The PSOE of Lanzarote has denounced in a press release that the president of the Cabildo, Oswaldo Betancort, has refused to acquire the lands of Playa Quemada after the debate of the motion presented by the councilor and mayor of Yaiza, Óscar Noda, which proposed the urgent purchase of this piece of land to avoid any process of urban speculation or future transformation of the coastline between Puerto Calero and Playa Quemada.
The socialists consider that the refusal of the island government represents “a lost opportunity to guarantee the definitive protection of one of the last intact coastal spaces of the island”. The general secretary of the PSOE of Lanzarote and deputy in Congress, María Dolores Corujo, has pointed out that “it is incomprehensible that those who have historically been the main responsible for developmentalism and urban pressure in Lanzarote now refuse to take a decisive step to shield this space against any speculative attempt”.
"Yesterday these lands were developable and today they are rustic, but the important question is what will happen tomorrow. If the Cabildo acquired them, their protection would be guaranteed forever. Refusing to do so is leaving the door open to future speculative interests," Corujo has stated.
A rejection contrary to the majority feeling of the island
From the PSOE they assure that the motion defended by Óscar Noda "responded to the existing social consensus in Lanzarote and La Graciosa in favor of the protection of the territory against tourist saturation and the growing pressure on natural resources". In this sense, Corujo underlined that the citizenry “has made it clear that it does not want more overcrowding nor more threats to the landscape”, and that the public purchase of land "would have been an effective tool to ensure the environmental and patrimonial conservation of the surroundings".
“If the Cabildo were the owner of those lands, no economic interest could put this space at risk. We are talking about protecting today what belongs to future generations,” he added. Likewise, the PSOE has pointed out that “while the president of the Cabildo refuses to invest in the acquisition of the lands of Playa Quemada to guarantee their definitive protection, the island government has allocated 5,559,770.57 euros in the SPEL to trips, events, celebrations and meals".
For the PSOE, this comparison "clearly portrays what Oswaldo Betancort's real priorities are": “There are no resources to shield our territory from speculation, but there are millions for promotion, events, and a festive agenda. When it comes to protecting the landscape and ensuring the future of Lanzarote, they say no; when it comes to superfluous spending, they always find a budget,” the socialists denounce.
El PSOE "debunks" the accusations of the president of the Cabildo
During the plenary debate, the Socialist Group also clarified that the accusations previously made by Oswaldo Betancort insinuating an alleged urbanistic interest of the PSOE lack foundation. According to the official documentation requested by the socialists, the judicial requirement related to the Plan Parcial Costa Playa Quemada, received in January 2023, was never transferred to the competent area nor to the socialist political leaders of the Cabildo at that time. For the PSOE, these facts show that the insinuations of the island president were “unfounded and based on misinformation.”
“The minimum required would be a public rectification after it has been demonstrated that the Socialist Party never had knowledge of that requirement. One cannot try to sow suspicion to cover up the lack of brave decisions”, states Corujo.
Protect the territory against the model of the past
The socialists also recall that "several territorial planning instruments promoted by Coalición Canaria have been annulled by the courts in recent years, which, in their opinion, demonstrates the need to opt for firm and legally secure decisions that guarantee the protection of the territory".
For the PSOE, the acquisition of the lands of Playa Quemada "would have been a measure consistent with the political discourse of the insular government itself on limiting tourist growth". “One cannot talk about limits while rejecting the real tools to apply them. Today the Cabildo had the opportunity to definitively protect Playa Quemada and has decided to look the other way”, concludes Corujo.
