The war of words between the main opposition party in Pollensa and the town hall over conditions in Puerto Pollensa continues. Tots per Pollença, led by former mayor Tomeu Cifre Ochogovia, have now drawn attention to concerns about bookings for the resort, the consequence of worries expressed by potential visitors on reservation forum websites, Trip Advisor most obviously.
Tots have drawn attention to, for example, a traveller wanting to know if she will be affected by work being done for the pedestrianisation scheme because of mobility problems. It should be noted, though, that the party has used comments that date from the middle of March and the middle of April. All building work for phase one of the pedestrianisation has now finished.
In addition to observations on Trip Advisor, social media and indeed the Bulletin's website have been used to express discontent with the building work, while tour operators also received a number of complaints. By way of balance, it should be pointed out that not everyone has been disenchanted.
Cifre asks the town hall to use "common sense" and to engage in no more improvisation. All the serious work that has been done, he suggests, will "go to ruin" if the town hall continues in the way it has been.
Highlighting comments on social media is just one aspect of the ongoing charges that Tots are levelling against the administration, with the absence of beach services now the greatest controversy in Puerto Pollensa. The tender for the services was, as reported on the Bulletin's website at the weekend, suspended because of deficiencies in the specifications, ones pointed out by Tots.
Cifre adds that the town hall could have gone ahead with a new contract for the beaches under authorisation from the Costas Authority that was valid for a further year. Under the law, Cifre notes, changes could have been made afterwards, but instead the town hall chose to draw up a whole new set of specifications that was, in his words, "full of errors that do not comply with the law". Moreover, the town hall had not started its application to the Costas until February, when November is when this is normally done. The specification was not finally published until just over a week ago, but it does not have Costas' authorisation.
The Unió Mollera Pollencina (UMP), the Puerto Pollensa party, which contributes one councillor in coalition with the governing Junts Avançam at the town hall, has issued its thoughts on the subject, implying that Tots have deliberately sought to delay the beach services and then attack the administration because of the delay.
The UMP accepts that things could have been done better but is asking, in so many words, that all parties pull together and find solutions rather than start fights. Thursday's council meeting may be the chance for this. Or it may prove to be rather lively.