The party seeks information regarding the ordinance promised for 2024, municipal staff training, and the operation of the oversight committee stipulated in the agreement.
Unidas se puede has submitted a series of inquiries directed at the governing body to ascertain the level of compliance with the agreement signed in February 2024 between La Laguna City Council and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC). This agreement aimed to enhance the protection of the night sky and mitigate light pollution in the municipality.
The agreement, signed by Mayor Luis Yeray Gutiérrez and the then Director of the IAC, Rafael Rebolo, included specific commitments from the City Council, such as the approval of a specific ordinance to regulate outdoor lighting, training for municipal technical staff on sky protection, and the establishment of an oversight committee tasked with evaluating the agreement’s progress.
Carolina Castro, the councillor for Unidas se puede, stated, “More than two years have passed since the signing of this agreement, and the public has the right to know what has actually been done to fulfil the commitments made by the City Council.”
The party has requested information regarding the status of the future outdoor lighting ordinance, the expected timelines for its approval and implementation, as well as details about training actions conducted with municipal staff in collaboration with the IAC’s Technical Office for Sky Protection.
Additionally, Unidas se puede has asked for confirmation on whether the oversight committee envisaged in the agreement has been established. If so, they seek information on the meetings held, decisions made, and actions taken to date.
“We are discussing a strategic agreement for environmental protection, energy savings, and the preservation of one of the most valuable assets of the Canary Islands—our quality skies,” Castro emphasised.
For the party, it is particularly crucial to understand the progress of an initiative that was publicly presented as a commitment to sustainability and collaboration with one of the archipelago’s most prestigious scientific institutions.
“What we are asking for is transparency and accountability. If the commitments have been met, it should be explained; and if they have not, that too needs to be addressed. We cannot allow major institutional announcements to be reduced to headlines without tangible results,” Castro concluded.
