Alicia Vanoostende, a Socialist MP for La Palma, criticises the current government of the Canary Islands for its ‘silence and opacity’ concerning the island’s reconstruction: ‘What is the fear of transparency?’
On Tuesday [9], Alicia Vanoostende condemned the refusal of the Canary Coalition (CC) and the Popular Party (PP) during a regional parliamentary session to provide a list of beneficiaries of volcanic aid as requested by the Socialist Group. This refusal comes despite a binding resolution from the Parliament’s Bureau, passed unanimously, which demands immediate information from Councillor Nieves Lady Barreto.
Vanoostende pointed out that she has been requesting straightforward information for several months: ‘A list of public aid funded with public money.’ She claimed that ‘the Canary Islands Government has done everything to avoid giving me the documentation.’
‘They have changed their argument, sought excuses, and erected obstacles. They have lost every legal battle they provoked. The Parliament’s Bureau and the legal services of the Chamber upheld my claim.’
The MP criticised that, despite this, the two parties supporting the Canary Islands Government have voted to maintain obstructive behaviour and a lack of transparency from the Ministry of the Presidency, undermining the role of the Canary Islands Parliament as a government oversight body.
‘We are discussing the determination of Councillor Nieves Lady to ensure that no one knows what they are doing. We are talking about respect for the basic rules of democracy,’ Vanoostende added.
She also reminded everyone that ‘in any serious parliamentary system, the Government is accountable to the Parliament. No councillor can decide what information the Chamber receives and what is hidden.’
The La Palma MP expressed regret that since CC and the PP came to power, ‘silence and opacity’ have prevailed. ‘Why so much fear of transparency in La Palma’s reconstruction?’ she asked.
Vanoostende demanded the immediate release of this data, stating, ‘The people have the right to know, and this Parliament has a duty to oversee. Those who act correctly do not fear being accountable or providing documentation.’
Additionally, she noted that this vote extends beyond the listing of aid, as it decides ‘whether we want the Parliament to retain its capacity to oversee the Government or if the Government can disregard the Parliament whenever it pleases.’
In conclusion, she warned that ‘when the Government stops being accountable, the problem becomes the democratic health of our institutions. In the Canary Islands, under this government, democracy is at risk.’
