Rip-Off Short-Sighted Costa Blanca News

[michael walsh]

Free entry in the Social Scene and Updates sections of the Costa Blanca News are now available only to non-profit making organisations (charities!) The only way for professional entertainers to get a mention is to pay for it.

I do notice though that some are getting free publicity though they are very profitable concerns. Clearly your face fits or it doesn’t.

The CBN doesn’t seem to realise that 1) entertainers are finding it particularly tough and are non-profit making: you try living on what these poor buggers earn. 2) The charities are doing very well thank you. A glance through the local newspapers reveals that Costa Blanca’s entertainment is focused almost entirely on fund-raising charity events. Why is everything free to them? It creates a far from level playing field. No wonder we can’t attract tourists – or keep professional entertainers. 3) The Costa Blanca being what it is lives or dies on entertainment / leisure activities.

Anyway, here is yet another reason (and opportunity) for an enterprising forum to step in and fill the gap whilst providing a desperately needed public service. Imagine the ‘clicks’ if everyone starts logging on to a forum see who is on and where?

[rspltd]

I wonder if it's to do with the fact that Charities in Spain have no regulatory body. Want to know what proportion of the money given in the UK goes to administration, Director's salaries. etc? Want to see published accounts? Want to see the accounts audited by an independant body? In the UK - the Charities Commission! In Spain ??????

[michael walsh]

You said it ... I thought it. No doubt many are 100% genuine but being worldly-wise I know that easy un-regulated opportunity to make money will always attract those who will abuse it. They don't pay for their shops, nor pay rates. Usually the staff come free. And, as we can see they get free advertising in the newspapers at the expense of the business and entertainment community, who are in effect subsidising them.

There will also be the temptation - and there's no greater temptation than free money being handed to you - to take advantage of a situation. I used to support a very large Oxfam store. They couldn't cope with the amount of fantastic stuff coming in; furniture, paintings, ornaments, table lamps, which were then sold, the proceeds 'going to the charity.' (?) House clearances; the lot. There was no accountability, no stock taking; no till checks.Unless the staff were absolute saints ................................?

I read once that the wealth of Greenpeace was actually bigger than Ireland's. We know that charity connected greetings cards are abusers too; very little of each card's price going to a good cause. These URGENT appeals for charitable causes in the Third World. As you say; how much of it actually gets to hard-pressed recipients and how much is swallowed up in 'administration'? Check out the wages the top staff are on, not to mention their perks. A licence to print money but let us be charitable; they are all saints ? ! ? ! ? !