News

Seniors get collective nod with Formentera's gold medal honour

Monday, 18 July 2016 16:40

ple distincions 2016 Earlier today CiF councillors convened in a one-off plenary that was aimed at choosing recipients of the Council's series of honorary accolades. Councillors selected winners of the Medalla d'Or, Premis Sant Jaume 2016, and the Fill Adoptiu, a title awarded yearly to Formentera's so-called “adoptive child”. The prizes will be handed out next Sunday, July 24, as part of the city's commemorative act marking the Diada de Formentera. The ceremony gets under way at 8.00pm in the cinema.

Members of the plenary agreed unanimously to award Formentera's golden honour to elderly residents of the island. The Medalla d'Or is a commendation for Formentera seniors' actively disseminating and protecting intangible homegrown cultural traditions through participation in a year-long schedule of activities.

Premis Sant Jaume
The Sant Jaume prize this year goes to Ràdio Illa, and is a nod to the thirty years of work carried out by everyone who participated in creating the island's first radio station, in 1986. In a process where young people were the key players, Ràdio Illa become a trusted source for news, culture and entertainment.

An additional Premi Sant Jaume will be awarded to Can Jeroni bakery in recognition for more than eighty years of service. Passed down from generation to generation, the family business continues today, and workers use traditional craft methods to produce the bread, desserts and sweets that make up part of the island's gastronomy.

The third Premi Sant Jaume will go to Fòrum per la memòria d'Eivissa i Formentera, a forum to protect historical memory. An intensely dedicated and volunteer-based operation, the forum exists to defend the memory of all those that were violently persecuted for ideological, political or religious reasons and victims of the Spanish Civil War under Franco. It is aimed at working towards reconciliation, understanding and justice, as well as respecting pluralism and a peaceful defence of ideas.

Fill adoptiu
Plenary members agreed to bestow the honour of adoptive son (fill adoptiu) on Jacques Leon Laurent (Belgium, 1930). The distinction is a salute to Laurent's pioneering work, both bringing sailing and windsurfing to Formentera, and promoting the sports long term, by organising sporting events that are important still today, like the Volta a Formentera windsurf competition. Laurent is recognised as having planted the seed of dedicated practice among many of those that form the sport's local elite today.

The prizes the Council awards are meant to provide public recognition of noble acts that are an asset for the local community. The Council values individuals and groups that have endeavoured to protect the traditions, interests and identity of Formentera's people.

CiF takes Sant Jaume 2016 programme to people

Wednesday, 13 July 2016 18:38

roda premsa sanjaume Today in press conference, CiF culture councillor Susana Labrador unveiled the festivities programme the Council is organising to ring in this year's Sant Jaume commemoration. Formentera's annual holiday will be marked by a programme extending from July 18 to 29. According to the councillor, organisers “strived to combine homegrown customs —like traditional dance in the church square the day of Sant Jaume— with activities that appeal to all audiences; residents and tourists, young and old.”

Cultural activities:
Sant Francesc will don its finest garb as it plays host to a flurry of special events on and around the Sant Jaume holiday. The programme kicks off on Tuesday July 19 with the opening of Formentera-resident Isabel Echarri's exhibition, Vida y Muerte II, on display at the gallery of the old town hall (Ajuntament Vell) and sa Tanca Vella. Also on Tuesday, at 10.00pm in jardi de ses Eres, the 1933 version of King Kong will be screened as part of Open-Air Cinema (Cinema a la Fresca). Thursday July 21, the symphonic orchestra of the Balearic Islands will present Cornogràfics, a concert interpreted by a trumpet quartet. Tuesday July 26, the theatre group Espai_F will once again put on Perdius.

Official ceremony, July 24:
The Council's official commemoration of Formentera's patron saint will take place at the local cinema, July 24 at 8.00pm. At the ceremony, honorary awards will be delivered to the island's best and brightest, to be chosen at next Monday's extraordinary plenary session.

Activities for kids and teens:
Organisers were sure to include plenty of events for young people in this year's celebration, and first among them is Mr. Parfum, a children's stage production by Festuc Teatre. There will also be a prep session at the library ahead of the Youth Flower Party and a special kids' space set up at jardí de ses Eres (July 23) with a fitness area, face-painting, video games and more.

This year, young music fans are in for a treat with an evening dedicated to rap music. Dacara, Juan Vidal and Jazz will be on hand to oversee the event. According to Councillor Labrador, “the 2016 Sant Jaume programme includes requests made by Formentera youth at the most recent youth participatory council.”

Sports activities:
Sports are on the agenda too, on Sant Jaume. The councillor highlighted tennis and paddleball tournaments next week and a youth synchronised swim exhibition as well.

Music and concerts (July 22-25):
The four central days of Sant Jaume will be marked by musical performances, starting with Formentera's much-loved evening of jazz. That week only, Jazz in the Square (Jazz a la Plaça) will take place on Sunday July 24 in lieu of its customary Saturday slot, making room for the hotly-anticipated Flower Formentera on Saturday July 23. Rounding out the events calendar will be performances by the legendary group of Pitiüsa-natives, Uc, on Friday, and on Monday (the eve of Sant Jaume), concerts by Kiko Veneno and Catarres.

Labrador wished all of Formentera a fun-filled week of Sant Jaume celebrations. Organisation for the event cost 50,000 euros.

Council unveils new inspection service

Tuesday, 05 July 2016 16:49

Presentacio cos inspeccio Today, on the steps of the Casa Consistorial, the Formentera Council rolled out its new inspection service. At the event were CiF president's office councillor Bartomeu Escandell, councillor of land, tourism and trade Alejandra Ferrer and environment councillor Daisee Aguilera, along with the inspection staff and two recently hired members of the Formentera police force.

Pointing out that the inspection service had been in place for shortly over a week, Councillor Ferrer described the division's role: “To ensure businesses' proper use of public walkways and to enforce the island's ban on 'dynamic publicity'”. Another new endeavour: active monitoring of web-based tourist services, a move it is hoped will assist in articulating long-term protocol.

Ferrer said these first months would be spent “tracking patterns and gathering information” so the Council could adapt regulations to the particular needs that pop up. The inspection service team is composed of nine workers, five enforcement agents, three inspectors and one coordinator. In the coming weeks two new controllers will join the service's ranks.

Environment advocates
Three of the enforcement agents are staff of Formentera's Office of Environment. Department head Daisee Aguilera highlighted the addition this summer of an extra staff member to the inspection crew, who will coordinate activity between Council departments. The three agents —or 'environment advocates'— will be tasked with “supervising correct waste disposal, carrying out checks of beaches and waterfront concession services”. As Aguilera pointed out, this year's inspection service also includes an outreach person for environmental issues. Inspection service workers will have use of the electric Meharis that Citroën recently donated to the island.

Greater police presence
For his part, Councillor Escandell of the president's office introduced two Formentera police officers that started work on July 1. He said the force's expansion reflected a desire by the Council to “lighten the load placed on the local Formentera police force.” Furthermore, he explained that the service, whose staff positions are filled by Council employees, was aimed at “coordinating inspection efforts, checks and safety efforts to ensure rules are upheld and Formentera continues to be a place that balances leisure with tranquility”.

Council reminds local businesses of rural ad ban

Friday, 08 July 2016 16:32

The Formentera Council's Office of Land wishes to remind residents and businesses of the ban in place on advertising in rural areas. The restriction is anchored by Formentera subsidiary regulations as well as an island ordinance on so-called “dynamic advertising”. Local inspection services have begun articulating a study on signs found across Formentera, especially those that are devoted to promoting private businesses. The current regulations are expected to be updated based on the study's conclusions and removal orders and penalties will be issued accordingly. Those announcements were laid out earlier today by CiF land, tourism and trade councillor Alejandra Ferrer.

Ferrer mentioned that a removal order had recently been issued to a business-owner for emblazoning advertising on his rural storefront. According to Formentera subsidiary code, the individual must now return the property to its original state — that is, paint it either white or sand-coloured. Failing that, the Council will take up the task itself at the owner's expense and CiF legal services will study whether or not to seek punitive measures. Ferrer said the effort was part of a push “to protect landscapes and avoid a surge of advertising across the island”. She asked local tradesman to contact Formentera's Office of Land, Tourism and Trade before putting up signs and posters so that the office could indicate to them when and how to do so legally.

Briefing on inspection service

Monday, 04 July 2016 22:47

Tomorrow, Tuesday, July 5 at 1.00pm, the Formentera Council (CiF) will unveil the administration's new inspection service (Servei d'Inspecció) on the steps of the municipal building, la Casa Consistorial. The presentation will be led by Bartomeu Escandell, president's office councillor, Alejandra Ferrer, councillor of land, and Daisee Aguilera, environment councillor, and will be followed by a media briefing in the plenary hall.