Underground rubbish containers working at last - maybe

JIMENA A dozen places with 37 containers spread through the municipality, in Jimena village, Estación, San Pablo and Tesorillo, went into operation yesterday, according to an article in today's Europa Sur. But we went to see for ourselves at the main square and, while they may have been put into operation but you couldn't get to them because the old plastic containers were in front of them and they were inaccessible. In any case, it is our favourite municipal/private/Mancomunidad company, Arcgisa that will be collecting the rubbish that is supposedly going to be underground. Financed through several employment scheme monies, there are two such places in Jimena village, another two in Estación, three in San Pablo and five in Tesorillo. (We first came across these underground containers for Jimena in December 2010: Underground rubbish containers to be installed soon.)

Protest against Arcgisa charges rise

Arcgisa HQ, Los Barrios

JIMENA The Plataforma de Parados (Unemployed 'platform', or group) announced recently that it planning to organize a protest, including signed petitions, against an imminent price rise in charges from Arcgisa, the Mancomunidad company that provides water, sewage, street cleaning and rubbish collection. The organization considers the rises 'abusive' and impacting directly on 'families, and especially, the unemployed'. The campaign is to be titled Di que no (Say No). The Plataforma has been contacting all political parties with a view to protest against something they consider 'inappropriate for the times we live in.' The brief story behind Arcgisa is as follows:>>>

Water was cut off without notice

JIMENA Water supply to the lower part of the village, as well as Estación and Marchenilla, was cut this morning at 9am. The Town Hall tells us that it will be restored by 3pm. The only announcement about which we are aware was via TioJimeno. But then, there is a significant segment of the population that either has no internet connection or does not look at TioJimeno. We are told that the matter was in the hands of Arcgisa -the same people who collect our rubbish and charge more heavily than anywhere for the privilege. Arcgisa, a large multi-municipal local company, does not have a press office but 'a man' tells us that notifications were sent out. Yes, to the Town Hall, who failed to notify a good proportion of the population of today's event. As is too often the case, the Town Hall washes its hands of the matter, passing the buck. Yet they have plenty of staff that could be put to better use distributing proper notifications - they do a good job with electoral propaganda, after all. Nevertheless, we have a promise that we will henceforth be notified of local incidents by our local water office.