Exactly one year ago today it was reported that a human chain of protestors had ringed the seat of Aragon’s government, Edificio Pignatelli, to say ‘no’ to the casino development Gran Scala. They were demanding that the agreement signed between International Leisure Development (ILD), the promoters, and the Aragon government be broken and the government officials concerned be dismissed. The protestors described Aragon’s vicepresident José Angel Biel as being a spokesman for ILD along with the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism Arturo Aliago.

However, a survey of local people has found that over 80% of them support the Gran Scala casino project. Even the local priest thinks that the plan, in general, is a good idea and that the question of moral development is up to the individual. Angel Torres, Mayor of the Ontiñena district where Gran Scala will be built, says the town council strongly supports the development and intends to make sure it progresses as quickly as possible.

With much the same idea the Aragonese government is due to approve a law that will facilitate the casino development, and expects to get it through parliament before the end of June. ILD has promised that Gran Scala will be a model for sustainable development despite the lack of water in the region, and the new law would enforce legal guarantees and environmental controls. The organiser of last year’s protest, Stop Gran Scala, has complained to Spain’s ombudsman that environmental impact studies have been inadequate. (E-04.27.09)

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