Torrevieja town hall has announced that it will increase the extraordinary decorative ornamental lighting for all the town’s notable festivals and events to the tune of a contract worth €450,750.00 per year (plus IVA), for a contract for two years, extendable for two more, with annual extensions.

The funding has been approved and the contract is being put to tender. Meanwhile, Sueña Torrevieja reveals that for 31 months, the local government has not delivered food lots for people in a situation of vulnerability in the town.

Pablo Samper, spokesperson for Sueña Torrevieja, asks the government team to “unclog this situation as soon as possible since there are many families with difficulties in our city who need these lots as soon as possible.”

On January 15, 2021, the Government Board approved the supply of basic food and hygiene products for people in vulnerable situations through an emergency contract.

On October 21, 2022, almost 20 months later, the Government Board also approved the contracting file for a new supply of food and hygiene products.

Samper assures that “lot 1 of perishable foods was deserted on February 25, 2023, almost six months ago, and the new tender has not yet been approved again.”

Regarding lot 2, fresh products, “the Governing Board of August 4, 2023, agreed to withdraw the offer presented by Logística Campos Leiva SKL, and the contract with the only offer that remains has not yet been formalised.”

The true reality, Samper concludes, “is that after the last contract for food supplies and basic hygiene products for people in vulnerable situations, on January 15, 2021, almost 31 months later, the contracts have not yet been formalised of two of the most important lots, fresh products and non-perishable products, and one of them has not even been approved for a new tender, after being vacated on February 25, 2023, almost six months ago. We ask the government team to unblock this situation as soon as possible, since there are many families with difficulties in our city who need these lots as soon as possible.”

It should be noted that Torrevieja already had an excessive lighting budget, and although the lights were mostly erected in the central area of the municipality, not the urbanisations, the cost per person was far higher than much larger municipalities, including Elche, and also that of Madrid.

But at least now the vulnerable and the hungry will be able to marvel at the pretty lights whilst sitting on streets strewn with rubbish from another failed contract, mixed in with abandoned electric scooters and an abundance of “lookie lookie” men, so it’s not all bad.