The Formentera Council welcomes a series of proposed measures from the regional government that were laid out yesterday as part of an unveiling by two administration officials—minister of territory, energy and mobility Marc Pons and head of ports and airports Xavier Ramis—of an order known as the Maritime Transport decree.

CiF president Jaume Ferrer called the order “a crucial step on the road to definitive approval” for a measure aimed at “addressing an issue that has held the attention of the Formentera Council for three legislative terms already”. Ferrer congratulated the Balearic ministry and directorate general of territory (a field often called “spatial planning” in Europe) on the success of their work with Formentera's mobility department in building consensus around the decree's overarching vision for the island's maritime transport, and confided: “We're looking forward to the prospect of the decree's speedy completion and adoption”.

Maritime Transport decree
The decree has its roots in Llei 11/2010 (November 2), a piece of legislation concerning maritime transport empowering the Govern balear to dictate regulations and administrative provisions necessary to assuring regular transport in tune with the mobility needs of people in the region. The legislation also regulates transport associated with leisure and tourism, and gives legal force to the scheduling and frequency of passages between islands as well as requirements of guaranteed service provision.

Identifying the route linking the La Savina (Formentera) and Eivissa ports as a “strategic line” and a “maritime route in the public interest”, the decree affords special attention to the case of Formentera and the features that amplify residents' perceived remoteness. The idea is to accommodate Formentera travellers whose travel plans, whether early morning or late night, necessarily involve passage through Eivissa.

CiF mobility secretary Rafael González welcomed the new order on the grounds that it addresses many pleas voiced locally. “Early-bird and red-eye ferry journeys between Formentera and Eivissa were high on that list”, said González, “along with the need to regulate sea excursions and guaranteeing universal access to them”. The secretary applauded the Govern's commitment to finding solutions for those sticking points. “The proposed formulas will be reviewed once the documents are made available to ensure they address and resolve the concerns of Formentera residents", he said.

A period for public comments on the order, beginning today, means that contributions will be accepted from the distinct entities, groups and institutions with ties to maritime transport.

The Formentera Council announces that this week marks the christening of the local Justice of the Peace's new office space at 120 baixos, carrer Pla de Rei, next to the post office.

Islanders can take care of all the same proceedings at the new space, like settlements, handling of notices, citations, requisitions and summons, not to mention delegating specific tasks to third partiers, as in the cases of letters rogatory from other courts or tribunals in civil and penal cases.

For communications needs, a video-conferencing service is also available, particularly for investigators and witnesses involved in cases with other Spanish courts. Office staff also provide relevant forms and consulting on the range of formalities relating to courts and the Spanish ministry of justice.

The office also serves as a Civil Registry for births, marriages, deaths or other events; processing of marriage requests; civil-union ceremonies; formalities required for births not registered during the established time period; transfers of birth and marriage certificates; information updates; name changes; delivery of proofs of identity and civil status, etc.

Formentera's Justice of the Peace (Jutjat de la Pau) opens from 9.00am to 1.30pm, with additional hours available as necessary. An on-site procedural consultant is empowered to act as a law clerk for the court of justice, a justice of the peace, and a substitute justice for public hearings which require the presence and imprimatur of such an individual.

Recourse to the justice of peace is not only fast and free of charge, using it often allows individuals to forego the drawn-out and exorbitant procedures typical of other courts of law, such as by reaching amicable agreements for small claims.