Opposition party claims Palma's car parking “gorillas” are becoming a social problem

The car parkers, or “gorillas” as they are colloquially known, are now operating in more areas of the city than was the case just a few months ago, said the PP. A spokesman for the party acknowledged that the problem is “a complex one with no easy solution” and that it needs to be addressed by the combined efforts of several different Council departments.

The PP argued that it was not just a question of stopping the activities of a few eccentric people, but rather helping a community that is at risk of being excluded from the fabric of society because they are viewed publicly as “undesirable.” It's a duty of the Council, said the PP spokesman, to take the issue seriously and use its power to offer an alternative life for the afflicted.

One of the most negative aspects of “gorilla” practices, said the PP spokesman, is that there is no control over their activities. People don't want their services, he said, whether they be legal or illegal.

He claimed that it was not the first time that the Mayor of Palma, Aina Calvo had been called to integrate the “gorillas” into a Council department so that they can receive a fair wage to live on rather than depending on the tips of drivers. “So far,” the spokesman said, “all that has happened is that the practice has grown even more.”