Looking for new opportunities

We are on the threshold of a new year, a tough and difficult year both from a local and international standpoint. This year, however, we cannot give up and we will need all our physical and mental energy to move forward. The turn of the year does not coincide with a cyclical change, since all forecasts for 2012 indicate that the complicated situation that we experienced in 2011 will stick with us until next year. However, although the picture is markedly difficult, the government of the New Majority will face 2012 with courage and confidence. We know that positive results will come only if we approach our goals with hard work, faith and hope.

2011 was a year of adjustments and sacrifices. From a strictly local perspective, such adjustments were just part of the absolutely essential measures taken by the City Council. The adverse economic legacy we received left us no other possible option if we wanted to maintain the provision of basic municipal services. The frail state of municipal finances is the result of a very irresponsible policy. Such a policy involved spending beyond our means, accumulating an unsustainable debt in the process. As a result of this policy, the adjustments were the only way to save the ship and return to a safe port. This is our bearing and our goal.

However, the last six months of 2011 were also an opportunity for the new municipal government to improve management processes, restore harmony with cultural, social and economic organizations and work on projects and initiatives that will come to fruition during the near future.

In times of restricted investments such as today, it is time to find imaginative ways to get new resources. The Municipal Government is working tirelessly to achieve this goal, and I have no doubts whatsoever those favorable results are around the corner.

This is the line that we are implementing, for example, with the school Agnes of Sitges. We are obtaining the involvement of different organizations to ensure the construction of facilities. Not an easy task, but we are nearer to the goal than a few months ago.

Also, in the field of economic development, 2012 will witness how all the work done in an efficient and constant manner during the closing year will come to fruition. We are working to create ways of collaboration between public and private sectors, to contribute to socio-economic promotion and to the creation of new business opportunities. The success of the meeting with the unemployed, held on 13 December, will be applied to different economic sectors, in order to jointly study and implement measures that promote employment, entrepreneurship and economic opportunities...

In short, 2012 will not witness the solutions for the large amount of problems that have been piling up for years, but present new opportunities for dialogue and confidence in our possibilities. Let's take advantage of those opportunities!
Happy New Year

Christmas Time

We are in the previous days of Christmas. Just along the Town's Festival and Saint George's Day, Christmas has been and is one of the most important dates in my private calendar. From my early childhood, when Christmas approaches I become immersed in a special sensation that combines the magic of happiness, certain flair of melancholy and an invitation to reflection on the people and society that we are in condition of correcting and improving, both individually and collectively.

This year's Christmas is special. For me, this is the first Christmas as Mayor of Sitges, the first Christmas in which I’m performing a prime responsibility in the management of the municipality. A task that fills me with pride, but at the same time I feel an enhanced sense of responsibility.

The situation of extreme economic hardship suffered by many people today makes this Christmas a new opportunity to rethink the values ​​of our society. Often overly influenced by uncurbed and alienating consumerism, Christmas has lost somewhat  its real meaning in our society: the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is a celebration of love, faith, joy and a great opportunity to meet with your family and the people you love and you share your life with.

Last week, during a meeting with one hundred unemployed in Sitges, I had the opportunity to share with people who are suffering as no one among us the hardest and critical aspects of the crisis. People who struggle to find a job, people that must make their way to overcome the obstacles that are the unfortunate characters of personal tragedies. Those are the people to whom I want to address in a more significant way during the celebration of Christmas: I wish that these days of spiritual joy and family meetings are also days of hope and light.

I will take advantage of these lines to invite everybody in Sitges to participate in the traditional Christmas events that we hold in our town. The exhibition of nativity scenes and dioramas, the representation of "Pastorets" (Nativity play), concerts or Christmas Park, among others, are a demonstration that among us Christmas is alive, a tradition that endures and strengthens its meaning.

I wish you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, I wish you good health and a better 2012.

Fight unemployment and promote economic activities: target priorities

Tomorrow, Tuesday, we arranged a meeting with the unemployed in Sitges. In half-hour sessions and accompanied by the Councilor for Employment, Business and Economic Initiatives, Ferran Ignasi Llombart, I will meet with the unemployed  in Sitges in order to know their situation, which, no doubt, will be useful for our policies for actions shared by the public and private sectors. At the same time, the event will also be a good opportunity to transmit them the programs at our disposal. This is an initiative integrated into the programs for developing and supporting employment and the task we have activated at the City Council, whose target is to contribute to the economic recovery and employment creation in our municipality.

The current critical economic situation channels much of the efforts and energies of the municipal government. The economy and employment are the main concern of citizens and governments, and we, as public administrators, must respond to the needs and expectations of citizens. What can the City Council do in this regard?

The municipal authorities have no jurisdiction in matters of employment. In fact, it is still the Spanish state that should activate appropriate plans, many of which are parallel to the planning and development of macroeconomic and fiscal measures at national level. However, City Councils also have tools and policies at their avail that can contribute to the stimulation of the local economy.

For this reason, the “Centre d'Iniciatives Econòmiques Nivell 10” (NICIES NIVEL 10) (Centre of Economic Activities Level 10) ascribed to our City Council, has different lines for supporting the unemployed, entrepreneurs and businesses in the town. The services of awareness towards entrepreneurship are intended to stimulate the creative capacity of young people in their inclusion in the labor market. Information, orientation and assessment services facilitate the task of entrepreneurs and contribute with structural support. The consolidation services assist in the dissemination of the projects already established. And training programs is an excellent tool to provide content to companies in the development of management skills, negotiation, planning and strategic thinking.

The "Centre d'Empreses Creatives de Sitges" (Creative Business Centre of Sitges), the SME incubator inaugurated two weeks ago in the old design center under the initiative of the previous government team, was the last tool provided by the City Council to facilitate the task entrepreneurs and contribute their bit to promote employment and economic revitalization.

Night of Sitges Awards 2011

Last Friday, we held the fourteenth edition of the “Night of Sitges Awards” at Casino Prado Suburense. It was a joyful event that brought recognition to winners; it was also an event of complicity thanks to the union of efforts and initiatives, and also of trust in the future, notwithstanding our current situation. Because culture, in all its dimensions, is one of the features that best defines Sitges. Next, I'll reproduce the intervention I made at the closing ceremony.

"Councillors, awardees, representatives of organizations, good night everyone.

The event we have just experienced, the awards to the world of culture, is the best reflection of our collective reality. A reality that makes Sitges a town that loves culture. All this is possible thanks to the combined efforts of many individuals and groups who, during many years, have outlined a way to do things that those here today have inherited, but we also have the merit of pampering and building it every day.

I think that one of our main strong points is the ability to combine tradition with innovation. The preservation of older signs of identity, while granting room for innovation, but especially, we have accepted and pampered all those that found in Sitges a place to work for culture.

During this night, the disciplines that received awards were folklore, photography, music, painting, sculpture and literature. Most of these awards were made possible thanks to the initiative of promoters, organizations, families and people who believe in culture and wish to keep it alive.

And as the Alderwoman declared, our local Administration also believes in culture in all of their manifestations. We believe that we must take care of all those that promote it, but above all, we must place culture at the reach of everybody.

We are all going through difficult times-families, organizations and administration, we must advance with fewer resources. And probably, many of you gathered here think that culture is at risk in times of crisis.

But I want to tell you that we will work to avoid such trend in Sitges. And I am stating this because I understand that, although culture requires financial resources, in a town like Sitges we can continue our cultural advancement. It is quite obvious that we can always plan for the improvement of cultural facilities, offer a wider range of training courses or add more space to develop any and all cultural disciplines. But it is also true that we often waste what we have.

Therefore, it is just about time to optimize existing resources and make them available to everyone. This is something that has already happened. We will work to obtain resources that will allow us to improve both private and public facilities. The theater where we are tonight is an example. We will work with the aim of obtaining resources for the refurbishment of this wonderful theater.

We will pamper and preserve our cultural heritage. We will work as quickly as possible so we can enjoy our museums again. Our museums must remain being a cultural flagship for our entire nation. We will work for the recovery of other areas such as Can Falç.

But now, more than ever, we must work together to bring out the wisdom, talent and loyalty that transformed Sitges into a cultural reference.

Miquel Marzal, Joan Iriarte, Quartet Octavia, Victor Sicard, Yolanda Martín, Rafel Gascón, Hospital de San Juan Bautista, Mònica Zgustovà, Rosa Muntané and Bibioteca Popular Rusiñol: again, my sincerest congratulations, and above all, my special thanks for your help to bond the name of Sitges with the world of culture. "

Curtailing expenses: the only possible way

Last week, the President of the Generalitat, Artur Mas, presented the new budget adjustment measures to reduce the deficit of the Government the Catalan Autonomous Government or Generalitat. Such a deficit was the result of the horrendous economic and financial management implemented by the previous governments of the Tripartite, and also by the fiscal deficit that affects our country. The announcement and implementation of the measures presented by the President is not a pleasant task for any politician. But, unfortunately, such measures are necessary. There is no alternative.

During the coming months, other similar measures will be enacted by other governments in Catalonia and all around the Spanish state that will share the same goal: reduce spending to avoid putting at risk our welfare state.

In Sitges, we were also forced to implement adjustments and contain expenses in our City Hall. We did it as soon as we had access to the municipal government and we found ourselves immersed in a very critical financial situation. And we must do it during the Municipal Budget for 2012, prepared in accordance with our electoral commitments that stressed austerity and cost containment.

The reduction of the 67 million € deficit that burdens our municipal finances is one of the main challenges of the government of the New Majority. In this sense, the work carried out by Jordi Mas is pure financial engineering, and it is based on a gradual reduction of deficit that will not affect the provision of essential services or our competitiveness.

To address this deficit, the municipal government is reducing spending in different chapters. We understand that this involves sacrifices. This is the message that we relayed to the municipal workers' representatives, we needed to explain to them the plan to save 1.9 million € in Chapter 1 of the municipal budget, in other words, the Chapter corresponding to the staff of the City Hall. For now, the reduction of salaries of elected officials and managers and the elimination of positions of trust has already allowed annual savings of 400,000€.

Last week, we announced the closure of Centre Obert El Rusc (Open Center El Rusc). The maintenance of a service with such a low usage was financially unsustainable due to our current deficit. During the last week, it was also discussed in sectorial meetings the necessary spending cuts in the Chapter of Festivities, just as the cuts in municipal subsidies. We must act together, with imagination and without losing hope, we must be responsible and skilled enough to design festivities that keep their essence and cultural projection, but with lower budgets than during previous years. I think this is possible, because I do believe in the responsibility and appreciation for our celebrations and traditions of the inhabitants of Sitges, many of which devote many hours of their time in such tasks.

President Mas declared past Saturday in Sitges, where he attended the workshops on the Health Plan 2011-15, that nothing will be the way it was before. And he's entirely right. Probably, the growth we've had during our immediate past was above our means. And now, we have no choice but to steer out of the current situation. If we did not do it, in addition to act in an irresponsible manner, we would not be able to guarantee our welfare state and a balanced society. This is our commitment.

The museums long desired by the people from Sitges

On 27 October, the City Hall of Sitges and the Provincial Council of Barcelona chartered the new Heritage Consortium of Sitges. Beyond all the administrative proceeding involved in the drawing of the Agreement, it is a development of remarkable political importance. Such a feat confirms the reorientation of the refurbishment works of the Cau Ferrat and Maricel museums, according to the criteria advocated by the municipal government of the New Majority, and shared by the governing bodies of the Provincial Council.

One of the points of the governmental agreement of the New Majority, signed on June 3, just after the municipal elections, was the protection of our architectural heritage, which traditionally has made our town a unique and admired place. The museum reform bill presented by the previous municipal and provincial governments was a clear violation of this principle, since it affected negatively the conservation of the buildings subject to refurbishment action. One of the first orders I gave, as soon as I was elected Mayor, was to stop the reform at those points that did not meet such a criteria, in line with the opinion of Plataforma Ciutadana SOS Sitges, a Citizen's Platform to whom I wish to thank their awareness campaign and continuing effort to preserve our heritage over the years.

In this sense, the new Heritage Consortium that emerged from the agreement between the City Hall and the Provincial Council, is now managing the refurbishment of the museums and redirecting three crucial points: removal of the glass façade and exterior ramp with sea views, ​​that broke with the original architectural complex; elimination of Cau Ferrat platforms implemented to conceal all the wiring that have damaged the perspective and dimensions of the interior, and the modification of the façade of Can Rocamora (Can Xicarrons) to adapt the original design.

Now, with the chartering of the new Consortium, the time of institutions has arrived. Now, the works for the reform of the museums - absolutely necessary due to the degree of deterioration of buildings – will ensure the execution of an ambitious project complying with all the terms and fully respectful with our architectural heritage. I think that I am not mistaken in saying that the reorientation of the project coincides with the general feeling of all the inhabitants of Sitges, most of which have never seen with good eyes the intentions of the previous project.

For such a reason, the two institutions that constitute the Consortium agreed to appoint Vinyet Panyella as Director-Manager of the new body. She will assume the position during the coming days. The profile of Vinyet is ideal for this position of responsibility, even more in this moment where it is necessary to manage the reconduction of renewal works with utmost care and skill: a solid experience in cultural management, a brilliant intellectual career and a profound love for Sitges and its heritage in all its vastness. The fact that Vinyet has accepted this task is a guarantee for the Consortium, and also all management areas that include: the Museums, Palau Maricel and the Stämpfli Foundation - Contemporary Art.

Savings in Human Resources: necessary measures

Last week, the municipal government announced a package of new savings measures conceived to help redress the critical economic situation of the Town, such situation is the final result of the suicidal policy carried out in recent years. This new package is designed to constrain the cost of human resources of the City Council, since we cannot cope with such economic burden under the current economic situation.

One of the first measures adopted by the government of the New Majority was to reduce by 12% the salaries of the councilors and Mayor, and drastically reduce the number of trust and managerial positions, currently entirely oversized. This decision meant initial savings of 400.000 Euros. Similarly, the organizational structure of the corporation was also radically redesigned and we reduced the seven previous areas to three, such an action brought about important savings.

However, to redirect the municipal economy, we need other cost contention measures. Since the main municipal expenditure is staff, and with the municipal budget of 2012 in mind, we developed a plan that will allow the Town to save 1,9 million per year, a measure absolutely necessary and essential under the situation in which we find ourselves.

To implement those measures we had two choices: lay off workers or distribute cost reductions among the entire workforce. We chose the second option, as we consider it to be more supportive, fair and balanced. We informed Unions of such a decision. The package provides the cancellation of productivity schemes and the pension plan agreed by the previous government, reduce overtime of the Local Police Brigade and performance-related pays of the municipal squad, reduce temporary contracts and supplementary payments of work positions. This sums up to those already announced and applied at the beginning of the term, that were geared to reduce salaries of elected officials and managers.

No one wants to deal with such actions. Such actions are not popular, and their implementation is quite unsavory. Behind every employee of the City Hall, there's a personal and familiar reality that also suffers from the current situation. I'm fully aware, and that is why I want to thank them for their professionalism and solidarity.

Austerity is not only the flagship of our City Council, but a dire necessity. The corporation's financial situation is so critical that it requires efforts and sacrifices by all.

Fairer Ordinances

The Ordinances provide
for allowances of facades

The Municipal Plenary Meeting held on 24 October approved revenue ordinances and public fees corresponding to 2012. The proposal made by the government of The New Majority and exposed by the Councillor for Finance and Public Innovation, Jordi Mas, modulates the prices with the triple purpose of rebalancing services provided by the City Council in a fair manner, so to avoid that citizens are forced to assume the entire cost and to fix rates in the current economic austerity policy, which, in the case of the city of Sitges, requires additional efforts because of erroneous and irresponsible management during recent years.

The proposed ordinances drafted by the municipal government stress the importance of social equality: it is fairer that those that use services pay for them than share their cost among all citizens. It is a policy that aims to balance services in a more equitable manner, and ensures their proper use by citizens.

At the same time, the Ordinances of 2012 also include a wide range of discounts aimed at segments that suffer most because of the crisis and the current difficulties, and that are a top priority for our government. Actions that benefit the whole municipality and surrounding areas from a social standpoint, such as the regular use of the waste collection centers, rehabilitation of facades or the removal of architectural barriers, among others.

In reference to the Real Estate Tax (IBI), the municipal government - even considering the pitiful plight of municipal finances - has kept the increase in the same terms as the CPI, ie, 3%.

Unfortunately, there are those who want to confuse maliciously the people of Sitges, making totally biased interpretations of tax ordinances and public prices that are entirely packed with lies and fabricated information. I refer to the main opposition group, the PSC. They answered to the responsible initiative of the New Majority with a writing filled with fabricated information, in no way extracted from the document approved by the Municipal Plenary Meeting.

It is quite sad that the PSC of Sitges is basing its policy in lies in an attempt to confuse the people of Sitges with false information (such as the lunacy that "the increase of taxes is 23 %"!!!). Indeed, if the financial and economic situation of the City is in a very critical condition (do not forget that our City is among the 10 Catalan municipalities with the worst economic data, according to an external report) is due to bad management, suicidal expenditures and overinflated staff. The legacy of eight years of socialist rule. The new municipal government, however, has accepted the difficult challenge of redirecting the situation, without placing the burden of past errors on the shoulders of the inhabitants of Sitges. And these municipal ordinances passed by the Municipal Plenary Meeting, are a good proof of our intent.

In addition, I will take advantage of these lines to affectionately greet the new era of the Sitges Heritage Consortium. The Consortium was incorporated last Thursday under the direction of Vinyet Panyella, with the clear goal of finishing the refurbishment works of museums according to the criteria established by the City Hall and the Provincial Council, that avoid breaking our historical waterfront or damaging our heritage, as was the intent of the past proposal prepared by the socialist government.

Governance plan: government action until 2015

On Thursday 20 October, I presented the Governance Plan 2011-2015 at a public event, the document defining the main lines of action that will guide government action in this term and based on four pillars:

-         Sitges as a town made up with people
-         tourism as an engine of the Renaissance
-         the search for new economic models
-         respect for the environment and heritage

The Governance Plan is the tool that sets goals for the next four years, but also allows us a closer contact with reality, as it defines the speed and provides the administrative and financial feasability of planned actions. In summary, it's the scheduled corpus that the government of the New Majority has produced as the result of a exhaustive analysis of the difficult economic situation that we are facing, but with the determination that it constitutes an element of progress and renewed hope for Sitges its citizens.

The four pillars that structure the Governance Plan comprise a long list of actions that will implemented, supported or promoted the city of Sitges. We are talking here about four interconnected pillars, that globally draw a picture of a competitive Sitges, proud of its past and its integrating and diverse identity. A town that makes the active support to citizens the flagship of all its action.

In this sense, the first of the four points of the Governance Plan (Sitges as a town made up by people) is a absolute governmental priority, as it seeks to guarantee the integral development of individuals throughout their life cycle.The active employment policy, the implementation of specific training programs and active and real support to local businesses and entrepreneurs are basic principles of governmental action.

The second axis (tourism as engine of renaissance) is geared to activate a large umbrella from which hangs a wide range of actions to support Sitges as a quality tourist destination.Recover lost quality indexes and reposition ourselves on the international map requires synergies, establish joint actions with the private sector and offer a range of cultural and leisure activities that are large enough to become a decisive factor.

The third point is directly linked to above.The search for new economic models to diversify income and employment, and the creation of opportunities for entrepreneurs are actions that help to provide greater security to the town and its citizens. Meanwhile, a major municipal action-and an absolute necessity because of the debt - is sorting out the critical financial situation of the City Council, the outcome of the implementation of a management and investment model that was totally wrong. The introduction of a new culture of administration and resource management is a battle to be won every day.

Finally, but also linked to other points, the fourth axis - respect for the environment and heritage - should be assumed as a daily subject by the Administration and by all citizens.The criteria for the integrated planning and management of the coast by the municipality and the Cataleg of Heritage -which guarantees the preservation of our architectural essence - and the defense of the environment constitutes an obligation we have to pass on to future generations, so Sitges will be capable of keeping its identity and al those characteristics that makes us proud.

Finally, I take advantage of these lines to make my contribution to the simple but heartfelt tribute to the artist Manel Ferrer made last Sunday at the place that was his home, at the Lope de Vega Street. His brushes and his love for Sitges produced a long list of works of art with the image of la Punta, now present in homes all around the world and that have contributed to make Sitges even more universal.

Social policy, a priority

Just a few days ago, and as a initiative of the Department of Family Welfare and the city of Sitges, a workshop was initiated  to support people who are responsible of family members in a situation of dependency. The sessions aim to provide a framework of knowledge and experiences to non-professional carers of people with different degrees of dependency. This is a support action and a enhanced value for those caring for family members, so they can share problems and obtain solutions to common situations.

The policy of social support is one of the basic pillars of the municipal government of the New Majority. In Sitges, beyond the delicate current socioeconomical situation, there are people suffering. Many more people that we often imagine, even considering the employment results made ​public last week, which shows that unemployment in the municipality is 9.5%, six points below the Catalan average, is a figure that injects hope, but we must not be conformists.

The actions, aimed at groups who suffer most and who need active support, should be a priority for the different administrations, even considering budget constraints and situations of drastic reductions. A good example is the announcement made last week by the Minister of Social Welfare and Family Affairs, Josep Lluis Cleries, in which he expressed his commitment to expand the number of potential places in nurseries for the elderly by 4500. That is, despite that the difficult context and poisoned inheritance received by previous governments (in the town and in the Catalan government) are forcing to redirect budgets and optimize services and benefits, the policies to support those most in need must be kept in the first level of institutional action.

How is this compatible, in a time when revenues have shrunk considerably, the country suffers from a serious budget deficit and the volume of service requests  increases in proportion to the worsening economic situation? The equation is not easy to solve, but not impossible to apply. Imagination, financial balance and the willingness to serve can be a great combination to activate lines of social support.

The base of any institution planning involves the implementation of an action policy that considers the required austerity versus the provision of services. A good example of this principle is that Catalonia has doubled health expenditure during the last ten years, even though that population growth was only 20%. The figures indicate that institutional leaders must be precise in the administration of public resources and that people should be careful in their proper use. But it also shows that social policies and support for individuals and groups who suffer most should be a priority in governmental action. This is a principle assumed by the municipal government of Sitges.

I’ll take advantage of this opportunity to invite all the inhabitants of Sitges to the presentation of the Governance Plan, to be held on Thursday 20 October at 19.30 at Palau Maricel.

A Sitgetà born in Vilafranca

Yesterday, we woke up with the sad news of the death of our beloved Janio Martí. It was just that kind of news that in a matter of hours arrives to every corner of Sitges, one of those events that shows that we are still fortunate to live in a town.

Janio was a very admired, loved and approachable person. During his artistic life, he received ample recognition when, accompanied by his orchestra, he became a common presence in Annual Festivals and Tents all around the country. Thanks to his performance skills, Janio brought a lot of happiness to many Catalans.

His death belongs to those that will be long remembered. His kindness, humor and optimism generated a bond with all the people that knew him. Janio was essentially a good person with whom it was always a pleasure to talk about any current issue, or just to talk about anything at Cap de la Vila or at El Retiro, as he was an enthusiast supporter of this local entity.

My relationship with him and his family was a consequence of different affinities and points of contacts, such as our common links between Sitges and Vilafranca, or to the fact that I was born at the same hospital and at the same date that his son Pinyu almost forty years ago. Our joint participation in the group Gent de Teatre some time ago, allowed us to intensify our contacts and share nice moments entirely filled with “sitgetanisme”.


Thanks, Teacher, thanks for everything you taught us and for everything you shared with us.

Sitges is dressed as a 'Fantastic film'

Sitges is dressing again as a fantastic film, just as the beginning of every October, when our town inaugurates the Festival, the most important one in his genre and the first film festival in the country. And this year, Sitges dresses even more fantastic thanks to initiatives geared to strengthen the presence of the festival in the entire town, especially in the center of the town, an area in which the Festival  had lost connection and presence with the passage of time.

The Festival is probably our most useful, profitable and effective tool to promote Sitges on an international level. The projection in the media of the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia today has an exceptional value: nearly 450 million hits on newspapers, radio, television and Internet. The Festival is covered by more than 400 accredited media. This scenario helps to relate Sitges with the Festival, to the point that many in the Film Industry use the name of the town to designate the Festival, in a clear demonstration of the association of the Festival with Sitges. For this reason, it was a sound decision when, in times of Pere Junyent as mayor, the Festival installed its photocall in one of the observation points of Aiguadolç, so that images of actors and directors appearing in the media have Sitges as the background.

From the artistic point of view, the commitment of the last ten years to promote the fantastic cinema, and its variants such as horror, science fiction, animation, Asian ... - has been fully successful and has helped to give the show a marked profile, warmly received by the audience and critics.

However, in Sitges there is a sensation that the Festival has lost its local character and profile over the years. People from Sitges that think that the Festival only has a residual presence in the center of the town are quite right. This trend, which has grown in importance in recent years, has generated some concern and aloofness in the relationship between the town and the event, something which must be corrected urgently.

For this reason, one of the many urgent measures of the new municipal government is to implement immediate actions to reinforce the active presence of the Festival at the center of town, and recuperate the affective relations between the people of Sitges and their Festival. The decor and atmosphere of streets, the fantastic menus prepared by twenty restaurants ascribed to the Hotel Association, the collaboration with schools, so that children can attend special sessions, or the large number drawings made by students that will be placed in various shops, are some of the actions carried out according to this line of action.

Sitges needs a solid Festival and in full projection. And the Festival needs the support, love and affection of all the inhabitants of Sitges. These actions aim to strengthen and enhance this relationship.

I truly wish that all those attending the Festival and visitors in general enjoy the magic of cinema!

100 days: Initial balance

The municipal government of the New Majority in Sitges is now 100 days old. The celebration of such a symbolic anniversary is always a good reason to perform assessments and analysis, so citizens will be able to discern current strategies and the style of our local government. That’s why our City Council is in the right position to perform an initial balance.

We knew what we were facing. Each one of the thirteen city councilors that make up the government of The New Majority knew that the financial situation of the City Hall was a mess, not only that, they knew it was a very complex situation. The political parties forming the New Majority denounced the chaotic situation when they were in the opposition. The erratic policy of the former local government involved pilfering money and incurring into credit beyond the economic possibilities of our city.

The economic balance confirms our worst fears: Bank loans totalling 43 million Euros and an accrued deficit of 22 millions. The figures are alarming. That why our new government wants to reduce the negative impact of such a disastrous legacy. We are determined to do everything possible to solve the situation.

The are some possible solutions. Jordi Mas, Director of the Post of City Councilor of Revenue and Public Innovation, is clearly showing to all of us that there’s a way out of the tunnel. The renegotiation of debt covenants with financial institutions, the reduction of the municipal structure, the extinction of municipal societies and the strict control of all the expenses are producing the first positive results. The cash flow generated allowed the City Council to pay overdue invoices to small suppliers from Sitges and nearby counties, some were past due years ago.

In line with our strategy to overcome the financial situation that we inherited from the former government, one of our priorities involves insuring the maintenance of certain basic services for the population: garbage collection, street cleaning, management of municipal nurseries or the day centers for our seniors. We are dealing here with outsourced public services that were granted public concessions. The high level of debt incurred by the City Council with the above mentioned companies, sometimes reaching grotesquely high figures, have generated much concern among those companies and their workers. They were fed up and they did not want to continue their services. The basic services were not discontinued thanks to the negotiating capacity and determination of City Council, the public service companies and their employees.

The example of those three services illustrates the situation in which we find ourselves now. Just as in the case of the three companies above, there are many situations affecting small and medium sized suppliers. We are finding complex and irrational scenarios provoked by a large number of purchases or contracts that were impossible to implement.

Even considering that the priority is to find solutions to our dramatic economic situation, the government of the New Majority also has new projects and initiatives that want to improve the quality of life of our citizens, and to help to project a good image of our city and keep our architectonic heritage. The cessation of works for the refurbishment of Museums in those points disrupting with the image of our classical seafront, the actions to stop illegal flea markets on the streets, the improvement of beach services or the development of welfare policies are some of the actions promoted by the Government Team during the first one hundred days. During the coming weeks, we will publish our Executive Plan incorporating all the strategic lines of the present government.

Leaving aside public administration, I would like to mention another point that was important for me during the first three months acting as a Major. During all the day-to-day contact I maintained with people, public entities and different groups, I found that notwithstanding the current crisis, they all maintain their illusion in their collective projects and in the day-to-day interactions of their respective associations Modern day Sitges is the product of the richness of our civil society, one of our most precious assets.

A season of hope

The long touristic season is reaching the end. In the case of Sitges, our economic figures are slightly better than a year ago, but we are still suffering from the uncertainties provoked by the current economic crisis. Unfortunately, our country is taking a harsh punishment because the right decisions were not taken in time.

In Sitges, this summer’s hotel occupancy rates are slightly better than those of 2010. During June, hotels and camping had a occupancy rate of 75%, five points over the previous year; during July it was 83% (compared to a year-to-date of 80%), and during August, occupancy rates lingered at the peak of 90%. Figures are satisfactory and stress the vitality, power and the positioning of our municipality as one of the tourist flagships in Catalonia. Such a fact allows to hope for a better future. Some circumstances affected positively the results of the European Mediterranean coast, such as the current doubts affecting some consolidated markets in North Africa. But other elements escape from our grasp, such as the evening out of the Pound Sterling that scares British tourists away, or the bad weather during July. Such facts had a negative influence on final results.

The beginning of Autumn, and consequently, the Winter Campaign that arrives when the Festival ends, marks the start of a period in which the tourist industry will have to devote all their energy to keep their capacity. The current situation is quite complex, and we can’t still detect any change of cycle in the horizon. That’s why we are in a moment that requires the maximum cooperation among all the sectors. We need imagination and insight to take advantage of any opportunity, and we also need the necessary collective strength to maintain our stance.

The Government that I preside will not hold back any support to commerce, to the hotel industry and to the bars and restaurants of Sitges. The City Council’s financial situation is in dire straits, so the short term support will not be economical, but it can be implemented by means of other policies that can be equally beneficial for the sector. The campaign against illegal flee markets during the last couple of weeks –illegal flee markets brutally penalize legal local merchants-, or the improvement of beach services, are actions with a very positive effect on the local economic fabric.

The glamour of Sitges, a first class tourist destination during more than a century, will help us to face the future. All the above is very important, since it will allow us to have a controlled designation of origin. But currently this is not enough, since tourism and the service sector at large are perceived as a way of economic development. That’s why we must act in a more imaginative way, we must combine efforts and bet for quality as the best investment warranty for the future.

I’ll take advantage of my second entry in my Blog to announce that my weekly postings will be translated into Spanish and English. We want to transmit our message beyond our frontiers and reinforce our international projection.

Lastly, I want to express my sincerest thanks to all those that made possible the Festivity of the Verema during the last 50 years. Thanks to them, the streets of Sitges were filled with magic again.

I wish all of you a happy Santa Tecla, specially for the younger ones!!

Welcome to my Blog

Friends, I will begin my Blog today, 11 September 2011, National Day of Catalonia, just three months after my inauguration as Mayor of Sitges thanks to the Government of the New Majority. I am making use of this new initiative as a new communication tool with the citizens. I want to transmit them my thoughts about current news and issues affecting us, and open a new channel to reinforce the necessary proximity, a proximity that all City Council officers must maintain with their citizens.



The Blog contains articles and personal notes, but it will also be a tool to know the City Council's day-to-day activities. By the use of entries on social networks and the development of options provided by entorn 2.0, users will be able to get a closer insight into the day-to-day activities of our town. 
The first blog entry is the speech I delivered yesterday, during the institutional event to commemorate September 11 in Sitges.

SPEECH OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2011
Councilors of the City of Sitges

Former mayor Jordi Serra, former mayor Pere Junyent

Representatives of organizations,

Colla Jove de Castellers de Sitges
Escola de Grallers de Sitges
Dear Sitgetans and Sitgetanes,
Fellow citizens,



It is an honor for me to pronounce my first speech acting as Mayor of Sitges, in a day as important as today, the eve of National Day of Catalonia.



Tomorrow marks another anniversary of that date that has probably becomethe most important and tragic date in the history of Catalonia: that fateful September 11, 1714 when, during the War of Succession to the throne of Spain, the Bourbon armies invaded Catalonia, at that time Catalonia supported the Habsburg dynasty.



The defeat suffered that September 11 did not help to eliminate the desire for freedom of thousands of Catalans, such longing for freedom is still alive today. On 12 September 1714 began a long journey to recover our institutions and our national rights.

But today Sitges does not only wants to pay homage to the martyrs of 1714 who died defending the rights of our people, Sitges also wants to pay a tribute to all those patriots that during our history suffered persecution, repression and death for their ideas, just for defending what they loved, in this case, Catalonia.



Fortunately for Catalonia, the situation today is different from that of previous centuries. We have recovered part of what we lost nearly 300 years ago, but our long journey does not stop here.

Today our country is going through difficult times, many people from Sitges and elsewhere are worried for their present and future, they are suffering from the effects of the global economic crisis that has seriously affected our country. But we shall overcome. As President Mas stated once: "In our country we have enough talent, the required drive and the combined force of many people."



As Catalans, we must keep working and building our country using our identity as a platform, but at the same time projecting our country all around the world. We must paddle hard because we are facing a strong wind. The lights are still far from the port, but our crew is full of sailors with a firm and clear direction. Despite the impediments of the sea, one day we will see the port, and that day all the mist will vanish. But until that day arrives, we must remember and interiorize the words of the poet: "Now say, we will be forever faithful at the service of this town.

"

Sitgetans and Sitgetanes, tomorrow, the Moixiganga dancers will attend the institutional event arranged by the Government of Catalonia and the Parliament of Catalonia at the Ciutadella Park in Barcelona. The presence of Sitges will materialize with the opening speech extracted from the Third Modernist Festivity that Santiago Rusiñol organized in our town, and the solemn representation of the Moixiganga dance. Facts such as these rarely occur in life, and that's why I invite you to go there and enjoy the performance of our Moixiganga. I also invite you to participate in the Sardana Dance tomorrow night, our national dance. The dance will take place at Cap de la Vila.



Compatriots, the national holiday is a day to remember the noble history of our country, but also a day to continue claiming our will to belong to our town. I invite all to be so! As President Barrera, passed away recently, said once: "We are in a real hurry."

Thank you very much!

Visca Catalunya!


Miquel Forn i Fusté

Mayor of Sitges