ARTA
MEMBERS of the Environmental Group GOB yesterday visited the land where the power company Gesa Endesa is planning to build a wind park. This site is in Arta near to one of the most protected areas of Majorca and near to the Betlem Hermitage. Indeed this area was turned into a natural park a year ago. The electrical company plans to install seven wind turbines there, each one measuring 85 metres high and 90 metres in wing diameter and are capable of producing 2'000kw. Spokespeople from the Environmental Group say that it is a great shame that Gesa is thinking of using this protected area, as it will mean that “the countryside will be greatly changed”. This area has been classified as a Special Interest Natural Area in the Law for Natural Spaces and GOB members think that a wind park will cause environmental impacts. As a result GOB is asking that the wind park is installed in a different location on the island.

Tax raises

CALVIA
THE socialist party in the Calvia town council has warned that taxes will increase this year. The spokesperson for the socialist party (PSOE), Antoni Manchado, said that the budgets presented by the right wing party (PP) and the Majorcan Unionist Party (UM) hide a considerable increase in taxes. Even though there is a 5 percent decrease in the tax on houses (IBI), the Calvia town council intends to collect 3 million euros more than 2004 from the tax payers, he added. This added burden will mean that each resident will end up paying 100 euros more at the end of this year. Manchado also said that according to the 2005 budget, the money collected from waste, sewerage and water taxes will not actually be invested in Calvia 2000, which is the company that manages all these services.

Information centres

SOLLER
THE Balearic Women's Institute will be creating a new legal information centre for women in Soller this year, said the President of the Women's Institute, Isabel Llinàs. With the addition of this new centre, there will be eight legal information points in Majorca (Capdepera, Manacor, Petra, Binissalem, Alcudia, Pollensa and Llucmajor). These centres offer free legal services to women on all types of matters, from family, civil rights and work rights. Two lawyers will work at these centres and offer free advice to all women on the island. The centres have been spread out in this way so that women can easily get to a centre even in the face of work responsibilities. Women can visit these centres and get in contact with the lawyers, they can also phone for information. The lawyers will assess their situation and advice them or send them to other professionals if needs be. These information centres will offer advice on family matters (separation, divorce), civil rights (work contracts, inheritance, sexual abuse and other crimes), as well as other administration advice on pensions, working abroad. There was an increase in consultations in these centres last year, up by 24 percent when compared with 2003.

Compensation

ALCUDIA, BUGER, CAMPANET
THE Zapatero Government have finally given the green light to give those farmers, who lost substantial amounts of crops during the cold weather, financial aid. The freezing temperatures during the winter caused severe crop losses for farmers in Alcudia, Buger, Campanet, Muro and Santa Margalida. The socialist spokesperson for agriculture, Viçenc Tur, said yesterday that the Ministry for Agirculture will give the Balearic Islands between 6 and 7 million euros. The aim is to compensate those farmers who had damaged crops. Farmers who lost over 30 percent of crops and who are insured, will get 50 percent of compensation from the central Government and the remaining will be funded by the Balearic department for agriculture, headed by Margalida Moner.

Charity concert

MURO
THE Balearic ONG Development Organisation (CONGDIB) have organised a charity concert tonight. The Majorcan Musical Bands have also helped organise this event which will raise money for those areas affected by the tsunami last Decmeber. The show will be a musical and dancing spectacular and has been sponosored by the Muro town council, Palma city council, Social Services Institute and the Balañá company. Tickets cost ten euros and are on sale at the Musicasa shops.

Air display

SES SALINES
TOMORROW the S'Olivo air field in Ses Salines will be transformed into a fantastic air display show. There will be many helicopters on show, helicopters from the security and police services as well as from the Biodiversity government department. At the event there will be a Puma 330 helicopter from the 801 squadron of the Air Force. There will also be a sea and rescue helicopter from the Guardia Civil, a BO-105 model, as well as another BO-105 from the National Police force. In addition there will be a Bell 407 helicopter on show from the Ibanat government department, and the AS-350 B3 from the Sky Helicopters flying school.