Alejandro Herrera obtained almost 40% of the votes of his neighbors in 2019 and was left with just 251 supports from the PP, which achieved an absolute majority with 47%. He faces his second elections with “a project without fanciful ideas” and with priorities such as opening the pool, finishing the auditorium and improving security, water service and participation.
What project do you defend? DC for La Guancha?
We have a real project. We are not based on fanciful ideas or chimeras, but on realistic things. We do not want to deceive anyone, but to base ourselves on achievable issues, a well-structured project, planned and with medium, short and long-term objectives. Our program revolves around a main axis, which answers the question: what do you want for the municipality? And what we propose is to move towards natural and sustainable tourism, as well as improve social well-being, heritage, culture and security, among other issues. We want to promote everything that makes us different to make us more competitive and make La Guancha more attractive every day, receive more visits and that has an impact on commerce, the economy and life in general for guancheros. We do not rely on criticism of the other or on the fight. Let’s do our thing, to defend our proposals and develop them. We believe that it is important to get along with everyone and attend to the daily problems of the neighbors. Little things, but important, like fixing sidewalks, building them where there are none, removing barriers for people with disabilities, daily cleaning, green areas… Little things that may not sell so much, but they are what really improves everyday life .
What makes La Guancha different?
Well, our natural environment, our trails, our traditions, our crafts… It is clear that we cannot compete with Adeje or Arona when it comes to beaches, but we have other values that make us attractive for visitors and to promote tourist activity. We need some accommodation and to achieve the opening of the shelter, which has been closed for eight years. Now the people who come to La Guancha to carry out some activity have to stay in the port. If they stayed, those people would dine here, kick our streets and, in the end, generate more economy.
Will one of your priorities be to unlock the pool?
Yes of course. We have several cauldrons on the fire right now, projects that we have to face and one is, clearly, the pool. It is an infrastructure for which we have been waiting for many years. Waiting for them to open it and finally put it to use. The exterior urbanization needs to be done and there is financing from the Cabildo since 2022. The infrastructure is finished and equipped and its maintenance has been paid for these 4 years.
Why isn’t the outdoor area built up?
Well, due to bad planning, bad management. The exterior urbanization is planned from the beginning of the work, at the time when Elena Luis (CC) governed. The Cabildo assumed 90% of the cost of the pool and the City Council contributed 10%, but it had to take care of the exterior urbanization. They should have started working on it at the same time so that, when the time came, it could be opened. It was finished in 2019, it was delivered, the circus was set up and, since then, in these four years, the only thing that has been done is the urbanization project and asking the Cabildo for help. That was not contemplated in this way, but they have given us close to 800,000 euros to execute that pending part, which not only gives access to the pool, but to a calisthenics circuit and the skate park, which have also been finished for two years and have not have been put to use. For us it is an absolute priority.
Finishing the new auditorium is another key issue?
We are clear that we have to get our hands on it to finish the reform of the Union and Fraternity Cultural Center as soon as possible, which will be the future auditorium, and that it is a work that has a fairly large budget, of about 5.3 million euros. Due to administrative problems and others, it has slowed down in recent months. I know that’s being worked on, but we can’t be left with another half-finished building. We lack a cultural infrastructure and that is why it is another priority objective.
Is parking a problem for the municipality?
Yes, because parking is scarce in the town and in other areas. Now, with the work on the cultural center, 21 car parks have been removed, despite the fact that we often demanded that the city council set up alternative car parks in an area where there are also schools and shops. Businesses have complained a lot that the lack of parking spaces reduces their sales. To this is now added the sanitation works in the hull.
What does CC propose to improve the water service?
We have a problem of cuts in the water supply and deficiencies in the sanitation network. It takes more attention and more budget to replace the network where it is older or gives more problems. In addition, it is necessary to modernize the service and use instruments that monitor the network and that make it much easier to detect a leak and that reduces cuts and inconvenience to the neighbors.
Concerned about security?
Yes, the neighbors are complaining about an increase in robberies and home invasions and, logically, they have shown concern. You have to take action and make people feel safe. The Local Police has a very reduced staff: there are three guards plus a chief and another agent who does administrative work. Due to the guanchero population, there should be between 9 and 10 agents. This is something that we have been requesting for a long time. New places must be put out to competition. Increasing the workforce is a clear need, also for the safety of the agents, who now have to patrol alone. We must offer more security, also increase the feeling of security and renew the police fleet.
Is there a lack of neighborhood participation?
Yes. One of the things people complain about is that the town is sad. They demand more socio-cultural activity, which also helps trade and the economy, and generates a living people. Citizen participation is key so that it does not happen as with the reform of the church square. It was demolished, a new one was built and people do not identify with the current one. We always miss the old square. In order not to fall into the same mistake, I think it is vital to generate participation, ask people and listen to them.
Why do you think La Guancha needs a change?
We rely on what the neighbors tell us. There is that feeling of a sad town, of a decayed town, where things have not been done as they should. We propose an alternative, a different way of doing things and I think it may be time for people to place their trust in us. We have the proposal, the project, the team, the desire and the illusion of changing things in La Guancha.
