Our Tourism Lady Of Lourdes

I don't think there are many Saint Bernadettes wandering around the Balearic tourism ministry. I imagine there aren't many ladies called Lourdes there either. Notably though, there is one. The apparition of a lady called Lourdes has been possible since she was named as a technical advisor at the ministry.

The appointment of Lourdes Reynés would not have caused there to be a moment's notice were it not for the fact that she has an intimate relationship with someone whose apparition in the tourism ministry has been more obvious for the past few months. Carlos Delgado, the tourism minister, and la belle Reynés are an item.

The news of the appointment and of Delgado and Reynés' relationship is manna from heaven. Well, it is to the likes of myself, and should be to many a Spanish journalist as it is of course to the opposition parties. But there is, and not the first time, a slight curiosity. Delgado's girlfriend, as a subject, appears to be being avoided by one newspaper group. Why? Well, I do know why, but I'm not going to tell you. Suffice it to say that, for various reasons, local newspapers are sometimes reluctant to engage in scrutinising the affairs (of different types) of politicians and others.

Not all newspapers, though. The "Diario de Mallorca", not normally cowed, has offered its opinion, and so shall I, if only via this blog. The affair is a bloody disgrace. There, I've said it.

I couldn't care less about Delgado's personal relationship with Reynés, though he did go on record as saying as recently as last summer that he was happily married, only to seemingly soon not be. It would also seem that he didn't know Reynés last summer. Well, he does now.

Be this as it may, the appointment should be an acute embarrassment. Here is a government that has made much of turning its back on sleaze (where have we heard this sort of thing before?) and is in the process of squeezing the life out of the people of the Balearics, out of jobs, out of the health service, out of you name it, and a minister goes and gives a job to his partner.

Reynés, so we are told, is eminently suited to the post to which she has been appointed, and there is no reason to believe that she isn't. What the post actually is, I'm not entirely sure. Technical advisor, but much is being made of the fact that she is a journalist and speaks five languages, so I think we can assume it's something to do with communication.

But on these criteria, as I am also a journalist and speak different languages and know a hell of a lot about tourism, I should be given the job. Go on, Carlos, gis a job. I am willing to do it for less than the 46 grand that Lourdes is going to trouser.

The salary forms part of the Delgado defence. How about this for spin? Because Lourdes was getting a few grand more in a previous post with the Playa de Palma consortium, a post that now no longer exists, her new appointment represents a saving to the ministry. Brilliant. Unfortunately, it completely misses the point, which is that Carlos has made an almighty great gaffe. Qualified for the job or not, she's his bloody girlfriend. Can't he see that this is a PR error? He should speak to Lourdes if he doesn't, given that she is an expert in communication.

Not only does Carlos not seem to get it nor also does his party. The PP upper echelons see nothing wrong with the live-in being handed the best part of 50,000 euros by a senior minister. It sees nothing wrong because it doesn't want to see anything wrong. See no evil etc. Not that there is anything evil. Of course there isn't. Just very poor public relations.

The opposition has demanded Delgado's head. It is natural at such times for resignation to be called for. It is most unlikely to happen. Nor should it. But Carlos should do the honourable thing and find Lourdes some other gainful employment. One feels sure that he is in a position to swing it for her somewhere, so long as it isn't in the tourism ministry. The point is that, despite certain criticisms of the new tourism law, Delgado seems to be doing a reasonable job at tourism. And for him to go now, just as the new bill is heading towards parliament, would be unfortunate. But this doesn't excuse him. The appointment is a mistake, and if he doesn't realise that it is, then his political judgement is badly compromised.


Any comments to andrew@thealcudiaguide.com please.