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Security forces agree to tackle drugs, professional misrepresentation and road safety

junta local seguretat2015Today midday in the plenary hall of the Formentera Council, local security forces once again assembled to form a task force on safety dubbed locally la Junta Local de Seguretat. The event constituted the junta's first meeting since 23 April of last year; the resignation of Rafael García Vila, head of the national administration in the Pitiüses, meant a year-end session would be impossible.

Gatherings of the Junta Local are conceived as a way to target and coordinate the efforts of different local security forces, focusing on which issues are of top priority for the local administration and citizens' groups. To that end and at a gathering held at the town council, 3 March was the date local groups were called on to share their principal concerns with Council president Jaume Ferrer.

Attendees of today's meeting included President Ferrer; the newly-appointed local head of the national administration, Roger Sales; local safety advisor to the national administration, Jesús Valdés Campos; chief of the local Formentera police force, Joan Mayans; lieutenant colonel of the Guárdia Civil, Antonio Orantes; commissioner of the national police force in Eivissa, José Luis Santafé; commander of the Guárdia Civil in Eivissa, Antonio del Fresno; sergeant of the Guárdia Civil in Formentera, Francisco Blanco; representative of Formentera Civil Protection services, Raul Moya; representative of the Partido Popular, Pedro Orellana and representing the Partido Socialista, Santi Juan.

First among the talking points were the need to increase safety in and around school zones, especially concerning drug prevention; the necessity for a year-round presence of Guárdia Civil traffic officers; the dangerousness of certain points along the main highway (such as the segment that passes in front of the Es Mirador lookout) and other points along secondary asphalted roads.

Also discussed was the need to control dog attacks on livestock. Looking ahead toward summer, special emphasis was placed on the importance of protecting local licenced workers from unfair professional encroachment as well as remaining vigilant against the so-called 'party boats' and watercraft that anchor upon posidònia seaweed.