VICENT MARÍ
IBIZA COUNCIL
“I MAINTAIN A BALANCED DIET BY EATING A LOT OF LOCAL AND SEASONAL PRODUCE”
What habits do you cultivate to take care of yourself and stay in shape?
Although day-to-day life sometimes makes it difficult, I try to maintain a balanced diet. Above all, I consume a lot of local and seasonal products, which are not only very sustainable, but also very healthy. My work leaves me little time to dedicate to sports, but what I do like to do is to walk through the Ibizan countryside.
How much importance do you attribute to sports in your life?
Without a doubt, not as much as I should, given my day-to-day life, my working hours… However, I always try to stay active; I walk everywhere that I can, I like to go on hikes and walk, and, if possible, I take the stairs instead of the elevator; little actions that one can incorporate into your day-to-day life, which in the end lead to a better quality of life.
There has been talk of regulating the entry of vehicles. Will this help to mitigate the feeling of saturation?
Yes, if it is done with common sense and based on the data. Sometimes we get carried away by sensations of a very specific moment that can lead us to the wrong conclusions. We want the regional government to give us the power to decide whether it is necessary to regulate entry and for what type of vehicles, but always based on real data, vehicle entry figures and road-load studies.
Can the island continue to grow in terms of tourism?
The numbers speak for themselves, and surprisingly the number of legal tourist beds has declined in recent years. In fact, there are still some 20,000 beds left in the pool of legal tourist beds. This shows that the problem is not the legal and controlled growth that we as administrations can monitor, but rather the illegal places that generate this feeling of saturation on the island at particular times.
RAFA TRIGUERO
IBIZA CITY COUNCIL
“SPORTS AND SPENDING TIME WITH MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE MY HEALTHY HABITS”
Are you a sports person? How much time a day do you dedicate to sports and what type of sport?
I have less time for sports now than I would like, but I try to stay active. I take advantage of the fact that my children have school vacations to do some kind of shared activity with them. It is a way of conveying values and my passion for sport to them. I usually go running and mountain biking at least two days a week.
Do you have a healthy routine to help you meet the challenges of your new position?
Without a doubt, I have many routines and healthy habits: chiefly, sports and dedicating my free time to my family and friends.
Cleaning, safety and modernization are some of the priority issues to work on to improve the city of Ibiza. Where have you made a start?
In parallel, we have started with improvements in the areas of cleanliness and safety, the two main concerns of citizens and, as such, our priorities. In terms of cleaning, we have launched a public-awareness campaign and initiated an action plan. As for safety, we have implemented a special security unit in ses Figueretes, in coordination with the National Police, to combat street drinking and other infractions of the law.
You have made your debut as the mayor of Ibiza. Has it been as you expected or have there been any surprises?
What I expected and am finding is the desire for change on the part of citizens. The residents of this city have asked us for solutions to their problems and our job is to work to achieve the Ibiza we deserve.
LLORENÇ CÓRDOBA
FORMENTERA COUNCIL
“VIRTUE LIES IN THE BALANCE BETWEEN BODY, MIND AND SOUL”
© Ainhoa Ezcurra
What habits do you cultivate to take care of yourself and stay in shape?
At the age of 50 I have already realized that what you eat is one of the basics. I think it is one of the most important things, and it is necessary to regulate both the composition and the quantity of our food, as well as the times of the day when we eat. It is also important to practice gentle sports in a continuous way, without stopping. Personally, I like running at a low intensity, but always for longer than 60 minutes.
What do you prioritize: body, mind or soul?
Virtue lies precisely in striking a balance. If any one of these aspects is not right, a person cannot be balanced, meaning they don’t function and aren’t healthy.
You are the new president of Formentera Council. What would you say is the most urgent thing for the island?
The most urgent thing is to put the Consell at the service of the citizens and not the other way around, as has been the case until now. We have to try to regain people’s trust in the administration; show them that it works, that it responds to people’s needs without trying to do too many big things, but rather by doing the basic things instead.
Formentera is a pioneer in regulating numbers of vehicles. Should there be any other limits in order to avoid saturation?
We don’t like the words “limit” or “prohibit”; we talk about regulating. What really needs to be done is to regulate the number of people entering the island. The numbers of people are currently too high. There are different options to achieve this objective and one of them, or the most important one at least, is to regulate the number of excursions that come from Ibiza because we have data that show that two out of three tourists who are in Formentera during the day come from Ibiza and do not stay overnight.
TANIA MARÍ
SANT JOAN TOWN COUNCIL
“I CHOOSE A BALANCED LIFE, BOTH IN TERMS OF NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL CARE”
How important is physical and psychological wellbeing for you?
Physical and psychological wellbeing is essential for the progress of our daily life and activities. When people don’t feel good, we cannot carry out our projects or our daily lives in an effective and enjoyable way.
Healthy eating, therapies and coaching are the order of the day. Do you practice any of them?
I try to have a healthy and varied diet, which I think is one of the key sources of our wellbeing. I am not obsessed with therapies or following any of the wellness disciplines that are so often offered today, but rather a balanced way of life, both in terms of nutrition and physical care. No excesses – but not depriving myself of anything either.
This is the first time you have been mayor of Sant Joan. What does the municipality need the most?
The thing that any municipality needs the most is the wellbeing of its citizens, providing them with comfortable and useful services and infrastructure. One of the priorities is the provision of cleaning
and maintenance personnel for public areas, the creation of pleasant public spaces that generate a
sense of wellbeing, where people can gather for social gatherings, sports, or as a meeting point.
The northern part of Ibiza is one of the most cherished areas of the island and has no nightlife. Will you maintain the policy of preventing beach clubs or nightclubs from opening?
Yes, of course. This is the line that has been taken in Sant Joan and this is how we want to proceed.
VICENT ROIG
SANT JOSEP TOWN COUNCIL
“I AM A FERVENT BELIEVER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET”
What habits do you cultivate to take care of yourself and stay in shape?
Taking care of yourself should be a priority for everyone, but that’s not always the case. But I can tell you that I like to walk, swim and eat local produce and homemade food as much as possible. I am a fervent believer in the Mediterranean diet, and living on an island with such great, rich local produce and not taking advantage of it would be a scandal.
How much importance do you attribute to sports in your life?
Not as much as I should. I consider myself a bit of a workaholic, especially because I really enjoy my work. As such, I devote little time to sport, although I consider it to be of great importance – not just on a personal level, but also on a collective and social level, as a healthy and cohesive factor.
Sant Josep stands out as a tourist centre par excellence, with great leisure, gastronomic and coastal offerings. Could it become a victim of its own success?
It could, but it won’t. Sant Josep has some of the best leisure activities on the island and, I dare say, in the Mediterranean, as well as the best gastronomy on the island, based on local produce and quality service. It is also important to find the right balance between sustainable economic development and the preservation of natural and cultural resources.
What are your government’s priorities?
Firstly, to get the administration itself in order, because, with almost 30,000 inhabitants, it needs to provide services in accordance with the needs of a large municipality. We need to increase the number of local police officers, but to do so we need decent facilities. We need to impose order and put an end to the urban chaos, but we need to have an urban planning department that is adequate in terms of organization, capacity and size. Finally, it is our duty to care for and preserve our common heritage.
CARMEN FERRER
SANTA EULÀRIA TOWN HALL
“A POSITIVE ATTITUDE ALLOWS ME TO RECHARGE MY ENERGY IN A SHORT TIME”
What importance do you place on body, mind and soul in your day-to-day life?
The daily work of public service as mayor is very intense, but I try to follow the discipline of healthy eating and meditation. Trying to be efficient and energetically positive is my mission.
Do you have a routine that helps you meet the challenges of your position?
I like to wake up early and relax for a few minutes, having breakfast in the garden, with some deep breaths, feeling grateful for the place where we live. These are very intense moments that charge me with energy and joy. I tend to end my days feeling very tired but happy; this positive attitude is likely what allows me to recharge my energy in a short time.
MARCOS SERRA
SANT ANTONI TOWN HALL
“PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IS ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAIN A GOOD STATE OF HEALTH.”
How much importance do you attach to sports?
I think it is very important to include sports in your daily routine to be both physically and mentally well, as it helps you to disconnect and have a clear mind to then work with greater concentration and effectiveness. Since I took office as mayor, I don’t do as much sport as I would like to, but I always look for time to play padel tennis. I believe that physical activity is fundamental to maintaining a good state of health.
Healthy eating, therapies and coaching are the order of the day. Do you practice any of them?
I follow a healthy diet, based on the Mediterranean diet, and avoid candy and processed products.
