Humphrey Carter10/08/2016 00:00
TW
2

What is the problem? The summer began with a backlash against the great swarms of tourists, in particular cruise passengers, flooding Palma. Some objectors armed themselves with spray cans to publish their disapproval on the walls of some of the city’s most emblematic buildings.

And now, residents living near the port are up in arms over the noise made by the merchant vessels and ferries.

Let us put this into perspective. Firstly, the commercial sector, which helps to drive the local economy and creates all important jobs, has welcomed the surge in visitors to the capital, and revenue has risen significantly this year. Secondly, the bulk of the contents on board the ferries and merchant ships are consumer goods, be it food or domestic items, all the things we need to exist as an island.

The city council has said that it is sympathetic to the complaints from residents but there is nothing it can do.

Also, I am sorry, but if you live near a busy port, surely you must have taken into account at some point that it may be noisier than living in the countryside, for example. What about the poor people living under the flight paths?

The Balearic Ports Authority has said that it does its best to berth ferries as far away from residential areas as possible but that is about all it can do. At the end of the day, Palma is a port city, has been for centuries, and scores of people would love to have those views.