The area of Roads and Landscape of the Cabildo has initiated this week the procedure of the file to tender, for 1.5 million euros, the service in the Altavista Refuge. The facility has been closed since November 2020. This was confirmed by the councilor for the area, Enrique Arriaga, when asked by the spokesperson for the Popular Party (PP), Zaida González, in the plenary session last Friday.
Arriaga broke down what had happened around the facility, located in the Teide National Park, since its closure due to the non-renewal of the cable car company’s concession. The actions have focused on cleaning operations with crews hired from the area. Also in the drafting of the project for a treatment plant that, explains Arriaga, “must be built to eliminate the environmental damage caused by untreated discharges from the bathrooms.” He assures that he has the reports of the Insular Water Council and the National Park. The one from the environmental body of the Cabildo is pending.
In parallel, the Citizens (Cs) counselor points out, the contracting file for the management of the Shelter has been prepared. Signed this week, the base budget for the tender is 1,515,620 euros and the estimated value of the contract is 2,345,211.
“You have to be very rigorous in the process to be able to reopen with all the guarantees”
This beginning of the file gives legal coverage for, “provisionally”, Arriaga clarifies, to process an emergency transaction and hire a “limited” service. You have already contacted a company. “I hope that this process ends as soon as possible,” he values.
Enrique Arriaga reflects: «I cannot contract without having a legal argument. There is already a contracting procedure started and that administratively empowers for that provisional and limited contract ». He adds that “the Altavista Refuge can be opened without using the bathrooms; It will be discussed with the company.”
Arriaga explains: “We had a convincing report from the Comptroller on a model agreement that could not be maintained.” He delves into the idea: «We have found many messes, we have had to put them into law and it is not so simple. I wish it had been possible to start up the management of the Refuge. I’m the first to want it open.”
Arriaga adds: «With pressure, it will not open before». She explains: “The Civil Guard is already investigating the latest incident because they entered with a key, without forcing the door.”
“One year and two months”.
Zaida González criticizes that Arriaga “only gives information when a complaint is raised. He has been like this for a year and two months ». He adds that the document that he signed last Wednesday “only means the beginning of the drafting of the specifications and there is still the budget item.” He sentences: “That is, there was nothing.” He questions the argument that “that paper” supports the resource of an urgent negotiated without publicity. The popular councilor emphasizes: «Everything to open the Refuge in the same conditions as before, because the excuse was the sewage treatment plant. We will have to continue carrying waste in backpacks.
CSIF concern.
The CSIF Canarias shows its “concern” for the future of the Altavista Shelter and the six professionals from Teleférico del Pico del Teide SA who worked there until it closed. The union, majority in the company, describes Arriaga’s statements as “diffuse”. The CSIF understands that “the Shelter languishes at 3,260 meters between the accumulation of garbage and acts of vandalism.” The workers have gone on to perform other functions within the Cable Car, after being reinstated after an ERTE. The union criticizes that the counselor speaks of “replacing and not restoring the workforce to their jobs.” That implies, the sources value, “training the new staff in the ins and outs of the installation and in the profession of guarding this peculiar refuge, the highest in Spain.”
