The Great Gardening Fiasco

You will recall from a previous Post that Pepe was asked to obtain a new Strimmer for the Gardener to use, we asked that a strong, good quality machine be obtained.

Pepe did indeed acquire the new strimmer, although why he had to go all the way to San Pedro to get it, when they are easily and cheaply available in Torrevieja, is a mystery.

I recently visited a DIY Superstore about 5 minutes drive from Mi Sol, and discovered that their cheapest petrol Strimmer was 119 Euro, their most expensive one was a heavy duty McCulloch with additional brush cutting blades costing 449 Euro. The one Pepe bought for Mi Sol would certainly seem to be in the lower half of that price range.

Pepe presented a bill for 600 Euro bank statement 22/2/07 cheque number 003410372. When I asked him what the bill was for he replied a new Strimmer, wheelbarrow and various gardening tools. Three days ago I had to lend the Gardener a pair of my own garden shears so he could carry out his work. It is entirely possible that Pepe was not on Mi Sol at the time, and Juan could not get into the store to get his own. Juan did not say that, only that he had no shears. A later inspection of the tool store revealed an old shovel, two light grass rakes (one minus handle) a pair of croppers, a hammer, an ocho (hoe), a wheelbarrow and very little else. Perhaps the new gardening tools are being kept somewhere else, they are certainly not in the Gardening store.

Predictably, after a few days use the strimmer broke down, it was given back to Pepe, in order for it to be repaired and has not been seen since.

Earlier this year, with the sanction of the Committee, Pepe sacked Juan the Gardener for not working properly. Pepe was unable to find a replacement Gardener so Juan was re-instated. Pepe asked Committee member Dereck Olive and myself to supervise Juan, which we readily agreed to do. A few days later I asked Juan to move some rubbish which was blocking the entrance to a circle, some time later, noticing it had not been moved I asked Juan the reason. He replied Pepe had told him the he (Pepe) was the boss and Juan only took orders from him.

It is well known that Juan needs supervising, but when supervised properly is capable of working hard. What seems to be happening is that Pepe is not on Mi Sol very much, for example it is now Tuesday evening Pepe has not been on Mi Sol since Sunday afternoon,

During these periods Juan is left to his own devices and does as he likes, when Pepe returns he complains that Juan has not done anything. I was witness to a conversation between the two of them last week, which could only be described as comical, each one blaming the other.

At the meeting last week Pepe told the Committee he was going to sack Juan, yet again, at the end of this month. Juan is not only the Gardener, but clears the rubbish and carries out general handyman tasks. In addition he also maintains the swimming pool in the summer months. All the legal Gardeners that Pepe have contacted only want to do Gardening, not clearing rubbish or other tasks. Therefore it would seem that to replace Juan we would have to employ two, possibly three people. This may not be a bad thing when the finances of the Park are stable enough to permit it. Whether we are in that position yet, is open to debate. I have obtained an estimate from a proper commercial pool maintenance company of around 400 Euro per month, subject to a site inspection.

There are several able and willing members of the Committee who are very keen to spend their time and effort in helping the Community, perhaps if Pepe were to delegate responsibility for the Gardening to one of these people, it would take some of the weight off the shoulders of Pepe and put and end to this silly situation.