News from Andalucia, and the Costa del Sol
In association with
MARCH 8th - MARCH 14th
JOSE CARRERAS SINGS IN ESTEPONA
Top tenor, José Carreras, gave a recital as part of the official presentation of the luxury Torre Bermeja development which is to be built in the Guadalmansa urbanisation in Estepona. All profits from his recital are destined for the José Carreras International Foundation for Leukaemia Research.
ALHAMBRA WATER SECRETS
New areas of the Alhambra Palace in Granada are now open to the public. Large water tanks located at the highest part of the Generalife Gardens help to explain the ingenious gravity fed water irrigation system and can now be viewed under the Attraction of the Month Programme, allowing visits to groups of 25 people or less.
A STEP FORWARD FOR MALAGA PORT TALKS
Málaga council has reached an agreement with three owners of private land close to the port, under which plans to redevelop part of the area can now finally go ahead.
The project to extend the Poniente promenade and create a new access to the port area, have a total budget of 8,000 million pesetas. However, the main project to set up a new leisure centre in the port area remains on hold, with work now not expected to start until September.
The plan to open the port to the city, as has been done so successfully in Barcelona, has a total investment of 12,000 million pesetas and was awarded to two multinational development companies in March last year - the British company "Chelverton" and the Australian "Land Lease".
PLANNING REGULATIONS TO BE MET
Since then the need for agreement between the city council and the port on the planning regulations involved has stopped the project from going ahead. The siting of a planned new multi-cinema complex and bookshop are the main issues concerned. The development should be completed by May 2002 when Málaga host the Cutty Sark regatta, but some observers think the project will be delayed a year and finally open in 2003, with the next municipal elections.
A GREENER MALAGA
The delegate for the Environment of regional council, Ignacio Trillo, has announced that his department is currently funding reforestation programmes in 64 municipalities across Málaga Province. He said that last year a million new plants were placed on the Montes de Málaga area, and that this year so far the number across the province had already reached 700,000, thanks in part to favourable weather conditions.
Sr. Trillo said that there were still more than 1,500,000 plants to be planted by the end of this year. In his opinion, forest maintenance was a year round job adding that a new school information programme was being aimed at 7,800 schoolchildren in the province.
ANTEQUERA HISTORY
The Mayor of Antequera, Jesús Romero, has suggested that a new history park be set up to promote the dolmens in the town, some of which are more than 5,000 years old. He suggests this be funded by local and provincial councils, together with banks and local businessmen. An empty building in the Parque de Los Dólmenes could be the ideal place to house the project.
CUDECA GRANTED FOUNDATION STATUS
Cudeca has taken a major step forward by being granted Foundation status by the Consejeria de Asuntos Sociales in Sevilla.
This has enabled Cudeca to appoint a board of highly reputable, very distinguished members of the medical, legal and commercial professions to serve as trustees. "It is reassuring to know that the long term future of the hospice is in such capable hands and we are most grateful to all who have agreed to serve" said the Association's President, Joan Hunt, who is also the Founder and President of the Foundation.
It was also announced that 25 million pesetas has been allocated to building the next phase of the hospice leaving around 115 million needed to complete the construction including the 12 bed in-patients wing.
Now that Cudeca are working from their new Centre in Arroyo, the medical department can expand the care given to patients and their families by creating
1. An
area allocated to work and co-ordination of the Home Care teams.
2. An area allocated to an Out-patients Department, including those attending
appointments for counselling, consulting the doctors, nurses, social worker
and psychologist.
3. An area designed for the equipping and functioning a Day Centre in the
near future, which will include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, complementary
therapies, assisted bath, hairdresser etc.
The annual
report also included details of big increases in the income from the eight
Cudeca benefit shops and from fundraising with the tremendous inspirations
of Maurice Boland's "Raise the Roof" campaigns on Radio OCI Marbella,
which raised a record total of around 70 million pesetas in two years, and
a growth of public awareness in both the Spanish and International communities.
EIGHTY COUNTRIES UNDER ONE ROOF
The English College, St. Anthony's, which was founded 32 years ago, caters for students from 80 different countries at its spacious premises at Mijas Golf. The current number of students stands at 280 who are taught both English and Spanish, and are educated up to British GCSE standard.
A WINTERS WALKWAY
Estepona intends to remodel the Avenida España to provide a winter walkway. The first phase of the project will run from the fishing quarter to the Arroyo Melonar. The walkway will be six metres wide, which will be separated from the traffic by a row of lights, palm trees and decorative balls.
MORE LIGHT IN MANILVA
Manilva Town Hall have allocated funds for urban improvements that include the installation of public lighting, a recreational zone in Sabinillas and the reformation of Calles Duque and Luque.
ESTEPONA CELEBRATES WOMAN'S DAY
Estepona councillor for the Welfare of Woman, Maria Miralles, took part on Monday's planting of flowers surrounding the town's monument to a woman. The event was part of the preparations planned for the International Woman's day which took place on Thursday 8th March.
FHAD TO RETURN?
Speculation is rife that King Fhad of Saudi Arabia intends to take up residence shortly at his Palace in Marbella. The King's son, Prince Abdulaziz, has taken charge of the 19,000 million pesetas project to enlarge the Palace compound. Apart from the King's own Palace, styled on the White House in Washington, there will be luxury mansions for all the King's family.