Archive for the 'Local News' Category
The Design of the New Albox Bridge
This is a photograph of the architects drawing for the new Albox bridge that is currently undergoing construction across the Rambla. The bridge is what is known as a single pylon cable-stayed harp design and not a suspension bridge as it may appear at first glance. It will surely make a dramatic and imposing sight once completed and be a superb and practical addition to the town of Albox.
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New Emegency Number for Albox
The Albox ayuntamiento has announced the new emegency number for the town. It is 092. This simple and easy to remember number will provide a direct link to the police.
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BOB PRESTON’S AUAN ADMIT TO GETTING IT WRONG
In what must be one of the most convoluted admissions in history, the AUAN have had to publicly retract and amend one of their latest website articles. Using their usual scandalous terminology Bob Preston and the AUAN have tried to put a negative spin on the latest good news for Albox. It is clear Bob Preston and his pals in the AUAN do not understand what is going on and that they are misleading people. The AUAN refer to the PGOU for Albox as “Ground Zero”. To all those who have paid their membership fees to the AUAN, I would ask that you go to the Google search and type in “Ground Zero”, check the results and images, and then ask yourself is their attempt at headline grabbing something that you want to be associated with. In this writer’s opinion, if you do, you should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself. Whoever wrote this piece for the AUAN is not only wretched but also a blight on the ex-Pat community.
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Bob Preston and the AUAN Take Their Poison to Zurgena
“My name is Bob Preston and I am the president of a non Political organisation called Abusos Urbanisticos Almanzora No (the AUAN). Our organisation is made up of over 300 ordinary men and women from the Almanzora Valley who have come to realise
our homes are ‘ illegal ’ because they were built in breach of the urban planning regulations. We found that our life savings have been spent, in good faith, on a nightmare rather than a dream……………..”
Sound familiar? It should do it is exactly the same vitriol that Bob Preston gave in his speech at Mojacar only a month or so ago http://www.portalmanzora.es/a/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=5746 and in his earlier Albox speeches. Just change the name of Zurgena for that of Albox and you get the idea.
While it would seem that Bob Preston has, thankfully, been made to moderate his anti Spanish rhetoric. I suspect that this was enforced on him by the negative press he and the AUAN have received coupled with the reaction of the majority of decent ex Pats including most of his membership. Remember the anti-masonic scandal at the start of the year, his xenophobic anti Spanish letters, ineloquent postings and threatening emails, that almost brought the AUAN to its knees and had its members leaving in their droves.
But it would appear that he has a new stomping ground, Zurgena. To those in the Zurgena council, especially Councillor Simpson, I would ask what do you hope to gain by involving this man and his association of disgruntled and angry English members. Look at what they have done to Albox, remember this is a man who has openly stated that you cannot trust the Spanish that they are thieves and liars and bragged that he had stopped, almost single handedly, the inward investment to the area.
This speech is exactly what he has used on a number of different occasions to bring discontent and economic decline to Albox. Do not allow him and his cabal to do the same to Zurgena. In eighteen months plus he and his association have acheived nothing positive for Albox. He creates fear and discontent amongst the expats and is dispised by the local Spanish community. His scaremongering tactics only serve to fill the coffers of the AUAN with membership fees. Do not allow him and his gang to destroy your future and that of your town.
He clearly thinks so little of Zurgena that he hasnt even bothered to write a new speech. The same old crap will suffice. Let’s face it, it has worked for him before. But remember the old adage, “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me”. To the council of Zurgena, its expat community and Jim Simpson in paticular please take note, you cannot say that you have not been warned. You are courting disaster by allowing this man and his cronies into your town
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Zurgena Stitch Up
The Guardia Civil launched Operation Sewing Box, arresting all those considered to have been involved in “stitching up” expats in the Rustic Land Scandal. The offices of Procosona Almeria Estates, New Horizon Villas and Dizu where raided yesterday by plain clothes officers accompanied by armed police. We understand that two of the developers have been arrested along with the Mayor of Zurgena and his Deputy amongst others. They are currently enjoying room and board at His Majesty’s expense and can be held without charge for 72 hrs.
Local English Councillor, Jim Simpson, is attempting to keep everyone informed in his blog. Thanks Jim. While Jim claims that the arrests are politically motivated in a rather clumsy attempt to divert attention from his colleagues in the Zurgena council it does make interesting reading. Jim you say that you are possibly two steps closer to being the Mayor of Zurgena. We hope you are not two steps closer to joining your two superiors in the “Big House”.
At last the Spanish authorities are taking affirmative action and a clear message is being sent out to all those who would attempt to flout the law and create misery for thousands of unwitting Expats by selling them illegal property.
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Trouble Within
Albox Blog has received an e-mail from someone purporting to be a ‘disgruntled AUAN member’, indicating that the membership of the AUAN is dwindling in light of recent criticism about the association and it’s president, Bob Preston. According to our source, only about 30 of the group have paid to renew their membership, and Mr Preston has had to announce at the recent AUAN meeting that ‘it may be beneficial for the AUAN to federate with the AUN and with the Catatral Group (Murcia area), both of which have high membership numbers.’ Our source fears that this is an indication that the AUAN no longer have sufficient membership to be considered relevant.
The ‘disgruntled member’ stated that Bob Preston had apologised for cancelling a demonstration at Almeria citing that there had ‘not been enough time to visit Almeria to find out where the appropriate government building was located to stage the demonstration or to apply for the permit to demonstrate.’ However, our source questioned the reasons given by Mr Preston, adding that he was experienced at arranging demonstrations and would know what preparations were required. The ‘disgruntled member’ stated that the cancellation of the demonstration may have had more to do with concerns reported on local forums about a leaked e-mail from Mr Preston stating that the AUAN could ‘return to the bad old days of confrontation and aggression’ at demonstrations. Our source finished by stating that Mr Preston had also been asked not to attend the demonstration at Vera over concerns about the demonstration descending into violence and that this had been reported in the Spanish Shilling.
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The Truth About Property BBC2
The BBC intend to include a report on buying property in Albox as part of their upcoming program, The Truth About Property, for Current Affairs on BBC2. BBC representative Emily Stein has invited people from the area to contact her if they have ‘unknowingly’ bought a property that faces demolition or has been demolished, or have bought a home that is now deemed illegal and are without public services. La Voz De Albox (LVDA) has grasped the nettle and offered to help the BBC interview local British expat residents and Spanish business people.
More info www.lavozdealbox.com
It’s great to see an association see the bigger picture and work in everyone’s best interests; offering to help the BBC produce a report that is informative and balanced whilst at the same time ensuring the issues faced by some residents in the area are not ignored, but reported and highlighted in a responsible manner.
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The Costa Almeria News
The Costa Almeria News this week reported on the first meeting between the newly formed association ‘La Voz de Albox’ and the deputy mayor of Albox. Tony Mason, vice president of the group, was quoted as saying that ‘a new approach was needed’ to resolve the building issues that are damaging the prosperity of the town. Fellow committee member, Antonio Martinez, reinforced Mr Mason’s comments stating that British people could be scared off from coming to live in the area as a result.
The news article also highlighted that Bob Preston, president of the AUAN, has been criticised recently by ‘certain sections of the expat community who claim that his combative stance is causing friction with the authorities to the detriment of expats living in the area.’
See the full article here http://www.cbnalmeria.com/cbna/news.htm
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Albox, Almeria Youth Fair
I thought I’d get the blog off on a positive note by giving a plug to the Almeria Youth Fair, which is being hosted in Albox this year on the 15th and 16th of March. The Youth Fair will focus on sharing information about the different activities that have been organised by Youth Groups in Almeria. Activities on the programme will include workshops, exhibitions, sports competitions, and concerts. Last year the fair, which was held in Carboneras, was attended by more than 1300 youths. Let’s hope the event at Albox can build on that success.
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