Granadilla concentrates relevant island infrastructures and adds to the rest of the Island. Is it valued as such?
The supra-municipal administrations have to treat Granadilla de Abona much better. Yes, we have the great infrastructures of the Island, but shortcomings in education and health, for example. They have to pay more attention to one of the municipalities that grows the most in population and the third in job creation, with a 10% decrease (more than 5,000) in unemployment in one year. It is necessary that this be contemplated because, otherwise, we will create first-class and second-class municipalities on the Island.
This is the fourth municipality of Tenerife in population…
40 years ago, in 1982, Granadilla de Abona had 13,000 inhabitants; the current census is over 62,000. The average increase since then is one thousand people per year, which places us among the 10 municipalities in Spain with the highest population growth. That requires equipment, infrastructure and services. Something needs to be done, because we all want to avoid collapse.
For example, in Education.
We need more centers, because those that exist do not have the capacity to respond to demand in the required conditions. We need the new Charco del Pino school, a historical demand, with a plot and a project, waiting for Education to put it out to tender; a Vocational Training institute in San Isidro, for which we have proposed plots; We demand an institute annexed to the Los Abrigos school, so that the students study in their area up to 4th ESO, and the complete remodeling of the IES Granadilla de Abona, the oldest in the region that 40 years later requires a comprehensive intervention, especially all in terms of accessibility.
Have you received any response from Education?
Well no. No work has been carried out. In fact, this City Council will undertake, with 450,000 euros of its own funds, the repair of the roof of the Pelada school. We do it because we couldn’t wait any longer, it is an urgent need, despite being a recent school.
It has been insistent on raising demands in health matters. Everything remains the same?
Yes, we are not going to stop insisting that Los Abrigos be provided with an office; in which the health center of the town requires a comprehensive remodeling and in which the San Isidro center has the capacity to expand services.
Does the region have a public hospital?
There is still a long way to go. There may be a good disposition, but it does not arrive. What we have today is a specialized center, with very good facilities and professionals, but there is a lack of services such as Pediatric Emergencies or putting the delivery rooms into operation.
Will there be transfer of the courts of the helmet to San Isidro?
The Canarian Government has a project to remodel the current Palace of Justice. But, I insist, a new one is needed in the Granadilla de Abona hull. The Ministry of Justice knows that it has more than 4,400 square meters available, although it needs only 1,200, at the rear of the Town Hall. That would revert the current building for municipal services and to create a large urban park in the rear.
The Cabildo has land, project and economy to make the residence for the elderly
That Local Police Station is also new…
We will build it in 1,200 square meters located in front of the Mercadona in the town. It will have two basements and three floors that will house workshops, a shooting gallery, a dog training area, dungeons, a gym and the rest of the basic units. This year the tender could take place.
For when the Functional Home of San Isidro?
We would have liked to have it earlier, because we do not have a residence for the elderly. It will be on Avenida Benito Pérez Galdós and will have 25 spaces, plus a space for recreation. It will be the first building owned by the City Council for this service, which will also be a day center.
It seems that the problem of sanitation is solved.
There are more than 40 million investment from public administrations and private entities. The priority is to have a wastewater system. The industrial wastewater treatment plant of the Polygon is already being executed. It will be finished this year and operational in 2023. The Pelada pumping station has already started, which will connect wastewater from the coast with the Llano del Letrado treatment plant, whose construction will begin soon. The connection and pumping from Sotavento to El Médano is also carried out, as well as the sanitation network of Charco del Pino and the case of Granadilla. All this will report treated water for agricultural use and garden irrigation. If all goes well, in two years there will be no discharge into the sea and we will once again have the Blue Flag.
We bet on the South train because it can serve as an alternative in public transport
The state of the streets and highways drew criticism for years. There’s a solution?
We have launched an Asphalting Plan with the largest investment in roads in the history of Granadilla, with more than three million. Between now and next year we will renew the tracks.
Are you satisfied with the Cabildo?
The greatest demand we have is that you build the residence for the elderly on the 3,400 square meter plot that we gave you in 2017, in Los Martines, in El Médano, with the forecast that it would be executed in 2022. You have five years to do it before revert ownership of the land to the municipality. It is a necessity for the region and Granadilla to have these 100 places. The Cabildo has land, project and economic capacity to carry out this work and has not yet put it out to tender.
A lot of noise with the new Tenerife South Airport terminal for nothing?
It’s a missed opportunity. Not including it in the new DORA will make us wait years. The completion of the building connecting the terminals is patching. The need is the new terminal, the comprehensive remodeling. The other does not meet the demand.
It seems that the third lane of the southern highway only starts in Las Chafiras.
And late. The reality is that the third lane is useless from Las Chafiras onwards if San Isidro is not within it. In the end, Tenerife requires a mobility strategy. We are committed to the Tren del Sur because it can serve as an alternative to public transport, but it must be complemented. What doesn’t work is building more roads.
Will the refinery be in Granadilla de Abona?
The refinery will not be installed in Granadilla de Abona. Disappears from the Island.
Has your position regarding the Port changed?
The argument that the Port of Santa Cruz was going to collapse falls away. I always understood that the priority was to finish the Hospital del Sur, build more educational centers and improve many things. Still, the Port is not finished.
What is your opinion of the municipal opposition?
(Eight seconds of silence) I would invite her to add.
It is assumed that he will be the local CC candidate again
That’s what you’re saying (laughs). Right now we are not worried about this issue.
