Alex Trelinski
CALVIA Vila residents have voted overwhelmingly against a child migrant reception centre opening up in their area.
Unaccompanied teenagers would be housed at the old Ses Monges convent which is being purchased by Calvia City Council.
The Calvia Vila association of friends and residents met on Wednesday at the Sa Societat theatre.
128 attendees voted against the reception centre plans, with 20 in favour and 12 abstentions.
Association members fear the crime rate will rise if a small handful of children stay in the area.
The group has already sent letters opposing the move to the island government, the local council, and the Bishop of Mallorca.
It has also met with Calvia council officials including the mayor, Juan Antonio Amengual.
The government proposal is to house just eight girls aged between 12 and 17 years in the convent.
Resident group president, Pere Torrens, said “The number, however, is not clear, because we have already been warned that there is room for up to 16 people.”
Other Calvia Vila residents have slammed the negative attitude and have organised a petition which will be sent to the mayor.
Their letter states that opposition ‘seems to us unsupportive, alarmist and lacking any humanitarian feeling towards people in a clearly vulnerable situation’.
