I don´t want to pour cold water on this event, I enjoyed the spectacle, for me the historic quarter of Orihuela never looked so good! ..........WAS IT WORTH THE MONEY?
The crowded streets buzzed, the stalls were beautifully presented, the street theatre was exceptional, it was good, very, very good!
BUT HOW GOOD IN REAL CASH TERMS?
AND WHO BENEFITTED?
· Citizens may have enjoyed the event and felt proud of their city.
· Visitors may have enjoyed the spectacle and perhaps the image of Orihuela was enhanced.
· The market traders may have made money.
· The local associations that had stalls may have increased their funds.
· The local bars and restaurants may have enjoyed better than normal trading figures.
· The hotels and tourist apartments may have seen an increase in visitors.
BUT HOW MUCH DID IT COST US THE TAX PAYERS?
We may never know the real cost, the costs are likely to appear, or not appear, or appear eventually across different parts of the 2011 budget.
In 2010, according to a reliable source, 400,000 euros were paid to the company that managed the event….if 2011 was bigger does that mean that it cost us even more?
Was the publicity paid for by the Ayuntamiento or the company?
Who collected the rents paid by the stall holders, the Ayuntamiento or the company?
Then there are street cleaning costs….consider the straw, the litter, the debris….who paid?
Additional street lighting and electricity costs…who paid?
Extra Police and emergency services….who paid?
And this set against a backdrop of more than 7,000 unemployed in Orihuela, in a municipality that has so little money and so many IMMEDIATE ……arguably more pressing…..needs.
Perhaps the Citizens, the tax payers of Orihuela Municipality, are of the opinion that the entertainment and the “feel good factor” are worth the cost!
However, as we are talking SERIOUS CASH, should we be asking for a bit more information about the costs versus the benefits of the Medieval Market? Possibly asking if, how and where the expenditure could be pruned? Asking if and how the event could be improved and developed? Should we be asking how this lavish event is being evaluated and by who across a range of measures , such as: Citizen Satisfaction, Local, Regional, National and International benefits for Orihuela? Effects on Local Businesses? Effects on Tourism? Effects on PP popularity in the May elections? To mention but a few.
THE ORIHUELA COSTA PERSPECTIVE
Let us not forget that the residents of Orihuela Costa and Entre Naranjos who make up approximately one third of the population of this Municipality (even though the PP controlled council regularly does).
Were businesses, associations and groups from this third of the population actively encouraged to take part?
Residents were invited to attend and to use the complimentary buses. Sadly, many residents never made it or had to change their travel plans at the last minute because there were no effective pre-booking arrangements in place other than “first come, first served” and on the day there were too few buses for too many people. How did these residents feel? There were also residents who were left stranded in Orihuela, unable to get on the overcrowded "first come, first served” return buses, and because there is no public bus service between Orihuela and Orihuela Costa, who were obliged to pay for taxis or to opt for “phone a friend”!
Finally, how does this market compare with the Christmas Market in Orihuela Costa? Could the one third have a little bit more of the money please!
(Ms. Lorente TRANSPARENCY, HONESTY, PUBLIC INFORMATION, PUBLIC OPINION FORUMS, EVALUATION OF PUBLIC PROJECTS AND SERVICES, CITIZEN PARTICIPATION aka DEMOCRACY ARE IMPORTANT! Or does democracy, like the right of franchise according to the PP council team, end several paces short of a ballot box in Orihuela Costa? )
I attended this years event and for the 3rd consecutive year, I wandered around the old quarter of Orihuela enjoying the atmosphere and spectacle of the many stalls and the street theatre artists.
ReplyDeleteThis year I had a very strong sense of dejavu as I began to notice that the same stalls were located in the same position as last year. The products on sale were also the same as last year. I knew exactly where to go to get cheeses from Majorca, aromatherapy soaps,jewellry, wooden toys, dried herbs,food from the pedanias etc etc. Very comforting to be able to find my way round but nothing really new on the stall front and I have to say nothing very cheap either.
The street theatre performance was new, as the artists had clearly compiled a programme to attract large audiences. The spectacle was very good, what I could see of it over lots of people´s heads, and it would have really benefited from being performed on an open air stage or platform. All I can say is, thank god for the performers on stilts, at least I could see what they were doing.
After three hours of wandering around, I had really had enough. The saying `When you have seen this once you have seen it all, came to mind´.
So why do I feel a bit disappointed by it all?
Is it because I know that the whole event is managed by a private company and not Orihuela council? Is it because I also have heard that the council give this private company a massive wad of tax-payers cash to organise it? Is it because the council appear not to make any money from the event and replace the tax payers money spent? Is it because I fear that local shops and businesses are not involved and lose trade because of it? Is it because local communities are not encouraged to take part in it? Is it because Orihuela Costa residents are just treated as tourists and not asked to be involved? Is it because I feel it is just a showy event that makes money for the private sector and which profit from tax-payers money?
The answer to all those questions ,I am afraid is, YES.
I dont want to be a party-pooper. I dont want to be thought of as a kill-joy but a cultural event like that missed its potential.
The main reason for that is, WE (the public) were thought of as consumers not participants. Instead of taking part -we attended. Instead of contributing to the culture, in the middle of a big world recession, we were just expected to spend money.
Are we going to get the same next year? well, I suppose it all hangs on whether Monica Lorente (sorry Maid Marian ) gets re elected!
All sounds very familiar, perhaps someone needs to dig around to find out more about the organising company - look for the relatives of councillors, former PP donors, etc.
ReplyDeleteNor does it surprise me, either, that the same tired old stalls are in the same locations. The PP government is incapable of initiative or creativity, never mind basics such as marketing the event or running it to ensure any profits go straight back into municipal coffers. Like most things organised by the PP, a group of school kids could probably do a lot better.
Just had some more feed back from friends.
ReplyDeleteApparently the cost of a taxi back to Orihuela Costa from Orihuela City was 45 Euros. This had to be paid by those who could not get on the Town Hall Buses for their return home. I know also it cost people 20 Euros to Entre Naranjos. Are the Town Hall going to reimburse people, I hope so!
Also some of the stall holders were "double" charging to the tourists. An
English friend of man was being charged 11 euros for a cup of tea and a cake. When his Spanish partner intervened he was charged 5 euros. I have heard other examples of people being charged over the odds for a meal. So,Orihuela Council allows people to be ripped off at the Medieval Market!
Yes, I heard yesterday that the cost of a taxi to Orihuela Costa was 45€, and people were very upset, pensioners who would never have gone to the market had they known it would cost them so much.....I just can´t understand why there wasn´t a register for bookings, & why people weren´t given tickets for the times they had booked etc. I mean if an event costs so much & the Ayuntamiento is putting on "complimentary" buses for residents surely some form of registration & tickets should have been included, it´s not so difficult to organize! And to say that it got out of hand because so many people wanted to go, or "first come, first served" was the best way to manage it.....well just the usual chaotic, uncaring sort of management we are accustomed to here on the Coast from the PP, "incompetentes"! Vote them out on May 22nd!!!!!
ReplyDeleteDear me, the picture gets worse! I have just heard a story about someone I know being charged 6 Euros for a pint of lager from one of the stalls. How can this be justified?
ReplyDeleteLast week I visited Louise Clarke at the Town Hall to express interest in attending the medieval market, and to try and pre-book seats on the relevant bus. She warned me that Stefan had scrapped the plan to arrange needs-based transportation, and that it would now be 'first-come, first served'. She advised me against trying for the first two buses, as she believed that they would be oversubscribed. As I was taking my 16 month old daughter and her granny, I decided to drive, rather than risk using the bus and getting stuck. Was I glad on the day! We really enjoyed the market, but it was very expensive. After 3 hours battling the crowds with a pushchair we were ready to go home. Without Louise's warning we would have been in big trouble. The Town Hall should let her organise the transportation next year, as Stefan clearly couldn't be bothered. What a shame - residents on the coast come last again...
ReplyDeleteComment on Alison's message......
ReplyDeleteWho in heavens name ever trusted "Stefan", to orginize and support the Costa Residents, for an EVENT in Orihuela-City, which was a disaster from beginning to the end, in regards to TRANSPORT!!!
Of course Stefan isn't bothered, as his aspirations are to become the next counsilor of the Costa, ( which will not happen), but if it does, we all of the "expats" may as well leave this part of Spain, as it will be ruled along similar lines as the Nazi's and Franco did during the 2nd world-war!! Lets get the people vote for an open , honest and transparant council!!!
Olaf.