SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE APR. (Press Europa) –
The tender announced by the Cabildo de Tenerife for the rehabilitation of the underwater outlet at Punta Brava, located in the port of La Cruz, has been left unawarded due to an error in the qualification criteria set for bidding companies, as reported by the Tenerife PSOE on Tuesday.
Consequently, the Socialists have called for the Government Group of Cabildo de Tenerife to provide “public clarifications” since this initiative was portrayed as the “definitive resolution” to the spillage issues that have rendered the beach garden closed for more than nine months.
The socialist spokesperson in the Cabildo, Aarón Afonso, has condemned this setback as demonstrating “an unacceptable lack of diligence in an urgent and sensitive matter for the northern part of the island.”
Afonso further criticised that “the Cabildo has concealed this information for several days, fostering uncertainty and distrust amongst the public.”
Additionally, he has questioned the recent announcement from the island’s government group, which states that the procedure will be put out to tender next week: “Are we witnessing a genuine announcement or merely a tactic to buy time? There is no visible documentation or official timelines, only statements.”
The PSOE has also raised concerns that the Cabildo has confirmed it will not adjust the project’s prices, which date back to 2022.
According to Afonso, this decision “could jeopardise the success of the process should it not reflect current market conditions; we cannot permit the same mistake to recur with such a sensitive project.”
The proposal was initially drafted in 2022, finally approved in July 2023, and was not tendered until March 2025 due to urgency, but it contained an administrative oversight that has nullified the entire process.
“You cannot handle urgent matters with such a lack of precision,” remarked Afonso, who emphasised that “it took 20 months and 15 days to tender the project after its final approval on July 10, 2023; now it has been laid bare in La Cruz on March 23, just before the regular plenary session of the Cabildo on March 28, where the councillor was expected to explain the closure of the Garden beach.”
Likewise, the PSOE of Tenerife has denounced that the Cabildo has failed to provide updates on the status of the file regarding the planned expansion of the wastewater treatment facility in La Orotava Valley, a crucial infrastructure for offering a structural solution to the spillage issues in the area.
The Cabildo “has failed”, states the PSOE of Tenerife
During the plenary session on March 28, the councillor indicated that the tender would be announced in the first week of April, a deadline that “the current Government Group of the Cabildo has once again failed to meet, with 22 months having already passed since the final approval of the extension project on June 18, 2023.”
Afonso reminded that the current governing body, made up of the Canarian Coalition and the Popular Party, “promised a swift and effective response,” even claiming that the outlet would be repaired within 48 hours and that Garden Beach would reopen this summer.
“As of today, there is no outlet, there is no beach, and there are no answers,” stated the socialist spokesperson.
For all these reasons, the PSOE of Tenerife has urged the Cabildo to publicly elucidate why the contest went unawarded and to hold accountable those responsible for the process failures, additionally demanding that the tender be expedited immediately, complete with technical, legal, and financial assurances.
Moreover, Afonso has called for transparent communication regarding the status of the regional treatment facility, and reminded that public management necessitates transparency, professionalism, and respect towards citizens.
From the PSOE of Tenerife, Aaron Afonso has reiterated the socialist group’s commitment to a firm, responsible, and effective opposition, prioritising the general interest of the island: “We will persist in demanding explanations, actions, and genuine solutions for the residents of the port of La Cruz.”
