News In the Sun

President of the Canary Islands, Paulino Rivero, is demanding a revision of the latest agricultural treaty between the EU and Morocco which, he claims, will further weaken the sector in the islands.

Rivero said if the treaty is ratified as it stands it will open the door to major increases in imports of Moroccan produce to the EU.

Of particular interest to Canary Islands growers is the increase in the amount of tomatoes allowed in, which according to Rivero, will increase by 65,000 tons a year from the present 220,000 to 285,000 tons.

Meanwhile, Canary Islands’ growers have already seen exports to the continent decline by two-thirds from 300,000 tons in the 1990s to just 100,000 tons today.

Rivero claims this is a direct result of low prices of Moroccan produce, made possible by low labour costs, including poor wages and minimum social benefits.

The president said: ‘The position of the Canary Islands is clear. Our absolute opposition to such an agreement, which threatens the survival of an important productive sector of the islands, supposedly granted special status within the EU as a peripheral region’.

According to Rivero, the livelihoods of more than 20,000 islanders are dependent on the sector and he called for Spain and the EU to do more to protect the remote and fragile economy of the islands.

Scientists say the latest survey of the underwater volcanic activity off the coast of El Hierro has revealed a second fissure and a marked increase in the amount of magma being released.

Experts said the new data shows the original 120m fissure and also a second 75m cone, both of which are showing increased activity.

The Director of the National Geographic Institute (IGN) in the Canary Islands, José María Blanco, said the increased activity is based on data collected since activity began in July last year.

Blanco said the original fissure, located some 350m below the surface, has only increased in height by five metres but that the amount of magma being released has markedly increased, adding that, as yet there were no exact figures as to the volume of material being emitted.

Despite the reported increase in volcanic activity, a spokesman for the island’s Cabildo and emergency services said the state of readiness remained the same, with the immediate area on red alert and contingency plans in place to protect the population.

A 23-year-old woman had to be rescued while hiking in Tenerife’s Anaga Mountains in the far north of the island.

Emergency services responded to a call for help after the young woman was reported to have fallen and injured her ankle.

An off-road vehicle was dispatched to bring her out of the forest and onto the nearest road where an ambulance was waiting to take her to hospital in Santa Cruz.

This year’s Charter night will be held on Saturday 25th February at El Marques, Puerto Santiago. The event is a full sit down buffet followed by cabaret & dancing till late.

The evening starts at 7.00 pm for 7.30 pm sit down. The cabaret will feature Nick Page & Stu McCoy. The night concludes with dancing till late.

This promises to be a great night with tickets at euros 30 per person, which is excellent value.

There will be Happy Hour at the bar between 7.00 pm & 8.00 pm.

Tickets are available from MDI in Alcala & reception at El Marques. For further infor-mation regarding this event contact Lion Richard on 678 432 683

The indoor section of the bus station in Santa Cruz reopened to the public yesterday, two months after the ceiling collapsed.

Research efforts continue as to the cause of the collapse on December 13 which, fortunately, happened at four in the morning when there were no people around.

Although the area was open to the public yesterday, the cafeteria and other facilities remained closed until today pending a final clean up.