The councilor of the Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, Armando Santana, has warned of the "risk" posed by the decisions adopted by Ángel Vázquez and Oswaldo Betancort in relation to the Art, Culture and Tourism Centers (CACT), especially with the possible implementation of schedules in the Timanfaya National Park.
Santana describes as "unacceptable" that an external consultant has been hired for 3.3 million euros, and that at the same time Vázquez himself makes "strategic decisions without waiting for technical reports or real data".
"It makes no sense to spend more than three million on a consultant like Cumbre 8 Islas and then Vázquez and Betancort decide things according to their opinion. Why do we pay that money if in the end the whim of the politician on duty prevails?", Santana stated.
The councilor has expressed his "deep concern about the impact that this improvised management model may have on Timanfaya, the true economic engine of the CACT". He cites as an example the 43% drop in visitors in the Cueva de los Verdes after the change of schedules, a figure that, although tolerable in that center, "would be unsustainable in Timanfaya".
El Diablo Restaurant, in the spotlight
One of the most threatened services, according to Santana, is that of the El Diablo restaurant. "A decrease in visitors during peak meal hours can directly mean the ruin of the restaurant service," he warns. "And the serious thing is that there is not even a study that analyzes this impact, or if there is, it has not been publicly shown," he indicates.
The councilor demands to know key data such as the percentage of visitors who consume in the restaurant in high season, the economic break-even point of the service, and how the flow of tourists will be managed if schedules are restricted.
"Will a tourist be allowed to stay for lunch? What if they occupy the parking lot longer? How is that controlled? Will we return to the queues? These are questions that no one has answered because they act without planning," he declares.
Initiative for transparency and rigor
Therefore, Santana has announced the presentation of a proposal for a serious and complete study on the management of Timanfaya to be carried out this summer. "It cannot be that the improvisation of a politician prevails over technical criteria. If we have hired a consultant for 3.3 million, let them work and propose real solutions. If not, let the contract be terminated."
"The future of the Centers cannot depend on the intuition of Ángel Vázquez and Oswaldo Betancort. Responsibility, data and transparency are needed. We are not here for improvisations," concludes Santana.