Inter-island ferry users were delighted to hear that from January 2008 the existing 50% subsidy on tickets prices applicable to all residents in the islands is to be increased. The decision to make travelling by sea even cheaper for Canarian residents was announced by the regional councillor for Public Works and Transport Juan Ramon Hernandez in last week’sparliamentary meeting during which Hernandez explained that an extremely healthy overall budget allocation from the central government which, now standing at 555 million euros, reflects an 11% increase on last year’s allowance, has made a larger discount for residents possible.

Although the subsidy for 2008 has not been specified Hernandez explained that his department intends to further reduce the amount residents of the islands have to pay for their tickets bringing the subsidy up to 70% of the total price by 2011 and as such a 55% - 60% reduction in prices is expected adding that the only requirement is that passengers must produce proof of residence when purchasing their tickets.

On a wider scale the councillor explained that the discount for transport scheme will in fact be only a small part of the work which is to be carried out by the department in 2008 adding that the cash injection will make a long list of projects possible, including major work on the roads of the Archipelago, the water system and the ports and airports of the islands.

Over the last few years surf, kite surf and windsurf schools have popped up all Fuerteventura and these activities have no doubt contributed to the steady growth of the tourist sector on the island especially in the La Oliva area.

However concerned that the large majority of the schools set up to offer alternative leisure activities to those who visit the island have unqualified staff, no operating license and as such have inadequate or non existent insurance policies La Oliva town council has decided to draw up a series of norms to regulate the sector.

The local councillor for Sports Miguel van Daele explained that as well as offering alternative leisure activities to tourists these companies are also offering transport and accommodation adding that the local council should be playing an important role in regulating this activity if the borough of La Oliva is to benefit from what could generate a considerable boost for the local economy.

Va Daele explained that in order to improve the services offered by the adventure sports companies the council will be helping the instructors to become qualified as well as ensuring that each school operates with full insurance and under ideal conditions.

Fuerteventura’s councillor for Tourism Agueda Montelongo was delighted to receive personally all 147 passengers who arrived on board Easy Jet’s new Madrid Barajas – Fuerteventura flight on Monday 5th November.

The new route, which will make it possible for travellers to move between the island and the capital of Spain at an unbelievably economical price, will be operating three times a week, explained the councillor, adding that 92% of the seats on the first flight had been occupied.

Furthermore far from being concerned about the possible “lowering” in standards the introduction of the low cost airlines to the island could cause (according to some of the archipelago’s tourism experts) Montelongo explained that the Cabildo believes that the existence of the new route apart from offering alternative flight times to the existing links between Fuerteventura and Madrid will also encourage those living on the mainland to take a short break on the island whenever they have the opportunity due to the low costs involved as well as providing an economical service for those resident on the island to visit the mainland whether for business or pleasure.
An increase in peninsula visitors from now onwards is therefore a strong possibility.

The smoke could be seen kilometres away, helicopters circling the area captured everyone’s attention as the twenty people spread on the Playa de la Señora in the borough of Pajara injured in the “accident” were evacuated by air, sea and land to the nearest medical installations.
It was thankfully only a practice exercise albeit a full-scale one but the efficiency of the coordination of the emergency services and the police was evident throughout.
The “alarm” is raised at around 9.15 am when the pilot of a passenger plane warns the air transit control tower that there is a problem with one of its motors but suddenly the connection breaks up and the first full scale emergency simulation involving all the emergency and security services of the island gets under way. All the stops are pulled and the local & national police together with the Guardia Civil the Red Cross, the Civil Protection authorities and the SUC Canarian Emergency Services demonstrate their abilities to coordinate under pressure.

Those responsible for the organisation of the operation expressed their satisfaction with the performance of all those involved in the rescue which took around three hours to be completed with the outcome of 25 dead,16 serious injured and five slightly injured victims.

Island president Mario Cabrera staked his claim on regional funds at the Canarian Parliament meeting held mid October to discuss the budgets to be allocated to each of the seven Canary Islands.
Cabrera was adamant that the Cabildos Commission should be made to review the amount of money allocated to the island of Fuerteventura explaining that although the population has more than doubled in recent times the amount of money granted by the regional government has barely increased at all and as a result the island has been left to foot the bill for many things that are covered by regional funds on other islands.
Cabrera continued by explaining that due to the lack of adequate funding the Cabildo of Fuerteventura must allocate money to projects that should in fact by funded by the Canarian Government leaving other areas which correspond to island funding uncovered.

“We appear to be the poor relation”, complained Cabrera “and we simply cannot continue in this way”.
Because of his determination, Cabrera managed to make the Commission realize the urgency of his request and it was agreed to form a special commission to look into a more realistic way of sharing out community funds taking into account the real statistics instead of basing the allocations on out of date information.

As part of an initiative organised by the Tourism Department of Fuerteventura in cooperation with the Turespaña exterior promotion offices in Frankfurt, Germany a group of eight specialist golf journalists from Germany visited the golfing and spa facilities on Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria. The objective of the visit was to promote the islands as the perfect location for sporting and health and beauty holidays for the Germans.

The two day Golf Press Trip was packed with visits to the island’s main golf courses. The journalists had the chance to visit El Castillo’s Fuerteventura Golf Club, which is the largest course boasting 1,500,000m2 and a classic par of 70 and the Las Salinas de Antigua, which is a six hole course ideal for beginners situated in Las Playitas.
The journalists received VIP treatment at the “Balnearia” Spa and Thalossatherapy centre in El Castillo to reinforce the links between the two aspects golf and health and beauty holidays. Hopefully the positive experiences of these journalists will help boost the numbers of German tourists who decide to come to Fuerteventura to experience excellent facilities in the perfect surroundings.

Staff from the Environmental Department of Fuerteventura Cabildo cooperated with members of the Projecto Life organisation to return four spectacular “Guirre” birds to the wild at the end of October.
Island councillor for the Environment Natalia Evora explained that the birds, one of which was under a year old, had been found in the month of August suffering from dehydration and the poisonous effects of having consumed pesticides and had been taken to the Animal Rescue Centre in Tafira, Gran Canaria to receive emergency treatment.

The “Guirre Majorero” is a very rare bird in great danger of becoming extinct, added Evora explaining that the only population of the Guirre in the world consists of 150 birds and is found around Fuerteventura.
The Guirre is particularly susceptible to toxic effects of the pesticides used by the farmers on the island and the cooperation of the electricity company UNELCO ENDESA in the installation of electronic scarecrows to discourage the birds from eating the crops has reduced the number of deaths from poisoning considerably.
However, the feeding habits of the Guirre, which involve the consumption of small animals, which could have themselves eaten quantities of pesticide, mean that the toxins reach the intestines of the birds causing death if treatment is not given in time.

Congratulations were in order when the cheese factory Queseria Guriamen (Villaverde, La Oliva) was awarded first prize at the Fourth national cheese event organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries mid October.
The Guriamen cheese, competed with others from all over Spanish territory, was declared the Best goats cheese in Spain 2007 while the cheese made by SAT Ganaderos de Fuerteventura was also given a special mention for its exceptional quality.
The prize, is the fifth to be awarded to the queseria in only two years. The company’s main associate Vicenta Gonzalez Guerra explained that the award not only adds to the prestige of the company but also improves sales since the consumers no longer buy the first cheese they come across in the supermarket but will actively search out Guriamen on the shelves, something which, she explains, has occurred following previous competitions.

Guriamen cheese stands out, explains Vicenta, because of the excellent quality of the milk produced by the local goats comprising 4% protein and only 4.7% fat. Furthermore, cheese production in Fuerteventura is backed up by the category Denominacion de Origen “majorero” (the first category established for goats’ cheese in Spain) guaranteeing the strictest controls and the result is a smooth, aromatic, creamy cheese with a delicious taste.
The event, which was held in Madrid, is organised by the Ministry once every two years with the objective of promoting the commercialization of quality national cheeses in this way supporting the industry which must maintain high standards in order to compete with cheeses imported from other European countries.
The fact is that the goats’ cheeses from Fuerteventura cannot be beaten!

New Dark Red signs in the form of shopping bags have appeared in the capital, their erection is to encourage tourists and visitors to the area use the main shopping area and to encourage the local shopkeepers to participate in the general promotional programme in order to boost the local economy. Shop owners with premises in the capital took part in an exchange visit to the main commercial areas of Gijon on the Spanish mainland to observe various different techniques in business promotion, courses on window dressing and gift-wrapping has also helped to inspire the local businessmen to make a special effort to promote their establishments

Around thirty artists will fill the Santa Catalina Park in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with rhythms from all corners of the world as part of the WOMAD music festival (World Music, Arts and Dance festival) which will be held from 22nd to 25th November.

What will be the thirteenth edition of the festival, first founded by international star Peter Gabriel, will bring together musicians from as far as field as Guinea (Mory Kante), Zanzibar (Culture Music club), Peru (Susana Baco) and China (Silk String Quartet) as well as European musicians including Spanish stars such as La Mala Rodriguez, Concha Buika and canarians Altraste who will offer sessions alongside music workshops, open air cinema and the appearances of international DJs.
The four-day festival is definitely well worth a visit to experience the mix of every different style of music you could possibly imagine. Make the most of the Canarian C for Culture days to obtain discount travel for the event.
More information on www.diasc.com and www.canariasfiesta.com/laspalmasgc/womad