| Readers' Letters |
| Have your say. Send your letters by email to office@coastrider.net, by fax to 966 701 037 or by post to CoastRider S.L., C/Joaquin Chapaprieta 59 (Local 7), Torrevieja 03181 (Alicante). Remember, all letters should include full name, address and telephone number (Please note: addresses and other contact details are for our records, not for publication unless specified by the sender). The views expressed in the CoastRider's letters page are the views of our readers and are not necessarily the opinion of the CoastRider. We reserve the right to edit letters where necessary. |
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Dear Editor, I write to you regarding the Administration of San Jose Inversiones and Herrada del Tollo and to let you know that not all purchasers have the return of their money as their aim. I am a purchaser at Santa Ana del Monte Golf and Country Club and I like others, wish for the development to go ahead and to have my property. I believe that the building of SADM and its facilities will enable me and others, to have our properties resulting in money going into the local economy, creating jobs when they are surely needed and providing improved local facilities for all. I therefore, ask for you to please support the continuation of the development of SADM and do all that you can to help this to happen and ensure that it is known that there are purchasers who want to proceed with their purchase and have not given up. I want my House Plot number R4 556 Yours truly, Brian and Margaret Dornan santaanadelmonte@hotmail.com www.santaanadelmonte.org My dear Sir I read your free of charge newspapers to keep my English language up to standard. I worked in England many years ago in a leading London hotel as a head waiter but may I say, at risk of insulting your countrymen that the difference I find in your people between those times and now is surprising to many of us. What is happening to you? You now tell us what to do in our Country of Spain when we should never do the same in yours. You shout at us and have grown so much bigger that you waddle and wear the tattoes and jewellery even though you are the gentlemen and you have the hair taken completely away. Where are the fine gentlemen I knew all those years ago who were in full possession of good manners and disposition? Even, I regret, your ladies, lack the elegance. Perhaps it is the affect of the American way we may ask? Please come back to being the lovely people you were and join in with us and not try to shout us down and think you are better. Once you may have been and example but now most certainly no model to anyone else. Soon, you may no longer be welcome here as a result of what we witnessed the other day which brought disgrace upon your country people. I am yours, Frederico Palacios Soto of Torrevieja Dear Sirs, I write to solicit your help in contacting those British Expats who have already suffered, or will be suffering within the next twelve months, from the decision by the Valencian Government to unilaterally withdraw certain health cover that they have been providing since 2002, and I respectfully request that the following be printed in your "letters" pages. "I write to those British Expats who have already suffered, or will be suffering within the next twelve months, from the decision by the Valencian Government to unilaterally withdraw the health cover available to British Expats (amongst others) who are under retirement age. This decision affects early retirees (those under UK state pensionable age and whose cover under DWP Form 106 has expired), and who do not work or pay into the Spanish Social Security system. I am led to believe that there are a several thousand people so affected in the Costa Blanca area. A petition to Downing Street has been started and those affected are invited to sign by visiting the following web site petitions.pm.gov.uk/ForgotteninSpain/ This petition has been created by a fellow expat, but before it is even considered in the UK, at least 200 signatures are required, so do please sign up. All those affected are also strongly encouraged to contact the British Embassy in Madrid by e-mail at enquiries.madrid@fco.gov.uk outlining their situation. You should receive in return a form to be completed and returned. In addition, in order to co-ordinate possible legal action, we need a data base of those affected, and who are prepared to support such action. I would, therefore, ask that those interested forward their contact details to the following e-mail address billandpeta@gmail.com or telephone 0034 649 231 452." Bill Bridges, Orihuela Costa Sir, I refer to my previous letter re the theft of my Residencia Certificate, a copy of which appeared in Edition No. 230. -Thank you for your assistance. - I now write again to summarise my experiences whilst obtaining a new Residencia Certificate in the hope that the narrative will assist others. The National Police Station for my area is in Elche and I should emphasise that I cannot comment on what happens elsewhere. I arrived at the Police Station at 9.30am this morning, (Thursday, 26th June 2008), and I explained my problem to the police officer at the main door. He then instructed me to go to the 'Foreigners Desk' immediately. I did as I was told but whilst I was waiting other British people accosted me and demanded to know my 'number.' - It transpired that I had unwittingly gone to the front of a queue and they were annoyed with me because they 'had been waiting since 7.00am.' - I don\'t know why they had been there so long because the office was virtually empty. - Anyway, to defuse the situation my wife went back to the same police officer and, at her request, he issued me with a 'number,' - I then became No.30 and I joined the queue. Whilst waiting I became aware that application forms for new Residencia Certificates were being issued via the 'Information Desk' so I went and spoke to the lady at that desk. She spoke good English and gave me 2 forms. The first one I had to complete, take to a bank and have receipted to show that I had paid a 6.80 Euros charge, and then return with it to the police station. The second was an application form for my new Residencia Certificate and I had to complete it, then present both forms at the 'Foreigners Desk.' I completed the bank payment form then walked to Elche town centre, (this takes about 5 minutes), where I paid my 6.80 Euros at the Cam Bank located there. I then walked back to the police station. I resumed my place in the queue at the 'Foreigners Desk' and completed my application form whilst I was waiting. By 11.00am I was walking out of the police station in possession of a newly issued Residencia Certificate. So far as documentation is concerned, in addition to my application form and my bank payment form, both of which I had obtained from the 'Information Desk' that morning, the only other document I had to produce in support of my application was my passport. - In my unique case, because I was also reporting the theft of my old photocard certificate, I had to produce a copy of my denuncia, obtained from the Guardia Civil, but this is a separate issue. The process at Elche was so quick and simple, and everyone who dealt with me was so polite and courteous, that I simply couldn't believe it. - Full marks and grateful thanks to everyone involved. I'm sorry to say that I cannot say the same about the members of the Guardia Civil I encountered, all of whom I found to be surly, impolite and most unhelpful. - In fact, from my experiences with them, I believe they actually went out of their way to ensure that it was as difficult as possible for me to make a denuncia in respect of the crime committed against me. - Zero marks for them Anyway, my thanks once again for all the help I also received from the Coastrider. John Dear Editor, In response to the letter from Josef Weiske, first of all I would like to remind him that I am very familiar with the administrative procedures of the Internacional Resident’s Office. This office was inaugurated by Antonio Perez Garcia, the PSOE Mayor and I was very proud to be asked to work in the office on his behalf. I certainly did not have to refer problems directly to him. PSOE policy is to have a strong team of experienced Councillors in place and delegate responsibility as necessary. Due to the ¨independent¨ GRIP Party who’s election promise was not to form a pact with any other party, entering into a coalition with PP we have been forced into opposition, however, this does not mean that we don’t have a sense of responsibility and will continue to work for all of the people of Rojales, this is democracy after all. Having clearly been the choice of the people at the last 2 elections it is our duty to always be available to help and advise residents in any way we can. Josef Weiske says it is not fair to blame the Resident’s Office, who is at fault then? Has he never heard the sayings, ¨ The buck stops here¨ or ¨ If you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen¨? On a more serious note Josef Weiske has recently used the forum of a Council Meeting to launch a personal attack at me, constructive criticism is most useful but an incoherent rant serves no purpose at all. I can only reiterate, I am working for all the people of Rojales and not just Quesada and will continue to do so and to encourage integration at every opportunity. Janis Symons, PSOE Councillor |