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Joan Collins THE national Government will today appoint a Majorcan civilian, Joan Mesquida, as head of the Guardia Civil. After months of rumours it has been decided that Carlos Gomez Arruche, the current head of the Guardia Civil, will be replaced. The Majorcan civilian who will be appointed in his place, Joan Mesquida, is from the Ministry of Defence. Mesquida was Minister for Tax and Finance between 1999 and 2003 in the Balearic Government led by the socialist Francesc Antich. Jose Bono, who recently resigned as national Minister of Defence, appointed him to the post of director general of the Infrastructures department in the Ministry of Defence in April 2004. He has degrees in Political Science, Sociology and Law from the University of Madrid. During his career he has worked for Arthur Andersen and Garrigues Anderson. The deputy leader of the Balearic Government, Rosa Estaras, said yesterday that she considered his appointment a “great honour and satisfaction”. She added that it was “great news” and she was sure that Mesquida would have a “special sensitivity” towards the islands. She said that there was a “total accord” on the part of the Balearic Government to “struggle together” to improve the situation in the islands. The President of the Council of Majorca, Maria Antonia Munar, also welcomed the appointment of Mesquida to head the Guardia Civil. She said that she hoped that he would “resolve the necessities” for the island of Majorca. She added that she was “very satisfied” by the appointment.