Shopkeepers from the Nautical and Calipso shopping centers in Costa Teguise have expressed their anger at the City Council's intention to fence off the area where the Carnival party will be held this weekend. They lament the "damage" that it may cause them and also warn of the "danger" of this installation.
However, from the Teguise City Council they defend the placement of this fence "only for the party", as explained this Thursday by the Councilor for Festivities, Daniel Morales. "When a technician tells you that you have to do A, you have to do it. I cannot do B because I would be in breach," Morales defended.
The Lanzarote Security and Emergency Consortium has been in charge of advising Teguise with the security plans for this Carnival. "Among the proposals was the fencing of the venue where the party is held," said Morales, who, "aware" of the complaints from shopkeepers, consulted with a technician. This Wednesday, a new Security Board was held, where the technician ratified the placement of this fence. "In case of non-compliance with this measure, the City Council assumes responsibility," said Morales.
The Councilor for Festivities believes that the shopkeepers "do not have a complete certainty of what is going to be installed" in the area, since the fence will not cut off access to their premises. "Only the planters in front of the premises will be covered, but the five-meter entrances will be open to passage," he indicated.
However, the shopkeepers insist that the City Council intends to close the parking lot in front of the seaside village with fences to install "a stage, two stalls and up to four attractions." "The damage to the shopkeepers is guaranteed because access will be very restricted," they denounced in a complaint sent to La Voz.
"The stalls take it away hot and the shopkeepers are left out"
In addition, they consider that these fences "in events of this type, in large crowds, can only constitute a danger." "Who benefits from this obstruction of circulation is not precisely the people. The stalls take it all away hot, while we, the shopkeepers, are left out," they warned.
Likewise, the shopkeepers have recalled that during last year's Carnival the parking lot was completely emptied to allow the entry of at least two floats. "At the last moment the entrance was blocked with a couple of stalls and the area was completely deserted that night. A disaster!".
Therefore, they believe that it cannot be allowed that "something like this is repeated." "We have also been fighting for a very long time for them to improve the accesses a little, obstructed by huge abandoned planters that do not allow our clientele to circulate. Until now we only have promises," they lamented.