Dear Sir,
For several decades there was a “Tourist Train” running from Cala Bona, through Cala Millor, Sa Coma and on to S’Illot.
This train, (tractor steam engine style & two carriages) was a wonderful attraction for tourists, and especially children.
The Sant Llorenç Council, refused to renew the train owners licence, this year. The resultant loss, has affected not only the tourists, but all the businesses in the afore mentioned Urbanisations.
I am at a complete loss , as to why this council did not renew the train licence. Having been a great favourite with thousands that holiday in this area on the east side of the island.
The Tourist Office Manager for that area, has proffered several excuses to both the tourists, and the business owners.
These excuses have become a laughing stock to all concerned.
When Majorca is trying to recover from a very serious economic recession. I fail to understand the Sant Llorenç Council’s actions, or is it non actions.
Something does not ring true, with this council’s decision. There are major losses of business revenue in this area, from ‘All Inclusive’ and a three month season.
Perhaps, through the authority of The Majorca Bulletin, you could question the Sant Llorenç Council--please ; To determine their inexplicable refusal to licence this train, which has been running every season for at least 30 Years. Thank You.
Yours faithfully,
F.S.Jessop
Grantham
Dear Sir,
Hugh Ash’s brilliant exposure of the blind illogicality of the Hamas supporters, whether they be pop singers or politicians has caused me to wonder: are these people so easily deluded or are they in fact anti-Semites using Israel as a means of spewing out their anti-Jewish bile?
I ask this question because nothing seems able to alter their opinions. Eg. ‘Gaza is an impoverished enclave’. But is it? As long ago as 13 January, Matthew Parris writing in The Times spoke of “Gaza’s 800 millionaires” and that “there are more Mercedes limos in Gaza than in Wales!” And yet the Hamas lovers blindly insist that it is an impoverished Israeli ‘prison’.
But these anti/Israeli/Semitic pin-brains are so busy hating Israel, they cannot see something far more serious: the possibility that we are witnessing the beginning of an attempt to Islamise the world: in Africa and the East with violence, in the West by birth-rate.
I ask these Hamas-lovers: are you prepared to see Europe and Britain turned into a Sharia-ruled Calipahte? We know now what that means from what is being demanded of the Christians in Northern Iraq: ‘convert to Islam or be beheaded’. And we know from French TV that Christian women and babies are being buried alive by the ISIS terrorists.
With an average birth-rate of 5.4 children per Islamic family unit in Britain and Europe, as compared to only 1.7 for the Christians, it is a mathematical certainty that this Islamic catastrophe will overtake us in the not too distant future unless we take steps to return all the Islamists who support Sharia law to those states who are already practising it.
Sir, Hugh Ash described Islam as “A loony 7th Century dogma”. It is also a torturing, murderous limb-lopping, woman-hating dogma.
Mr Ash’s article is one of honesty, reason and truth. But will his comments be heeded?
Aye, there’s the rub.
Sincerely,
David Lee
Dear Sir,
Give your guy Hugh Ash a slap on the back for really nailing those knuckleheads Bardem and Cruz, who should stick to mouthing other people’s words and not inventing their own garbage.
Seeing the horrors of Gaza every day on TV, we know what a goddamn disaster Hamas have made of it so it was great to read 80% of people there want to get rid of the sicko hoodlums terrorizing them into being human shields.
I hope Bardem and his bimbo wife read it, because they might learn something.
Candice Kurtz,
Puerto Andratx
Dear Sir,
Hugh Ash’s excellent comment column about Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz abusing their fame in trying to influence public opinion on matters unrelated to their jobs is an object lesson to all in show business, who wander into territory they know little or nothing about.
Mr Bardem’s open letter, expressing what can only be interpreted as pro-Hamas views, showed how little he understands the highly complex picture of the Middle East and its many wars and he only made a bad situation even worse, particularly for himself.
That Miss Cruz later excused herself by saying she is ‘not an expert on the situation’ speaks much about her intelligence, because if you don’t understand something, it is far wiser to keep your mouth shut.
As actors I personally like the couple. As commentators on international conflicts they display a hopeless naivety and a total lack of understanding.
Yours sincerely,
Martin Read
Oxford & Santa Ponsa
PS: Now that my holiday in Majorca is coming to a close, may I say how very much I have enjoyed reading the Daily Bulletin and, in particular, Hugh Ash’s most interesting comments. Keep up the good work and I look forward to following your online edition.
Dear Sir,
Our PM Rajoy has stated that there will be no oil prospecting around the Baleares if there is the slightest hint of a risk to the environment (Daily Bulletin Saturday last). There is, so all the work (including the Environmental Survey) should stop immediately. Never mind the later drilling, pipeline laying, refining and tanker transport which all carry greater risks than simple ones during seismic surveys. All exploration like any industry carries risks. I cannot ever remember being so sure, 100% in fact, that all my fellow oilers will agree, like me after my decades at the sharp end of Petroleum Exploration and Production, that there are slight risks – so however small our politicians have decided resolutely against.
A resolute politician? Seems a contradiction in terms.
The work should stop as both the actual government and the opposition have now made their political position absolutely clear. It is perhaps a pity that with the financial deal for Majorca being unfair it could be cured for the next few decades if a North Sea bonanza was discovered. Here lies a problem. Why continue to explore if we are not going to exploit? I expect our resolute politicians to find some wiggle room to permit some “limited” surveys followed by some “minimal” drilling but with what objective? Can you believe that if billions of dollars are up for grabs our parliamentarians will refer to a chat with the King last Friday and say “Thanks but No Thanks”?
There is as much chance of that as the Conference Centre being finished at the end of the year. I’m on safe ground there as that completion date has already dropped to mid-2015 doubling the completion time necessary from 6 to 12 months. I don’t gamble and only venture financially on certainties but I’m comfortable to offer 10/1 they’ll not make 30/06/15! I’ll offer the same odds that if economic oil is discovered it will be extracted. Any takers?
As well as our new King granting an audience to the PM he saw the President of the Baleares (2nd tier of Government), the head of the Council of Majorca (3rd tier) and the Mayor of Palma (4th tier). With a population of over 1 million why doesn’t democracy extend to a 5th or even 6th level?
Can Pastilla could become a type of principality (5th tier) like Pimlico featured in that film just after WWII or Gibraltar whose population is similar to ours. How about an Alcalde for my street (6th tier). It would “become me” like Boris being the one for London and next boss of Westminster. In passing to emphasise my suitability I don’t need a haircut like Jose Bauza nor to learn to fix my tie like Mateo Isern. (photos Daily B Thursday)
Mike Lillico
Playa de Palma
Dear Sir,
I’m sick and tired of reading of property owners letting with short term “temporada” contracts and paying tax on the proceeds, being referred to as illegal in the press. This is not, nor has ever been illegal.
Now we read that they want to “crack down” on this, as if some terrible illegal activity was taking place.
Why not promote it in fact, - they would recieve more money in taxes, and we would have more traditional tourists, in winter too, creating more demand for flights during the winters, and circulating much more money throughout the slowly dying bars and restaurants, car hire and excursion businesses, - or are they planning to “crack down” on those too !
Is their plan to create an exodus of disillusioned residents leaving (many with all their money), and flood the depressed property market with many more properties for sale ?
If they want to focus their ideas on something positive for tourism and our economy, rush through a new law empowering a plain-clothed squad of agents to quickly and definitively eradicate the thieves that casually and confidently roam the streets of our tourist areas, who at the moment know that if they’re arrested the very worst they can get is free bed and board !
Hoping that you will see fit to publish this, as it echoes the opinions of a multitude.
Steve
Palmanova