Hospitality sector asked for “patience”

Palma town hall spokesperson Alberto Jarabo has asked the hospitality sector for its patience, saying that “aid is coming and it will come “.

Responding to the Tuesday protest against the Balearic government’s closure of bars and restaurants, Jarabo stated on Wednesday that the town hall, the government and the Council of Mallorca will be announcing new means of support for sectors affected by the “traumatic” restrictions.

Jarabo called for calm and for there not to be a repeat of what happened in Palma on Tuesday. He said that he perfectly understood the circumstances being experienced by the protesters but stressed that “it is important not to create situations that may cause more infections”.

Public authorities, he noted, “have the obligation to dedicate all possible resources to sectors affected by the crisis, and this is what we are doing”.

The hospitality sector has complained that the introduction of support measures is too slow, but Jarabo pointed to the town hall having approved two million euros of aid to hospitality and retail, to the suspension of the terrace tax and to the postponement of water and rubbish collection taxes. For the first quarter of 2021, the council added, the town hall has extended the terrace tax exemption, which equates to a loss of 500,000 euros of municipal income.