Three days of mourning declared in Valle Gran Rey - extended to all of La Gomera

 Photo © gomeraverde.es       

The death of Esteban Bethencourt (left) has occurred this afternoon in a clinic on Tenerife after a long illness. He was the former mayor of Valle Gran Rey for almost 30 years since 1979 and the longest serving mayor in the Canary Islands. He was a founder member of the political party Coalicion Canaria and had been a member of parliament for same. Up to his death he had served as town councillor for tourism in Valle Gran Rey. He was born in 1949.

Miguel Hernandez,the current mayor, has declared three days of mourning in Valle Gran Rey from tomorrow, Monday March 25th 2013, and all official acts have been cancelled.(Update: this was extended to the whole island by La Gomera's government).



Another death has occurred this morning: Peter 'Piti' (right - during an Irish session), the popular and charitable former owner of the cosmopolitan bar 'La Yesca' (aka Bar Central) in Vueltas, Valle Gran Rey, sadly has died at home suddenly,just days before he was due to fly to Germany to take command of an excursion cruise ship on the river Rhine as captain for six months. For this he had just passed a thorough medical check there. He was 59 years old.