Have you heard the one about the The Mayor, Costas and a few fairground rides? Well, sit back and immerse yourself in the mud-wrestling event that is local politics.
The whole story centres around an ‘alleged’ telephone call received on the 17th March at the Town Hall from Costas, which in effect said that permission had been refused for the installation of fairground rides on the paseo for this year’s San Jose event.
Bearing in mind, there was allegedly no official documentation to back up this refusal. Not a letter or even an email as some sort of confirmation of the call. However, the Town Hall immediately issued a statement against Costas and their PSOE rulers saying that, “They once again show a lack of respect for the people of the village, and a clear desire to hurt the residents of Almuñécar and La Herradura”.
They allege that the call came from the Provincial Service department of the Director General of Costas and Ministry of the Environment, and it was made clear during the conversation that there would be no permit issued to allow the fairground rides to be erected. The Town Hall appear to have admitted this was only an ‘oral refusal’ (and we’ve all had a few of those!), however they still described the action as inappropriate, unfair and disproportionate.
However, despite the Benavides fist shaking and strong words, all the rides were in place as usual, and the only concern amongst visitors and locals was the weather. So what was all the fuss about, and what was the PSOE take on this, “There is no document to suggest Costas wanted to prohibit the construction of the fairground, and there is no record of any of any telephone call refusing the permit, despite the muck spreading words from the Town Hall”, said an angry secretary of the PSOE in Almuñécar and La Herradura, Francisco Prados, after learning about what he called a ‘hoax’.
According to the socialists, Costas had no intention, at any time, of prohibiting the fair, and Mr. Prados went on to say that the Mayor showed “The height of disloyalty and contempt for La Herradura by disseminating false information without regard for the importance of the San Jose festival to Herradureños”.
Mr Prados believes that the Mayor is punishing residents of La Herradura for their lack of support to him and believes that “He should stop trying to poison citizens against democracy and showing their will and he should stop creating alarm among our townsfolk, who only seek to celebrate their festivals in peace, and to end his campaign of punishment against La Herradura”.
Strong words all round, and probably music to the ears of the independence movement.
S.P. Just before going to press, the Town Hall have produced a document that they allege is from Costas confirming all that they claimed about the alleged refusal of a permit. The story continues…