FAOC, the Federación De Asociaciones De Orihuela Costa, have written to the Orihuela authorities demanding Improvements to the operation and control of the Cabo Roig Thursday Market.
Following a meeting with a group representing the market traders, representatives of the Cabo Roig y Lomas Neighbourhood association, and FAOC, they say that the Microrreserva of Punta La Glea is suffering serious deterioration, much of which can be easily fixed with the cooperation of the municipal council.
They claim that much of the waste that occurs during, and remains following the market closure, is blowing off the site and onto the microreserve and that bags, paper and other waste is scattered across the area as a result of gusts of wind.
In the meantime the traders have already introduced their own actions to ensure that each stall holder gathers up his own waste, in order to prevent it from spreading across the area but they say that now is the time for the City Council to do its part also, as a result of which they want the local police to ensure that the correct legislation is applied to the use of plastic bags, and sanctions applied to those traders failing to do so.
They are also asking for the installation of 2 chemical toilets for the use of traders and members of the public, stating that the absence of such a basic service means that the microreserve is often used as a public latrine. They remind the council that this has been requested on several occasions during the last 4 years, without any result.
They also want a significant increase in the number of waste containers, especially for plastics and cartons, to cover the needs of merchants and they want a preliminary clean of the market site before the start of the day as they often arrive at the site to find it littered with waste and debris.
They have also requested that the local police assign an agent to the market throughout the day in order to deter thefts from market stalls and illegal trading by ‘looky looky men’ with the consequent economic loss to the merchants who are paying a site fee in order to carry out their trade.
The FAOC demands were sent to the councillors for Markets, Security and the Environment, Dámaso Aparicio, María Dolores Rocamora and Miguel Ángel Fernández
