Coalición Canaria (CC) would be delighted if Asamblea por Lanzarote (APL), the new nationalist island formation formed by former PIL members, decides to join the federation of parties or if at least, as stated by Celso Betancor, one of the leaders of the nascent formation, is encouraged to join CC thinking about the 2007 local elections.
This was stated to this editorial team by Ángeles García, spokesperson for the CC Management Committee, upon leaving the meeting held by the island's CC leadership with the President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Adán Martín, yesterday morning at the Arrecife Gran Hotel. García also said that it was one of the political issues discussed in the meeting with Martín, which was also attended by the Minister of Tourism, Manuel Fajardo Feo.
Unifying the nationalist parties
The young activist recalled that the number one objective of the coalition has always been to unify the nationalist parties despite having broken relations with the Party of Independents of Lanzarote (PIL) and the Nationalist Party of Lanzarote (PNL). "We see the possibility of APL joining Coalición Canaria as very positive," she said. "It is good news and we analyzed it in the meeting with the President of the Canary Islands," García said. However, Celso Betancor said during the presentation of APL that they would only join CC in the elections.
Once again, CC members took advantage of the visit of the President of the Regional Executive to expose the pressing needs of Lanzarote. Health and the water supply network were just two of the problems on the long list of concerns transmitted to Adán Martín, who knows perfectly well that it is not enough to pray to the Virgen de Los Dolores for the little miracle to be done for the citizens of Lanzarote.
Health, one of the most worrying issues
Ángeles García said that although the President is perfectly aware of the reality of the Island of Volcanoes, it does not hurt to remind him of the island's deficit whenever possible, especially due to the proximity of the month of October, when the budgets of the Autonomous Community are practically defined.
Undoubtedly, one of the most worrying issues is health. The Government of the Canary Islands reluctantly accepted the proposal for financing Health made by the Central Executive, but made it clear that it is absolutely improvable. The Canarian President made it clear to his party colleagues in Lanzarote that the socialist proposal is insufficient and that he will therefore insist that the State significantly increase its contribution.
Dynamization Plan
On the other hand, Adán Martín recalled that the politicians of the Island are ultimately responsible for drafting and presenting the projects grouped in the Socio-Economic Dynamization Plan of the Island, with the purpose of ensuring that the island's demands are reflected in the budgets for the next financial year. Like the Minister of Economy and Finance, José Carlos Mauricio, the President showed the Government's investment will in the Island, but warned that joint work between the seven town councils and the Cabildo is necessary to make the projects a reality and then guarantee their execution.
Congressional appointment
The third island congress of CC will be held on October 1 at the Arrecife Gran Hotel. The congressional appointment is scheduled between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The spokesperson for the Management Committee pointed out that the President was informed about the organization and initiatives of the congress, whose basic objective is the renewal of the party's bodies without forgetting the mission of nationalist union.
The Management Committee will disappear at the congress and the new president, the new Executive and the new Political Council will be known. "There will be a cascading renewal and later there will also be a renewal of the local committees," García pointed out, who did not dare to predict the departure of Juan Santana from the island presidency of CC.
Other possible alliances
Last week, some media outlets in Gran Canaria echoed a possible contact between Nueva Canarias (NC) and Coalición Canaria with a view to the next municipal elections in 2007. There has also been much speculation in Lanzarote about this possibility. Formations such as Asamblea por Lanzarote, Centro Canario Nacionalista (CCN) or Partido Nacionalista de Lanzarote have already entered some pools as firm candidates to enter the lists of CC in the next elections. Yesterday, the mayor of Haría denied through Radio Lanzarote the existence of any type of negotiations with the different islanders from Lanzarote.
José Torres Stingas, who is, in addition to being the highest authority in the municipality of the north of the Island, vice-president of Coalición Canaria, denied this possibility yesterday morning. According to the mayor, as far as NC is concerned, "it is more of a declaration of intent by one of the parties, since there has not been, as far as I know, any type of contact." The same could also be said of the islanders of Lanzarote.
