Meeting May 18 at 11 am

[PSOE2011]

    Goodmorning!

   I would like to introduce the people that accompany me:

   Angels Segura. From Almería town council and part of the current team of the PSOE.

   Theresia Scarborow. No.3 of Our team from Los Llanos.

   Lesley Miller no 8 on our team from los Higuerales, sadly her Husband has been taken very ill and has been taken to Torrecadenas today, and therefore she is unable to join us.

   I believe these are two people who represent perfectly the concept of integration between cultures, and that I think are very valid for candidates they represent, on the one hand,  a mastery of both languages, familiar with the operation of the Spanish administration, and  represent the interests of many citizens of Arboleas.

   First I will give my point of view regarding the idea of integration between neighbours, because it is different from what is offered by other candidates.

   For me, integration is what we have been practicing in recent years, an entirely voluntary process of coexistence between people of different cultures who choose to live together in a common area, knowing the other's culture, and making it easier to relate.

   But we must not forget the importance of the environment in which they occur. We are in Arboleas, our village welcomes British neighbours, but the integration is a cultural event, not administrative. We can not promise that the spanish people will learn other  languages, or that other customs will change our people, because that is  cultural and voluntary, integration is voluntary, and if we tried to impose it  (to make our people, our council, our school, a bilingual space,) the town hall would be imposed.

   We can not make these promises because we have a sense of responsibility, our duty to govern and hope to continue doing so, and therefore do not promise something we know that by law we can not fulfill.

   However, we provide a real integration.

   We have teachers that help children in school to have a real adaptation to language.
For over 6 years we have had negotiations with the delegation of Health for a doctor and a nurse for our medical center to speak English, not an obligation, but a service to the residents.
   At the Town Hall, our administrators provide the best help possible in your language, the law does not oblige us, but we understand that we must give such attention.
   We publish all the information on the town hall in two languages, including participating in forums to issue all the information of interest; we have recently launched a web page WWW. ARBOLEAS. ORG  with information in both languages.
We have spent many years dedicating money to programs and adult school teaching of Spanish to the British residents.

   You participate in our festivals, culture, activities, celebrations, and we of yours, but always on a voluntary basis, for there is nothing that we can do to bring you to know each other. We're doing it in a calm, voluntary way, it is not necessary that you discover this through political manifestos, but by the time spent living and abiding with one another.

   About 3 years ago the Town Hall encouraged the counseling office for a British Help Desk, that assist in processing documents and any type of management with the Spanish administration run by volunteers and entirely outside of politics. Initially, this office had a team that decided to politicize, in order  maintain its independence, the Town Hall dispensed with these people and formed a new team that now works far better and provides the services without any interest or political inclination .

   And the funny thing is that those who speak of integration will only be seen now in elections, remember, think, have we  seen them at a cultural event, a celebration, an act of solidarity, or just now to show us how We must integrate, so I would ask you to reflect about their own interests.

   One area that is of interest to many of you is the social services, well, you should know that in recent years, more than 350 people from across Europe, mostly  British have been treated by our social services, more than 1000 visitors.
Almost 300 cards for discounts to pensioners have been issued, Junta 65. amd 13 people have requested and received attention under the law of dependency.

   From all this we conclude that our team has been working to integrate the services offered by the Spanish authorities to British citizens to benefit from the advantages, to the same extent as the Spanish.
   I am asked many questiones In regard to public security. I would like to tell you that when I joined this town Hall 8 years ago, the town had only one local policeman, now our staff is 4 policemen, One of whom speaks perfect English and others are being trained, we know we need them and need to prepare them, but that takes time, which will soon begin, meanwhile, we have the collaboration and reinforcements of the Guardia Civil whenever cases are deemed necessary.
   And if that does not appear in our program, the reason is that it is part of the normal administration of a municipality, it is part of improving services provided to the citizens.

   We will speak about Urbanism:

   First, to clarify a paragraph in our Magazine on urbanism, it seems that the translation shows that urbanism is a minor issue, not at all, I can assure you to solve these problems is a fundamental pillar of our program, it has taken two years of working on this issue, you have seen me, and I will devote much of my speech today to this issue.

   I wanted to say that it is not only the planning that is important, but that there are also other areas, health, education, culture ... and urbanism.

   Remember. How the neighbourhoods were 8 years ago, if a street was paved or had basic services if they had street lights? Those living here for over 8 years would provide the answer: no.

   That was the model of urbanism that defenders now say that we do so badly, that's how things were left, with disordered growth as we have not finished placing it in order. We have put miles of asphalt and piping for water and sanitation, hundreds of street lights, we have invested 2 million euros to build water tanks, and still they are saying that we have wasted public funding?

   Just look around, there's a difference, now we have all the amenities required for a good life. Whilst we recognize that we still have a long way to go, we understand that some points still need work, but over time we will clean up all areas, it is a long and costly process. But the work is being seen to be done.

   The Gentleman of the PSA, and those who criticize our work of these past 8 years and promote its flawless policy for the previous 20yrs, is the same as voluntarily resigned from politics, in command of the PSOE during those 20 years and left his companions of so long and which had, had such a good relationship. To engage himself in estate agency.

   After his departure, acted as a consultant on urban issues to the Town Hall for two years, at which time it was realized that he was an intermediary in the purchase and sale of land and construction. That meant that their interests were not the same as the town Hall, which then  dispensed with his work.

   From there,  distancing themselves, ending with their participation in previous elections and a campaign to smear his former colleagues. From this you the people of Arboleas realized and he lost his first election.

   The reason for the distance has already been explained in the this scenario, his teammates did not follow his project, his own, not a political group, nor that  of a team, his own. Of course we do not follow anyone's personal project, with many private interests.

   Now try to convince those who do not know him with the same smear campaign leveled at the town Hall, even to personal attacks. Therefore I advise you to take advice well before you go to vote and to ask those who have spent more years living with us, to know who really represent the interests of all.

   The truth is that since I have been mayor I have devoted much time to solving urban problems. I have advocated a paradigm shift, there has not been a single home built outside the ordination plan, and there are problems that are  being regularized.

   I have met with you on many occasions, I've shown you work at a detailed level, I have had personal meetings with representatives and  associations, experts, and propose a model with which there is no further growth  in these developments, developments, which are consolidated and will remain quiet areas they are now.

   I can assure you that we are on track; I assure you that the first group of houses (Los Torres, El Rincón and Los Menchónes) will be regularized in June. And others will follow the same process, because they have favorable reports. You have had all the information and copies of the documents, we do not hide anything.

   The houses in Limaria, La Perla, el Prado and Los Torres will be following and definitely legalized, and the rest the papers have been sent to Sevilla awaiting final reports. I've offered to give detailed information, at any time, on each of your homes, and must know that I will continue doing so.

   And another new lie, it will be you who pay for services and regulation of these homes. Remember, never has this  council or  this  mayor  asked for money to change anything to do with the land, or that  you to give up land for legalization? You should know that land has been given by the builders, and they do not need anything more, There is more land than necessary. Therefore they do not fool anybody by saying that we are not doing it for the good of all, we do not have private interests, I don't believe others can say the same.

   Finally, you should know that the ultimate responsibility, the last word is from the Junta de Andalucía. And they have been recalled from other associations, only the major parties, those parties with parliamentary representation which have the capacity to negotiate with the Housing Ministry.
Personalized parties without presence will not have bargaining power, and fewer people who have clashed openly with representatives of the Junta de Andalucía.

   And thinking ahead, you think those who have been intermediaries in the purchase of rural land, to transform them into urban, and who have won a lot of money with that, especially in  Arroyo, may be responsible for future growth of this town, do they defend the interests of all, or those of their customers who push to get their business.

   Think about whether you want Arroyo to have 600 new homes built, because there is land purchased waiting to be urbanized.

   To give you an idea of what they care about; solving the housing problem, just to remind you that the PSA has voted against all the innovations introduced to regularize housing outside urban management. And incidentally now, because they need your vote, they find that the solution lies in innovation. I am not saying it, it is put on their agenda and voted against, this is apparent in the Public Records of the Plenary session, that is the electoral consistency and the general interests they defend.

   I understand the need to clarify these issues so that everyone has enough information, information on the other hand, is demonstrable in public documents and available to any citizen who requires and to which we will provided copies to your representatives so they know the degree of effort and work of all this team.

   In conclusion, I invite you to reflect, inform and contrast everything I have just said and what you hear from other parties, we seek your support to continue with our projects that are of general interest and are based on being transparent.
So that you can trust us because we are  supported by an historical strong party and we endorse the experience of recent years and the good work for our people to become more livable and inviting, with a reference point of provincial and European residential places to be visited.

    Thank you very much.