Fat Monday is a day that always generates very unique sensations. The day is right in the middle of the two parades, the ripe occasion to comment the parades of the previous day at our home, work or at any commercial establishment. It is the moment in which people from Sitges make their initial assessment and review the development of parades, the street environment, weather conditions, the level of the costumes or the skills of King Carnival or Queen Carnival. It is a clear sign that the carnival is part of our DNA as a community, and plays a key role in the social fabric of our town. It is a demonstration that Sitges still is and will continue being a town for many years to come, with all positive components that it implies.
This Fat Monday we can make a first assessment of the Parade of Debauchery celebrated yesterday. The Parade was marked by the schedule change that aims to facilitate greater participation and ensure optimum security measures, both for members of the parades, public and neighbors. The reconciliation of interests of so many stakeholders (organizations, groups, people in disguise, security, economic development ...) is not easy and you can't please everybody, but I think that the change will be evaluated as positive and necessary once that enough time has elapsed to pass judgment.
The first assessments on the new schedule released today are positive, as it has achieved the end of the parade at a sensible time, with all the favorable thing it implies: more public, better schedule for those working the next day, more movement at the associations and bars once the parade ends, and a optimum global environment for the proper development of the party. However, yesterday the parade showed again one of its eternal problems: too many interruptions, which hurt brilliance and development. This is one of the challenges that must improve in the future.
Reports indicate that the safety measures were developed with absolute normality, without any important incident. Also, the Emergency Medical Service (SEM) showed a lower level of activity than in previous years. The work of professionals and the new measures were decisive in this favorable initial assessment.
The work carried out by organizations and groups also have a crucial importance. We must be grateful, and we must also point out explicitly all their efforts to make everything happen in the best way possible. It is also the case of the groups of His Majesty Carles Torres and Her Majesty the Beautiful Queen, that contributed with their imagination and ingenuity, and also the members of the parades: despite the crisis, despite financial difficulties, our Carnival retains its high level that makes it one of those with largest projection and participation.
AGNES SCHOOL OF SITGES, WE HAVE THE GO AHEAD. Last week, the budgetary approval of La Generalitat (Catalan Autonomous Government) for 2012 brought about an expected and necessary joy in Sitges: the inclusion of a specific entry for the start of construction of the school Agnès de Sitges. The news is not precisely fresh, since the Education Department informed us around Christmas and we announced the news. But in any case, it means the consolidation of the political will of Catalan minister Irene Rigau. She attended the request made by the City Hall of Sitges, endorsed by the encouraging demands made by parents of students at the school, that have been occupying the modules during too many years.
The 600,000 Euros foreseen in the budget of La Generalitat during 2012 will allow the start of the works and will solve a long and complex process which dates back to 2007. The current business year is not ripe for large investments, given the budgetary constraints needed overcome the deficit situation. For this reason, I want to emphasize my gratitude to the Education Department, since the money intended for Agnès de Sitges is part of one of the few investments made in schools during 2012. We must congratulate ourselves for such long awaited news for so many families in Sitges and the entire municipality.
