On Monday, the Socialist Group in the Cabildo of Tenerife expressed its “outrage” over the decision of the island government not to address the question regarding the Tenerife Adán Martín Auditorium in a plenary committee this week. They argue that despite the facility falling under the jurisdiction of the Culture Committee, the competent body, it will not provide a response.
The Socialist Group had submitted a question to the Government led by Rosa Dávila about the steps taken since the beginning of the current term to compel architect Santiago Calatrava to design the repair project for the Auditorium.
Highlighting actions taken during Pedro Martín’s leadership, the socialists stress that accountability was demanded, and a schedule was set for Calatrava to proceed with the necessary work.
However, they note that upon Rosa Dávila taking office, the new governing body extended the architect’s deadline by twelve months and has failed to provide any explanations regarding additional measures implemented to improve the situation. Technicians estimate the repairs to exceed 24 million Euros, with a minimum closure period of one year.
Despite the gravity of the situation, they point out that the island government has refused to address the Culture Committee, shifting the responsibility to the Presidency. This delay means there is no opportunity for rectification before the new period of government control in a month. This avoidance of providing information has been criticised by the only group offering substantial opposition to the government.
“We fail to comprehend why the Cultural Department believes it is not within their mandate to explain the state of an auditorium under their jurisdiction,” stated the President of the Socialist Group, Pedro Martín. He emphasised that “if there are no management errors, there should be no reason to withhold information, especially as this denies an opportunity to clarify the situation.”
The Tenerife socialist’s general secretary recalled the measures taken during their tenure upon finding the Auditorium in a “deplorable” condition. Actions included placing sensors to prevent the mosaic facade from detaching, mediating for repair efforts, and ultimately pursuing claims against the architect, technical management, and construction firms when repairs proved unfeasible.
