Jennifer Miranda, the Mayor of Granadilla, announced that she and her municipal team (excluding two PP councillors supporting the Granadilla Government) will not be attending the meeting scheduled for today with the President of the Government, Fernando Clavijo. Also expected at the meeting are the President of the Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, and the Mayor of Adeje, José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga. The meeting aims to discuss tourism projects in Cuna del Alma and La Tejita.
During a press conference at the construction site of the La Tejita hotel in El Médano, the Mayor accused both presidents of engaging in a “political facade” to divert attention from recent events and shift blame onto institutions led by the PSOE. She also mentioned the plot sale and the controversial Granadilla circuit project, which is approved by the regional government and anticipated to cost 44 million Euros.
Miranda repeatedly criticized the regional government and the Cabildo for using the plot as part of a political agenda, taking advantage of the tense atmosphere following recent events. She expressed her refusal to attend the meeting at the Government Presidency headquarters this morning. “We agree with Clavijo on the necessity to renew the model,” she emphasized. The Mayor advocated for initiatives that improve living conditions in the Canary Islands and utilise public funds to protect coastal areas and essential infrastructure in the southern region like hospitals, schools, and transportation facilities.
26 MILLION EUROS
The Mayor stated that the Granadilla City Council cannot bear the cost of acquiring the plot. “The company is asking for nearly 26 million Euros, which is around 50% of the council’s budget, and I will not jeopardize my citizens’ future for the next 15 years,” affirmed Miranda. She highlighted the challenges faced by the Canary Islands Government in purchasing the plot. Miranda accused the current government of not facing similar hurdles during the previous term. “The acquisition process was planned and budgeted for. There was prior approval and even a budget adjustment to include the first payment of 7 million Euros in 2023 towards the plot. There was an agreement for 25 million in three instalments. The technical justifications provided are unfounded; the purchase documentation was approved, budget allocation was made, and expert reports were positive,” she argued.
Miranda singled out Rosa Dávila, suggesting the possibility of investing half of the Tenerife Motor Circuit’s budget in acquiring the La Tejita plot. “If La Tejita is truly significant, let the Tenerife Council decide to allocate half of the 44 million Euro budget for the circuit to the hotel plot,” proposed Jennifer Miranda. The Mayor intends, if the plot is acquired, to rehabilitate the area and return it to its natural state.
The Viqueira Group, the developers of the La Tejita hotel, recommenced construction on the Granadilla de Abona coast, which had commenced in May 2019 and was halted in May 2021. This was after receiving approval from the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC) confirming the legality of the urban development initiative.
