SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE APR. (Press Europa) –
The Socialist Municipal Group in the City of Arona has submitted a proposal for discussion in the upcoming municipal plenary, aimed at fostering a process of citizen engagement regarding the future of the Port of Christians.
It also seeks to reaffirm the institutional commitment to the regeneration projects at Tarajales beach and the subterranean entrances and exits to the urban area.
The initiative arises from the belief that decisions having a structural impact on the social, economic, and environmental development of the municipality should incorporate the “direct input of their residents,” as stated by the PSOE in a press release.
In this regard, Arona’s socialists contend that open and inclusive “public participation” is a “critical” instrument for enhancing local democracy and “establishing long-lasting consensus.”
Accordingly, the PSOE advocates for the commencement of a citizen consultation process in line with the City Council’s regulations on Citizen Participation, allowing residents to voice their proposals, concerns, and priorities regarding the port model, coastal utilisation, and sustainable development of Christians.
The Socialists recall that the regeneration initiative for Tarajales Beach was supported in the municipal plenary session in October 2021 and bolstered by the signing of an inter-administrative agreement between the City of Arona and the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) in 2022.
This agreement facilitated a state investment of 2 million euros, allocated in the General State Budgets, thanks to an amendment championed by the New Canary Islands group in Congress.
Furthermore, the project includes the environmental restoration of the coastline, its opening for public use, and the conservation of natural surroundings, which feature landmarks such as the natural monument of Guaza Mountain and the Sebadal ZEC of San Andrés.
Alongside this initiative, socialists add that the subterranean road access to Christians is another shared priority.
They point out that this construction would help “alleviate the traffic congestion” that the tourist hub and the port, one of the busiest in the Canary Islands, experience daily.
In this instance, the Government of Spain has allocated 5 million euros, which has been transferred to the Canary Islands government, to advance the technical planning of a structural solution.
Comprehensive Perspective of the Territory
For the Arona PSOE, any decision regarding the port’s expansion should be situated within a comprehensive perspective of the territory and reflect the highest degree of social consensus.
In this context, they assert that citizen consultation is a “legitimate and essential” pathway to listen to the residents of Christians and shape the future of the tourist hub in a participatory manner that respects their identity, landscape, and environmental values.
“Citizen participation is vital for fostering a more equitable and democratic municipality. The future of Christians must be crafted with the voices of its residents. This is a collective project, not just for a select few. We cannot make significant decisions without first consulting the local community, who are those that experience it daily,” stated the spokesperson, José Julián Mena.
