23 May 2012 21:21:

And just to add to the cutesy factor, the European version...

Hundreds if not thousands of ground squirrels have made their homes in the breakwaters between La Caleta and Nuevo Horizonte on the Atlantic coast of Fuertventura. They are every bit as tame as the meerkats in the video. Consdered by some to be a pest there was a move in recent years to carry out a partial cull but the proposal was cancelled after the majority of the locals protested.

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23 May 2012 18:06:

Meerkats...Magical Moments!

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07 May 2012 20:39:

Don't know!

Like most people who are faced with the bureaucratic Job Centre (or should that be Jobsworth Centre) staff and the fortnightly interviews where one is required to produce vast quantities of documentary evidence of 'actively seeking work' she probably took them at their word... certainly she was put off enough not to bother taking the application further. You dont antagonise these people... they might just forget to tick the box on their computer that acknowledges the fact that you reported on time, in which case you dont get paid. (and yes that does happen...).

Me being the total cynic when it comes to anything to do with UK rules and regulations would have pushed the matter further and said "Show me where it says this..." but I've got a lot more years under my belt than she has...

 

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07 May 2012 19:02:

...but if another Government Agency decides, apparently of its own volition, not to Issue 1st passports to those who wish to travel abroad or makes it a ruling that the receipt of JSA is a factor in their being able to reject passport applications, kind of makes a mockery of the whole thing. Why else would they ask the question "what is your National Insurance number, if not to check your employment status?

This whole thing smacks so much of Big Brother; I sometimes think that UK bureaucracy is far worse than the Spanish.

My D-I-L's case was starightforward and compassionate; she knows that my OH and I are very hard pressed trying to cope with 9 abandonados; its a two person job 24/7, but the civil servants involved just couldnt give a toss. (One could add and why should they? They already have jobs...)

fb

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07 May 2012 16:27:

Guy T ...from the other thread about the EU Register

You raise a very good point, but unfortunately its true...

My daughter in law took time out to raise her and hubby's child and has been drawing JSA whilst looking for work now that the child is in school. When my OH had a bad fall out here last year and was hospitalised in Granada with a busted hip, my daughter in law raised the question with her mentor at the Job Centre about the rules pertaining to new passport applications because she was anxious to come over here and help out;. she was informed quite pointedly that quote "there was little or no point because she's drawing JSA and would almost certainly fail the interview because of this..."

Cant have people on government benefits swanning off to Spain.... this despite the fact that we would have been responsible for all her expenses.

Now, its quite possible that her mentor was having a bad day, because my understanding is that in theory, UK JSA is payable over here for a short period if the job-seeker is actively looking for work... either way it seems to show that there is collusion between the various government departments.But as is quite common practice over in the UK these days, one government department will tell you one thing and another department something completely different

 

How one is supposed to look for work outside of the UK without a passport...well who knows!
 

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