Isha Sesay
A PETITION has been launched demanding that the central government immediately ‘reopens’ the Balearic Islands.
The appeal, which has already garnered thousands of signatures, calls on Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to employ ‘common sense’ with regards to lifting the lockdown restrictions in the region.
It asks that his administration allows for the free movement of healthy citizens and that non-essential services restart to end ‘widespread and devastating emotional, physical and economic damage.’
Citing governmental figures, the petition details that continuing to confine the entire Balearic population will lead to a 31% drop in GDP and a loss of over €9 billion, putting 147,700 jobs on the line.
Claiming that the regions’ contagion rates are among the lowest in the whole of Spain, it calls on the government to have confidence in the ability of residents to take the necessary precautions to halt the spread of COVID-19.
The creators of the petition ask that individuals vulnerable to contracting the virus, such as the elderly or those with underlying health conditions, remain at home.
However, in their opinion, ‘healthy citizens’ should be allowed to return to work to ensure that the economy does not collapse completely.
Moreover, ‘outdoor activities that do not present a danger’ must be resumed immediately to ‘regain the physical and psychological health of adults and children.’
“The time has come to ask for common sense policies that protect vulnerable people and reestablish the lives of individuals.”
Since its creation, the petition has been shared hundreds of times on social media, gaining the attention of both Spaniards and expats living on the island.
Set up on change.org, it hopes to build momentum through mobilising supporters, pushing the government to act in the best interests of the Balearic community.
It comes as the region continues to flatten the curve of coronavirus, with President Francina Armengol announcing that the Balearic health system has handled the crisis ‘perfectly.’
Revealing that intensive care units are now at 50% capacity, Armengol highlighted that the Balearic Islands has received more than 80 tonnes of medical supplies, including 60,000 rapid response COVID-19 tests.
This she said has helped the autonomous community respond to the virus in an efficient manner and lowered the risk of contagion.
It is disturbing to realize that Balearic Islanders believe restricting their impulsive cafe, bar and ‘club’ habits is more ‘devastating’ to their apparently fragile emotional and physical well-being than a highly contagious and deadly virus. Thesethoughtless protestors offer further evidence that 14 year olds should not be allowed out without mature chaperones. Nor their parents for that matter.
One of our daughter’s was due to marry in Mallorca this June, & that is sensibly cancelled & deferred probably for a year at least. I called our small hotel there yesterday, its owner a very pleasant & realistic guy said ‘don’t book until next year, we won’t be opening this year’ & also mentioned how some bars/restaurants were stupidly trying to sell drinks outside to make money. Very selfish & stupid, & risking the Mallorcan lockdown will last much longer than they would expect, further impacting on business all over the islands.