Maritime transport decree, better housing and sustainable mobility on agenda in meeting with Marc Pons

This morning at the offices of Consell de Formentera, Alejandra Ferrer, Ana Juan and Rafael González, the island’s president, housing councillor and mobility councillor, sat down with Marc Pons, the Balearic minister of mobility and housing, and Jaume Mateu, the director general of the regional mobility section. A first among the five officials, the gathering served to spotlight questions such as maritime transport, sustainable mobility and housing.

President Ferrer framed work on the maritime transport decree as crucial, tracing the legislation’s significance—and the importance of guaranteeing early-bird and late-night passages—to the fact that “ferry connections with Eivissa are the only way on and off the island”.

Councillor Pons asserted “local and regional governments’ priorities are one and the same”, and said a closely coordinated effort was now under way to achieve those goals. In fact, the officials penciled in a work session prior to the discussion on maritime transport that is set for Monday 25 November.

As both Ms Ferrer and Mr Pons pointed out, the same mutually beneficial solutions that made progress possible on legislation for Formentera’s environmental and financial sustainability could be sought in the present effort. Speaking about the maritime transport decree, Ferrer insisted that “solutions will be forthcoming—and our residents’ needs met—if we work together, particularly on something of such basic importance for Formentera”.

Sustainable mobility
Pons pointed out that this year the Govern balear has chipped in €350,000 to ensure the project to track and cap vehicles brought onto Formentera is accompanied by upgrades to public transport and sustainable mobility. The funds will be invested in service improvements, expanding the rollout of e-vehicle recharge points and swapping certain municipal vehicles for more sustainable hybrid or electric models.

Housing
As for housing policy, President Ferrer pointed out that the Consell “has a plot of land ready for the Balearic housing authority, Ibavi, to build low-cost public housing”. Ferrer said collaboration between the two administrations aimed at “expanding the scope of Ibavi to include a dedicated Formentera office”.

For his part, Pons pointed out that assistance from the regional government —non-existent just four years ago— totaled €125,000 in 2018 and benefitted 44 Formentera families. The Balearic minister assured the deadline on applications for those benefits was still open, and said “the Govern will build low-cost housing on any land the Consell makes available for that purpose”. He pointed to the planned announcement of a “wide array of housing measures for the whole archipelago” in early 2020, saying “the problem isn't temporary; it's structural”.

28 October 2019
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera