A new front of opposition to the budget for 2022 of the Cabildo de Tenerife has been opened by the global investment imbalance in favor of the municipalities governed by the PSOE on the Island, of the same political color as the island president. Canarian Coalition, Popular Party, Nueva Canarias and IR-Verdes accuse the president of the island Corporation, the socialist Pedro Martín, of repeating in next year’s investments the “sectarian” imbalance that they already denounced last week with another section of the accounts insular: direct aid to councils, also called nominative subsidies.
This is the reaction of island councilors and mayors to the information published yesterday by EL DÍA. The insular government of the PSOE not only benefits the town councils of that same party in the distribution of the 16 million by finger of the Cabildo budget for 2022 (88% for consistories where the PSOE governs or co-governs), but it also does it with the investments included in the same budget document: 61% of the almost 100 million go to the socialist municipalities. The nationalists in the Cabildo, the Popular Party and municipalities such as those of Santa Cruz (CC), El Rosario (IR-Verdes) or Tacoronte (Nueva Canarias) demand a rectification from Pedro Martín. “There is still time,” they agree.
“These accounts generate imbalance and it is necessary that they be rectified”
The position of CC in the Cabildo.
The insular group of CC-PNC considers that there is an “investment imbalance in the Cabildo 2022 budget.” His spokesman, Carlos Alonso, details that “the municipalities governed by the PSOE receive more than twice that of the nationalists and six times more than the rest of the parties.” The formation presents an amendment to the whole “to rectify the accounts.”
Alonso points out that “of the 100 million euros planned for municipalities, those governed by the PSOE receive 61”. And he adds: “The estimates presented by Pedro Martín are sectarian.” He exemplifies his approach: «First they hand out 16 million euros that benefit 80% of the socialist municipalities. And in territorialized investment they also benefit the socialists. “The PSOE only governs for half of the Island”, assesses Alonso, who adds: “The citizens who live in Santa Cruz, Granadilla, El Sauzal, Santiago del Teide, Tacoronte, Icod, Arico or El Rosario are second class for the government of Pedro Martín ». He argues that “the investment per inhabitant in the municipalities of the PSOE is 149 euros, while in those of CC it is 65 and in those of the PP it is approximately 23”. And sentence: “The accounts they want to approve generate imbalance and it is necessary that they rectify.”
Alonso explains that “in view of this situation, we have submitted an amendment to the 2022 Budget in full, returning the accounts so that an equitable distribution is made, both of the investment and of the nominative grants.” In addition, the CC-PNC group requests the redistribution of 72.6 million euros to meet the social needs of Tenerife.
“We ask for a fair treatment for the neighbors and not to be victims of the sectarian politics of the PSOE”
Bermúdez asks for justice.
“The residents of Santa Cruz need to be treated fairly and not become victims of the sectarian politics of the PSOE in Tenerife.” The phrase is a declaration of intentions of the mayor of the Tenerife capital, José Manuel Bermúdez (CC), who underlines: «With this distribution of investments by the Cabildo chaired by Pedro Martín, a citizen of Santa Cruz receives 65.43 euros while that one from La Laguna [gobernado por el PSOE] it corresponds to 123.57, almost double ». And he values: “There seems to be no other explanation than the affiliation of his highest municipal official, from the same party as the president of the Cabildo.” and it houses resources of a supra-municipal nature, of a judicial, port, administrative, communications, social nature, which implies a greater expenditure of resources and services ”. He points out that “this is not reflected in the Cabildo’s accounts for 2022.” He concludes: “I hope that the president of the Cabildo rectifies and corrects this situation that not only affects the citizens of Santa Cruz, but most of the island’s municipalities, aggrieved by this distribution.” It is an institution that must ensure and lead the support and economic recovery of all of Tenerife ». Bermúdez emphasizes that “this distribution is not only sectarian in the distribution of the nominated subsidies (80% for municipalities governed by the PSOE), but also in all investment (60% for socialist municipalities), so it is not admissible that the residents of all Tenerife pay for this sectarian distribution ». Finally, José Manuel Bermúdez underlines that “there is still time for this investment imbalance, in favor only of a political color, which is not justified from any other point of view, be corrected” and concludes by asking the president of the Cabildo to “rectify and correct this situation.
“I do not understand that the Cabildo is so stingy with a municipality like El Rosario”
The reaction of the popular.
Zaida González, PP spokesman in the Cabildo, assures that the data released by EL DÍA “show that lies have very short legs.” He points out that “it doesn’t matter how many press releases they send to cover up the reality of analyzing the budget.” González believes that “they have not achieved what they wanted: to divert attention and hold the opposition responsible for the actions of a sectarian and partisan government team.” The popular spokesperson recalls that “we have denounced this since the beginning of the mandate.” He goes back to the past: «They co-governed for eight years with the Canary Islands Coalition and now they have modified those policies for their own benefit. It has been worse than at any previous stage.
“The Cabildo is moving away from its function of uniting Tenerife”
Scholastic Gil speaks of a “stingy government.”
Escolástica Gil, mayor of El Rosario (IR Los Verdes), also considers that his municipality is harmed in the island accounts. It alludes to various problems with the Cabildo to obtain financing, among them the reform of Calle El Sol (TF-226), which the City Council of El Rosario had to take to the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC), the adaptation works and improvement of the La Esperanza Sports Center or the roof of the CEO Leoncio Rodríguez. He also referred to investments in the La Campana industrial estate, “an enclave recognized as being of insular interest by the Cabildo itself.” Finally, “the subsidy of 1.5 million euros to help build the industrial wastewater treatment plant in La Campana was approved thanks to the opposition groups in the Cabildo, as the island government voted against” . In Gil’s opinion, “it is powerfully striking that the island government is so stingy with a municipality that has solved an environmental attack and that, in addition, it gave the Cabildo two plots valued at 2.4 million euros for the construction of the treatment plant local”. On the other hand, he points out that “the second phase of reform of the Los Carriles road has been allowed to expire.” Remember that “the City Council of El Rosario has achieved investment commitments from the Government of the Canary Islands that will allocate significant resources during the next year and the following.”
“We have been denouncing partisan sectarianism since the beginning of this mandate”
Complaints also in Tacoronte.
Daniel Díaz, mayor of Nueva Canarias de Tacoronte, emphasizes the idea that “our municipality is not well treated either in direct aid or in general investments.” But it affects, above all, in “the lack of supra-municipal projects that have to start from the insular institution.” It proposes more projects of this type and less locally. He believes that “the Cabildo is moving away from its function of uniting the Island” with the lack of island initiatives. ” Finally, coinciding with the majority of the testimonies collected, he points out: “I hope Pedro Martín rectifies because he is still on time and that, like the others involved, he has a high view, something that I miss these days and in this matter” .
“Instead of creating tension, you have to sit down and negotiate for the good of the people”
Yes We can ask for dialogue.
María José Belda, spokesperson for Sí Podemos Canarias, a political group that provides external support to the PSOE and Ciudadanos island government, assured regarding the controversy over the discrimination of investments against non-socialist municipalities that “instead of creating tension and uncertainty, you have to sit down, negotiate, talk, work and ensure the well-being of people who are going through such a difficult time.
