Wendy WilliamsBy Eloise Horsfield
IT is one of Europe’s glitziest holiday resorts, famous for its upmarket tourism and fine sandy beaches.
Yet, Marbella urgently needs a homeless hostal, local charities have insisted.
“We need a shelter urgently,” Jeronimo Jimenez from the Red Cross told the Olive Press.
“People are losing their jobs, and we are seeing more and more homeless people of all nationalities including Moroccan and Spanish on the streets – all sorts.”
He revealed that his branch had seen the numbers of families needing charitable handouts almost double in just one year.
In 2011, Marbella Red Cross provided 180 families with food parcels, while this year the figure will be nearer 300.
“I go out most nights with a car to give out food and the numbers of homeless are clearly rising,” he added.
While official town hall figures claim only 11 people are sleeping rough in the town, other charities such as Caritas insist the figure is at least 100.
The local IU party is now supporting calls for a shelter to be set up.
But local councillor Miguel Diaz insists that previous calls to the ruling PP mayor have fallen on deaf ears.
“We used to have a shelter in Marbella, but it closed in 2000,” he said. “We have requested a new one now, but the PP administration has rejected it.”
Town hall social welfare councillor Manuel Cardena defended the objection, insisting a shelter was not needed.
“We are looking for definitive solutions and not temporary ones which increase the risk of social exclusion,” he said.
Marbella has 17,000 unemployed. Estepona 8,000.
Any particular reason why Marbella should house Moroccans ? The ferry is not expensive.
Hey PM, not just Moroccans lets put all the poor rifraf on the boat …… Sickening poverty knows no nationality and the “Rich & Beautiful” like me and my buddy PM would gladly pay de boat fo de RifRaf to go to pu country …….
….fine sandy beaches in Marbella….upmarket tourism…..glitziest resort in europe…..the only people who may believe that are the ones who have never been to Marbella to see its totally dilapitated, run down infrastructure, potholes, rock strewn, dog feces covered mini beaches. Marbella is a myth that is desperate to live up to it but everybody is a prisoner here with more than 20,000 houses and apartments for sale of foreigners who want to leave…..
Felix, you tell it as it is.
Sad, but I do NOT see a need for a “Homeless Shelter” in Marbella. The alledged “Poor” I see asking for donations at food markets – only seem to be in Marbella from Semana Santa to Oct 1 – our best weather season. Where ELSE do they go in the “off” months?? Monte Carlo… Sardinia…Marocco…??
I might try “sleeping rough” the next few years to supplement my OA Pension!
Felix… spot on..!
i tell everyone that marbella is over rated full of brit theives down troden calahonda has nicer people
In the news and TV : A Spanish young woman, her three young children and her 84 year old grandmother were forcibly evicted from their home a few weeks ago, all their belongings on the street with nowhere to go. This, which is becoming more and more frequent was covered by a Danish TV film crew who later screened it in Denmark. Shocked by these events Danish people have put their money where their mouth is and one particular family is sponsoring these normal, hardworking, law abiding family to weather their storm, a storm that is fast becoming the norm in these critical times. She calls them her Guardian Angels.
Evictions of normal law abiding Spanish families, unable to find work, unable to pay their bills, or pay for their food is on the rise. Many more Guardian Angels with deep pockets are needed in these times of crisis.