjoyable environment - an experience they will treasure for the rest of their lives. Facilities at The Benálmadena International College are of a high standard, and contribute to an enjoyable and interactive experience for students. It has spacious modern classrooms, a games room, cafeteria (providing healthy snacks and lunches to students), purpose-built science laboratories, IT suites, library, art studio, as well as a special Sixth Form Research Area sitting on 17,500 square metres of grounds. But more importantly the teachers and staff are dedicated to providing the best educational experience possible, to all its students. Sports and recreational activities play an important role in school life and the college believes in the importance sport plays in the education and development of its students. It offers a wide range of sports to students including cricket, touch rugby, football, tennis and athletics, among others, and BIC plays an active role in inter-schools competitions Nursery, on the CostaPrimary, del Sol.Secondary and Sixth Form

THE BENALMÁDENA INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE

For more information on theWhere educational programmes offered and its quality learning Calle Catamaran s/n, International Student Homestay Programme (running for the past 25 years), go to Nueva Torrequebrada, is a pleasure www.bic-benal.com or call the school directly on +34 952 561 666 Benalmádena Costa, Malaga, Spain

tel: (+34) 952-561-666 www.bic-benal.com info@bic-benal.com

THE BENALMÁDENA INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE

Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Sixth Form

tel: (+34) 952-561-666 www.bic-benal.com info@bic-benal.com

Where learning is a pleasure

Calle Catamaran s/n, Nueva Torrequebrada, Benalmádena Costa, Malaga, Spain

ll about

February 2022

CREATIVE OUTLOOK Spanish parents put creativity at the top of the list, while most Brits prefer the three Rs

SURVEY has found that literacy and numeracy are the most important targets for British parents, while Spaniards put more value on creative thinking. The PEW Research Centre

History, adventure and romance. That’s just the setting.

asked parents in 19 different countries whether they think schools should focus on resourcefulness or basic academics. Public opinion in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Canada also showed a

clear preference for an education system that emphasised creativity and independent thinking. The survey of global attitudes, showed big cultural differences towards education - and widening political polarisation. In Spain, 67% of people wanted schools to prioritise the teaching of creativity, compared with 24% who wanted schools to focus on the academic basics and discipline. But at the other end of the spectrum was the UK, where researchers found that 51% wanted schools to prioritise the basics and discipline, compared with 37% who thought schools should pay more attention to cultivating creativity. This approach came closer to that of less-developed coun-

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Education

February 2022

Four top tips to step up your Spanish this year

tries such as Kenya and Nigeria, where the expectation was that schools should get on with teaching the basics. Countries such as the United States, Australia and Japan hovered somewhere in the middle, with opinion divided. In China, there was the strongest demand to have an equal emphasis put on all aspects of education, without choosing between them. As well as wanting to test public opinion on the style of education, the Pew research investigated how much liberal or traditional views of education were proxies for politi-

cal divisions. The researchers said that in most advanced economies, such as in western Europe and North America, ‘educational preferences are an ideological issue’. They found that by far the most politically divided countries were the United States and the UK, with right or left-leaning people having very different ideas about education. In countries such as the Netherlands, Canada and Germany, views on education were more likely to overlap between all political groups.

Be opportunistic Try to take advantage of opportunities to speak Spanish whenever you can. Chat to the locals in the bus queue, in shops and in the street. Look up local conversation classes or ‘intercambios’, where groups of English and Spanish meet for a copa or cana to practice each other’s languages. You should also try living with a Spanish speaker which will force you to speak the lingo on a daily basis and will naturally improve your vocabulary.

EARNING a language is hard. Luckily for us living here in Spain, Spanish is one of the easier languages to pick up. But we are all busy and despite having the best of intentions it can be difficult to find the time to learn and improve. Below we have rounded up four top tips which will let you learn the lingo that much faster.

LEARNING Dedicate time to learning Putting money towards lessons can really help you prioritise your learning and is especially helpful if you’re just starting out. Learning in a group can be a really fun way to learn. If you can’t afford lessons, make a weekly timetable and set aside at least four hours a week to learning. Make sure you nail the basics and try to set yourself daily targets of X amount of new words.

Practice makes perfect

Don’t underestimate how important it is to practice - constantly and consistently. Throw yourself out there and speak to the bus driver, hairdresser, shopkeeper or anyone who will lend an ear. If you’re not in a Spanish speaking country, then repeat phrases in front of the mirror, to family and friends or even your dog—basically anyone who will listen! Don’t be scared, the more you practice the more confident you become.

Svenska Skolan Marbella: Bringing a friendly approach to the Swedish curriculum

VENSKA Skolan is a private school offering the Swedish curriculum to all students aged from three to 18 in their preschool, primary and secondary classes, with Spanish, English and Swedish spoken. The motto of the school translates to ‘A school for life’ as all students are offered a competitive education in a kind and nurturing environment. The small and intimate school has a warm and friendly atmosphere set in the beautiful surroundings of Marbella. The school provides an inclusive and supportive education, with many students continuing on to higher education all around the world and achieving higher than average grades. With such a tight-knit group of staff and students, everyone is on a first name basis in the friendly environment. Many classes are taught outdoors, utilising the many outdoor facilities on offer with many day trips in the beautiful Andalucian landscape.

For more information, go to www.svenskaskolanmarbella.com or contact us through Facebook… or call us on +34 952 86 82 52

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Make it your routine Try to incorporate Spanish into your everyday routine. This means playing a language app like Duolingo everyday, listening to Spanish music and/ or radio and watching your Netflix or TV with Spanish subtitles. Pick out the odd word and translate it and add it to a vocab list either on your phone or in a notepad.

Speak Spanish SPANISH is the most important language for Brits to learn, according to the British Council. It topped the list of those deemed ´most economically vital to learn, followed by Mandarin, French, Arabic and German. The study, Languages of the Future also revealed 75% of Britons cannot speak any of the languages listed in the study. John Worne, director of strategy at the British Council said the UK stands to lose out economically and culturally if it doesn't act to tackle the shortfall. He said: “Schools have their job to do but it’s also a problem of complacency, confidence and culture – which policy makers, businesses, parents and everyone else in the UK can help to fix.”

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LA CULTURA

January 26th - February 8th 2022

INSPIRATIONAL PORTRAITS Sorolla exhibition brings together private collection artworks for first time A MAJOR new exhibition by Valencia-born artist Joaquin Sorolla has been launched. Held at Madrid’s Sorolla Museum, it features 44 children and family paintings by the renowned artist and is on until June 19. Sorolla was born in Valencia in 1863 and studied drawing at the School of Craftsmen in his native city before he moved to Madrid. THE Sagrada Familia has been crowned the most popular tourist attraction in the world, beating the Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House and Empire State building. The cathedral topped the list of both tourist destinations and reviews on TripAdvisor where it currently has over 160,000 reviews. The unfinished work

After his death in 1922, his widow Clotilde Garcia gave the building to the Spanish State for the purpose of establishing a museum dedicated to him, which was inaugurated in 1932. Children were a major inspiration and subject of the painter’s works from the beginning of his career. Curated by Sonia Martinez and Covadonga Pitarch, the

World class of Spanish artist Antoni Gaudi is visited by three million people annually. Antoni Gaudi died in 1926, by which time the church was only a quarter complete. He had finished the iconic crypt and the Nativity facade, which

exhibition is divided into three sections: The Centre of the Family, The World of Children went on to be declared a World Heritage Site. Work has continued on the site since his death, with surviving models and drawings making it possible to continue the architectural feat. The pandemic forced work to be abandoned temporarily but the goal is for the church to be completed to coincide with the centenary of its architect’s death.

and The Other Childhood. The first deals with Sorolla’s family portraits - his wife and his three children Maria, Joaquin and Elena. In addition, the exhibition brings together for the first time a selection of commissioned children’s portraits from private collections.

Beach

The second part shows how the younger children lived, studied, drew and played, with frequent scenes of the sea and the beach. Finally, the last section shows the darker side of being a child, including scenes of illness and children of humbler origins who had to work to help their families.

SQUIDS IN A SPANISH YouTuber has won almost €90,000 in a virtual competition inspired by Netflix’s Squid Game. The six-day event involving 12 matches was organised by two of Spain’s most famous youtubers, El Rubius and AuronPlay and was live streamed on the Twitch platform. The tournament brought together all the top Spanish-speaking content creators, setting a new record in terms of audience. More than two million spectators tuned in to watch the live streams of participants playing Squid Game Minecraft, which maintained an average attendance of one million, breaking the previous record by more than 200,000 viewers. Some 150 participants fought it out in the pseudo ‘life and death’ competition to win the biggest prize to date, a whopping $100,000 (€89,480). OllieGamerz, whose real name is Sergio Carbonell, a 26-yearold from Murcia, scooped the cash.

A MAN faces prosecution after he was allegedly caught red handed trying to steal part of an ancient tile from the Alhambra palace. An investigation was launched after security guards spotted the man apparently trying to take a small fragment of tile from the historic Patio de Comares. The suspect could now face jail time for nighthawking after the complaint filed by the body that manages the Nasrid mon-

Nighthawk nabbed

ument. Nighthawking is the theft of archaeological artefacts from protected archaeological sites and areas under the cover of darkness. Police were called to the World Heritage Site and a man was arrested on suspicion of theft.

LA CULTURA

January 26th - February 8th 2022

LIVING IN INTERESTING TIMES COVID snuffs out Chinese New Year but ignites tiger-like rebellion, writes Heather Galloway

nese who are graduates and professionals and anti-racism activists. This movement is new.” With the first stirrings of resistance triggered by the BBVA scandal, when the bank blocked innumerable Chinese bank accounts, the movement was quick to respond to the hostility sparked by the pandemic, which, according to lawyer and activist Antonio Liu Yang, had people crossing to the other side of the street. “One guy shouted ‘Chino!’ at a friend of mine and ran off,” he recalls. No matter that the Chinese community is far more rigorous than the average Spaniard when it comes to vaccination and restrictions, with some even making their way back to China

to be jabbed before the vaccine pro- ring the pandemic. gram was rolled out in Spain, accor- First generation Chinese lack the tools ding Dr Chen. to combat such outrages. For a start, Or that the virus originated in Wuhan, they often don’t have the language. But almost 800 kilometres from Qingtian their descendants, the Chiñoles, do. in Zhejiang, the province where many Lawyer Antonio Liu Yang, whose first generation Chinese in Spain emi- J.E.D.I organisation focuses on inclugrated from. sion, was among those that kicked Of course, there have back against the stigmatisation linked to always been dodgy the pandemic with the jokes about the Chi‘There was a nese diet and a video #Nosoyunvirus campaign. “There was a of Chinese influencer very strong wave of hate coming Wang Mengyun, the wave of hatred our way,” he told the host of an online travel Olive Press. “Chineshow, tucking into what coming our se activism up to this looked like an entire way’ point had lacked unity, bat at the start of the but at that point we all pandemic didn’t help pulled together. matters. In fact, Wang was sampling bat in Palau, “At a dinner, about 40 of us decided a Pacific island nation about as far to take a picture of ourselves with a #yonosoyunvirus sign and post it on from China as Australia. But the slurs persist. In an echo of social media.” the former US president Donald He added: “My picture was picked up Trump, a recent tweet by ultra-ri- by the press so it became the most reght-wing Twitter maverick Alvise cognisable. And it worked, at least for Perez, who is credited with influen- those who wanted to believe it.” cing the result of Madrid’s The movement also includes influenregional elections last May cers such as musician Putochinomato give Isabel Díaz Ayuso a ricon (which translates as F*****g landslide victory, bemoans Chinese Queer, pictured far left) who the fact that we are discou- became so used to this insult as he raged from using the term went about his business that he adopted it as his moniker. His real name is China virus. Listing names given (presu- Chenta Tsai. mably by the left) to the PP Another making a stand while carving (Francoists), Vox (Nazis), bu- a niche in mainstream Spanish society llfighters (murderers), priests is cartoonist Quan Zhou and yet ano(paedophiles) and so on, ther is poet Paloma Chen. Once these Alvise writes: “Coronavirus: Chiñoles believed activism required don’t call it the China virus too much exposure. “For a long time, even though it comes from I didn’t feel I could expose myself like that,” said Liu Yang. China as it might offend.” It is called a political agenda, But now the pandemic has propelled claims the man behind the them into the fray. macabre video of Spanish Who needs dragons on the streets at Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez New Year when a whole generation is surrounded by corpses du- breathing fire?

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Across: 6 Area code, 7 Tint, 9 Amelia, 10 In kind, 11 Taxicab, 14 Boys, 15 Safe, 16 Trotted, 20 Entice, 21 Pilots, 23 Rich, 24 The Storm. Down: 1 Crimea, 2 Fall, 3 Sonata, 4 Begin, 5 Stake-out, 8 Nines, 12 In-flight, 13 Bot, 15 Sinai, 17 Ripped, 18 Eaters, 19 Texts, 22 Lite.

SUDOKU

HE Chinese Lunar New Year on February 13, Dr Chen adds, “It is ushers in power and rebellion a shame. The New Year is a chance with the Year of the Tiger, but for us to open up to Spanish society.” the celebration in Madrid’s Chi- New Year in Usera is usually an natown in the southern district of Use- extravagant affair, celebrating a ra is a mere shadow of its former self. 5,000-year-old culture staged by a There are reams of Chinese lanterns diaspora generally known for its mild in this neighbourhood where 20% of manners and tendency to stand apart the population is Chinese, yet no giant from mainstream society. dragons or Chinese artists weaving But while the pandemic has muted their magic beneath them. the New Year spectacle, it has fuelled For the second year running, the fes- a different sort of engagement with tivities have largely miSpanish society, driven grated online. It may by second and third generation Chinese who be business as usual for The Chinese jokingly call themselthe Spanish whose decommunity ves Chiñoles and who votion to cañas and tapas ensures pavement are mobilising against is exercising cafés do a roaring trathe thoughtless stereotyping and racial slurs de across the rest of the extreme that have been coming capital, but the Chinese caution their way for years. community is exercising “The pandemic isn’t extreme caution against the first time a piece of the supposedly milder news has had negative repercussions Omicron variant of the coronavirus. “Usually at New Year, we have big fa- on the Chinese community,” Joaquin mily gatherings but we won’t be doing Beltran, an Asian oriental studies prothat this year either,” Dr Yale Tung- fessor at Barcelona University told the Chen, an Internal Medicine specialist Olive Press. at Madrid’s Puerta de Hierro Universi- A specialist in Chinese culture, Beltran ty hospital tells the Olive Press. “I can’t cites the case of Operation Emperor remember when I last had dinner with in 2012, when Gao Ping, a friend of friends.” the former King of Spain, was arresReferring to the subdued version of ted along with more than 80 others on money laundering charges. the event which culminates in an off-line “There followed a massive smear race down Macampaign spreading the idea that drid’s main drag, all the Chinese were mafiosos the Castellana, laundering money,” added Beltran. “At that time there was a reaction from the Chinese Embassy in Spain and the business lobbies. “The difference with the COVID smear is that the reaction has also come from second and third generation Chi-

FOOD, DRINK & TRAVEL

End of Travel Tests

TRAVELLERS arriving in England and Scotland from Spain will no longer need to buy daytwo COVID tests, if they are fully vaccinated. The rules will change at 4am on Friday. It follows the axing of a pre-departure test for fully vaccinated travellers from abroad to the UK back in January. The moves may save families about £100 on visits abroad over the half-term period and boost the travel industry. UK Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps added the passenger locator form would be ‘easier’ and the window extended to three days for submission prior to departure. Unvaccinated travellers will still be required to do a pre-departure test and a Day 2 test, but will no longer have to quarantine on arrival or take a second PCR test after arriving.

February 9th February 22nd 2022

Just terrible NO-FRILLS airline Ryanair has been named the worst for short-haul flights by a consumer watchdog. The budget airline was slammed as ‘consistently terrible’ by three-quarters of passengers quizzed by Which? Ryanair is the one carrier they would steer clear of. Flights from many of Ryanair’s UK hubs to destinations in Spain, including tourist favourites Sevilla, Malaga and Barcelona are available for less than a tenner. Yet with an overall score of 55 out of 100, just 47% of passengers told the watchdog they were satisfied with the way Ryanair handled refunds during the pandemic. It also received just one out of five stars for seat comfort and two for categories including the boarding process, cabin clean-

SOME €9.5 million has been pledged to help the volcano ravaged island of La Palma recover its vital tourism industry. Spain’s government made the move after tourist numbers plunged by half at the end of last year. La Palma is one of the poorest areas of Spain and dependent on tourism, leading authorities to invest in promoting volcano themed tours, in an attempt to rebuild its economy. Solidified walls of lava up to 70 metres high and gases seeping from the crater have started to draw huge crowds to see the aftermath of the eruption that lasted

Ryanair and BA slammed by passengers in survey of shame

liness and range and quality of food and drink, along with three stars for value for money. BA was second from bottom with a customer score of 63% just behind TUI Airways.

Explosive plan for 85 days. “Despite unleashing so much destruction, the volcano has created opportunities and tourism is one of them,” said Mariano Hernandez Zapata, head of the island’s government. More cruise ships have been stopping off to visit the island, following similarities with Iceland and Haweii, despite many residents’ homes being covered by lava and electricity and water still being cut off in many areas.

Their disappointing two-star ratings for food and drink and poor customer service led one passenger to describe BA as ‘a budget style airline at premium prices’. However, BA’s cabins ranked as joint cleanest alongside KLM and Jet2. Meanwhile Jet2 topped the charts, receiving the highest ranking score from airline customers. More than eight in 10 were satisfied with the outcome when their flight was disrupted. The editor of Which? Travel, Rory Boland, said: “Ryanair’s consistently terrible customer service has made it a fixture among the worst performers in our surveys for many years - but the airline plumbed new depths with its handling of COVID refunds.”

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

ELEBRITY forays into business haven’t always ended well. Just because you can kick a ball about or play Macbeth doesn’t mean you can launch a cologne – just like you wouldn’t expect a perfume maker to bicycle kick the winner at the Bernabeu. That said, David Beckham nets a cool €60,000 a day from his branding businesses, including Homme by Beckham Fragrances. While Lionel Messi’s MiM group is launching a hotel in Spain at the rate of one a year, the most recent in Sotogrande. With many of Europe’s most diamond-studded enclaves, Spain is a profitable place for celebrities or sportsmen to take the leap into the luxury hotel business. Even if economic recessions and poor business acumen haven’t been kind to them, here are 10 hotels you didn’t know were owned by celebrities in Spain.

SLEEPING WITH THE STARS

Business savvy or the wrong game? After Lionel Messi got caught in controversy over a new Spanish hotel, Joshua Parfitt asks if these 10 celebrities scored an own goal in the hotel game

erry Venables might be best known as the Dagenham-born former football coach of England and Barcelona. But while ‘El Tel’ told reporters in 2017 he still ‘regretted’ losing to Germany at Euro ‘96 he’s not stopped just yet. He’s been running La Escondida luxury resort in the hills of Alicante, about 35-minutes inland from the Costa Blanca with wife Yvette, since 2014. The couple initially bought the 500-acre plot with a rundown hostal over 20 years ago, before launching in 2014.

1 Cristiano Ronaldo Pestana CR7 Gran Via Madrid

ristiano Ronaldo breaks records in his sleep. And not just in terms of goals… the Portuguese number 7 has entered the world as a Spanish hotelier in Madrid, having already opened one back home. Linking up with hotel chain Dionisio Pestana, the CR7 Gran Via nearly flopped before it had even opened. The company lost €340,000 over 2019 and 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic hampered opening. Now after a ‘soft launch’ in June 2021 it is currently

Spain’s former world no.1 tennis player has had a troubled run with his Ferrero Hotel in Bocairent, Valencia. The 5-star farmhouse resort boasting 120,000m2 of botanical gardens and wilderness has nearly collapsed at least once since opening in 2007. Built on an old convent,

February 9th - February 22nd 2022

open with prices just north of €120 a night. If Ronaldo has a bit of a reputation as an egomaniac, his first hotel in his Madeira island home of Funchal has even more so. Guests sleep under creepy illustrations of Ronaldo and his family, while Cristiano slogans like ‘to be the best you need the best’ adorn the walls. In Madrid, guests must only put up with Cristiano’s boxer short merchandise, while each floor is called a different name like #fairplay or #teamwork.

2 Juan Carlos Ferrero Ferrero Hotel, Bocairent Ferrero redesigned the place with the help of Valencian architect Luis Sendra to make 12 suites, of which six have their own jacuzzi on the terrace. The complex went up for sale in 2012 with rumours

it had closed due to renovation costs. But by 2018 Ferrero had reopened under the same name, and you can bag a room with fine tennis courts from €100 a night in the off-season.

3 Terry Venables La Escondida, Penaguila, Alicante Taking inspiration from Venables’ parents’ own pub the Royal Oak in Chingford, Essex, La Escondida now boasts Michelin-star trained chefs putting on private dinners with a view. He originally wanted to turn the land into a football academy, which left the place with a pristine green lawn next to the pool. Prices start from a ‘bargain’ €100 a night off-season.

Lionel Messi MiM Hotels

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi invested in his first hotel back in 2017. The 4-star hotel in Sitges near Barcelona boasts a luxurious ‘hydrotherapy circuit’ with a DJ-stocked sky bar just 50m from the Mediterranean. Messi’s partnership with Majestic Hotel Group – MiM Hotels – has obviously been seen as succesful, as each year since they’ve bought a new hotel. The expansion began with Ibiza in 2018, Mallorca in 2019, Andorra in 2020, Baqueira Beret in 2021 and Sotogrande in 2022. Not everyone is as pleased as Messi, however. The recent purchase in Sotogrande at the emblematic Hotel Club Maritimo saw an unwelcome shake up with 40 staff dismissed. San Roque’s mayor called the move ‘unjust’, though local protests are unlikely to stop the new MIM Sotogrande Club Maritimo from opening in April 2022.

5 Miguel Bose Hotel Monasterio Rocamador, Extremadura

op singer Miguel Bose is another one who’s foray into hotels in Spain hasn’t turned out so well. Bose spent €5 million to buy up the land surrounding a 16th century convent before opening it in 1997, going completely native by also producing and selling his own jamon Iberico. The Hotel Monasterio Rocamador was a big hit for award-winning singer Alejandro Sanz and held the wedding of actress Aitana Sanchez-Gijon with sculptor Papin Luccadane. Effects of the economic crisis however led to it shutting down in 2012. And now after nearly a decade shut, a local wine business has invested and reopened its doors as a 4-star hotel.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL S

February 9th - February 22nd 2022

6 Alan Sugar Byblos Hotel, Mijas

10 Gerard Pique €50 million on not a lot yet

trictly, the Byblos Hotel should not be on this list. It has changed hands twice since British business tycoon and Apprentice star Alan Sugar sold it in 2016. It shot to fame after opening in 1986 as a celebrity hotspot, popular with the likes of the Rolling Stones and Antonio Banderas, among many others. It was here the paparazzi snapped the infamous pictures of a topless Lady Di just as she withdrew from public life following revelations of a relationship with James Hewitt. Julio Iglesias and the Saudi Royal family were also known to frequent the chic resort until it closed and Sugar acquired it in 2009. Though he reportedly bought the place for under €3 million, it had over €24 million in debts. He sold it on for €60 million and it is due to reopen this year as a Hyatt Hotel. It will fiittingly feature in the 5th season of Netflix drama The Crown.

ARCELONA centre-back Gerard Pique is a household name in Spain for his hundred-plus Spanish caps and high-profile marriage to Shakira. He’s also attracted attention for his business ventures – and misadventures.

Bankruptcy

Richard Branson Son Bunyola, Mallorca

9 David Silva Amadores Beach Club, Gran Canaria

Another Spanish footballing genius – the world cup winner and Man City legend David Silva – has shown better form than former teammate Pique. The Canarian-born player has owned one of Europe’s biggest

When British tycoon Richard Branson isn’t on his Caribbean island or homes in Kenya, South Africa, London, etc, he spends time in Mallorca. He once owned the La Residencia hotel there, in Deia, the name he also gave to his daughter Eva-Deia. He also owned the stunning Sun Bunyola estate covering 700 acres of land from the Tramuntana mountains to the sea. Then sold it, then bought it back. Today, it is one of Spain’s most exclusive hotels, effectively just three luxury villas, each with private pools and sunset views. Prices start at an eye-watering €17k per week – you’ve been warned!

8 Robert De Niro Nobu Hotels

obert De Niro is well known for many things – and his hotel chain is now one of them. Partnering up with renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa and American producer Meir Teper, De Niro helped launch the luxury Nobu Hotels chain. The business operates 5-star hotels in Chicago, Las Vegas and London among many other places, with three so far in Spain. Nobu’s hotels here are in Marbella, Barcelona and Ibiza, with San Sebastian set to open this year. The prices, in part, match the locations with Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay starting at €550 a night from April.

beach club resorts. Amadores Beach Club enjoys 7500m2 of pools, bars and beach with everything from champagne areas to strawroofed cabins to snooze in the subtropical shade.

A hamburger restaurant in Barcelona called Yours, closed in 2018 while the Blue Spot restaurant with 360-degree views of Barcelona’s beachfront filed for bankruptcy in 2020. Not one to give up, Pique purchased prime land in Malaga, on the site of the former Cine Andalucia in Plaza de la Merced, the birthplace of Pablo Picasso. The €20 million buyout will need another €30 million to build a planned 5-star hotel and make it third-time lucky for Pique.

PROPERTY OF THE WEEK E

L XC

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BUSINESS

February 9th February 22nd 2022

Give us our cash back!

FAST BUCK

Punitive fines over foreign asset declarations outlawed

CH312

224.995€ 185.000€

La Guijarrosa, Cordoba

2 bed, 3 bath Build: 243m2

THE tax man has announced plans to modify Modelo 720 rules for declaring foreign assets before the March 31 presentation deadline this year. Spain’s minister of the treasury (Hacienda) Maria Jesus Montero told reporters of the rapid about-turn within 24 hours of a crushing sentence from the EU’s Court of Justice. The changes announced would affect Spanish tax residents in two major ways: significantly reducing fines relat-

This magnificent Chalet is located in the town of La Guijarrosa, in this town you can find all kinds of establishments, shops, supermarkets, bars, restaurants, pharmacies, doctors, schools. La Guijarrosa is located a few minutes from the famous city of Córdoba, where

Lucena Office +34 681 683 477 info@inlandandalucia.com

C/Juan García de Palma, 2, 14900, Lucena, Córdoba

www.inlandandalucia.com

ed to late or erroneous Modelo 720 declarations; and opening the door to reclaim fines - although not everyone will be eligible. It follows the verdict on the case of the EU Commission vs Spain that the Modelo 720 was ‘contrary to EU law’. The sentence labelled fines for late or erroneous declarations as both ‘highly punitive’ and ‘disproportionate’. Though the full effect of the new laws might not be seen until 2023, there is important

Concrete figures CEMENT usage in Spain increased by 11% in 2021, to a level not seen in a decade as construction boomed. The recovery of the construction sector, which stalled during the coronavirus pandemic, is further expected to grow by an estimated 5% by the end of 2022, experts predicted. This would take cement consumption to 15.6 million tonnes, according to data issued by the employers’ association Oficemen. However, cement use in the current construction boom is still below the 2011 level when it exceeded 20 million tonnes a year and far below the 60 million tonnes used in 2008 before the bubble burst.

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For our first opening in Sotogrande

news for the 60,000 Spanish tax residents declaring their foreign assets each year via the form. Spanish headlines are already ringing with the opportunity to win back cash already paid in fines – for example, former Catalan president Jordi Pujol’s (pictured) family will mount a case to get back nearly €2 million paid to Hacienda over Andorra-based assets following declaration errors.

Appealed

However, only certain cases will be eligible to claim their slice of the €230 million collected in Hacienda fines since the declaration was introduced in 2012. According to social media comments on Citizen’s Advice Bureau Spain, many British expats were fined €1,500, €1,600, €2,500 and €3,000 due to late submissions of the Modelo 720. According to current legal advice, these people will not be able to receive their money back unless they had appealed and the case was still ongoing.

IN many cases, it pays to spend a bit of money on home improvement. A property located in the centre of Madrid has increased in value by almost €200,000 following renovation work. It was bought for €776,000, but after spending €52,635 on its renovation - which took five months - the owner now enjoys a home that has appreciated in value by €193,800.

Sell

If he wished to sell the house today, he could do so for more than €900,000. The flat, located in the Salamanca neighborhood, has an estimated price of €923,800, a rise of €147.800. “The property of 137 square metres has a terrace, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and lots of light”, explains web portal Idealista. In addition, the owner has managed to reduce energy consumption by 40% - €370 a year in savings - after changing the windows, insulating the walls and switching to LED lighting.

OUT OF ORDER

EU declares penalties for breaching infamous form 720 ‘disproportionate’

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WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR CHEFS, SOUS CHEFS, WAITERS & WAITRESSES, BARMEN, COCKTAIL MIXOLOGIST, KITCHEN PORTER. ALL APPLICANTS MUST BE FLUENT IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH. If you possess all of the above please send your resume and covering letter to: Mrs Gabriela Giumba at puravitavegan@gmail.com We look forward to meeting you

HE 720 form is in question. This infamous and abusive Spanish tax form has been now declared contrary to the free EU movement of capital. The EU Court of Justice ruled on 27 January 2022 that the penalties imposed are disproportionate and are not necessary to guarantee the effectiveness of the Spanish tax legal system. On top of that, the power of the Spanish Tax Office to treat that information as an undeclared capital gain, even before the four years statute of limitation has elapsed, is abusive. Form 720 is still mandatory, and it should be prepared before the end of March 2022. However, the Spanish Government must modify the current penalties. This process is not going to take less than a few months. Del Canto Chambers is now considering potential legal actions to be brought against the Spanish Tax Office for those affected. Form 720 is a full declaration of absolutely all the assets held abroad by the Taxpayer, with heavy fines and penalties for lack of compliance. Form 720 is required to those who are tax resident in Spain when the value of any assets held abroad surpasses €50,000 including: ● Bank accounts ● Investments: including shares, securities, insurance… ● Properties

Claudio Rodríguez, Tax Counsel European Lawyer and Spanish Abogado (London) The fines imposed for not complying are: ● €5,000 for every piece of information that is not submitted, or if it’s not accurate. €10,000 is the minimum fine paid if this omission is detected by the authorities. ● €100 for every piece of information on the form when it is submitted by post, rather than electronically. €1,500 is the minimum fine paid if the individual does not complete the electronic form. ● €100 for every piece of information on the form when it is submitted after the deadline and before it is requested by the Tax Authorities. But that’s not all. Any assets not listed on the form will be included in your taxable base as an undeclared gain. In that case there was a penalty of 150% applied to the relevant unpaid tax. Thankfully, this has now been declared illegal by the EU Court.

Del Canto Chambers has an in-depth understanding of international tax, legal affairs, property law and residence issues. We offer a Tax and Legal Residence Opinion service that will clearly set out your options with regard to living and paying tax overseas. To make a no-obligation enquiry, please either call us now on: +44 2070 430648 or Make An Online Enquiry at delcantochambers.com. We will come back to you within 24 hours and we will be delighted to help you.

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AFFORDABLE BUSINESS February 9th February 22nd 2022 CONTACTS

KENNELS & CATTERY

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CONSTRUCTION

Spanish speaking providing legal advice: conveyancing, residency, wills and inheritance. Contact Victoria at: www.britishlawyerspain.com or + 34 678 826 771

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The positions offer a full-time work contract (TIE card required), good basic wage with excellent commissions and working conditions.

TRANSLATIONS

tel: (+34) 952 443 222 airflowspain@live.com AIRFLOW AIR CONDITIONING SL

As a result, we are looking for new Salespeople/Closers with a proven track record in the investment market and Telemarketers/Qualifiers to work Monday to Thursday 10.30 – 18.00 and Fridays 10.30 – 16.00

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HEALTH

February 9th February 22nd 2022

Final hurdle Spanish COVID vaccine one step from approval SPAIN'S first domestically-made COVID-19 vaccine produced by Hipra is to start its final phase of clin-

TOP CARING

Karen Harding, founder of Abbycare, explains more about herself and her company

BBYCARE was founded by me, Karen Harding. I have over 30 years experience in the care field, and am qualified in health and social care and counselling. After achieving a law degree, I started my career as a support worker offering one-to-one support and care to elderly and vulnerable adults, including individuals who may have had challenging behaviour. I loved working within the sector and before long I became the manager of a busy care home and domiciliary care service for many years. Before opening my own business, I was employed as assistant director of a voluntary organisation offering care and support to vulnerable adults in the community. In my role I managed a large staff team and was fundamental in policy design and implementation within the care sector. I have many years’ experience in assessing and implementing care plans to meet individual needs and a commitment to providing the highest quality of care.

If you feel Abbycare can help with your care needs, please do not hesitate to contact us: Tel: +34 663 903 338 or email: Karen@abby-care.com

PRESENTED BY

ical trials. Approval was given by the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS). The first tests produced good results in terms of safety and efficacy, and the vaccine is said to provide 'good protection' against the Omicron variant. 3,000 volunteers from 20 Spanish hospitals as well as centres in Italy and Portugal will take part in the phase III trial.

Milestone

If it is a success, then the Hipra vaccine could start to be used in a few months. Subject to regulatory approval from the European Medicines Agency, Hipra anticipates being able to produce 600 million doses this year and double that number in 2023. The first shots might be available by June. Science Minister, Diana Morant, said: “This advance in research is a historic milestone for Spain.” "It is something that is going to help both us and the rest of the world," she added.

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FINAL WORDS

A MAN is in custody after stealing a car from an Elche dealership after a test drive before driving his new vehicle home only to find tipped-off police waiting for him on his doorstep.

Crops cops VOLUNTEERS at a food bank were left stunned after they were paid an unusual visit by well-meaning Malaga police who donated 19 tonnes of peppers and tomatoes seized during a drugs raid.

‘

OLIVE PRESS

Don t push it!

ANDALUCÍA

Your expat

voice in Spain

Vol. 15 Issue 387 www.theolivepress.es February 9th - February 22nd 2022

Estrella Damned?

THEY say that no publicity is bad publicity and while a photograph showing Boris Johnson clutching a beer during a lockdown event at Downing Street might not be good news for the PM it certainly isn’t doing any harm for the Catalan brand Estrella Damm. Since the story broke that police had been handed footage showing Johnson kicking back with a can of lager in hand at his lockdown birthday bash last year, the brand rec-

Silly politico A LABOUR reform was passed into law by a one vote margin thanks to Popular Party opposition MP Alberto Casero accidentally voting ‘yes’ in the chamber instead of no.

How Boris birthday bash is proving great publicity for Catalan lager brand Estrella Damm ognition of Estrella Damm has soared. A can appeared on the cover of British tabloid The Mirror last Friday, with Estrella Damm tweeting out the story with a guilty ‘oops’ and an emoji with clenched teeth representing awkwardness.

The photograph forms part of the ‘partygate’ investigation by Scotland Yard when alleged boozy get-togethers were held among staff at Downing Street at a time when such gatherings were forbidden under COVID rules. True aficionados of Spanish

In raTure

COUNCIL officials are hunting an anonymous sculptor after his latest work ‘two rats mating’ appeared overnight on a roundabout in Leon. Some wags have dubbed him the ‘Banksy of León’ but locals are less impressed after several ‘works of art’ with a sexual theme have appeared out of nowhere in the past few months. A previous one featured a concrete penis that was set up on a roundabout on the approach to the local hospital. Now council bosses say the artist faces a fine of €80 for ‘irregular occupation of the public road’. But they have to catch him first.

A CONVICTED murderer, who escaped from prison and became known as Rambo because he survived in the woods using his army training, has finally been arrested after almost a year on the run. Alfredo Sanchez Chacon, 63, was caught breaking into a home in the town of Valdoviño in La Coruña province to steal food.

Raiding

lager might question Boris’s choice of tipple – many would argue that Spain has far superior brands, not least the rival Estrella Galicia, Alhambra or Madrid’s Mahou. But some jokers thought the scandal could be the focus of this year’s famous Estrella Damm summer campaign. One quipped that the new slogan should be:” Estrella Damm: Official supplier to the British government” while another thought” I’d break the rules for Estrella” could be a good tagline.

The homeowners alerted their nearest neighbour, who happened to be an officer in the Guardia Civil, after they heard someone raiding their kitchen in the dead of night, and he gave chase as the fugitive attempted to leave. He had been on the run after he failed to return to jail after day release last March and is thought to have been hiding out in woods ever since. His survival skills were gleaned while serving in the Spanish Legion and Army Special Forces which is why he earned the nickname ‘Rambo’, after the movie role made famous by Sylvester Stallone.

952 147 834 * O f f e r

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