The President of the Cabildo de la Gomera, Casimiro Curbelo, has called this Sunday for “unity” among institutions, political groups, social organisations, and the public to address the “collapse” faced by PUERTO DE LOS CHRISTIANOS, which has direct repercussions for the connectivity of El Hierro, La Palma, and La Gomera—a “structural issue that cannot withstand any further delays.”
“This infrastructure, which commenced operations in 1974, has become outdated due to the substantial increase in travellers” traversing it annually, exceeding 2.2 million passengers and 500,000 vehicles, Curbelo emphasised in a statement, highlighting the “urgent need” for “courageous and consensus-driven decisions.”
He noted that recently, the Office Expansion of the Port of Christians and the Improvement of its connection with the TF-1 highway has been discussed alongside The construction of a port in Fonsalía with a “design that is reduced from the original project.”
While the island president acknowledges that the same report has reignited the debate and prompted “numerous voices” defending various alternatives, he does not observe “a more composed reflection, less influenced by local or political interests, and more focused on the common good.” He emphasises that in this scenario, “it is not about imposing, but about collaboratively building a solution.”
The island president recalled his proposal earlier in February for the establishment of a commission within the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, aimed at determining the “road map” based on technical criteria.
In summary, the island leader has urged for an “integrated” resolution to a “structural” problem that “cannot accept any further delays”, insisting it must also be “sustainable and agreeable” while balancing “immediate measures with a long-term vision.”
He advocates for urgent actions in Christians—such as reorganising the port space, enhancing access to the TF-1, and efficiently redistributing traffic—as part of a “transition” towards the ultimate solution that “most can endorse.”
“It is time for us to conclude years of diagnoses without solutions (…). What is at stake is equal opportunity, territorial equity, and the social cohesion of the Canary Islands,” Curbelo asserted.
