24/04/2015 00:00
TW
0

Voting in Majorca
Dear Sir,
Useful analysis today (22/04) on expat statistics from Humphrey Carter. The expatriate community represent a significant economic force within the Balearics and in particular within Majorca and especially in Calvia. Their voice deserves to be heard although your recent editorial indicated that only 25% of Calvia expats entitled to vote are actually registered to do so.
Many expats have invested in property and businesses in Majorca and many have invested their valuable expertise in the development of the Tourism, Property and Nautical sectors.
As politicians campaign for votes is the contribution of the expat sector recognised and are the concerns of expats being addressed?Does the MDB have a responsibility to provide expats, many of whom are no doubt loyal readers of your prestigious publication, with the information that they need in order to make an informed choice of political candidate?
Having attended the occasional political presentation I have been impressed by both the volume of rhetoric and the almost total absence of detail in respect of problems and solutions.
Can we expect the early publication of incisive interviews by Humphrey Carter of all politicians standing at the forthcoming elections and certainly for Calvia. Your contributors and columnists have identified many issues of concern which include:-

Property ownership. Is it a fundamental European right to make use of property without excessive restrictions? Does the Balearics have the most restrictive regulations in Spain and far in excess of those imposed by France and Portugal? Where does candidate .... stand on the expats who have invested in property in the Balearics?

Tourism. What is the future of tourism in the Balearics? To be restricted to 5* Hotels, Golf Courses and Superyacht Marinas? Any scope for private accommodation, all inclusive holidays and a wide tourist offer including bars and restaurants which serve the private sector? What actions and policies are proposed?

Calvia Dpto Extranjero. The importance of the foreign Community to Ayuntamiento de Calvia and future plans for this highly valued department?

Other expat issues.
The responses, including failure of candidates to respond to requested interviews will I hope be of great interest to your readers and persuade those registered to vote to do so.

My best wishes
Geoff Williamson

Dear Sir,
I’m reading your readers letters with utter amazement. Is living in Spain so bad that they have to go back to the UK for health treatment? Have they ever compared a hospital here with one in the UK?
Do they think that Spain doesn’t have a modern, - and far superior, national health service than the UK?
Name withheld


Dear Sir,
In the run up to the UK election BBC 2 has a daily debate among the party spokesmen on different topics. On foreign policy their representatives showed their true colours over the disasters offshore Libya.
The main parties Conservative, Labour and Lib-Dem were like peas in a pod - visibly embarrassed by the results of their blunt & bloody involvement in the over throw of Gadhafi without any follow up policy.
Questioned on the reduced rescue operations and the effect on the death rate had them actually blushing with an occasional stammer.
Asked about the UK immediately providing Royal Navy ships and accepting thousands of refugees on a par with other Europeans pushed them into near apoplexy ignoring a direct answer but stuttering out more planning, more long distance aid and pledging a “contribution” (MDB Wednesday) anything to swing attention away from the hot topic of immigration and the deaths at sea. The minor parties with no hope of power could afford to be plain speaking when the horrors of the Libyan drowning were put to them.
The SNP and Greens were disgusted by the major’s foreign policy and the deaths which they blamed solidly on them.
One had the impression they would like to act immediately according to their more righteous morals and regardless of electoral or financial cost. UKIP put all the blame on European involvement but specified that a greater rescue effort should be exclusively to repatriate the refugees back to Libya except Christians (either on the boats or direct from Syria itself).
I found this last stipulation mind boggling that in 21st Century in Britain the holy war is not exclusive to ISIS Muslims.


Mike Lillico
Playa de Palma