Residents of Las Bajas reported yesterday to the mayor of Guimar, Gustavo Pérez, who reject the 7,000 euros that the City Council reserves for each of them to face the rent payment, for one year, of the seven apartments in which many others evicted from the village remain relocated. Some of those affected conveyed to the councilor their willingness to return to their homes, from which they left more than a year and a half ago, which have been in a sealed area since March 2021.
On the 10th of that month, the accesses to this point of the Güimarero coast were partially closed, which was completed days later. The same in which the voluntary eviction of the place began, which lasted almost two months. The cause was the existence of an imminent risk of high danger from atmospheric phenomena, as well as a high risk of detachment from the slope of the Autopista del Sur tunnel. Both circumstances posed a threat to the integrity of the homes and people of Las Bajas. This is reflected in a technical report commissioned by the municipal government and that the Consistory received on February 15, 2021, less than a month before the voluntary eviction.
Las Bajas is a small town made up of around twenty houses, caves and cave-houses (something similar to Bajo la Cuesta, in Candelaria) of which only seven were permanently inhabited. These families, which add up to around 20 people (including minors), were rehoused by the Güimarero City Council, an administration that, according to the then first deputy mayor and councilor at that time, Airam Puerta, assumed the cost of accommodation during the time the duration of the works contemplated to ensure the state of the slope of the tunnels. That period was expected to be four months, that is, until last September.
stopped work
However, this action has been paralyzed since the end of said month of 2021, when around 25% of the execution of the work remains. The provisional order was given by the mayor, Gustavo Pérez, given the excess cost of the work, contracted for 342,865 euros and which has issued certifications that are close to a million and a half. The company awarded the works has already filed the corresponding claim through the courts.
The construction company that paid the rent for the seven relocated families stopped paying. The consequence is that several of them already have an eviction order for the apartments in which they are relocated due to this non-payment. The solution to them, as they have made public on several occasions, is to return to the houses of Las Bajas. They argue that it is their home and that while they lived in the village they were never affected by any landslide.
Other administrations
Yesterday, the Local Government Board approved the regulatory bases that will govern the direct granting of aid to the residents of Las Bajas at a rate of 7,000 euros per family for one year.
In addition, the municipal government reiterates its demand to the supra-municipal administrations. As stated in a previous communication, they urge the Cabildo de Tenerife and the Canary Islands Government to get involved formally in the search for a solution to the problem of Las Bajas. The arguments that justify such a request is that island facilities related to water transport run through the area, since the property of the perimeter of the TF-1 motorway (which includes the slope) corresponds to the Roads area of the regional Executive. In addition, Las Bajas is under the influence of the General Directorate of the Coast and the Sea.
In fact, Costas has sent the families the communication announcing the demolition of their homes within the framework of the file for the recovery of possession of the maritime-terrestrial public domain space. The affected neighbors have already taken measures in this regard.
