The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo (CC), has acknowledged that his Government is "filled with shame" by the conditions of dirt and unsanitary conditions for which the Casa del Mar in Arrecife (Lanzarote) has been denounced, a reception center for migrant minors under regional guardianship.
"What can we do, close that center and leave them on the street? Do we put them in tents in the square? This report fills us with shame, but it should fill Europe and Spain with shame. It is happening because they are allowing it," said Clavijo, in statements to TVE on the islands.
The Government of the Canary Islands has said this weekend and repeated this Monday that it is "aware" that the Casa del Mar in Lanzarote must be closed as a reception center for minors because it does not meet the minimum conditions, but clarifies that it cannot do so at this time due to a lack of alternative resources for the children who are there.
Meanwhile, Clavijo confesses that he is "desperate" to see if the reform of the Immigration Law that the Spanish Government has agreed with his Executive finally prospers so that all the autonomous communities share the burden of the reception, because the Canary Islands does not have the capacity to continue to protect 6,000 minors.
In an attempt to finally convince the PP, whose vote is needed to approve the reform, the Spanish Government has committed to explaining the details of the reform to the different autonomous communities at a Sectoral Conference on Childhood to be held in Tenerife on July 18.
"If it is seen on the 18th in the Sectoral Commission, even with some tweaking, then it has to be taken to Congress and there we have a problem of timing. The last plenary session in July will be on the 23rd. We have very little margin," warned the Canarian president.
For this reason, Clavijo continues to lean towards the option of the Council of Ministers bringing forward the entry into force of this reform by approving it as a decree law, which will then be submitted to the validation of the Courts.
