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Formentera hails passing of legislation for island's environmental and financial sustainability

parlament 2018Jaume Ferrer, Bartomeu Escandell, Rafael González and Daisee Aguilera (the Formentera Council's chair, deputy chair, mobility councillor and environment councillor, respectively) attended the regional parliament's plenary assembly, where the political parties and MPs of the chamber voted unanimously to pass a law for Formentera's environmental and financial sustainability.

“Today is a very important day for Formentera. Parlament voted to give the island a tool to decide how many vehicles we want on the island”, explained President Ferrer, who noted the origins of the project could be traced “back to September 2014 with the Consell d'Entitats”. “Make no mistake”, said the CiF chief, “the authority that legislators have handed us today will be used wisely and we will remain ever mindful of that original spirit at the Consell d'Entitats”.

Ferrer indicated the rollout effort would began tomorrow. “This is an authority we have been unable to exercise until now. Obviously, there's been work behind the scenes to ensure this didn't catch anybody by surprise, but much remains to be done, and we'll see real discussion about how it will be applied in the coming days”.

“Let's take today to show appreciation for this new mechanism and the progress it means for Formentera”, said the CiF chair, adding “we hope regulated vehicle entry doesn't step on anyone's toes. The idea is to create an environment in which everyone who visits Formentera can enjoy it for what people expect it to be: a tranquil setting of stunning natural beauty”.

“For five years there's been consensus among islanders that a glut of vehicles could threaten the image we show tourists and on which our livelihood depends. This legislation will make it possible for us to continue as a tranquil island that tourists want to visit and where residents want to live”.

UOM hits Formentera

Friday February 1 heralds the start of a series of conferences put on by the UOM (“Open University for Seniors”). The series, dubbed “Aprendre no té edat” (Never too old to learn), is designed for people who are over 50. Scheduled for 5.00pm this Friday in the Sant Francesc retirees' club, the inaugural conference will find Lina Sansano sharing practical approaches researching and shaping Formentera's local history. The free eight-part conference cycle comes to an end May 24. 

Formentera spotlights gastronomy at 'Madrid Fusión'

foto-madrid-fusio--n1The Formentera Council's tourism department is currently manning its own stand at “Madrid Fusión”, a gastronomy expo that will run through Wednesday in Madrid. Department chief Alejandra Ferrer and Carlos Bernús, the head of tourism promotions, are there with chefs from six Formentera restaurants as well as two producers —one of oil and one specialised in wines— to showcase the best Formentera has to offer in terms of gastronomy.

Every day of the three-day event will see two new restaurants conducting a “showcooking” session, which Ferrer promised would include “local products being used to reinterpret traditional cuisine”. The wine cellar and oil producer are standing ready with samples of their Made-on-Formentera products. The event, said Ferrer, is focused on gastronomy, and “enables us to spotlight the identity that sets us apart from other emerging destinations, helping to keep us competitive”.

Book of traditional recipes
Formentera's stand at the expo will be the place to go for tourism-tuned info. Among the run of new material the island's reps will have on hand is a 2019 edition of “Sabors de Formentera”, a book purporting to offer “traditional recipes from a singular island”. Ferrer thanked Vicent Morna and Artur Portas for giving the team permission to tap into the trademark local recipes of their “Cuina Típica de Formentera” in putting together the new book, which she called “true to our island's culinary tradition”.

Ferrer also gave thanks to the six participating restaurants, Vogamarí, Pinatar, Es Molí de Sal, Casbah, Can Pasqual and Capri, the wine cellar Terramoll and the oil producers at Ca na Platera. This year marks the first that Formentera has a presence at the expo, which is one of the leading gastronomy-related events in Spain.

Formentera hosts seventh first ministers' conference

foto-confere--ncia-presidents 2The Formentera Council hosted today the Conferència de Presidents, or “Conference of Presidents”, which saw the participation of the presidents, or first ministers, from across the Balearics: Francina Armengol (Balearic Islands), Jaume Ferrer (Formentera), Vicent Torres (Eivissa), Susana Mora (Menorca) and Miquel Ensenyat (Mallorca). Other Govern officials present for the event were deputy first minister and innovation, research and tourism minister Bel Busquets; chief of the first minister's office Pilar Costa, and land, energy and mobility minister Marc Pons.

The group met with members of the press after the gathering, where President Ferrer thanked the officials and media reps for their efforts, particularly on a day like Monday. He reminded everyone of the date the conference was originally scheduled —November 26— and how a storm that battered the Mediterranean that day meant it had to be postponed. “Sometimes chance is on your side and sometimes it isn't”, said Ferrer, “once again today wind and rough seas have thrown our port's ability to stay open  into doubt, but that is a faithful representation of how things go here”.

As to the content of the meeting, Ferrer referred to tomorrow's predicted approval in parliament of legislation that sets out emergency measures for environmental and tourism sustainability on Formentera. He described the legislation as fruit of “a years long effort” and “broad political and social support successfully brokered via the island's league of community leaders”. The local first minister highlighted the approval offered by that entity —the Consell d'Entitats (“Council of Entities”)— for the regional land ministry's draft legislation. “If we manage to secure approval tomorrow we'll be very happy”, said Ferrer, “Formentera residents have long advocated for the ability to regulate vehicle ingress, especially in the high season”.

'One for the Councils'
For her part, Govern first minister Armengol welcomed the “spirit of inter-administration collaboration that will lay the groundwork for Parlament's support tomorrow for a pioneering law on Formentera's environmental and financial sustainability”. “We're cutting dangerous emissions and attending the needs of local residents” explained Armengol, “and we've also included €350,000 in direct help for public transport and private transport alternatives”.

The presidenta of the Govern also underscored the administrations' efforts this legislative term around “funding upgrades, power hand-offs, improved inter-administration collaboration and this, the seventh 'Conferència de Presidents'”. All of which are clear signs, she said, “that this legislative session is one for the Councils”.

Formentera, fitness destination

foto aferrer 2018 fitur 1Tourism councillor Alejandra Ferrer stood before representatives of trade media outlets today midday at Madrid's International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR) to talk about Formentera's qualities as a destination for sport. The gathering was part of the Formentera Council's promotional efforts at the country's leading travel expo, which continues until Sunday.

The moment served to spotlight the island's 2019 calendar of sporting events, not to mention spread the gospel about what Ferrer called “the backdrop of nature, scenery, culture and gastronomy awaiting athletes of all sorts who opt to make their fitness pursuits the opportunity for a visit to the island”.

Ferrer underscored sporting events like the half-marathon (Mitja Marató), Formentera All Round Trail, Formentera to Run, Marnaton, mountain bikers' Volta a Formentera and the island's triathlon. She said recent years have seen Formentera become a destination for fitness aficionados and highlighted “the stress event organisers place on protecting the environment and using natural resources without depleting them, one reason local gatherings always have a cap on attendance”.

Travel discounts
The Council spokeswoman also presented, together with the fitness event organisers of Unisport Consulting and transport company Trasmediterránea, a deal to improve travel options to the island for individuals coming from mainland Spain and Palma to join events like the half-marathon, the Volta and the triathlon.

To that end, Trasmediterránea offers athletes discounted tickets on journeys to the islands from Palma, Barcelona, Valencia and Gandia. Athletes can also bring their gear (bicycle included) for free.

The councillor hailed the deal, which she said was about “making it easier for sports lovers to get to the island and to get here with their own equipment, too”. Ferrer also drew attention to the discounts and bonuses that local businesses offer as part of the “Discover Formentera” pushes in May and October.

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