“Reinforcements” requested against illegal street trading

Pimeco's President, Bernard Coll was holding a meeting yesterday with newly arrived Central Government Delegate in the Balearics, Teresa Palmer, in which he claimed that the illegal traders were now focusing their activities on the coastal tourist resorts where it was harder to exert control. Coll explained to Palmer, in what was their first meeting, the fact that Local Police control against street traders in the centre of Palma and along the Playa de Palma had become quite effective but this had simply had the effect of pushing the practice to further outlying areas of the island.

Coll said that the illegal traders failed to abide by any of the laws with which bona fide retailers had to comply. “They don't pay tax on sales, for any premises, insurance, their self-employed stamps ... the street vendors are unfair competition ,” he alleged. Coll said that allowing the practice to continue was not fair on any of his members and that he wanted individual town councils to take strong action.

Coll meanwhile said that although violence and robbery against smaller retailers had not increased, quite recently there had been an upturn in the level of violence in larger premises such as department stores.