SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 29 Aug (EUROPA PRESS) –
The President of the Canary Islands Parliament, Astrid Pérez, has voiced her “serious concern” this Thursday regarding the escalating migration crisis on the island of El Hierro. She extends her heartfelt gratitude to “the efforts of the volunteers and professionals bearing the brunt of a migration crisis that intensifies daily, with arrival numbers that are unsustainable for the Canary Islands and, even more so, for an island with scarcely 11,000 residents.”
“During the visit of the Canary Islands Parliament’s Board to El Hierro last April, we witnessed the dedicated work of organisations like Civil Protection Valle del Golfo, led by Francisco Mendoza, who plays a vital role in assisting immigrants. Approximately 60 volunteers are confronting this crisis despite their lack of resources and the immense effort that the Canary Islands must not overlook,” states Astrid Pérez in a statement.
In this context, she recalls that “these Civil Protection volunteers also operate at the Temporary Assistance Centre for Foreigners (CATE) in San Andrés, where they collaborate with the police in managing the immigrants, distributing meals, welcoming new arrivals, and dealing with matters like organising queues for food distribution and managing tents.”
Consequently, “on days like those we are currently experiencing, they work around the clock, with no respite, as the agenda is dictated by the arriving boats.”
The president further highlights that the Red Cross in El Hierro is also at the forefront of providing assistance to immigrants at the port of La Restinga, where they have welcomed over 15,000 individuals in 2023, “a number that is expected to rise significantly in 2024.”
