“Supporting Citizens is exercising the useful vote in the institutions of the Island”

Enrique Arriaga Álvarez (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 1968) leads for the next elections to the council the candidacy of Ciudadanos for the insular institution and the municipality of Santa Cruz. He doubles the Island Corporation, where he has co-governed this mandate with the PSOE, and the capital. He believes that the oranges will enter both institutions to once again be decisive when it comes to forming a government.

do you go to citizens with possibilities of playing an important role in these elections?

Not only will it be decisive, but supporting Ciudadanos is exercising the useful vote both in the Cabildo and in the Santa Cruz City Hall. Both elections will be close and Cs will be the guarantor of the reform policies. To continue in the line of these years at the island level and carry out the large projects that the municipality of the capital needs.

Why does Enrique Arriaga do a ‘double’?

I am taking this step because we believe that a change is needed in Santa Cruz, a different model of city based on carrying out undeveloped projects and on the change in public services, which do not work. The project underway in the Cabildo can be extrapolated to a capital of Canary Islands who has lost leadership in the Archipelago. We can apply all the work of these four years from the insular area to the municipal area for a new city project.

Take a look at the situation Tenerife and its capital.

In Tenerife, through four years of hard work, we have carried out many projects to advance paralyzed infrastructures and services. It has been the mandate of the projects and the next one will be that of the works. In Santa Cruz, the model, mobility and philosophy of the city must be changed, in addition to bringing it closer to the sea; hence adding the architect Chus del Real. Also solving chronic problems in public cleaning services, which arouses the biggest complaints from neighbors, and security, since there are 150 police officers missing with a 20% increase in crime.

How does the person who has led this insular area for the last four years analyze mobility?

Mobility problems are in the process of being solved, there is only time left for them to become a reality based on three pillars: infrastructure, public transport and change of habits. Work is being done on infrastructures, where we were years behind schedule, and in public transport we are promoting modernization and the implementation of guidance. The speed would be lacking, with the BUS-vao lanes, whose projects are finished for the TF-1 and part of the TF-5. When these two legs are completed, the population will have to be convinced to leave their vehicle at home. The solution is underway and it is a matter of time. Small advances will be seen and I hope that the people of Tenerife appreciate them.

Are you in favor of restricting the entry of cars to Santa Cruz?

It is necessary to contemplate the low emission zones and work with the emblems of the eco vehicles. In addition to pedestrianizing and restricting traffic so that the pedestrian can beat the vehicle or have a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan that the capital does not have. The leadership of the leaders has also been lacking in recent years. Santa Cruz is planned as if it were a town and it is a great city, co-capital of the Canary Islands. Unfortunately, it has been left behind because Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has beaten us and it recognizes it even Canarian Coalition. We must change the mentality of the municipal government to have an administration that leads and is a benchmark.

Summarize your main proposals for Santa Cruz.

You have to unite the city with a renewed bus service because it was the same thirty years ago. Redesign the lines to reach all places. We bet on the tram as a solution to guided transport. Expansion of lines 1 and 2, and commissioning of lines 3 and 4. It is the way to unite, communicate and structure an orographically complicated city. In addition to reaching Anaga through transport on demand. On the other hand, Santa Cruz is outside the tourist channels and that must be changed. It is not a matter of creating more hotels, but of making tourists who stay on the Island come to the city. He Carnival It would be active throughout the year with events on weekends to be an incentive for the visitor and offer revitalization and income to the groups themselves. That would make Santa Cruz much more attractive. In summary, improve public services, solve the problem of mobility, bring the city closer to the sea, since it has its back to its 21 kilometers of coastline, and make it more habitable. With the support of small and medium-sized entrepreneurs and, therefore, generate economy.

What is your idea regarding social services?

The first line of work of a City Council is aimed at those who need it most. There we must develop the programs with the Cabildo and the collaboration with the third sector. In the capital there has been a lack of coordination with the entities. Sometimes not all profiles are reached and the town hall must be there. In addition to revitalizing neighborhoods to make them more livable and helping young people, a key sector, to curb enormous youth unemployment and also to focus them on sports instead of less desirable activities.

With which forces would Ciudadanos agree and with which not?

After the refounding of the party, our liberal message is much clearer. The most important thing is the individual freedoms of people, families and the middle classes, largely forgotten. We have a clear program and our only red line is the people of Tenerife. With whom we reach a greater degree of agreement on our program, we will agree. There are non-negotiable points such as public transport, expanding the tram or improving citizen services.

How do you assess the survey published by this newspaper last Sunday?

The surveys They are highly targeted and our data predicts their presence in both institutions and that we can be decisive. The good poll is Sunday’s. The vote for Citizens is not lost but useful to change governments towards the policies that interest the people of Tenerife. That is why we have high morale, hope and the conviction that we will convince the public. The refoundation occurred in January and there has been little time until May, but I am pleasantly surprised by the number of people incorporated into the party from civil society. We excite again.