The Mayor of Nerja held a meeting with the Secretary of State for Environment, the second high level meeting within one week, in which the Ministry reaffirmed its ‘commitment’ to pursue this ‘priority project’ at the ‘fastest pace possible’.

After the meeting, the Mayor of Nerja was said to be ‘cautiously optimistic’.

The police are also continuing their efforts to detect counterfeit disabled parking permits, having already discovered five which have either been photocopied, computer generated or, in one case, belonged to someone who was deceased.

The activities begin at 8:30 and finish at 14:00 and among the activities are basketball, paddle tennis, swimming, football 7 and a dog show by the Guardia Civil canine unit. In addition, basketball player Carlos Cabeza, world champion in 2006 and European champion in 2009, will be making an appearance.

The campus is open to children aged between 4 years and 15 years and registration ends on February 25th. The cost is €28 for members of the Basketball Club, €32 for non-members. There is a 50% discount for a second family member.

At the end of the campus there will be a party and paella at La Barca.

The PSOE spokesman also commented on the meeting in Madrid between the Mayor and Director General of Water in which a ‘commitment’ to try and resolve the problems was forthcoming, dismissing such statements as ‘electioneering’.

Similar, if not more specific, promises and statements were, of course, made by Rosa Aguilar (PSOE) in the run-up to the municipal and general elections.

One gets the distinct impression that there must be some underlying reason why numerous projects relating to Nerja – sewage plant, health centre, golf course, marina, fire station etc – always run into trouble.

The sewage plant project has been rumbling on for four decades, and in the meantime, just about every other municipality, large or small, has managed to build at least one facility.

It was touted that a change in Central Government would ‘unblock’ the project almost immediately, but this has not so far been the case. In fact, the sewage plant project has been ‘in progress’ during central governments of both political persuasions, yet it is seemingly no nearer to completion than it was forty years ago.

EU regulations stipulate a zero discharge into the sea by 2015, which is cutting it fine when the project has not yet been put out to tender. Reading between the lines, it does seem that governments would rather pay a penalty than build the plant for some reason.

Expectations are also high with regard to a possible change of political orientation in Andalucia in March, although holding one’s breath is not recommended as a viable option.

It could, of course, be pure coincidence that Nerja suffers so many setbacks. Other municipalities also suffer the odd setback, but seemingly not to the same extent.

However, we live in hope. Perhaps the project will suddenly be ‘unlocked’ and residents and tourists alike will be able to bathe in a slickless sea without fear of infection.

It was the UK relatives of a local restaurant owner who contacted the TV producers to prepare the ‘surprise’ and recording will coincide with the start of Carnival. The restaurant owner is allegedly unaware of the impending surprise.

The investigation began last summer when the two boats left Nerja on a fishing trip. An inflatable craft, suspected of carrying drugs, was detected in the Alborán sea and heading for the Málaga coast. Police monitored the situation and saw the small craft make contact with the two pleasure craft before unloading bales of hashish.

A total of five people, all with prior records, have been detained.

The motion will also urge the Government to immediately suspend the permits granted by the previous government and for the Junta de Andalucía to set up a committee to adopt appropriate resolutions against prospecting for hydrocarbons along the Malaga coast.