Appearing at his own request to discuss the agreements reached with the Cabildo of Tenerife to develop a study of alternatives for improve the maritime connection with the green islands, Sebastián Franquis recalled that the Fonsalía port project was approved in 2008 with a budget of 200 million euros and its environmental impact statement has expired.
Given the collapse problems presented by the port of Los Cristianos, in Tenerife, four reports have been commissioned, which the counselor has asked that, if possible, are completed in March 2022, and added that the intention is that the decision is adopted in the current legislature.
The alternatives are the expansion of the port of Los Cristianos, the port of Granadilla, and that of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the latter on the basis that more than 70 percent of the merchandise and users of the route are destined for the metropolitan area. .
One of the reports will be about costs and will be carried out by Airef, while the second, on a prior environmental impact assessment, has been commissioned to the Oceanographic and Global Change Institute of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
The third report, evaluating alternatives to improve mobility, will be carried out by the Economic Development Research group of the University of La Laguna, and the fourth will be carried out by the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Housing about what it costs expand both the port of Los Cristianos and the road infrastructures in the area, something key to the analysis that Airef will carry out.
The deputy of Agrupación Socialista Gomera (ASG) Jesús Ramos recalled that the position of his party agrees with the four studies being carried out, and has proposed that they include the social factor and provide facilities for the transfer of citizens to Tenerife for health issues.
The spokesperson for Sí Podemos Canarias, Manuel Marrero, recalled that the port of Fonsalía is not a necessary project for its formation, and has considered that the new actions to improve maritime mobility in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is to help finish with the “attacks” on public works.
Manuel Marrero has pointed out that one of the issues that favors the collapse of the port of Los Cristianos is that shipping companies share schedules, and another that it is necessary to improve access, and has been convinced that Fonsalía is not justified socially or economically nor environmentally.
The deputy of Nueva Canarias (NC) Carmen Hernández has advocated listening to the public, and has given a “resounding” no to the port of Fonsalía, among other reasons because it is an environmental “aberration”.
Manuel Domínguez, from the Popular group, has commented that until June 8 of this year “only” Podemos remained in a position contrary to the port of Fonsalía, and asked why the government did not say that day that a non-law proposal was withdrawn in this regard, that the environmental impact statement had expired, as well as if there were no whales in the area before.
The deputy of the Popular group has commented that the College of Civil Engineers and Ports says about the connection of Tenerife with the green islands that the port of Granadilla is unviable, and that that of Fonsalía is an opportunity that the environmental impact report has expired to analyze a project adapted to reality.
He added that, regarding the port of Los Cristianos, the College of Engineers says that it is a possible solution to connectivity problems if both the land part and the water surface are expanded, but in the second case it must be taken into account that it is it would invade a Special Conservation Area.
The deputy of the Nationalist group (CC-PNC-AHI) Narvay Quintero recalled that the appearance is to talk about connectivity with the green islands, not if they agree with or against the port of Fonsalía, and has asked the counselor to take into account the town councils of La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro.
Narvay Quintero asked how many years it will take to decide, so he wanted to know what solutions are in the short term, and has estimated that the best solution may be to expand the Los Cristianos dock and the access roads to it, to also point out the possibility to connect the islands of La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro with each other.
The deputy of the Socialist group Jorge González has recalled that the collapse of the port of Los Cristianos is more than 20 years ago and the previous governments did not make decisions about it, and has affirmed that it will be the technicians who will decide what is the best solution.
