A tragic day in the life of the Soller Valley
The events of this tragic week in Soller have been in the press, television and radio news on a daily basis. Life has to go on but there is an overwhelming sadness that permeates the place as so many lives have been touched. Listening to many people and reading everything that has been said caused me to dig deep in the recesses of my mind to my Magistrates training days. I was taught to evaluate evidence and view the facts in a controlled manner and that is what I have tried to do here.
An intelligent respected young couple with two children came to the end of their marriage. Maria Rosa Martinez was a Social Worker in Deia and Fornalutx and was known as being a caring professional woman whom everybody held in high regard… Mayol Bergas had held a number of high profile positions in the area including being a contributor to the local press. He was currently managing an Estate on the road between Soller and Deia.
Mayol did not want the marriage to end and struggled with mental health issues after the break up. Just two weeks ago he was admitted to the local psychiatric hospital after a suicide attempt. Maria had moved with her two children to the Port of Soller to stay with family while issues were resolved.
On the day of the deaths it is said that a Maria had told friends and the police that she was worried about her husband. She filed no formal request for help but had alerted people of her concerns. She then went to the house where her husband worked for a meeting with him. She died at his hands and then he shot himself.
The tragedy has far reaching consequences for all the people that loved, knew and worked with this couple. Everyone is wondering what part they could have played to stop this happening. Everyone is very focussed on the problems of Domestic Violence in Majorca but this seems in a different league.
In a close knit community like Soller the families of these two loved people live nearby. They have joint interest now in the welfare of the orphaned children and they have to struggle with their collective pain. The funeral service was an outpouring of grief and sadness and the ‘what if’ questions that everyone is asking themselves will remain for a very long time.
It was highly appropriate in this saddest of weeks that the week ended with such beauty. The sunsets of Friday night sent the photographers flocking to the Port of Soller and round the coast towards Deia. There are times when this area can give Florida a run for its money in the sunset stakes. It always used to amuse us when we had holidays in Florida how the people used to gather on the beach in Naples, drink their sundowners’ cocktails and clap as the sun finally disappeared into the sea. God took a bow every day as the sun went down and the people said ‘well done’. One of my favourite sunset spots is in the roughly hewn cocktail bar of Son Marroig where many people say goodnight to the sun as it sinks in all the colour and beauty of yet another sunset.
This week dawns with Fiesta on our minds as two of the big ones are just around the corner. Deia has started the Fiesta of Sant Joan with events and music every day. On Saturday 21st June Deia is in serious party mode and their night of music incorporates local DJ’s and the Pa amb Oli Band. This is the local Deia tribute band without which no local party would be complete. The Residencia have their ‘Wimbledon Garden Party’ on Sunday 22nd June as part of this celebration and all are welcome to spend time on their wonderful lawns. The car park war of Deia has disappeared as the new car park was opened in time to welcome visitors to the Fiesta. Deia also has the attraction of its high profile residents – you just never know who you are going to bump into there.
The Port of Soller has released their programme of events for the Fiesta of Sant Pere starting on 26th June 2014. This is the big one for the Port and they have been drip feeding us with information about the great time in store. A full orchestra in the Santa Catalina district of the Port is a highlight of this celebration of the fishermen. I’ll give more details on this one next week or keep checking the Events Calendar on www.sollerweb.com for more information.
After the catastrophic events of the our Soller week it is great to be able to concentrate on the future. The sun shines and Fiestas remind us that each year we celebrate the same important dates and that life moves on. The children break up from school this week and for a couple of weeks (until Summer school starts in July) the local children and the visitors will share the beautiful beaches. Happy days …
