The President of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, and the Minister of Social Rights and Agenda 2030, Ione Belarra, signed this Thursday the agreement for the transfer of funds from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan that will bring to the archipelago 122.5 million euros that will be used to modernize the care economy in the islands over the next three years. The event, held at the Presidential headquarters in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, was also attended by the Minister of Social Rights, Equality, Diversity and Youth, Noemí Santana.
The 122.5 million will be invested in nine projects designed by the Ministry of Social Rights, which have the approval of both the Ministry and the European Union.
The main proposals focus on the modernization of the resources available to the autonomous community, with an investment of 72 million to expand the supply of places in residential care. In addition, these innovative projects propose alternatives such as 'cohousing', the development of applications to make public buildings more accessible to people with disabilities, shared housing plans for elderly people who do not want to leave their environment or a network of contacts that manages to connect families with caregivers.
The President of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, thanked the Minister for her visit, "which brings solutions" and stressed the importance of this agreement which will be a "lever to boost the renewal of the care economy, which will be aimed at those who need it most".
In addition to the 72 million for the expansion of residential places, the head of the Executive highlighted the 18.8 million euros to promote an innovative model that involves expanding the catalog of care with telecare and home help designed for those who want to stay in their environment, in their homes. He also gave details of a collaborative housing program, endowed with 6 million euros, or the 12 million planned to modernize and improve the infrastructure of educational centers for minors.
These are added to other items "that total 122.5 million euros for a commitment from the Government of Spain" that Torres wanted to recognize. "Because, compared to previous years without items for the Dependency Law, in these two years all efforts are being made to put the clock in the place that corresponds," he said. He also reiterated that the promotion of social policies is also part of the commitment made by the political formations that support his Government.
The president explained that the Canary Islands will receive the first 34 million this year, which will increase to 41.9 in the transfer corresponding to 2022 and will reach 46.5 in 2023. These amounts are part of the 730.8 million euros that the State will transfer in 2021 to the communities to develop these Social Rights projects focused on health and care.
The Minister of Social Rights and Agenda 2030, Ione Belarra, said at the press conference after the signing of the Agreement that these funds will be used to activate the care economy and transform long-term care: "We have to look ahead and lay the foundations to ensure that we are not going to a recovery, but to a social reconstruction of our country based on new axes of sustainability, care, feminism, social justice. For the minister, those have to be the new foundations of the reconstruction "and of the new country that today we are dreaming together," she said.
For her part, Noemí Santana celebrated the arrival of these funds. "This economic item will allow us to completely change the care model of the archipelago and turn it into a reference, more modern and efficient. The management of these 122.5 million, will not only allow us to make an important and necessary investment in infrastructure, but also allow us, through innovation and new formats, generate a new segment of employment within what is known as white economy," she said.
