The Government of the Canary Islands and Ports of Tenerife will undertake a pilot project to redirect goods traffic from the Port of Los Cristianos to that of Granadilla in order to relieve congestion in the former. This was conveyed by the Vice President and Minister of Economy, Manuel Domínguez, to the Mayor of Arona, Fátima Lemes, in a meeting held this Friday. The Vice Presidency outlines that negotiations will take place with shipping companies to participate in the pilot project, which is “an initial option” to alleviate congestion at the harbour in Arona and will be complemented by other measures once the effectiveness of this approach is evaluated.
Domínguez is of the opinion that the congestion situation experienced in Los Cristianos due to port activity “is unacceptable”. He stated that there are times when “it takes longer to reach the motorway from Los Cristianos than it does to make the maritime journey from La Gomera”. The Mayor of Arona, Fátima Lemes, indicated that, in collaboration with the Port Authority, they will determine “the best way” to ease port traffic in Los Cristianos.
During the meeting, Domínguez and Lemes discussed the situation of the Southern Hospital, which “continues to be a centre for specialised care,” although the Government of Canary Islands “have taken steps to convert it into the second-level hospital centre needed in this part of the island,” stated the regional Vice President. He also referred to the two new operating theatres and the uninterrupted operation of Emergency services.
Manuel Domínguez, who is also the regional leader of the PP, has criticised “the neglect” that the Flower Pact government subjected Arona to “due to internal conflicts” within the PSOE, which led to the return of nine million euros allocated for infrastructure projects, he clarified.
Furthermore, the regional Vice President lamented that the Housing Law “deters the possibility of having more rental offerings” and that “the mismanagement of previous governments in the Canary Islands meant there was hardly any public housing supply available.”