Earlier this month, the PSOE opposition at Santa Margalida Town Hall attacked the Partido Popular mayor, Marti Torres, for what they claimed was the "total neglect" of the beaches in Can Picafort.
The hoteliers and restaurants associations have now joined the attack. The season has started and there are no beach services. In a joint statement, they describe the situation as "unsustainable". The beaches are in "a state of neglect and filth never before seen". The lack of services is "incomprehensible" for one of Mallorca's leading tourist resorts.
They refer to an "alarming lack of foresight" on the part of the town hall. While services are fully operational in other resorts, Can Picafort currently presents an image that "seriously harms" tourism and the local economy. The hoteliers note that occupancy forecasts for this season are positive, but consider the lack of services a "deception" for visitors who choose the resort expecting minimum quality standards at the least. The restaurants say the filth and lack of facilities are driving people away from the beachfront, negatively impacting bars and restaurants.
The issues in Can Picafort are hardly unique. Every year there are reports of delays to the provision of beach services somewhere in Mallorca. And the explanations are generally always the same. The government's coasts department is to blame.
Marti Torres's explanation is no different. The delay is due to the coast department's administrative procedures. These were transferred from the state Costas Authority to the regional government in 2023. But the transfer has made no difference. The Costas used to be blamed, now it's the department.
Torres explains that every four years the town hall must renew the authorisation for beach services. Until this is formally given, the town hall cannot initiate the tendering process, as there can be modifications to the proposed services.
Town halls cannot submit the paperwork to renew authorisations until November of the preceding year. The process can then take up to five months. The Can Picafort authorisation was in fact received on March 25. Torres argues that everything is a month earlier than it was in 2022, when authorisation didn't come through until April 25 and the awarding of concessions wasn't until June 23.
The mayor responded to PSOE earlier this month by saying that the process would be completed by May 15. Which is tomorrow (Friday). The town hall still expects this will be the case, or May 20.