The groups of the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, learned yesterday afternoon, the exact conditions in which they will be able to return to the rehearsal premises from next November 1, or even earlier if possible. During the morning of yesterday, the councilor for Fiestas of the capital, Alfonso Cabello, met with the Government of the Canary Islands, where the regional Executive showed its willingness to promote the chicharrera party, and invited the groups to convey the plan for the return to rehearsals. And that is what the mayor did yesterday afternoon, at the Fairgrounds, where he summoned all the groups, from the participants in the Song of Laughter, through the rondallas, musical groups and troupes, and ending with the adult costumed. Cabello informed them that, to return to rehearsals from November 1, it will be necessary for the groups to pre-register to participate in the 2022 Carnival, a process that will open tomorrow, and that is taking place for the first time in history. Of the carnival. Once this step has been taken, they must designate a COVID manager, who will receive training from the City Council on what their role will be. Another condition is that all members of the different formations must be vaccinated, providing for this the corresponding vaccination certificate.
Cabello, at the end of the meetings, which lasted beyond ten o’clock at night, explained to DIARIO DE AVISOS, that “everyone has shown their willingness to comply with the rules that we have proposed” and added that “the objective of the pre-registration is, in addition to knowing for sure how many groups we are going to have, being able to identify those responsible for COVID, who are going to be in charge of enforcing the established norms ”. These people, Cabello advanced, “will receive a training session, which we have set for October 25, the date from which the groups will be able to rehearse, so they won’t have to wait until November 1 if they don’t want to. ”.
The test system will be carried out by the bubble group system, for formations of up to 85 components. “They will meet by voices, by strings or by dance partners, so that they can rehearse in compliance with the restrictions,” explained the mayor. In addition, so that the groups can rehearse all together, at least twice a week, Cabello reported that the City Council will make available to the groups, twice a week, municipal spaces in which all the members of the entities can meet so that can assemble the performances.
Murgas
The Party Councilor explained that the point that took him the longest had nothing to do with the detailed COVID conditions, and yes with the issues that the murgas are going to present at Carnival 2022, which even had to be settled by voting. “Two options were raised. One was to present a single song without an end, and the other to present two songs, one in phase and the other in the final ”. The mayor himself acknowledged that, finally, the option for the murgas to present two issues was coming forward, which was imposed by a very small margin of votes. Cabello also admitted that she received criticism from groups who understood that this meeting was being held too late, and that it forced them to make decisions on the fly. Some decisions that, as recognized by Cabello, could lead some groups to decide not to leave in 2022. “With the pre-registration we will see if, finally, some formations end up falling off the list of participation in next year’s Carnival.”
Regarding the possibility of the Carnival returning to the streets next year, “I can only say that everyone is really looking forward to it, but it is a decision that does not depend on us. We continue to hold meetings with the Government of the Canary Islands, and this in turn with Madrid to find out what is going to happen between now and next February, ”said Alfonso Cabello.
Concern for the continuity of children’s groups
he Party Councilor will hold, today, the same meeting with the children’s groups that he held yesterday with the adults. “The conditions for the return to the tests are the same.” Asked about the fact that all members are vaccinated, he pointed out that, “those over 12 years old will all be vaccinated between now and February, and Health ensures that the rest will also be vaccinated, so in principle that will not be a problem.” What does concern the mayor is that many of these groups may choose not to leave. “These are groups that have less motivation than others that have been going out at Carnival for 30 years, and for us it is very important to have them”
