Viewpoint

It has been an interesting year in the Balearics and I feel that the English-speaking expatriate community is starting to take its rightful place in the Balearics. I grew up in Majorca within an expatriate community who felt that “as we are guests, it is best to keep a low-profile and not comment on Spanish affairs, because it is not our country.” But things have certainly changed now for the better and I feel that our voice is being heard. There is still plenty to do. I still believe that the English-speaking expatriate community should become more involved in local affairs. As we have seen in the letters to the editor column of the Bulletin this year there are plenty of different views on a number of issues which affect our daily lives from the tourist tax to the shortage of water. And I am pleased to say that it was Bulletin readers who came up with the most coherent ideas to save water during the severe drought at the start of the summer when the local government and other leading authorities were wandering around like headless chickens. It has also been Bulletin readers who have aired their views on the tourist tax. Some for, some against. The wide debate in print on numerous topics in the Bulletin shows one thing, that we all care about Majorca and its future and we don't want to see its beauty destroyed.