What grade would you give the local PSOE-ACP government?
I’d say you haven’t even taken the exam. This mandate was to give a turn to the management. Until now, Puerto de la Cruz had not been able to advance in planning or investment or in looking beyond the present due to its poor economic situation. Everything was focused on solving the very serious problems that we suffered. Now the City Council is healthy, there are resources to face any problem that arises and these two years of government have been totally lost. And I am especially concerned about this lack of planning, as a politician and as a local, because I want my city to move forward and look to the future with joy … and not only because there is a party, but because the important problems of the city are solved and What we have waited for so long is resolved. And without depending on other administrations, as happened with the swimming pool, the Insular Center of Aquatic Sports, which has narrowly been saved from those who considered it a pharaonic work, such as the president of the Cabildo de Tenerife, who wanted to cut it with the support from the mayor, Marco González. The citizen and political movement, on the part of the opposition, allowed the established roadmap to be fulfilled, at least in this case.
And how do you think the pandemic has impacted the management of the municipal government?
Less than the reality that Marcos González (PSOE) is alone and does not have a team, except for honorable exceptions such as the Councilor for Heritage and Administrative Concessions, who is transparent in her management and makes an effort. For the rest, the mayor has set a clear course and among his priorities is not solving the problems of the people of Porto or the city. And his government follows that guideline. There is a pandemic, but they have found a healthy city hall to plan investments, social care, community well-being, events and activities. However, their priority has been the organization of events that, in many cases, are false culture. That is an error. They have continued cultural projects that came from previous mandates. There is nothing new. The pandemic is there, but what we suffer the most in Puerto de la Cruz is the lack of capacity of this government. They have eleven councilors and they were able to take advantage of the toughest months of the pandemic to plan. They have not made any forecasts in urban planning and neither have the contests for cleaning or maintenance of municipal facilities been taken. The mayor has a serious problem with the councilor for Urbanism, now Sustainable City, David Hernández (ACP), who does not act with due speed. Now they are not even able to carry out the asphalt. They are executing works for 2019. What will the Contracting Unit prioritize? In Mueca, Periplo, Navidad y Reyes or the commissioning of technical reports to determine whether or not to decree the social emergency?
Should Puerto de la Cruz declare itself a social emergency?
We have been asking for it since August 2020 and we were told no. Now, a year later, in the last plenary session, they approved the proposal to analyze and study this declaration in order to better serve those who are experiencing the worst. The health crisis is easing, but the economic crisis is still there and people are having a hard time. It is hard and sad that now, a year later, they recognize that this declaration is necessary.
Do you give up the San Francisco Park project?
With this government, yes. With them I give it more than for lost. What they tried with the pool they have done with the Puerto de la Cruz dock and with the work of the Martiánez tunnel, where they covered our mouth with 300 meters of asphalt, when the problem was more serious and work was being done on it. previous mandate with Ofelia Manjón. From the beginning of the mandate, with the San Francisco Park they have begun to look for excuses and justifications for not taking it forward. I have read the report of that work, which simply collects what could be expected in terms of risks in a performance of this magnitude. They don’t say anything that we no longer suspected or that the techs haven’t brought to the table before. And what it does not say is that it cannot be done. At no time does it consider it unfeasible, it simply proposes a series of protection measures for the church and its environment. With the existing technical means, it could be done. In the last mandate there was a clear commitment to seek the necessary funds to assume the increased cost of the project. What the mayor does not say now is why we no longer have that money.
Do you see a political background in the rethinking of those projects that came from the CC and PSOE mandate in the Cabildo?
If so, I think the mayor should step aside and let others take the reins of the municipality, without jeopardizing its development and evolution. Regarding the San Francisco Park, Marco González was seated at all the previous tables of that project and of the Cultural Strategy that included it as a key infrastructure in that location. No other alternative was ever proposed. Now he dismisses everything that he worked and gave his opinion.
Has an alternative location been proposed to you?
Not right now. But talking now about a new location supposes a blow to this project and a stoppage that will go on for a long time. It will take a long time to see that long-awaited audience.
There is no longer talk of the new sports city …
It surprises me a lot because that is a pending issue and this government has the resources and could have negotiated with other administrations to move it forward. In the last term, we left them 29 million euros in the municipal coffers. That is said soon. I already would have liked to be able to govern with at least half of those resources. We got to have 56 million negative and they, with 29 million positive, have not worked on the planning of large projects. It is very sad because the city is missing the opportunity to move forward.
What about the Martiánez beach?
Well, they let the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) expire. You ask and you get silence for an answer. It is a pity. And to that the dock is added.
Will there be a port in the city?
There will be no port with these governments in the City Council, in the Cabildo, in the Autonomous Community and in the State. It will not go out with them, although it has less environmental impact than that of Fonsalía, in Guía de Isora, which is the bet of the island president.
Should the stoppage of the Taoro hotel have been authorized?
No, I don’t understand that it was allowed. They should have promoted this work to generate employment at a critical moment. It could be open already. Now I hope that contract is fulfilled. And we do not have more information because this government boasts of transparency and lacks it.
