In April, the President of La Gomera, Casimiro Curbelo, issued a threat stating that he would organise a demonstration in August as a way to pressure for a decision on whether to expand the port of Los Cristianos or to construct the port of Fonsalía.
So far, no decision has been made, but given the progress initiated by the State, the likelihood of a demonstration appears further away. Curbelo’s team points out that “there have been advancements” and that for now, it is necessary to assess these announced developments. They added that “once the complete package of measures proposed by the State is known, a decision will be made on whether to call for it or not”.
When asked if the demonstration would go ahead if this package of measures isn’t clarified before August, they indicated that we will have to wait.
The context
The advancements referred to were not exactly the reason for Curbelo’s remarks but were nonetheless a fundamental part of his complaint. The Gomera president made his statements following the presentation of the Second Report on the maritime connection of the three green islands with Tenerife, prepared by the College of Civil Engineering, Canals, and Ports. This report concluded that the best options were to either expand the port of Los Cristianos or scale back the current Fonsalía project.
“I am already preparing a demonstration in August in Tenerife. They need to get a move on,” Curbelo warned in April. “After 20 years of conducting feasibility studies, environmental impact assessments, and all this, we are starting from scratch. The problem is not that we are starting from zero, but how long will we remain at zero before we can start?” he added.
A situation without consensus
Since those words were spoken, the situation has remained at a standstill. There have been no meetings with the Port Authority to decide which project to initiate. The Popular Party and the Canarian Coalition hold opposing positions. While the nationalists advocate for the extension of Los Cristianos, the Popular Party wants to build Fonsalía.
Moreover, the residents of Los Cristianos oppose the port expansion, and environmental groups reject both actions, as both projects will impact the Special Conservation Area of Tenerife, particularly affecting the migratory route of cetaceans.
The announced works
Where there has been progress—at least in announcements—is regarding the works planned for the port of Los Cristianos to enhance the infrastructure. It was Curbelo’s own party, the Gomera Socialist Group, via Senator Fabian Chinea, that requested information from the ministry about the anticipated actions at the port.
According to the information provided, the State plans to demolish the current passenger building, expand the parking area with two new levels, construct a modern terminal, and create an underground access to the port area “to eliminate the left turn that currently congests the entrance and presents a risk for traffic”.
So far, no date has been set for the start of the works, although Chinea stated that their execution is “clearly urgent”. The works that may be closer to happening are those concerning the reinforcement of the breakwater, as the Port Authority “is expected to award the final reinforcement works for the breakwater in Los Cristianos soon, with an investment of 5.3 million euros”, Chinea noted in a statement.
