Sr. Benavides’s party in Almuñécar, the CA/PA, has decided to create a special prize in honour of the recently deceased Pepe (Chispa) Matías.

Many foreigners won’t have known Pepe, who was the town-hall chief electrician, but all the locals do and his passing has left a huge indelible mark upon Almuñécar, hence the Taramay park being renamed in his honour.

This prize could be viewed with skepticism, coming from a political party – some may consider that it is an attempt to cash in, but I personally don’t think that this is the case because those 23 years that Pepe worked as the municipal Chief Electrician, the ex-Mayor Benavides was at the helm the vast majority of the time.

Whatever the reason behind this yearly award in his honour, I doubt that anybody who was close to him would object.

The first prize award ceremony will be in December 2014, coinciding with the first anniversary of his death.

Lastly, there will be a commemorative plaque placed in his honour at the Centro Andaluz, behind the main-road gasolinera.

(News: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)