I have often thought that if you scratch below the surface in Majorca you will find a wide range of problems. It is very alarming that 10 per cent of the local population is living well below the poverty line. This on an island which allegedly enjoys one of the highest standards of living of any place in the country. The fact that thousands of people are living on less than 350 euros a month is a clear indicator that there is something very wrong with the island and its economy. Even though the Spanish economy continues to recover, Spain, still has a major problem with unemployment. This country has the second highest jobless rate in the European Union, and in some areas the unemployment rate stands at about 20 per cent.
The Balearic government should be dealing with the problem of poverty on the island. In fact, it is their duty to do so. I am sure that the all the tourists who come on holiday here would not have a problem if part of the tourist tax cash was dedicated to fighting poverty and moving people off the breadline. I must say that a few weeks ago I saw an enormous queue by the Plaza España in Palma. Initially, I thought that it was some store which was holding a sale. To my horror I discovered that it was the queue for the soup kitchen. I am talking hundreds of people. Now that the summer season is coming to an end and the tourist industry is closing down for the winter, I suspect that the problem of poverty will become even more pronounced.