The Socialist Group in the Cabildo will raise questions in the upcoming plenary session regarding the actions taken by the island government led by Rosa Dávila in relation to those accountable for the condition of the Tenerife Auditorium. This comes after an extension of twelve months was granted to the architect Santiago Calatrava, extending beyond the 19-month period initially demanded by the Cabildo during the presidency of the socialist Pedro Martín in May 2022.
The Socialist Group, led by President Martín, believes that it is no longer appropriate to provide advantages to the architect, such as extending the deadline. They will also inquire about any other concessions that may have been granted, such as the option to subcontract the project and potentially exempt certain required tasks.
In May 2022, the Governing Council of the Cabildo de Tenerife instructed Santiago Calatrava LLC to independently draft the project for the Auditorium works due to its condition. A 19-month timeframe was set, scheduled to conclude in January 2024 (following notification in June 2022). Specific dates were also established.
However, close to the original deadline in November 2023, the Cabildo government agreed to a 12-month extension for the project drafting, further delaying actions on a crucial infrastructure for the island. The Auditorium ended up with a total cost of 74 million Euros, significantly higher than the initial estimate of 26.7 million Euros.
Upon taking office, the Socialist Party discovered the dilapidated state of the Auditorium and had to implement various measures. Initially, efforts were made to mediate between the technical team and the construction firms involved in the restoration works.
When reconciliation was unsuccessful, monitoring services were engaged to oversee the façade materials to prevent harm to the public. An agreement was made to compel the architect to develop a new project with set deadlines and a timetable, a process currently being prolonged by the current governing body.
Despite the Socialist Group being the majority in the Tenerife Island Council, the matter was presented for discussion at the Culture committee last week, only for the island government group to employ procedural arguments to delay its inclusion in the agenda and discussion.
As a result, the query has been formally submitted for the upcoming plenary session scheduled for Friday, allowing for a response directly from the President.
