Malaga: city of dust, grime and poverty

Press, 17 June 1982, Page 18

Malaga: city of dust, grime and poverty

From DAVID LEGGAT Marbella, one of the favourite sun spots of the international jet set class where it matters not who or what you are, but rather what size the yacht, the villa and bank balance are, lies Bkm down the Spanish coast from the New Zealanders 1 hotel. However, the idyllic, romantic setting ends as one enters Malaga about 45km up the coast from the hotel. The similarity between Marbella and Malaga just about • ends with the use of the Spanish language. Marbella is;,.prime resort land, a burgeoning paradise for those with the financial security to take advantage of what is offering.-Jn contrast large parts of Malaga are barren wasteland, uninspiring paddocks of fallen rubble. Unemployment is high among the population of about 750,000. In short, Malaga is a dusty, grimy city with little to recommend it apart from the climate. The stadium where New Zealand was drawn against Scotland. and Russia is surrounded by this sort of land,.and the stadium itself is not yet completed. In one part there is a gaping hole in the

wail around the stadium and at the rate the local workmen perform their tasks it is touch and go whether it will be completed by the end of the World Cup. - Security around the concrete bowl that is La Rosaleda Stadium is very tight Trying to get information from the special police task force is' virtually impossible. The answer is invariably a combination of upturned hands, a “don’t know,” or, simply a blank stare. All are armed with truncheons, pistols, and in some cases machine guns. Most look as though they would be quick, and not especially subtle about taking action if things looked like getting out of hand. The questions would be left until later. Not only are guards posted around the team’s hotel but also, as three adventurous journalists discovered, around the surrounding gardens. For every one-on view there are about three lurking behind shrubs, as the journalists found as they wheezed and spluttered their way through the New Zealand team’s early-morning training programme. In some respects, the stadium encapsules ’ the

whole organisation of the World Cup finals. Not too long ago, a profit of about S22M was confidently expected. Now the controlling body will settle for breaking even. . Part of the reason for this readjustment of financial expectations is that there is less' interest from tourists than had been hoped for and partly because the organising committee probably set its sights too high in the initial stages,. The tourist brochures are inclined to describe the locals in this part of the world as “delightfully disorganised.” Even the football is starting late. The opening match between Argentina and Belgium and. the first Group One match, a fairly ordinary goal-less draw between Italy and Poland, both began about 20 minutes later than scheduled. . ..... - Perhaps it is a bit harsh to suggest the policy of the Malaga organising committee, and* indeed/the whole governing body, fis one of “we will cross that bridge after we have filleh in the river,but certainly everything it seems'is late in Spain. j'