03/11/2012 00:00
TW
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Palma.—The Mayof Palma, Mateu Isern, yesterday morning led the traditional “All Saints Day” visit by local authorities to municipal cemeteries.
There were no incidents reported or significant traffic delays, Palma's Local Police Commissioner Miguel Pericás said yesterday.
Isern accompanied by other members of t he City Council including former Socialist Mayor Aina Calvo, first paid tribute at the cemetery of Sant Jordi, followed by a visit to Establiments and then finally Palma cemetery. Here, Isern laid wreaths at the civil servants' sepulchre, on the plaque chiselled with the names of those who had died defending liberty, at the Fire Service tomb, and on a common grave site.

Around 40 police officers ensured security during the visit by local dignitaries and for members of the public who were thronging the cemetery sites throughout the day.

The Police Commissioner said that the greatest numbers of people who visited the cemeteries of Sant Jordi, Establiments and Palma had attended between 11am and 1.30pm.

In the afternoon, most people were paying their respects in Palma between 4.30 and 6pm.
As had happened last year, the Mayor and members of the local council had made their visit to the cemeteries aboard a minibus belonging to Palma's municipal transport company EMT. On his arrival at Palma cemetery, Isern had highlighted the spirit of rememberance of the day, which served as a tribute to the family members “who were no longer with us.” The Mayor also pointed to the fact that the respect paid by the public to the departed on “All Saints Day” was deeply rooted in Majorcan tradition.
Speaking yesterday about the numbers of people who had attended the cemeteries for the occasion, Miguel Pericás said that visitor attendance was spread much more equally this year over the municipal grave sites.

Pericás said that on 31st October, the day before “All Saints Day” on the calendar, more people had turned out to visit the cemetery sites than in other years, to clean surfaces of tombs and place fresh flowers. “Visits to the cemeteries are gradually being staggered over more than one day of public holiday,” said Pericás, “which works well because it avoids traffic delays and overcrowding.” The municipal bus company EMT had laid on a special free public transport service in Palma yesterday to ferry people from the centre out to the cemetery. Buses were leaving from Porta de Sant Antoni, in the hope that less people would try and approach the cemetery by car, causing tailbacks.