SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 10 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Social Services Representatives of the autonomous regions – specifically Navarra, Castilla-La Mancha, and Catalonia, without the presence of those governed by the PP – paid a visit to a facility for migrant minors in Tenerife on Wednesday and witnessed the “disappointment” of the youths due to the overwhelming reception system.
This was conveyed by the Minister of Social Welfare of the Government of the Canary Islands, Candelaria Delgado, prior to the commencement of the Sectoral Conference on Children and Youth, where the placement of migrant minors and the revision of the immigration legislation will be deliberated.
Delgado highlighted that the smaller facilities function “exceptionally well”, whereas in the larger ones, like the one they visited housing 234 minors, the numbers are “excessive” to ensure an optimal care scheme. This situation serves as an indication of what is anticipated in the upcoming months, leading the Canary Islands Government to establish a tent at the port of Arrecife (Lanzarote).
Nonetheless, she clarified that the responsibility for amending the immigration legislation does not rest with the autonomous regions but with the Congress of Deputies. Hence, she has appealed to the political parties for “assistance” in enhancing the quality of life for minors.
The minister admitted that with over 5,500 minors under guardianship, it is impossible to guarantee education, despite having agreements in place with business associations and the Canary Islands Employment Service.
“The children’s aspirations and demands, which they left behind, include securing employment to support their families in their home countries. Consequently, many of them are feeling frustrated because they have realised that their prospects of travelling from the Canary Islands to the mainland and other European countries have been restricted. As a result, they feel disheartened as they do not receive the expected attention, education, and employment opportunities that they had sought in the Canary Islands,” she remarked.
Hence, she noted, “it is beneficial” for the autonomous regions to witness the situation in the Canary Islands firsthand and understand what the future might hold for the Canary Islands in the forthcoming months.
