Noticias:

Fuerteventura's growth skyrockets with 4,531 more registered residents in one year.

It is the island with the highest growth in percentage numbers of the entire archipelago, by far



The island of Fuerteventura is the one that grows the most in population of the entire archipelago in percentage terms, to such an extent that it is the second fastest growing in total numbers, data that is "frightening" if you look at it in retrospect.



At the moment the island has 124,152 inhabitants, and according to the census updated on January 1, 23, the island has gained 4,531 residents in one year. In terms of official figures, the informal ones may be higher. This is a growth rate of around 4% per year, and it will continue to grow.

To give you an idea, if the Spanish state grew at 4% per year, each year the country would have 1.8 million new people registered each year. Untenable.



Tenerife, which is the only island that surpasses Fuerteventura in total numbers, grew by 14,367 people, but very far away in percentage terms, since with 1.5% more it consolidates itself as the most populous island of the Canary Islands with 954,000 inhabitants.



Population changes in the rest of the archipelago continue to rise, but at lower levels. In this way, Gran Canaria has 4,418 more people in the census (below Fuerteventura in total numbers), Lanzarote grows by 3,161, La Palma 332 more residents, La Gomera 358 and El Hierro 242.

Radio Sintonia:

Majorero oil is once again the best in the Canary Islands.

The Teguerey hojiblanca-picual extra virgin olive oil, produced by Luis Hernández Santana, was chosen as the best in the Canary Islands in this edition



NEWSROOMFUERTEVENTURA


The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty of the Government of the Canary Islands, through the Canary Islands Institute of Agri-Food Quality (ICCA), has recognised today, 14 December, the excellence of the agri-food products of the Archipelago with the delivery of a total of 123 awards to the best wines, cheeses, gofios, oils and sea salts of the Islands within the framework of the Official Agrocanarias 2023 Competition.



A total of 165 productions from 56 cheese factories in the Islands participated in the cheese contest and 50 prizes were awarded. The Finca de Uga cheese factory received the distinction of Best Cheese of the Canary Islands, Don Nicolás, made from aged pasteurized cow's milk, made in the municipality of Yaiza (Lanzarote).



The Teguerey hojiblanca-picual extra virgin olive oil, produced by Luis Hernández Santana, was chosen as the best in the Canary Islands in this edition, which had the participation of 16 samples, of which five were awarded.
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During the award ceremony, the councillor of the area, Narvay Quintero, referred to the need to dignify the work of the producers of the Archipelago, "giving them the value they deserve as businessmen and businesswomen in the primary sector", which "provides us with food, creates landscape, contributes to the fight against erosion and climate change, It maintains our rural environment and traditions, and generates employment and economy in our environment."



"Our products weave the threads of our identity and connect us to wonderful memories; A bite, a sip, they remind us of who we are, where we come from and how much we have to be thankful for, they are also a link to our history, a tradition that endures at every table," he said.



The head of the Department also pointed out that "we cannot and do not want to live with our backs turned to our agriculture and livestock; This is what the team that is at the head of the Ministry of Agriculture is working on and that is why these Events are held". Quintero concluded his speech by congratulating all the winners of this edition of Agrocanarias and encouraged the attendees to toast "to our productions, to those who make it possible for us to enjoy them and to continue reaping many successes".



Promotion



For his part, the director of the Canary Islands Institute of Agri-Food Quality (ICCA), Luis Arráez Guadalupe, congratulated the producers, technical staff of the Institute, tasters, as well as the companies and administrations collaborating in the different competitions "for their work and dedication to promote these initiatives that value and recognise the quality of local products". "Along these lines, from the ICCA we promote actions to promote the consumption of Canarian productions and raise awareness among buyers of the importance of betting on these productions," he added.



The ceremony, directed by the comedian Kike Pérez and the communicator Caridad Díaz, was attended by the winners, the management team of the Ministry of Agriculture and other members of the Canary Islands Government, authorities of the regional and local public administrations, representatives of all the island councils, professional agricultural organizations, fishermen's guilds, the Regulatory Councils of the different Protected Designations of Origin of the Archipelago, companies and associations of the primary sector, and teaching staff and students of the Agricultural Training School of Tacoronte, among other attendees.



In this edition of the contest, 462 productions have participated and 123 awards have been awarded, of which 50 correspond to cheeses, 40 to wines, 23 to gofios, five to oils and five to salts.



The distinction of best wine of the Islands of this edition went to Brumas de Ayosa Malvasía Aromatica, produced by SAT 9036 Viticultores de la Comarca de Güímar, from the PDO Valle de Güímar (Tenerife). In this contest, 178 samples from producers from all over the archipelago competed and 40 were recognized in the different categories.



On the other hand, Gofio Gomero de millo, made by Rayco Herrera under the Protected Geographical Indication "Gofio Canario" obtained the distinction of best gofio in the Archipelago, among a total of 93 productions from 18 mills on the Islands. On this occasion, 23 prizes were awarded in 18 medals and 5 distinctions. This mill received, in addition to different medals in different categories, the distinction of Best Local Grain Gofio of the contest for this same production, and the one awarded by the jury of elderly people for its Ideal 5 of wheat, millet, barley, oats and chickpeas, also recognized with a Grand Gold Medal.



In addition, the Flor de Sal de Salinas de Tenefé, from Gran Canaria, produced by BRC Infraestructuras Hidráulicas SL, has been recognised as the Best Sea Salt in the Canary Islands 2023.Ten salt samples (five varieties of virgin sea salt and five of fleur de sel) competed, with five of them being awarded.



In each contest, a panel made up of expert tasters, professionals specialising in the analysis of agri-food products, has been in charge of deciding the award-winning productions with their assessments. The evaluation of the samples is carried out following the blind tasting system (without knowing which productions they are tasting).



During the event, the promotional spot starring the Canarian comedians Aarón Gómez and Darío López was screened, which is part of the institutional campaign developed by the ICCA and the public entity Gestión del Medio Rural de Canarias in the media to promote, under the slogan "This Christmas we give the best of us", the consumption of local products on these dates of celebrations. Performances by musician Manuel Ramos, singer Fabiola Socas, and timpanist José Manuel Benítez enlivened the celebration.

Radio Sintonia:

Pájara inaugurates one of the largest synthetic ice slides in the Canary Islands.

The City Council of Pájara inaugurates this Friday, December 15, from 19:00 p.m., one of the largest synthetic ice slides in the Canary Islands, within the framework of the Christmas program and the cultural and commercial revitalization that the Consistory has undertaken in the municipality.

This structure is installed in the Plaza de los Ganaderos de Morro Jable and has a length of 35 meters. The slide, as well as the merry-go-round installed, will be available for the use and enjoyment of the population from 19:00 p.m. today.

The Government of Pájara intends, through this slide, to add one more attraction for the whole family to the actions developed so that all citizens spend different and special holidays in the municipality.

In this way, the Government group wanted to approach the Christmas holidays of large European cities that concentrate Christmas markets and attractions in central squares.

Along these lines, the Councilor for Commerce, Juan José Viera, explained that this synthetic ice slide has been rented, which becomes one of the largest in the Archipelago and the only one in Fuerteventura. Likewise, through the attractions, we manage to boost commerce thanks to the consumption of visitors to the square.

For her part, the Councilor for Culture, Raquel Acosta, highlights the teamwork to offer the neighbors the Christmas they deserve, also seeking the objective that the tourism sector leaves the hotels to come and get to know the Christmas spirit of Pájara. "This encourages us to continue working to provide great festivities in the municipality," concluded the councilor.

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Noticias:

Fuerteventura will have a New Year's concert on January 3rd with Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky.

Under the baton of Víctor Pablo Pérez with the JOCAN, the Russian pianist Nikolai Luganski, one of the best Rachmaninov specialists in the world, will participate

The Youth Orchestra of the Canary Islands meets again to prepare the traditional New Year's concert that, on this occasion, will be offered in Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura on January 1, 2 and 3, 2024, respectively. It will be the prelude to the 40th International Music Festival of the Canary Islands (IFCM), with three concerts conducted by maestro Víctor Pablo Pérez, and with the extraordinary participation of the Russian pianist Nikolai Luganski, one of the best Rachmaninov specialists in the world.



The new concerts were presented today by the Government's Deputy Minister of Culture, Horacio Umpiérrez; and the artistic director of the JOCAN, Víctor Pablo Pérez, accompanied by one of the young members of this group, the violinist Nieves María Abad, who highlighted the importance of a project like this for those who are starting out in the professional world of music.



Likewise, in such a special year for the four decades that IFCM celebrates, the JOCAN has invited several musicians from the Youth Orchestra of Andalusia (OJA) to share the stage, in a special collaboration that will make it possible to unite a total of 75 musicians on stage. Together they will perform two great symphonic works from the Russian repertoire: Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2, in which Lugansky will take part; and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5.



In this way, the Canary Islands welcome 2024 with a display of classical music that will begin with the three concerts of the JOCAN and will continue from January 10 with more than 60 concerts of the Canary Islands Music Festival, and its #EnParalelo, in the eight islands of the Archipelago, all of them programs carried out by Culture of the Government of the Canary Islands, through the Canary Islands Institute for Cultural Development.



The JOCAN concerts will be on January 1st at the Auditorio de Tenerife, on January 2nd at the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium in Gran Canaria, and on January 3rd at the Palacio de Formación y Congresos in Fuerteventura. They all start at 19:30 p.m., with a single ticket price of 10 euros. In collaboration with the Musicology area of the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Canarias, there will be an introductory talk to the concerts, which will be given by María Florencia Monasterio.



Nikolai Lugansky



Having Nikolai Luganski in the Canary Islands accompanying the JOCAN "is a luxury", in the words of Víctor Pablo Pérez. "It's sensational." With its presence on the islands, and with the performance of this work, the young group also joins the 150th centenary of Rachmaninov's birth that has been celebrated around the world throughout 2023.



Described by Gramophone as "the most pioneering and meteoric performer of all", he is a pianist of extraordinary depth and versatility. He is known for his exquisite interpretations of Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Chopin, and Debussy, as well as having received numerous awards for his recordings and artistic merits. He has maintained a long relationship with top-level conductors such as and has been invited by major international orchestras.



Program



The program begins with Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2, composed in 1901, which was greeted with ecstasy at its premiere, thus erasing the humiliating trace of his failure with the Symphony No. 1, which plunged him into a deep depression. This piece has been a staple of pianists ever since. Like many of the composer's other popular scores, it has been used, both for its style and content, by film and song composers. The lavish and exotic second track at the end provided the melody of 'Full Moon and Empty Arms', a hit for the then young Frank Sinatra; and 'All by myself', by Eric Carmen.



The second part will be for Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, one of the composer's most popular. Tchaikovsky himself said that this work represented "a complete renunciation of fate," and an early critic acknowledged that "the whole symphony seems to spring from a dark spiritual experience," but that hasn't stopped it from becoming a firm audience favorite. It is, along with the Sixth (the 'Pathétique'), the most famous and performed by this composer. Both works are performed for the first time by JOCAN.



Preparations for the meeting



The Youth Orchestra of the Canary Islands is a project of the Government of the Canary Islands, managed through the Canary Islands Institute of Cultural Development, which aims to facilitate orchestral practice for Canarian music students in their last year of degree or recent graduates. Its members are dispersed throughout the year in academic centers in different parts of the world and meet three times a year to offer concerts in their homeland. This year's will be their 20th meeting since they first took to the stage in 2016.



Preparations for this IFCM #Preludio will begin on 26 December in Tenerife, the first island to host this tour, and will last until a few hours before the first concert. During this time, they will have the advice of an exquisite staff of teachers brought from different parts of the world so that they can prepare the chosen program.



The tutoring is in charge of musicians who are members of different orchestras and are Miguel Borrego, David Ballesteros, Virginia Aparicio, Raúl Mirás, Frano Kakarigi, José Luis Estellez, Óscar Diago, Guilhaume Santana, María José Ortuño, Juan Antonio Martínez, Miguel Casas, Anna Ferriol, David Llacer and Juanjo Guillén.



It should be remembered that throughout its trajectory the Youth Orchestra has been the protagonist of several tours outside the islands, thus becoming the great ambassador of the Canary Islands within the world of classical music. Last summer they toured stages in Andalusia and, the year before, in the Basque Country where they ended with a great concert at the prestigious Musical Fortnight of San Sebastian, together with the Youth Orchestra of the Basque Country and the Choir of the Orfeón. Added to this is the intense tour they made through several cities in China at Christmas 2018.



The DISA Foundation Scholarships



On the other hand, it should be noted that the DISA Foundation wanted to support the Youth Orchestra of the Canary Islands through a scholarship program aimed at members who are still studying music. Endowed with 10,000 euros, these scholarships will be aimed at contributing to expenses related to their musical training and improvement, and also for musical instruments.



A total of ten individual scholarships will be offered, the recipients of which will be selected by a specialized committee. In the academic field, they are eligible for scholarships to pursue higher education, master's or postgraduate studies.

Radio Sintonia:

Conference on Responsible, Healthy and Sustainable Consumption to become "protagonists of change" from Fuerteventura.

Puerto del Rosario is preparing to welcome the community in a day that will promote responsible, healthy and sustainable consumption. Under the slogan "Be the protagonist of change", this event seeks to inspire the residents of Fuerteventura to adopt more conscious lifestyle habits that as citizens we can contribute to a better world.

The conference will take place on December 15 at the Insular Youth Center of the Cabildo de Fuerteventura (former Popular University), from 9:30 a.m. to 13:30 p.m.

Over the course of the day, different talks will be held in which professionals in the environment, sustainability and health will present their experiences and ideas on the importance of adopting a healthy and responsible lifestyle.

The day seeks to foster a lasting commitment to the environment and personal health. Admission is free and all citizens are invited to attend and commit to implementing small changes in their daily lives that have a positive impact on the community and the planet.

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Noticias:

The trailer of the movie American Star makes you fall in love with the images of Fuerteventura.

Yesterday the trailer of the film American Star, shot entirely in Fuerteventura and starring the veteran Irish actor Ian Mcshane, was presented. The film, which will be released in 2024, narrates the adventures of a murderer who arrives in Fuerteventura and while waiting for his victim becomes obsessed with the island, its people and especially with the American Star, the ship that was shipwrecked on the island a few decades ago.



An assassin with one final mission arrives in Fuerteventura to kill a man he's never met. But the goal is delayed. Instead of following protocol, he stays, drawn by the island, the people, and a ghostly shipwreck.



When the target returns, the world has changed. Everything used to be simple, now nothing is. American Star is directed by Spanish editor and filmmaker Gonzalo López-Gallego, director of the films Nomads, King of the Hill, Open Grave, The Hollow Point and Backdraft 2 previously, in addition to the television series "Néboa" recently and other short films.



The screenplay is written by Nacho Faerna. Produced by Michael Elliott and Ian McShane. As far as we know, this hasn't premiered at any festival or anywhere else. IFC Films will release American Star in select U.S. theaters + on VOD soon in early 2024.


link to article for link to trailer

Radio Sintonia:

In its latest campaign, the Ministry of Labour detects 426 cases of people without registration or with irregular contracts.

The Regional Operational Commission of the Labour Inspectorate approves the 2024 Work Plan that places special emphasis on the prevention of occupational accidents.

José Ramón Rodríguez, Director General of Labour of the Government of the Canary Islands, analysed today on Radio Sintonía the data that emerges from the latest campaign to reinforce the Labour Inspectorate, which uncovers 426 cases of people without registration or with irregular contracts.



The report highlights that during the three weeks that the campaign has lasted, the reinforcement team has made a total of 940 visits, 361 of them at night and on holidays. These inspections have made it possible to detect fraud in 205 part-time contracts, forcing the employers of the affected workers to extend their working hours and, consequently, to increase their salaries and contributions. In addition, the inspectorate has managed to convert 66 temporary contracts into permanent contracts.

A total of 281 informal jobs have emerged, 96 of them due to lack of registration with Social Security, 58 correspond to women and 38 to men. In addition, 29 non-EU foreigners without work permits have been identified. In addition to these underground jobs, there are the cases of 156 workers with part-time contracts who saw their working hours increased by more than 50%. Sixteen cases were also opened for obstruction. From January to October of this year, the inspection action brought to light 16,3 undeclared jobs in the Canary Islands.

The data has been released within the framework of the Autonomous Operational Commission of the Labour and Social Security Inspectorate of the Canary Islands, which has met to analyse the actions carried out this year and programme the objectives for 2024.

The Plan for next year includes 35,791 service orders divided into five areas: occupational risk prevention, employment and labour relations, social security, irregular economy and work of foreigners and other actions.

Radio Sintonia:

'La Oliva Environmental Attitude' seeks to raise awareness of the natural environment.

La Oliva renews its environmental signage to protect the environment and encourage recycling

In its efforts to move towards a more sustainable and respectful municipality, the City Council of La Oliva has completed a campaign to renovate and update its environmental signage. The objectives are, mainly, "to raise awareness to avoid practices that can cause damage to the natural environment, and also to provide the necessary information to conserve it," explained the Councilor for Environment and Tourism, David Fajardo.



Within the framework of the La Oliva Environmental Attitude campaign, the Department of the Environment has renewed the signage in several languages in those areas of the natural environment that, despite being isolated, receive a high traffic of people. This measure provides a guide for visitors and residents, indicating permitted and prohibited uses (including the penalties for infractions), and offering information about the environment that contributes to improving environmental education.

All these measures, as well as the recent creation of a service of environmental guides in several languages, aim to "improve the coexistence between human beings and their natural environment. What we seek is to conserve the biodiversity, the environment, and the richness of the landscape of La Oliva, values that are appreciated by both visitors and those of us who live in Fuerteventura. With information and education, we seek to make the community feel a deeper connection with the island, and that this contributes to its long-term conservation," said the mayor of La Oliva, Isaí Blanco.

Rhodoliths, paths, engravings and stone cairns

The signage of the La Oliva Environmental Attitude campaign has, among many other objectives, to correct practices that in recent times have caused damage to the natural environment, such as the plundering of rhodoliths, shells and sand, making engravings in ravines, the erection of stone cairns, or the transit on foot, by bicycle or motor vehicles outside the enabled paths.

In addition to renewing the old posters in this regard, "new signage has been added in those areas where it was necessary to act," such as the Calderón Hondo, "a point where measures were demanded," said David Fajardo. There, the signage reinforces the indication not to leave the enabled trails, and signs have been installed to prevent rubbish from being thrown, as there were areas where waste was accumulating, which have been cleaned and signposted".

In these areas of high natural sensitivity, such as the Jable ravines, the signage reflects the prohibition of making fires, leaving the trails, throwing rubbish, emptying motorhome tanks, extracting material from the environment or making engravings, among others.

Other environmentally threatened points that have been marked are the coastal areas affected by the extraction or alteration of rhodoliths, or the Tostón Lighthouse in El Cotillo, where the prohibition of making stone mounds that alter the habitat and landscape is recalled.

Recycling signage in Corralejo

The Environment and Cleaning areas of the City Council of La Oliva have collaborated to redistribute and signpost several selective collection points in Corralejo, where residents and tourists deposit their recycling waste (paper, glass and cardboard).

Due to traffic conditions, and the fact that selective collection trucks can only do the operation on one side, the City Council of La Oliva has found it necessary to relocate a series of recycling containers that were previously located next to those for household garbage. "That is why posters have been installed at these points informing with a map where the selective containers are now, always in order to facilitate information, so that citizens continue to recycle," Fajardo said.

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As per the title, we are looking for a small, cheap runabout for puttering to the shops and back. Taxis really getting difficult to get, and I'm fed up standing outside Mercadona every week waiting and praying.

If anyone knows anybody looking to shift a small, older car, please let me know? Don't want anything fancy and won't be using it for anything more than shopping runs.

Noticias:

The Cabildo improves the track in the north of Fuerteventura.

The Works and Machinery area, under the direction of Blas Acosta, is promoting work to optimize this key route in the north of the island



NEWSROOMFUERTEVENTURA


The Cabildo of Fuerteventura, through the area of Works and Machinery, carries out work to improve the road that connects Corralejo with El Cotillo along the coast, in the municipality of La Oliva. The reception work began in mid-November and it is expected that next week "works that will benefit users with an improved and more efficient road route to access the area" will be completed, said the president of the Cabildo, Lola García, in a visit to the works.



For his part, the councillor of the area, Blas Acosta, highlights the importance of an action that is part of the work to improve the rural roads developed by this area of the Cabildo throughout the island territory. These tasks have been improved "with the recent incorporation of vehicles and machinery incorporated into the Cabildo for maintenance tasks, improvement of roads and other services and needs".



The island institution has added to the fleet a motor grader, two backhoes, two agricultural tractors and a roller, vehicles that have been operational since last November. "A renewal of machinery that increases its performance to perform tasks in the most effective way possible," added Acosta.



The Cabildo of Fuerteventura calls on the population to respect the partial closures of the road, so that the continuity of the work can be ensured, as well as the optimal progress of the works.

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