Monte Paraiso - Newsletter May 2006


	MONTE PARAISO NEWSLETTER
	May 2006

Issue 2
May 2006

Special Points Of Interest:
Green Gold
Gibraltar Airport
Postal Service
Guardia Civil La Cala
Malaga Hospital
Junta’s Territorial Plan
Book Review
Fire Ball Crosses the Costa

Inside this issue:
Spring greetings
Drought restrictions
New Owners
Security
Community Gardens
A.G.M New Date

Ron F. Birch - President (No 48)
ronbirch@monteparaiso.net

Dear Owner
With another long and inclement winter behind us, spring has at long last settled with warmer sunny days. The "May Day" holiday weekend witnessed a substantial influx of visitors, the weather was good and the beaches crowded. The temperature of the water in our pools is still cold, unless you are one of our Scandinavian owners, where the experience of the lower water temperatures is pleasant and enjoyable.

Andalucia’s regional government is to lift the official drought restrictions in force for part of the Costa del Sol from early June, exact date to be determined.

With the La Conception reservoir fuller and newly desalination water becoming available, supplies are now guaranteed for the summer between Torremolinos and Manilva. Improved water management has proved to be an efficient strategy to tackle the recent drought. However the water authorities are advocating that people should not become complacent because of this good news, be aware of the need to restrict water consumption wherever possible.

New Owners:
Monte Paraiso Community welcome the following new owners, No.15 Mr. & Mrs. Michael Hart and No. 49 Mr. & Mrs. John Lewis, both being from the UK. The Board of Management and myself wish you and your families every success and trust that you enjoy living on our multi national community.

Please collect your welcome pack from the Fisem Administration office. The folder contains information about living on the community. The office is located at No.1, Ave. Espana, which is opposite the church near the roundabout at the entrance to Sitio de Calahonda.

Security:
Since my February newsletter there has been one "Break-in" which occurred at the beginning of April at No. 28. The intruders broke in through the lounge window and absconded with a substantial sum of money.

Prior to this incident the community had been without any reported felonies since Christmas 2005.

Always be vigilant when answering your door!! Friends of Molly and Jim Wills (No. 53) who have an apartment in Riviera Del Sol herd their doorbell ring late one evening. The husband answered the door to be sprayed in the face with an aerosol by a man outside, who tried to push the door open and enter the apartment. The husband reacted quickly and with the help of his wife, was able to push the intruder out and shut door. They both had to be treated to wash the harmful gaseous liquid from their face and eyes.

They did not have a Rejilla (Grille) in front of their door. (They do now!)

Moral of the Story:
A. Make sure you know who is their before opening your door.
B. If you have a Rejilla (Grille) keep it locked at all times.
C. If you don’t have a Rejilla (Grille) consider installing one.

Another reminder that the security of your home rests with you as the owner. Make sure that your house contents insurance is current and that you have adequate cover which includes windows, front and basement doors, metal bars and metal lockable gates. Seriously consider an ALARM system and IR sensor lights at the front and back of the property. A heavy gauge metal safe, professionally installed, for the protection of your valuables is another recommendation.

Community Gardens:
After the hard cut back earlier this year the trees, bushes and scrubs are showing signs of recovering and new growth is very noticeable especially with the oleander. Unfortunately the new growth will take several months to become established and reduce the exposure still prevalent in many parts of the community and restore the privacy around the pool areas.

A cautionary note about the oleander plant; the oleander is an evergreen perennial bush originating from the Mediterranean but is classified as a poisonous plant. The poisonous effects of the oleander have been well known for centuries. The characteristic poisoning symptoms are: nausea, vomiting, accelerated or retarded heartbeat. Please pass this information on to your families and guests, especially if they have young children who play in the gardens.

The second new Basura deposit, partially built into the wall area beneath group "E" gardens, opposite the post casita will house two 875 L Mijas type wheelie bins. The position of the existing 1000 L grey bin, near the telephone box on the corner, presents both a health and traffic hazard and is unsightly. This Basura container will be repositioned within the other new deposit, built earlier this year, opposite the gardens that span villas no. 34 and No.38 beneath the water tower. We now have greater capacity for house hold refuge at both these new locations.

Green Gold:
Olive oil has become almost a luxury product in Spain, as prices have risen by 44 percent in the past year, now known as Spain’s "green gold". But the rising prices have not escaped the notice of the organised criminal gangs who have mounted a series of raids on olive oil plants in Andalusia in recent months, stealing some 500,000 litres.

Gibraltar Airport:
The Chief Minister of Gibraltar, claimed in Madrid recently that they were "very close" to an agreement with the Spanish Government regarding the joint use of Gibraltar Airport. The trilateral debate is between representatives from Gibraltar, the UK and Spain.

Improved Postal Services:
The Mijas Town Hall has started negotiations with the "Correos" postal service to try enlarging the service given at the new office that opened recently in the new Hipercor Commercial Centre Mijas. The intention of the Mayor and the councillors is to try and offer a larger range of services so that people do not have to journey to the Fuengirola post office.

At the moment only letters for posting are accepted. The Town Hall wants the office to also collect and deliver post.

Guardia Civil:
After being closed for five months, the Guardia Civil Office in La Cala, C/Cartama, is to open again from 9 – 14 hrs.

Naming of Hospital Now Agreed:
Further to my note in the February Newsletter regarding the proposed name change of Carlos Haya Hospital in Malaga. A solution has been found to the local dispute over the proposed change. Although the health authorities had decided to rename the hospital Blas Infante, "Father of the Andalucian Lands", many local people was against the change. As a compromise, the hospital building will continue to bear the name Carlos Haya, but the complex as a whole will be known as the Blas Infante Hospital Complex. The original hospital block is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary later this year.

Junta’s Plan Given Green Light:
The Junta de Andalucia’s "Plan de Ordenacion Territoral" (P.O.T), which will regulate development on the Costa del Sol in the future, is to go ahead after receiving a favourable vote endorsing the plan. The plan will be given the green light by the provincial Town planning department this month as the first step to its definitive approval by the regional government. Mijas and Estepona councils agreed that the P.O.T will be beneficial in terms of protecting the green belt and other restricted campo and beach front areas. "About 20 years too late".

Book Review:
You & the Law in Spain: 21st. Anniversary Edition. Major changes in income and capital gains taxes, new restrictions on smoking and a crackdown on irresponsible drivers, are just some of the key legislative chances that feature in this special anniversary edition. This is another of David Searl’s classic "bible for foreigners in Spain".

Weather you’re a resident or a holiday-home owner, whether you’re about to buy a property or sell one, You & the Law in Spain continues to guide you authoritatively through the minefield of Spanish law. Besides information relating to your home and property, guidance is given on moving to Spain, working and starting a business, taxes, insurance, your community rights and obligations and a wealth of other issues that readers have valued over the years such as the translation, with commentary, of the Horizontal Law. This 2006 -7 edition also features a brand new quick reference section offering advice on what to do in a variety of situations like being in a traffic accident or wanting to make a complaint.

Available direct and from bookshops throughout Spain. ISBN: 84-89954-54-2 Price: €24,90.

Fireball Crosses the Costa del Sol:
The ball of fire in the sky was an asteroid disintegrating, a phenomenon very rarely seen in Spain.

Sightings were reported in Mijas, Marbella, Malaga and the Granada and Cadiz coastline. It happened late in the evening on Saturday April 15th. And was captured on camera at the Mayora Experimental Station in Algarrobo Costa, where the robotic astronomical camera is located.

Asteroids do not hit the Earth often, but when they do, the results can be catastrophic.

A.G.M:
Please note that because of booking difficulties the new date for this year AGM is the 6th.October 2006. The venue is the same as last year at El Campanario. Full details will be sent out to all owners in July. Book your flights now to get the best deals. Hope to see you all at this charming venue.

Yours Truly,

Ron F. Birch,
President.