Yes Palma is not the cleanest of cities and over the past few weeks the city council has come under fire from the small business sector and resident associations about the lack of cleanliness in the city, be it the centre or the suburbs. But it cuts both ways. On the one hand, if the council it going to be totally responsible then it is going to have to double, at least, the number of staff and resources required by the municipal refuse company EMAYA and that would lead to a rise in local taxes for Palma residents, which would not go down well.
Perhaps, Palma residents need to take some, or perhaps, much of the blame.
I adhere to all of the rules when disposing of my rubbish, such as placing household or large items out on a Monday night because EMAYA collects in my area in the early hours of Tuesday morning. However, just the other day, propped up against the bins near our offices were two old mattresses and they remained there for days, until collection day.
Then we have the matter of dogs and cleaning up after them, well that lies in the hands of the owners - quite literally! There is an area of bins near the National Police station which is a constant disgrace, people are using it as a municipal tip. So while Palma does need to major clean up, if the residents are not going to play their part, the council is facing a losing battle.