SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, July 13 (EUROPE PRESS) –
The plenary session of the Parliament of the Canary Islands has unanimously approved this Wednesday of the seven groups that September 10 be named ‘Canary Day of Migrations’, coinciding with the day in 1919 on which the ship ‘Valbanera’ was shipwrecked off the coast of Florida and that caused the death of more than 400 people.
The proposal also asks the Government to promote a campaign each year to promote the positive values of migration, promote the organization of public events by institutions, to be held abroad by Canarian entities and to award the ‘Valbanera’ award to people or institutions that have been characterized by the defense and study of migration.
David de la Hoz (CC-PNC) commented that the Canary Islands are forced to “coexist” with emigration, stressing that the very origin of the Canarian people is linked to migratory movements and subsequently “left its mark” on America.
“Knowing our history should serve, among other things, to form a citizenry that is more aware of current problems. Knowing where we come from should help us interpret where we want to go”, he pointed out.
Likewise, and reading the NLP, he commented that the Canary Islands live in the first person “the human drama” of irregular migration and live “always” with this phenomenon, also with the “tragedy”, remembering the sinking of the ‘Valbanera’.
Ricardo Fernández (Cs) has commented that “nobody” in the Canary Islands is “alien” to immigration and hopes that this proposal will serve to better regulate and close agreements to facilitate migratory movements.
He has warned that the ‘Valbanera’ tragedy “has fallen into oblivion” and that care for canaries abroad must be improved.
Jesús Ramos (ASG) has said that the Canary Islands “has always been a cosmopolitan town of emigrants and immigrants” and believes that the chosen date is the best because it serves to “remember and honor” the victims and was a “sad example” of the immigration tragedy.
He has appealed to combat “hoaxes” about migration and to influence positive values.
Francisco Déniz, from Sí Podemos, has stressed that his family emigrated to Cuba “due to hunger” and understands that the Canarian migratory past has served to be “more supportive” and organize reception policies against the “racism” that makes its way in the islands.
He pointed out that many Canarians have emigrated to America and the Sahara and he sees it positive that the new generations see where the Canarian population comes from, even underlining internal migrations between islands.
CANARY ISLANDS, A WELCOME LAND
Luis Campos, spokesman for NC, has indicated that migratory movements shape the Canary Islands today, indicating that the archipelago was “the land of emigrants looking for a better future” and is now a “reception” place, especially for African and American migration.
He has commented that the ‘Day of Migrations’ is an “important success” that delves into the “own view” that the Canary Islands should have on this phenomenon.
Hipólito Suárez, from the Popular Group, pointed out that this agreement is a good initiative that recognizes “the essence of the Canary Islands as a people” since the archipelago is a “bridge” between three continents and a place “of transit and reception”.
He lamented that many African migrants arrive in the Canary Islands in “dire” conditions, others die and some are even listed as missing at sea, while also highlighting the “ties” of the islanders with South American emigrants.
Nira Fierro, president of the Socialist Group, has commented that migration is a reality that must be lived with “and it will by no means cease” and in the Canary Islands, “solidarity” with the reception is in their “DNA”.
