A HUNDRED ‘PIRATE’ TAXIS DENOUNCED

Elche taxi drivers and licensed transport vehicles with drivers, known as VTC, have said that there is a "mafia" of "pirate" vehicles operating at the Alicante-Elche picking up travellers and taking them to destinations in the Alicante and Murcia Provinces.

They have said that there are currently more than a hundred vehicles operating outside the regulations man of which are with clients who had previously contracted legal services.

The situation is not new but, following the pandemic and the subsequent increase in tourism, the situation is skyrocketing out of control.

Prudencio Azor, president of Radio Taxi Elche, says that when approached by police, the illegal drivers always claim that they are picking up family or neighbours.

The taxi drivers and VTC also insist that many vehicles operating outside the law carry Russian, Romanian, Ukrainian, Swedish, Finnish and North African license plates as do many large capacity vans and high-end cars, such as Mercedes or Porsche.

They are even brazen enough to advertise and message on social networks where individuals and alleged companies offer their services, in English and Russian, to transfer passengers to and from the airport, predominantly to Benidorm, Alicante or

Torrevieja.

There have been occasions where there have been clashes on the outskirts of the terminal between drivers of VTC vans and these "pirates" and in one recent case, attempted aggression that ended up in court, when a VTC driver, JK, received death threats from one of these illegal carriers who, after an altercation, followed him to an airport toilet and pulled out a knife.

Splash In Los Alc Zares

By Andrew Atkinson

A Hydroaviation party in Los Alcázares will take place during April 28, 29 and 30, with the Murcia municipality hosting a great festival reviving a very important part of the history of the town.

Flights of different seaplanes over the Mar Menor will be seen, along with an exhibition along the promenade, talks and workshops, and the opportunity to experience firsthand what it feels like to be a pilot, thanks to virtual reality.

You can also watch the sunset from a hot air balloon - suspended over the Mar Menor - along with many other events and activities.

Visit the official website of SplashIn and check all the information about this event in Los Alcázares: https://splashin.losalcazares.es/

We Irish are said to be a superstitious race of people – and so we are. Even those of us who deny being superstitious will be loath to fly in the face of something they say will bring bad luck. One of the ‘Seven Wonders of Fore’ is the water from the well that will not boil.

As a teenager, I told my mother one Sunday that my brother Willie and I were going to take home a bottle of the water to see if we could boil it. Mammy nearly had a fit at the very idea. ‘It would be unlucky to try that’, she said – and that was the end of that proposed experiment.

When a cow calved at home the ‘cleanings’ (afterbirth) was never buried; instead it was thrown up into a whitethorn bush. My father said that if you buried the ‘cleanings’, you would bury the calf. I never heard that anywhere else and now I wonder if that superstition was widespread – or perhaps Daddy just didn’t like digging!

To this day – and no later than last week, when a delightful young couple, Deirdre and Barry, bought a few Dexters from me, I give back a ‘luck penny’ out of the payment. That was a tradition at the fairs years ago and where the seller would spit on the ‘bit of luck’ before handing over the coins.

Is putting out the ‘Child of Prague’ to bring a fine day for a wedding just an Irish thing, or does the custom occur in other countries as well? And speaking of other countries, we are no more superstitious than the rest of them.

News In Brief

Los Alcázares Berber

Incursions break all records

150,000 people were in Los Alcázares to enjoy the Medieval Market during April.

The Berberiscos is a unique festival that has become a benchmark for Holy Week in the Region of Murcia, with music and circus shows. "Tourists filled the streets, and the shops and businesses have worked very hard to make it a success," said mayor of Los Alcázares, Mario Pérez Cervera.

Half of the British people involved in a fairly extensive survey, admitted to being superstitious; but 74 per cent said they ‘touch wood’ in the hope of making things happen or not. A majority also said that if somebody said they had an itchy nose, they would comment that the person was going to have a fight!

Americans are every bit as superstitious as the rest of us. They go for carrying a rabbit’s foot, a four-leaf clover and that sort of thing; in fact 12 percent of them wear a lucky charm – in the same manner as Irish people used always wear a miraculous medal. And wait for this one … 400,000 people kiss the Blarney Stone every year – and the majority of them say ‘Gee’!

You might still see a horseshoe hung over a door in Ireland. This was said, not only to bring good luck, but to keep evil spirits at bay - and if a black cat crosses your path you are on the right side of the lucky line for that day. Whether you admit to being superstitious or not, I bet you will walk around a ladder as against walking under it? This didn’t work out too lucky for a guy somewhere in England a few years ago; he stepped out on the street to avoid the ladder and both he and the cyclist who hit him finished up in hospital!

If we carried our collective dread of Friday 13th, we would spend that day in bed. This goes all the way back to the Last Supper and the belief that Judas was the 13th person to sit down at the table. A lot of people will go to great lengths to insure that there are never

13 diners seated at a dinner table. Back in the day when we all smoked cigarettes, nobody I ever knew would take the third light from the same match. This belief in the ‘bad luck’ of the third light was well founded and dates back to the trenches of WW1. The longer the match stayed lit, the more time an enemy sniper had to take out the unfortunate 3rd soldier.

Throwing salt over your shoulder or refusing to open an umbrella inside is bizarre behaviour from an otherwise sensible and sane adult. But that is the pull of superstition. Have you never ‘crossed you fingers’? I know this is mostly harmless habits, but I also know people who profess not to believe in heaven, hell, or religion – but would be scared out of their wits if they broke a mirror!

Valencian Community creates a Consultative Health Committee

The Valencian Community has appointed a Consultative Patients' Committee to promote public participation in the Valencian Health System, organized through federations, associations or charities of patients and their families. Its creation will be celebrated on April 18, the European Day of Patients' Rights.

The Committee is made up of a secretariat and 24 members. Half of the participants are patients.

Doorman dies at Elliott Wright’s Mijas restaurant

A doorman died at Elliot Wright’s Mijas restaurant on Sunday evening after he intervened in a fight between diners.

Elliott temporarily closed the doors of the restaurant, Olivia’s La Cala, but it was still targeted by vandals who spray-painted in blood red the outside in Spanish, words that translate as ‘Killer Elliot’ and ‘Mafia’.

A police investigation is now underway.

There are ancient cures which should come under the heading of superstition – but very few of us will knock this one. I have never heard of anybody turning down the possibility of a superstitious cure for a sickness which befell them. The ‘7th son of a 7th son’ has the cure of several ailments and a boy whose father died before he was born also has a special gift.

What about all the good money thrown into the wishing well … and searching for a second magpie after seeing a lone one? And you claim not to be superstitious …!?

DON’T FORGET

The rabbit’s foot didn’t bring much luck to the rabbit who had it in the first place.

126,000 EMERGENCY CALLS OVER EASTER

Between April 6 and 18, the '1·1·2 Comunitat Valenciana' emergency telephone number has received a total of 125,790 calls, which resulted in the management of 28,450 incidents. 59% (16,791) were related to health issues, followed by safety, 17% (4,830). By provinces, Valencia had the most incidents, 13,984, followed by Alicante with 10,798 and Castellón 3,292.

Hot Chocolate star Greg really proud of daughter Holly

Former Hot Chocolate lead singer Greg Bannis, dad of Holly, who has followed in his footsteps, talks exclusively to Andrew Atkinson in a Leader Exclusive.

GREG Bannis has seen his name in lights, having been the lead singer for Hot Chocolate, after replacing Errol Brown in 1992.

Now, Murcia based Greg, says Holly, who appeared as Tina Turner in TV series 'Starstruck', has the best job in the world.

Holly has been touring Europe in Tina Turner and Whitney Houston tribute

BOOK REVIEW: Two Clouds too Many

shows, 'What's Love Got To Do With It', and 'Whitney Queen of The Night'.

"I saw Holly live with the backing of a full band, doing the 'What's Love Got To Do With It'," said Greg.

"It was an OMG - Oh, My God, moment for me," said Greg.

John Moran has just celebrated 52 years of marriage to Sandra. Together, the couple had three children along the way, Jonathan, Julian and daughter Faye.

They have been residents of El Raso, near Guardamar, since 2006, described by John as “a great place to spend our retirement.”

In a previous life or so it sometimes seems, John was a village milkman in Killamarsh, North East Derbyshire, an ex-mining village and the birth- place of one of the best lady footballers, Millie Bright of Chelsea and England.

"She has really grown into Tina, just about one year after being discovered on 'Starstruck'," he said.

"I also saw her in Benidorm Palace, doing Whitney," said Greg, lead singer with Hot Chocolate, until 2010. "She gets better every concert, and I am really proud," said Greg. Greg still performs, with concerts in Spain, including the Costa Blanca and Costa Calida regions, as well as in Europe, but is taking life a little easier relaxing in Murcia.

"Now, I am taking a backseat - and letting her get on with the best job in the world !!!," added Greg.

*Another Greg Bannis Leader Exclusive next week, following the release of his New album 'Reggae Reggae Man'.

First time author at 80, John spent over twenty years as the village milkman, during which time the village faced great danger. He was part of a community that fought a French multi- national half way round Europe, down the Champs De Elysees in Paris, to the E.U. in Strasbourg and Brussels

Their story is told in the book 'Two Clouds Too Many' available on Amazon .

In the words of Leader columnist Bernie Comaskey, “this growing old holds loads of fun”.

Linda and Rae with Councillor Samantha Hull, Brenda and Lesley.

Freemasons Boost For San Fulgencio Needy

The Freemasons Caledonia Lodge No 68 held a Ladies Night which raised 1500 euros for the charity AAN, Asociacion de Ayuda al Necesitado de San Fulgencio. The Association helps the most needy families of San Fulgencio and La Marina Urbanisation by providing food which is distributed through Social Services of San Fulgencio Town Hall from the office for the Urbanisation on Calle Madrid.

Receiving the money from Linda and Rae Daniel on behalf of AAN is Councillor Samantha Hull Gallon with Brenda Bentley and Lesley Snell .