The deputy of the Nationalist Group (CC-PNC) for Lanzarote and La Graciosa, Oswaldo Betancort, has conveyed to the Minister of Public Works of the Canary Islands the "concern" that he claims exists in the tourism business sector of Lanzarote regarding the project to improve the port of Playa Blanca, as well as its future use, and has urged that it be positioned as the "second cruise ship dock on the island of Lanzarote." In addition, he has expressed the possibility of connecting it with the maritime avenue and the commercial and restaurant area of the southern town.
"This is a primary dock within the trans-island axis and one of the most profitable of all the Canary Island ports, considering that this dock moved more than one million passengers per year and more than 250,000 vehicles, according to 2019 data," said the regional deputy.
"What we want to know today is, firstly, whether the planned deadline for the execution of the project will be met and, on the other hand, what procedures and actions have been carried out so that once the port is finished, medium-sized cruise ships can dock from day one," said Betancort, expressing his surprise at the Minister's response.
"We are negatively struck by the fact that Mr. Franquis alludes to the lack of consensus in Lanzarote society about the need for our island to have a second cruise ship dock, a matter that has been more than overcome for some time, since we understand that the Cabildo of Lanzarote will never oppose complementing the tourist offer of an island that depends exclusively on tourism." "Therefore, we hope that no one will revive a conflict that has been resolved for many years now, and that all the Canary Island administrations will row in favor of the development of each and every one of the islands and the economic well-being of their inhabitants, because what is expected of public leaders is that they build and not destroy," Betancort stated.
The deputy insisted that "this debate is more than settled and that none of the agents involved doubt that enabling the Playa Blanca dock as a cruise ship dock will complement the offer that the island offers in this area, since at present Lanzarote only has the port of Arrecife and there are many times that cruise ships have to leave without being able to dock due to lack of sufficient space."
"The Playa Blanca dock would fill this lack of space and make it easier for Lanzarote not to lose a single cruise ship more, especially in these times where our merchants, restaurants, taxi drivers, etc., urgently need economic recovery," he added.
Finally, Oswaldo Betancort reminded Minister Sebastián Franquis this Monday, in a parliamentary committee, that "this possibility would have a positive impact on the town of Playa Blanca and on the entire island, since multiple excursions would depart from there to the rest of Lanzarote with the economic impact that this entails." "We cannot afford to lose this tourist activity and the benefit it would entail for the island's economy," Betancort concluded.
