Dawn

Dawn

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Bonused bankers; Spanish welfare; Spanish education; Cyclists & helmets; & Wifely chattels.

As we all know, the only folk not to have suffered as a result of the 2008 banking crash are the politicians, senior businessmen and, most notably, the bankers. Which makes it rather ironic that it's labelled a 'banking' crash. The latest figures to come our way relate to bankers' salaries and for us here in Spain the most interesting finding is that, though there are fewer bankers here than elsewhere, they take the biscuit when it comes to earnings. Their total average remuneration this year has been a staggering €1.8m. As against a mere €1.6m in the UK. The lords of the world are clearly unconcerned at public reaction to this news. Rightly so, it would seem. The revolution has been postponed.

The Spanish president, Sr Rajoy, has insisted that the welfare state is a 'non-renounceable achievement'. I assume this means that cuts in healthcare and education, cancellation of school meals and free books for the poorest pupils, and pension increases below the inflation rate are not really happening. Purely spectral.

Talking of education, there've been 3 major changes in policy in the last decade. These go under the acronyms formed from the particular statute (Lei) in which they're embodied. So we've had the LOCE, the LOE, and the LOMCE. Confused? Who wouldn't be. It is, of course, a right wing-left wing war-game. With the children filling the role of innocent bystanders.

Talking of new laws . . . Plans to force all cyclists to wear helmets on public highways have been watered down, so that now only children under 16 riding in built-up areas will be compelled to wear protective headgear. Once again, I don't understand the logic here. Adults don't fall off bikes and hit their head on the tarmac? Perhaps this provision applies only to cities and towns and outside these everyone is obliged to wear a helmet. I hope so. That said, given the speed some helmet-less cyclists achieve in Pontevedra's 'pedestrian' areas, they surely run the risk of dying from a fall. A fate which some would probably wish for them. But not me, of course.

The Spanish for 'woman' is mujer. As is the Spanish for 'wife'. There is another word for 'wife' - esposa - but this also means 'handcuff' and is little used. But, anyway, what I wanted to say is that this double use of mujer is something I'm still uncomfortable with. Rightly or wrongly, I associate it with the old English equivalence of 'wife' and 'chattel'.

Finally . . . After a face-saving delay of a couple of weeks since the demonstrations, they've re-opened the second lane on the bridge into town. But they've kept the detour for those of us going downhill. The logic escapes me but, as I say, it must make sense to someone.

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