The Chamber of Commerce of Lanzarote and La Graciosa has held its IV Annual Assembly of Companies and Self-Employed Workers of La Graciosa, a meeting that this year has served to "certify the real usefulness of these debate forums". The president of the institution, José Valle, highlighted how the proposal launched at the 2025 assembly to create its own business organization has materialized in just a few months into the association "Impulsa La Graciosa".
"We came last year with an idea and today we return with a reality. This shows that the La Graciosa Assembly is not just a listening forum, but an execution tool," Valle pointed out. The new association, which already operates independently, has the technical support and advice of the Chamber to channel the needs of the businesses of the eighth island.
A plenary focused on the Graciosa reality
The relevance of the event was evident with the travel of a broad representation of the Plenary of the Chamber of Commerce. The members wanted to travel to Caleta del Sebo to know "in situ" the feeling of a business community that, despite its drive, states feeling "orphaned" in the daily administrative management.
At the head of the assembly, they accompanied the president Miguel Páez, member of the Executive Committee and veteran promoter of these meetings, and Federico Romero, who debuts in this edition as a member of the Plenary in direct representation of the interests of La Graciosa.
The challenge of "self-management" and basic services
During the course of the assembly, local business owners put forward a series of historical demands that affect the competitiveness of their businesses and the sustainability of employment. Attendees expressed their concern about the maintenance of basic services such as telecommunications, infrastructure, or security, pointing out that the lack of stability in these areas, among many others, makes it difficult for staff to want to settle permanently on the island, ultimately causing the closure of businesses and the departure of young people.
However, the core of the debate was the "administrative orphanhood" perceived by local companies given the lack of coordination among the various bodies on which they depend. There is a widespread feeling of dissatisfaction due to the lack of a governing figure or a municipal office with its own staff and budget that centralizes management and allows for real self-management of the island.
In this regard, Federico Romero was emphatic in pointing out that “the problems we are putting on the table today are not new; they are challenges we have known for a long time and what is urgent now is to take action so that these historical demands have real solutions immediately”.
Commitment of institutional mediation
Given this situation, José Valle recognized the urgency of these demands and committed to acting as a direct bridge, taking these demands to the Cabildo de Lanzarote and the Ayuntamiento de Teguise immediately. "The Chamber takes on a clear task: to convey this feeling of helplessness to those who have the competencies so that agreements and investments reach where they are truly needed," he concluded.
For his part, Miguel Páez highlighted that, with the association already underway, there is a strong channel to "claim from our space what concerns businesses and shops", working hand in hand with the chamber institution.
