So, the lots have been drawn and the Nerja market is definitely on for next Tuesday, April 21st, according to the Councilor for Markets, José Miguel Jimena Ortega.
According to the officials, there will be adequate car parking for almost 500 vehicles and to give things a boost, the Council is doubling the number of buses going to the area.
The Councilor stated that everyone is happy now (?) and that the new site is a real improvement and is in the best interests of the vendors (??), local residents of Nerja (???) and visitors to the town (????). Exactly the same impression we get from comments received over the months. Almost exactly the same, in fact. Except the opposite.
the market trader says:
Hugo Chavez gave a book written by Eduardo Galeano to Obama recently. Galeano has another exellent book called La escuela del mundo al reves,- The school of the world upside down. The “novel” of the tuesday market in Nerja, is a good example of things put totally upside down. ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Even if Jimena repeats the place is ideal a thousand times more, he will hardly convince anybody. He did not convince the vendors, and we only “accepted” it under threat of taking away the licences. I’m absolutely sure all the residents and visitors are not convinced either. Not by repeating a lie a thousand times, it will become true… But lets not forget the place is “on trial” ( though I’m afraid Jimena will be the judge, so, eh, anyway…)The townhall, with absolute majority does exactly a it likes, disregarding any sense of pluralism, but at least we ALL (are suposed to) have the right to put loads of question signs(????????????????????????????????????????), and point out, that we do NOT share the idea, that Almijara is an ideal place for a market, for ANYONE (except, maybe a part of the local commerce, who really believe they will be better off, having the market wiped out of city…) Hope to hear more about what “people” say… I certainly HOPE Jimena is right, but REALLY, I DON’T BELIEVE IT… Do you??????????????????????????????????????????
the market trader says:
Hugo Chavez gave a book written by Eduardo Galeano to Obama recently. Galeano has another exellent book called La escuela del mundo al reves,- The school of the world upside down. The “novel” of the tuesday market in Nerja, is a good example of things put totally upside down. ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ Even if Jimena repeats the place is ideal a thousand times more, he will hardly convince anybody. He did not convince the vendors, and we only “accepted” it under threat of taking away the licences. I’m absolutely sure all the residents and visitors are not convinced either. Not by repeating a lie a thousand times, it will become true… But lets not forget the place is “on trial” ( though I’m afraid Jimena will be the judge, so, eh, anyway…)The townhall, with absolute majority does exactly a it likes, disregarding any sense of pluralism, but at least we ALL (are suposed to) have the right to put loads of question signs(????????????????????????????????????????), and point out, that we do NOT share the idea, that Almijara is an ideal place for a market, for ANYONE (except, maybe a part of the local commerce, who really believe they will be better off, having the market wiped out of city…) Hope to hear more about what “people” say… I certainly HOPE Jimena is right, but REALLY, I DON’T BELIEVE IT… Do you??????????????????????????????????????????
Larna says:
I visited the market on the second Tuesday after re-opening in April. From the Parador area where we stay it is half an hour of uphill walking all the way. By the time we walked around the market we were very much in need of some local bars etc. Of course this is what is missing. We walked all the way back to town before we sat down in the shade for a drink. We were exhausted. In addition, the road up to the market is not a pleasant walk. Apart from being uphill it is busy with traffic, noisy, and dangerous. The pavements are too narrow, crumbly, or non-existent. We do not wish to queue for a bus. Unfortunately we will not be visiting this market again. I wrote to the Town Hall, and received a reply that said “opposite to your opinion” all political parties had agreed that the new location was correct, and that everyone living in the town is happy about the new location. Well, that is me told. Who am I? Only a simple tourist who will now be looking for a friendly town with some market day atmosphere alongside local bars etc.!
Larna says:
I visited the market on the second Tuesday after re-opening in April. From the Parador area where we stay it is half an hour of uphill walking all the way. By the time we walked around the market we were very much in need of some local bars etc. Of course this is what is missing. We walked all the way back to town before we sat down in the shade for a drink. We were exhausted. In addition, the road up to the market is not a pleasant walk. Apart from being uphill it is busy with traffic, noisy, and dangerous. The pavements are too narrow, crumbly, or non-existent. We do not wish to queue for a bus. Unfortunately we will not be visiting this market again. I wrote to the Town Hall, and received a reply that said “opposite to your opinion” all political parties had agreed that the new location was correct, and that everyone living in the town is happy about the new location. Well, that is me told. Who am I? Only a simple tourist who will now be looking for a friendly town with some market day atmosphere alongside local bars etc.!
the market-trader says:
Whereever I look, and whoever I talk to, I hear only negative comments about the new market place in Almijara, and I can only recognize and share all the obvious faults of the new site. Its far, its uphill, and lacks almost any infrastructure. The result of moving it, gets clearer every week. Still fewer people are coming, and those who come, stay much less time. I have faithfull custumers who come back year after year, who regret, they will not come and see me there anymore, but instead take the bus and go and see me in Torrox Costa. Still, Jose Miguel Jimena claims its “ideal”. After almost a year of strongly repressed oposition, traders finaly “accepted” Almijara, with the very good argument, that the licence else would be withdrawn. We signed an agreement that after 6 months, there would be an evaluation. The problem is which arguments will be heard, in case this evaluation will be done… As a market trader, I have suffered from a straightdown persecution ever since, together with my almost 200 colegues. In Chaparil the traders claimed more control of the market, in order to avoid illegal sellers, and all the practical problems which afected us, and not the least, the neighbours of Chaparil, who had very good reason to protest, course the market was a mess, due to the nonexisting control of anything. Since the market moved, however, there has been a severe control that looks more like a shere persecution of markettraders. First we had the fight that it was prohibited to put cloth to make shade between the stands,- the visitor could not believe such an absurd prohibition, and common sense finally permitted us to protect our goods from the sun (can anyome imagine for instance sweets and dried fruits in the sun for hours…??). Now every tuesday we are checked for any imaginable document. I have a very good conciousness I have everything in order. IAE, autonomo, IRPF, licences, Idcard from the Junta, bills with iva, libro de visitas etc, etc, etc, but I was withheld for 1 and a half hour before I could finally set up, late, stressed and kind of scared. Well intentioned people tell me to take care, not to talk or write more about theese things, course “they are going to get you”. Another aprox. 25 traders were forbidden to set up, the most common reason being, that even if dependent workers had their legal contracts, if the holder of the licence was not there, they could not set up… (ah, and if you dont set up for 3 weeks, licence will automatically be withdrawn…!) I wonder if the same rules are valid for the traders in Nerja…?? The owner of El corte Ingles would have a hard time, having to be present in the shop… Rumours have it that Jimena is boasting in town, that in a couple of months he will make sure to take away enough licences to reduce the number, and finally squeeze us into the goatyard, as the idea was in the first place. Also, he send his wife to the market (I wonder if by foot or in the overcrowded bus…)and her evaluation was, that if we did not sell, it was only due to our expensive prices… My english is not too good, but I think the words to describe the situation are; represalia, chikane, persecution and abuse of power. In spanish I would just use the word “caciquismo”. I just thought you should know,- judge by yourself if the place is ideal or not, and let your voice be heard,- if you are not scared of the possible consequences of not agreeing with the local government…
the market-trader says:
Whereever I look, and whoever I talk to, I hear only negative comments about the new market place in Almijara, and I can only recognize and share all the obvious faults of the new site. Its far, its uphill, and lacks almost any infrastructure. The result of moving it, gets clearer every week. Still fewer people are coming, and those who come, stay much less time. I have faithfull custumers who come back year after year, who regret, they will not come and see me there anymore, but instead take the bus and go and see me in Torrox Costa. Still, Jose Miguel Jimena claims its “ideal”. After almost a year of strongly repressed oposition, traders finaly “accepted” Almijara, with the very good argument, that the licence else would be withdrawn. We signed an agreement that after 6 months, there would be an evaluation. The problem is which arguments will be heard, in case this evaluation will be done… As a market trader, I have suffered from a straightdown persecution ever since, together with my almost 200 colegues. In Chaparil the traders claimed more control of the market, in order to avoid illegal sellers, and all the practical problems which afected us, and not the least, the neighbours of Chaparil, who had very good reason to protest, course the market was a mess, due to the nonexisting control of anything. Since the market moved, however, there has been a severe control that looks more like a shere persecution of markettraders. First we had the fight that it was prohibited to put cloth to make shade between the stands,- the visitor could not believe such an absurd prohibition, and common sense finally permitted us to protect our goods from the sun (can anyome imagine for instance sweets and dried fruits in the sun for hours…??). Now every tuesday we are checked for any imaginable document. I have a very good conciousness I have everything in order. IAE, autonomo, IRPF, licences, Idcard from the Junta, bills with iva, libro de visitas etc, etc, etc, but I was withheld for 1 and a half hour before I could finally set up, late, stressed and kind of scared. Well intentioned people tell me to take care, not to talk or write more about theese things, course “they are going to get you”. Another aprox. 25 traders were forbidden to set up, the most common reason being, that even if dependent workers had their legal contracts, if the holder of the licence was not there, they could not set up… (ah, and if you dont set up for 3 weeks, licence will automatically be withdrawn…!) I wonder if the same rules are valid for the traders in Nerja…?? The owner of El corte Ingles would have a hard time, having to be present in the shop… Rumours have it that Jimena is boasting in town, that in a couple of months he will make sure to take away enough licences to reduce the number, and finally squeeze us into the goatyard, as the idea was in the first place. Also, he send his wife to the market (I wonder if by foot or in the overcrowded bus…)and her evaluation was, that if we did not sell, it was only due to our expensive prices… My english is not too good, but I think the words to describe the situation are; represalia, chikane, persecution and abuse of power. In spanish I would just use the word “caciquismo”. I just thought you should know,- judge by yourself if the place is ideal or not, and let your voice be heard,- if you are not scared of the possible consequences of not agreeing with the local government…