News
Spokesman Armijo
Nerja ’ s former mayor , José Alberto Armijo of the Partido Popular , is his party ’ s new spokesman in the town ahead of next year ’ s municipal elections . Armijo will become mayor once again if the PP defeat the present left-wing coalition at Nerja Town Hall . He is also amongst over 30 people presently under investigation in connection with an huge illegal rubbish dump at Rio de la Miel .
New ferries
New ferry services linking Málaga with Melilla and Ceuta were due to launch on June 30 . Passengers and merchandise are carried to the two north African enclaves while a route to Tangiers , starting later this month , will be goods only . Compañía Marítima Alborá is operating links to Melilla every weekday and to Ceuta twice weekly .
Walls found
Two walls from the Roman era have been discovered in Almuñécar . The find in calle San Joaquín came as municipal workers were upgrading drainage and pavements in the area . For safety , the walls have only be excavated to the depth of a metre but they contain plaster which suggests an original pavement could lie beneath them .
Handbag snatch
An off-duty police officer in Málaga acted quickly when he saw two youths running while carrying handbags and pursued by the women from whom they had been stolen . He intercepted the pair after 300 metres , detaining one and recovering the property . The women said that they had been sitting quietly in a park in the city when the youths snatched their bags and ran off .
Nerja closure
One of Nerja ’ s oldest shops is closing . Som Cerezo in calle La Cruz opened in 1950 to sell domestic appliances and many other items , including supplying wedding lists . The family has also been responsible for documenting Nerja ’ s development in photographs during the intervening 68 years . The site at the entrance to the town ’ s main underground car park is likely to be redeveloped into apartments .
See Smalltalk on page 20
Nerja Museum new appointment halted
Controversy abounded in Nerja last month as a process was already underway to appoint a new curator of the town ’ s museum in Plaza de España . The museum is managed by the Nerja Caves Foundation and the contract of the outgoing director , archaeologist Juan Bautista Salado , was due to expire on June 30 .
Suitably qualified candidates for the position were given until May 28 to submit their applications and on June 6 , a commission established by Nerja ’ s mayor to make the appointment met to draw up a short list .
However , a media report then suggested that the regional authorities were unhappy with the “ express contest ” to fill the vacancy so soon after the Partido Popular lost a vote of confidence in the lower house of Parliament . The arrival of a new socialist government , it continued , will result in changes at the government ’ s sub-offices in the province of Málaga , which in turn could affect the membership of the management committee of the Nerja Caves Foundation .
A demonstration in Málaga last month claimed that the province ’ s health care system was in decline . Around 2,500 people representing trades unions , professional bodies , residents ’ associations and patient groups marched through the city to protest about heavy workloads and understaffing .
Their main concern was staffing levels and the demonstrators carried banners reading , “ Fed up with lies and failures .” They want all the staff who take summer holidays to be replaced with temporary workers , whereas at present , they claim the regional health services only covers 56 per cent of positions ; this , they say , leads to bed closures , cancelled operations and fewer
Nerja Museum , Plaza de España
As a result of the report , Nerja ’ s mayor Rosa Arrabal of the socialist PSOE party suspended a meeting of the appointment commission at which candidates were to be evaluated .
The Nerja Caves Foundation responded with arguments that the appointment procedure started on May 4 , a month before the motion of no confidence in Parliament , in addition to which , the role of curator has a “ strictly technical profile ” which demands archaeological knowledge related to the contents of the Nerja Museum . It added that the accusations were “ misplaced ” and “ an attempt to confuse public opinion .”
Málaga health care demonstration
consultations at a time when tourist number boost the population to its annual peak .
Amongst other demands , the marchers also called for a swift decision to be made on construction of a promised new 800-bed hospital in the city , as well as demanding the complete opening of the Hospital del Guadalhorce in Coín .
Responding to the demonstration , the Junta de Andalucía said that many efforts are being made to revitalize the region ’ s health system . In a statement , it said this includes the hiring of 3,700 people , with more professionals arriving to cover leave during the summer months .
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