SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE December 3 (EUROPA PRESS) –
CEOE Tenerife unveiled the annual update on the island’s vital infrastructure projects this Tuesday during the annual review meeting of the ‘Building Future’ initiative, revealing a decline in execution speed.
The report indicates that “half of the projects are only progressing through management stages”, which entail acquiring permits, licenses, or completing environmental procedures, while three out of ten projects “have shown no advancement in 2024”.
The employers’ association further explains that “only 2 out of every 10 projects are moving forward in the execution phase”, highlighting an urgent need for institutional commitment and public-private collaboration to enhance the pace and volume of progress, ultimately benefiting the productive sector and the population of Tenerife.
Conversely, it acknowledges that road projects are the furthest along, with 14 out of 18 – 78% – although merely three are currently in the execution phase.
Consequently, CEOE-Tenerife underscores the necessity of expediting bureaucratic processes and fostering collaboration among all administrations.
“The future of Tenerife hinges on our actions now,” stated the president, Pedro Alfonso, who emphasised that Tenerife’s advancement “is not an isolated undertaking but a collective endeavour that demands political determination, business dedication, and the backing of a society that believes in transformation.”
The general secretary, Eduardo Bezares, elaborated that the island’s competitiveness is “hampered by the absence of modern infrastructure”, rendering this meeting a “springboard for sustainable development in Tenerife.”
The vice-counselor of the Presidency and spokesperson for the Government of the Canary Islands, Alfonso Cabello, highlighted the significance of this event for monitoring “not only the public administration’s role but also the group of entrepreneurs who create jobs and stimulate projects within the Autonomous Community”.
He further asserted that to effectively tackle Tenerife’s future challenges, it is essential to have the General State Budgets outlined for the upcoming years.
BERMÚDEZ: COMPLETING THE RING OF THE METROPOLITAN AREA
The Deputy Minister of Infrastructure for the Government of the Canary Islands, Francisco Javier González, reflected on the importance of maintaining transparency and honesty when confronting the current and future challenges faced by the island.
“It is true that we have considerable delays in many infrastructures, but it is also a fact that efforts are being intensified to complete key projects,” he noted.
The president of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila, expressed her appreciation to CEOE-Tenerife for hosting this meeting and for their thorough assessment.
“Thanks to the momentum of the ‘Building Future’ project, public-private collaboration has been strengthened,” she remarked.
Additionally, she recalled that both the Cabildo and the Government of the Canary Islands have succeeded in unblocking essential projects that were previously stalled, such as the completion of the island ring.
In relation to this matter, José Manuel Bermúdez, the mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, advocated for the closure of the ring in the metropolitan area.
“We are very focused on the projects in the south, but it is equally important to prioritise the North-South bypass, which would alleviate traffic between Santa Cruz and La Laguna from using the TF-5,” he asserted.
