MADE IN MENORCA OR CHINA? The Consell has organised one of its campaigns to promote local products, giving away some quite stylish sun hats with the legend “Made in Menorca” on the black ribbon. The only problem is they were made in China (PRC). This was noticed by an opposition councillor (PSOE – Socialist Party) who gleefully reported the fact on social media. The Consell (PP – Conservative) replied that in its defence, they did order the 2000 hats from a local company “Uniformes Menorca”, and that when PSOE were in power they had a similar campaign, with aprons ordered from the same company and these were made in India! The Diari contacted a local company, Can Magi in Ciutadella, who commented that it wouldn’t be possible for them to make such a large quantity of hats, as theirs are made in the traditional way, often using straw from esparto grass; the free ones are made from paper although they look and feel like a traditional hat. As the paper points out, it is a frequent solution used to promote local products – and - with all the energy costs involved in transporting products thousands of miles it is rather incoherent to say the least. Maybe the next promotion will be genuinely locally made.

RAFAL RUBÍ AND THE FLYOVER We have reported endlessly about the unfinished flyover on the main road between Mahón and Alaior, near the Rafal Rubí navetas (Bronze Age funeral chambers) which are part of Menorca Talayotica World Heritage Site. The flyover was originally planned in 2014 when the PP (Conservative) party was in power on the Island Council (Consell). The building was stopped when PSOE and local groups took over the Consell. A dual carriageway had been debated but advised against as the island is 35 miles long and there are many turnings to farms and villages along the way. When the island was approved as a World Heritage Site, UNESCO suggested that vegetation be planted so that the flyover was not too visible from the site. Now a political battle has broken out, summed up well in the Diari by the editor Josep Bagur. First the Director of the Menorcan Talayotica Agency Antoni Ferrer resigned, followed by the consultant Cipriano Martí who was responsible for the presentation to UNESCO. Ferrer signed a report in July 2024 that approved the measures designed to screen the site, but he emphasised he was not approving plans for road improvements; he is an archaeologist, not an expert on traffic. Martí is a renowned expert in sustainability and heritage. He has resigned from the scientific part of the Consell, where 15 consultants voted in favour of the flyover and he was the only one against. He would have preferred other alternatives. On the technical side there are different points of view as all reports say the flyover is the best and safest solution, and no alternative has been found. Could we lose the WHS status? Bagur doubts it, as UNESCO has never asked for the bridge to be demolished. Everything was stirred up by the central government’s involvement, when Ernest Urtasan, the Minister of Culture, sent a letter to the President of the Balearic Government, Marga Prohens, and Adolfo Vilafranca, President of the Consell. It said we must wait for a resolution from UNESCO and that we could lose our world heritage status. His intervention is surprising as, despite his interest in the archaeological heritage, he had not asked the Consell for a report, and he published the letter in the media before sending it to the people concerned. He is the spokesman for SUMAR, the left-wing group that forms the government with PSOE in Madrid. The Consell intends to continue with the plan despite protests. Ironically, the next in line to succeed Ferrer is Simón Gornès, also an archaeologist, at present the councillor for the environment on the Consell; he has declined and will finish his term. He and Ferrer, who was also a councillor in a previous administration, belong to different political parties. There will be more on this never-ending story...