Castellar Mayor and Gibraltar Health and Environment Minister get together

Juan Casanova (l.) and John Cortes

GIBRALTAR (Press release) The first meeting between the Mayor of Castellar de la Frontera, Juan Casanova, and the Minister for Health the Environment  John Cortes, took place yesterday morning at Josua Hassan House. The idea was to find common ground between the Campo village and the Rock that might be used as a bridge between the two communities. Castellar believes that 'green' strategies would help both to confront the present crisis, so the first item on the agenda was Finca Majarambú and the possibilities of developing that area -recently 'returned' to Castellar- in terms of the environment and ecologically.>>>

One possibility is for Majatambú to be used as a protected area for organic food production that might be distributed in Gibraltar shops and supermarkets.

The second item is what is called 'rural tourism', for which faciltities will be offered to businesses in Gibraltar and Castellar to discuss projects and ideas that complement each other and create a tourism 'circuit'.

Other ideas include the construction of environmentally sustainable housing, in terms of energy footprint,within the municipality of Castellar. These would serve as second homes to Gibraltarians wanting to spend time in contact with nature, as well as anyone else wishing to do so. Both politicians are interested in diminishing their respective community's CO2 footprint.

Casanova says he found the meeting very positive and it will serve as the first step towards a closer relationship between neighbours.