Anti-social behaviour

THE Palma city council is busy announcing legislation aimed at trying to  curb antisocial behaviour. You can even be fined for just wearing swimming trunks or a bikini away from the promenade. Street prostitution is going to be outlawed and even drinking alcohol on the street could land you with a heavy fine. But why is Palma council announcing all these measures in December? Many of the new laws are aimed exclusively at the tourist resorts and the police will find few people to fine there at the moment, because the Playa de Palma is effectively closed. I am always rather wary when local councils announce new laws in the winter which are aimed at the summer. You will generally find that they  have been quietly forgotten by the start of the summer season. Why am I so sceptical? Because the city council banned tourists in the Playa de Palma drinking lethal mixes of alcohol from buckets through a straw and this practice is still taking place on a large scale.  The council also launched a campaign against  the “potato and pea scam” and these gangs are still preying on tourists. The list goes on. The council is right to try and crackdown in the resorts but they must back up their new legislation with additional police officers.  It is no good passing new laws if they are  not going to be enforced. Perhaps, I would have more faith if the council recruited more officers and then announced a series of new laws and regulations.