The complaint of the loss of two subsidies for the fishing sector of the Island has opened a new front between the government team of the Council and the opposition of Canary Coalition. After the gap caused by the distribution of 16 million euros as a direct grant that according to CC benefits the municipalities governed by the PSOE – the same party as the island president, Pedro Martín -, the nationalists now denounce that the Government of the Canary Islands has denied the aforementioned aid to fishing “due to a debt with the State Treasury” . The island government denies it because “they are still in the error correction period.”
The insular councilor of CC-PNC Antolin Good It has requested “information on the denial of aid for the brotherhoods and the promotion of the consumption of zero kilometer fishing products.” It indicates that «the Government of the Canary Islands rejected them because the Cabildo is not aware of compliance with tax obligations with the State Treasury». Bueno has requested “information” from Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries to clarify this situation and points out that “significant damage is caused to the fishing sector.” He adds: “We demand an explanation and that political responsibilities be clarified.”
“The deadline for correcting errors has not expired, something common in this type of process”
Antolín Bueno details that “the Cabildo requested subsidies for the aforementioned projects.” However, he points out, “the Vice-Ministry of the Primary Sector of the Canary Islands Government He denied them on the 5th as he was not aware of compliance with tax obligations with the State Treasury. ” Antolín Bueno demands “to know the reasons why the Cabildo has tax debts with the State Treasury, what amount it owes and what actions have been carried out to remedy this situation.” It also requests “technical and economic information on the two projects”, since “this may pose a problem for the achievement of the objectives of this local development strategy linked to the fishing sector.” Value that “It is one of the worst hit by Covid-19.”
“We have asked to be informed and demand an explanation”
The denial of subsidies to the Cabildo is included in the resolution of the Deputy Ministry of the Primary Sector of the Government of the Canary Islands, which provisionally resolves the public call provided for in the Order of February 25, 2021, by which they are called for the year 2021 .
“Nothing has been lost”
The insular councilor of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Javier Parrilla, answered yesterday that the island’s fisheries sector “has not lost” any opportunity to receive grant funds of the Government of the Canary Islands. He bases it on the fact that “the call is still in the process of rectifying errors and at no time has the term expired, a common circumstance in calls”. The head of the area also indicates that these subsidies “are not direct assignments to the brotherhoods, but are intended to carry out studies on the economic viability of these, in addition to attending to the revitalization of the trade and the publicity diffusion of the products.” . He insists: “In no case to provide them with economic funds.” Value that “This investment is contemplated in next year’s budget for the area, whether or not the subsidy is obtained, so the option of these studies would not be lost”.
The counselor points out that next year’s accounts will multiply by seven the best of those dedicated to the fishing sector in previous years. The Cabildo has recently granted a grant of 158,000 euros to the ten fishermen’s associations to help defray their current expenses and promote artisanal fishing activity.
The counselor also recalls that in the last two years, the Cabildo has launched advertising campaigns to promote the quality of the local product, “in which it has included fish products as a key element.” Parrilla also anticipates that in 2022 the sector will “be taken” to educational and university centers, “where we will promote knowledge of the product and the consumption of local fish.”
