AND HERE IS THE NEWS…
….a quick glance at the latest local news with Caroline Manson
Le Barcares woman hit by a car
At around 9.30pm on Wednesday emergency services were called to an accident on the D83. They found the body of a pedestrian, and beside his car was the driver, in a complete state of shock. He had been driving in the direction Rivesaltes – Le Barcares when he suddenly saw the woman in the middle of the road and was unable to avoid her. He was taken to hospital and tested for alcohol or any other substances but nothing was discovered. There had been earlier reports of a woman wandering beside and on the same road but the police had found no trace. The woman is said to have been 24 years old and suffering from mental problems.
Body found on Canet beach
The body of a woman found lying on the sand on Canet Beach has finally been identified when a family member recognised the description of items of jewellery found on the body. The victim is said to have been 47 years old and lived alone in Canet. Suicide is suspected.
Young man shot in Perpignan
An 18 year old man was found lying on the street on Tuesday with a gunshot wound to his chest. Police had been called by several residents in the Las Cobas district who had heard several screams and shots. Firefighters managed to resuscitate the victim who remains in hospital in critical condition. It is believed that this is yet another incident related to the gang wars between drug-traffickers.
Argentinian workers stranded in Andorra
Apparently around 5000 South Americans work in Andorra during the ski-season, and this year 2,200 are unable to get home. Argentina has been very slowly repatriating its nationals but has started with the tourists – and the seasonal workers are now trapped by the extended confinement with no income.
Goods thrown into Perpignan prison
Despite the new higher fencing, goods are still being thrown over the top, and now that the visiting rooms have been closed, there has been an ‘uninterrupted rain of projections’ from outside. On Friday 50 grams of cannabis, a mobile phone with charger, and 5 kilos of meat were found in the grounds.
Man repeatedly breaks curfew
A 19 year old man has been arrested and placed in police custody for repeatedly breaking the curfew and for also violating the confinement regulations. He was given verbal warnings 5 times in just one week, and police records showed he had also been questioned in Le Boulou, Villeneuve and Pollestres. In total he had received 11 contravention orders between March 25 and April 6 and will now be tried before the criminal court on June 2.
Prostitutes thrown onto the streets
The ‘clubs’ of La Jonquera have been forced to close, in accordance with the confinement regulations. Most of the clubs have allowed the women to stay, (but obviously not work), but the large one in La Jonquera gave the women just a few hours notice to leave. Some of the 80 – 100 women have been helped by associations, others have returned to their country of origin but the majority are still in a very difficult situation. Some are even being forced to work by their pimps, despite the threat of the virus.
And finally …..
While most people are taking the lockdown situation seriously and respecting the ever-changing regulations, certain people have been pushing the limits. Police have reported several interesting responses when confronting people outside. A man from Perpignan insisted that he had driven to Lac Raho because it was his dog’s favourite walk, a pedestrian insisted that the confinement had been lifted and that the police should ‘listen to the news’, another man explained that he did not have a tv so knew nothing about the confinement, another man did not have his certificate in the car but offered to drive home to get it, and a man with several children in his car said he just wanted to show his children how empty the streets of Perpignan were. But their favourite story was from the very beginning of the confinement when they questioned a man and woman on Arago Bridge in Perpignan who explained that they had never heard of lockdown, having just spent three days in their hotel room, and had evidently not been watching tv or reading newspapers during that time …