Rosa Dávila, the president of the Cabildo de Tenerife, is suggesting a major mobility agreement on the island with free public transport for buses, trams, and future trains, as the core of an agreement involving the whole society, including the political groups forming the island corporation. This is one of the main conclusions reached during the plenary session held yesterday on the General Orientation of Insular Policy, a euphemistic name for the well-known State of the Island Debate that coincides with the first year of the term (2023-2027) of the island government of Coalición Canaria and the People’s Party.
What’s the state of the island? As some councillors sarcastically opined, more or less. They are right in assessing these ups and downs, but it is necessary to bring the focus closer. The outcome is more favourable for the executive led by the first female president of Cabildo in its entire history, Rosa Dávila. She elaborated on the reality of almost 365 days of management in over an hour and 40 pages, repeatedly referring to the “legacy of paralysis and inaction” of the previous PSOE and Cs administration – a “crutch” for the nationalist spokesperson, José Miguel Ruano. Lope Afonso (PP) confirmed, clarified, reminded, and outlined the achievements in the areas under the responsibility of the eight popular councillors.
The balance equation leans towards the almost sole socialist opposition, whose spokesperson, Pedro Martín, defended the work done during his presidency (2019-2023). Vox’s interventions from the Mixed Group, voiced by the solitary Naím Yánez –his teammate Ana Salazar was absent yesterday, as were three other councillors– mostly showed alignment with the positions of the two parties forming the Hotel School Pact (they will celebrate the first anniversary next Tuesday) for a single government. Described as “stable, moderate, and responsive to a social majority” by their representatives yesterday.
The debate, calm and composed in form but with that undercurrent of extending a hand, swinging between squeezing the opponent’s hand or giving them a nudge, had some moments of tough dialectical exchange between Rosa Dávila and a somewhat subdued Pedro Martín, based on the common “tit-for-tat”. Or less, depending on the case. The reality is that the president took the centre stage with the four spokespersons in a secondary role amid a somewhat lacklustre oratory, as is usual in a session sometimes dull. A result of the regulatory structure.
The session opened with Dávila’s speech, filled with criticism and allusions to the previous government. She argued that “Tenerife is back on track with a solid agreement that builds confidence”. She outlined the main pillars of her island policies: mobility, support for families, protection of the territory and sustainability, as well as revitalising and energising the island after “the hibernation during the past four years”. She emphasized that “we are making real changes”. Among many figures, she highlighted the 3% growth in the island’s GDP and the creation of over 5,000 jobs in key sectors such as tourism – in agreement with Lope Afonso, who oversees the sector, that it is and will remain the economic engine – and technology with a particular emphasis on the new Industry area as a potential generator of economic diversification.
The president mentioned that “in this debate, we will see a Socialist Group that promised a lot, but nobody remembers them doing anything concrete”. Dávila concluded by saying, “we have already started the engine of this flagship of Canarias – Tenerife – which was in shipyards for four years due to a lack of initiative or willingness. The island is back on track”.
Transportation
Dávila proposed a major agreement for transportation in Tenerife and reaffirmed her commitment to free public transport and sustainable trains to the North and South. The president highlighted the implementation of a series of “bold, feasible, and sustainable” actions. The opposition criticized her for not fulfilling her electoral promise to “end traffic jams within 90 days”. She responded that the Cabildo is working on over 20 necessary road projects, including the resurfacing of the TF-1 or new accesses at the Guamasa junction. The closure of the latter was objected by the socialists.
Satellite Control
The president valued Tenerife being the headquarters of the first satellite control centre – with 66 communication satellites – in the Canaries, attracting an investment of 300 million Euros. She applauded the overall budget allocated for R&D, which has increased by twenty percent. In her lengthy exposition, Rosa Dávila listed achievements in this past year and announcements for the remainder of the term. She stated that “the Cabildo has the greenest budgets in its history” and reaffirmed the commitment to the preservation of natural environment and territorial and demographic sustainability. She didn’t miss the opportunity to criticise the environmental management of the previous government in “the lack of control in protecting the.Teide and other natural spaces like Anaga and Teno», as well as «the ineffective management» of the Environmental Complex of Arico «with the lowest recycling levels in 2023». According to her, “it has been a great year for Health”. She announced that HUC will have new units for preventive medicine, palliative care, and geriatrics. She also pledged to reach 6,000 families with the nursery voucher by the end of her term, compared to the 1,500 beneficiaries in its first year. Completing this picture is “the reopening next summer of the Altavista Refuge”, the fact that “the budget for training and employment has doubled”, and that “Tenerife has the lowest unemployment rate in the last 18 years”. While Lope Afonso (PP) and Ruano (CC) reinforced this discourse, Vox and the PSOE provided a counterpoint.
A Different Perspective
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Naím Yánez criticized a “cut and paste” discourse from press conferences “that we have suffered in recent months”. He assessed that little to no progress has been made on commitments. He believes that the president is living in “a pink world” and warns her that “disappointment is on the streets, there is no enthusiasm”. He showed the same alignment on domestic issues with CC and PP but differences on ideological issues like immigration, LGTBIQA+ groups, or gender violence. Martín mentioned that this year “we have heard headlines, announcements, and demagogy”. He blamed Dávila for only mentioning “in passing and half an hour after starting” the “great problem of the people of Tenerife, which is housing”. He clarified that “we do not say that everything done by others is bad”. He got into an argument with the president about the works on the Padre Anchieta Ring Road and even told her that “she takes photos with every piece of metal that arrives at the port”.
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Voting
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After some doubt about whether to vote on the proposals one by one or in blocks, which the secretary resolved, it moved on to the decisive part although most are initiatives to urge other administrations. 32 out of the 40 presented were approved, ten per group, some unanimously and others by majority. CC’s ten refer to equality, human resources, cultural incentives, guided public transport, promotion of craft workshops, financial education for young people, education programs for prevention, a permanent helicopter base, and the reform of the REF. The PP was supported in boosting the electrical system, strengthening the Primary Sector, a Law for ALS, the Elderly Plan –Afonso announced it will be in July–; amending the state Housing Law, sports patronage, return of the Guanche mummy, more customs services, the approval of the Management Plan for Use and Management (PRUG) of the Teide National Park, and the modification of the Immigration Law. Vox moved forward with nine initiatives related to Mobility, Primary Sector, Cultural Heritage Tourism, Education, Health, Youth, Waste and Sewage, as well as Access to housing and social rental. Three proposals from the PSOE were approved: Road works, residential resources to treat Alzheimer’s, and support for sustainable productions and consumption. After 5 hours, 12 minutes, and 34 seconds, the councillor finally reiterated: How is the Island? More or less».
