La Prensa/The Newspapers

Hemos realizado algunos cambios en el servicio de recogida de periódicos que espero sirvan para dar menos dolores de cabeza a Ricardo, la tienda Sol y a mi marido David, que es el que actualmente recoge los periódicos 5 días en semana. No se si estáis al corriente o no, pero Agustín ya no trabaja para Sol Andalusí y tampoco la Comunidad no puede disponer mas del coche de Sol Andalusí.

Con efecto inmediato, por favor:

• ·      Paguen a Ricardo los lunes y por adelantado una semana (o un mes) de su pedido de prensa. Por favor lleven el dinero exacto.
• ·      Pedidos o cambios en el pedido sólo se podrán realizar los lunes por la mañana.
• ·      La prensa se recogerá en la tienda Sol, como de costumbre.
• ·      Sin pago no habrá periódicos. No habrá tampoco devoluciones.
• ·      Si usted figura como moroso con la Comunidad por un importe superior a 500€ no se le prestará este servicio.

Espero que entienda el sentido de estos cambios y que comprenda el porqué eran necesarios. 

We have made some changes to the newspaper delivery service which we hope will provide a better service for you and fewer headaches for Ricardo, the Sol Shop and my husband David who is currently collecting the papers five days a week.  As you may or may not know Agustín, is no longer working at Sol Andalusí and furthermore the community no longer has use of the Sol Andalusí car.

With immediate effect please:

• ·      Pay Ricardo in his office on a Monday between 9 and 10am with the exact money in cash for your week’s (or month’s) newspapers. No change will be given
• ·      Orders or changes to orders can be made only on Monday mornings
• ·      Papers should be collected from the Sol Shop as usual
• ·      No pay, no papers. No refunds
• ·      If you are in debt to the community by more than €500 you will not be entitled to any newspaper service at all

I hope this makes sense to you and also that you can see why these changes needed to be made.

Stop press (forgive the pun)

The news is not very good I am afraid.  As you know, we failed to get a signature from Luis Martinez by our deadline at the end of last year. 

Turning our thoughts to the budget for next year we must look at ways to economise and the Community board have decided not to take up the Phase 1 part of employment contracts for 2011 for Juanjo, the garden supervisor nor with Marcos the maintenance supervisor.

You will still see the two of them around as I suppose either Phase 2 or Sol Andalusi will continue to employ them.

The gardeners are confident that they can work without a fall in standards, although some of the tools and equipment have disappeared, and it remains to be seen how we will manage without Marcos.

Without any notice Sol Andalusi have stopped collecting the newspapers, (this is what I meant about the Stop press pun) for those who are not clients of theirs and they will not allow the use of their car for Ricardo or Virginia to go to the town.  I apologise for the break in service, and hope to have things back to normal this week.  Please go to the shop to collect and pay.

The letter post will be delivered to us by the Correos and we are deciding the best way to collect parcels and medicines.  I will also confirm in a day or two about how to send your letters.

Lamento no poder dar buenas noticias.  Como sabéis,  no hemos podido obtener una firma de Luis Martínez  al final del año pasado, fecha límite.

Este año tendremos que buscar alternativas para disminuir el presupuesto de la comunidad.  La junta de Fase 1 ha decidido prescindir en 2011 de los contratos de trabajo de Marcos, jefe de mantenimiento y Juanjo, jefe de jardín. 

Los dos seguirán trabajando para Fase 2 o Sol Andalusí,  supongo.

Los jardineros están seguros de que pueden funcionar igual que antes,  aunque algunas herramientas y enseres de jardín han desaparecido y queda por ver cómo nos las arreglaremos sin Marcos. 

Sin previo aviso, Sol Andalusí ha dejado de recoger la prensa para los que no son sus clientes,  y no se permitirá el uso del coche para transportar a Ricardo y Virginia al pueblo.

Disculpar por las molestias,  esperamos que todo vuelva a la normalidad esta semana.  Por favor,  vayan a la tienda a recoger y pagar.

Correos nos entregará la correspondencia directamente,  y estamos pensando la mejor manera de recoger los paquetes y los medicamentos.  Ya os confirmaré la forma de enviar nuestras cartas.

Someone to teach English

Sylvia, who rents an apartment in the Central Building at Sol Andalusi is looking for someone to give her private English language lessons.  She is looking for someone who is a native English speaker.  If you think you could help or can recommend someone, her email address is   silviadel77@hotmail.com

They can’t hold a candle to us

I was speaking to Chechu last Tuesday about the apparent lack of regard Sol Andalusi had for private owners and their tenants.  This was vigorously denied. I heard that when there was a long power cut in the Central Building on 26 December 10, candles were generously given out from the Reception but only to their clients. The family of a disabled lady who was marooned in her apartment as the lifts were not working, was told she could not have a candle.  I don’t think this surprises any of us.

Estuve hablando con Chechu el pasado martes sobre la aparente falta de respeto que tuvo Sol Andalusí hacia los propietarios particulares y sus inquilinos.  Esto fue negado enérgicamente.  He oído, que cuando se fue la luz en el edificio central el 26 de diciembre,  en recepción se repartieron velas generosamente,  pero sólo a sus clientes.  A la familia de una mujer discapacitada que fue abandonada en su apartamento por falta de ascensores, se le dijo que no había velas. ¡Esto no nos sorprende!

Noticias/ News

Sorry to have written so little over the last couple of weeks.  I had hoped to have good news for Christmas, but sadly this did not turn out to be the case.

At the end of last year the community asked Sol Andalusi (SA) for an increased contribution to gas, electric and irrigation water.  After various meetings, Luis Martinez made us a good offer so everyone was happy.  We waited for the letter of agreement to be signed, but gradually the days turned into weeks.  Finally just a week before I was to leave for the Christmas break, I was told that they would not sign until we had given them an idea of other changes we wanted to make in the future.

That was not my understanding of the agreement at all.  I understood that the agreement was unconditional.  However, I agreed to list additional changes we wished to discuss in January (such as the statutes, the ending of offsetting by SA so that we could manage our accounts, the control of events at SA and a couple of other matters). 

Then Luis Martinez went to Santander, and was elusive on his return, however after chasing him around for a few days, I managed to secure a meeting for 7pm, 16th December. I explained I might be a few minutes late, but that Gerald Salters and Gerard der Kinderen would be there punctually (in fact they were there at 6.55pm).  I arrived at 7.15 and found that Chechu and Luis had already left the premises.  When they were contacted around 7.40pm we were told they were at another meeting in Torremolinos,  

So even if I had been there for 19.00 they were clearly not going to allow us more than a couple of minutes.

They told no one they were leaving, they made no attempt to contact me.  Neither was there any attempt to explain or apologise the next day (17th) and they knew I was leaving the following day (18th) and would not be back until 5th January.

I am sorry to say that this is the end of negotiations.  We gave them a deadline to sign the letter but it would appear we have once again been victims of delaying tactics.

In my view it is now more important than ever that we make a concerted effort to form an independent Fase 1 community, support and liaise with the Association in their actions, and give up any idea of hoping to negotiate with SA on these matters.

I look forward to hearing any comments and will pass on more news as I get it.  Wishing you all the very best for a happy new year with the overdue progress for our community.

Miyuki

Estimados todos,

Ultimas semanas de este año esperaba saludarles con noticias buenas para la Navidad. Pero parece que va a ser todo lo contrario ya que las cosas no han ido tal como esperaba.

La comunidad preguntó a Sol Andalusi (SA) por los aumentos de gas, electricidad y agua. Reunimos varias veces y conseguimos una buena oferta de Sr. Luis Matinez. Estábamos esperando la firma del contrato, pero los días y semanas pasaron. Una semana antes de la Navidad me avisaron que no firmarían antes que hubiesemos avisado que otras cosas queríamos al nuevo acuerdo. A mi ultimo intento de reunirme con ellos, llegué, debido a causas ajenas a mi voluntad, 15 minutos de tarde y ellos ya se habían marchado y además Gerald Salters y Gerard der Kinderen han llegado en punto. El diá siguiente yo no he oido nada de telefono o email para explicar lo que ha pasado. Por lo cual, no se ha firmado nada y por planes de Navidad de cada uno, la próxima reunión de podrá celebrar después de los Reyes.

Parece que esto ya ha sido el fin de las negaciones. Le habíamos dado una fecha límite para la firma de acuerdo pero ha sido imposible.

Creo que sería más importante que nunca que hiciésemos un esfuerzo de formar una comunidad independiente de Fase 1, apoyandonos a la asociación y no esperando poder negociar con SA, ya que ha sido imposible contar con ellos.

A la espera de sus comentarios, les deseo a todos Feliz Año 2011