The Professional Association of Recreational Diving Schools and Centers of Lanzarote (BUCO) has called for "modifying" the project for the Puerto del Carmen diving station, whose tender has been declared void. This organization, which is made up of "32 of the 35 diving centers" on the island, considers that the project is "outdated" and that if implemented, it would "harm" the sector, as well as "residents and bathers", and has conveyed this to the City Council.
"This project has been underway for many years and is outdated, it is not updated according to the needs of the sector today," said Candela Fernández, a member of the Buco board of directors, who pointed out that "it is not about throwing the project in the trash, but about optimizing it, modifying it, and studying ways to improve coexistence with residents and bathers."
In addition, the Professional Association of Recreational Diving Schools and Centers of Lanzarote considers that "in the project there are things that are not as useful as the cafeteria that had been planned to set up." "That is not a priority," said Candela Fernández, who on the contrary believes that "there are others such as separating the areas to improve the entry of boats" and "restructuring the parking space."
"Because if that area was created where they were going to put some modules with lockers, cafeteria, showers and so on, a fairly large space was going to be created where we were going to lose many parking spaces. And not so much us, because we have authorization from the City Council for years to park in the promenade area, but residents and bathers who park in the dirt parking area, which would be lost," said Fernández, who believes that this could generate "a conflict."
Issues that they claim they had been "demanding for some time"
From BUCO they have stated that they have been "demanding" all these issues "for some time" and that "there were meetings" with the previous government group of Tías. "But one thing is that there were meetings and another is that you listen to the needs of the sector", said Candela Fernández, who also assured that, once the Cabildo put the project out to tender last June, they were "no longer" informed. "We came across the tender and from there we asked to meet and the communication channel was not effective," she said.
Thus, after the change of government group and after the contest has been declared void, the Professional Association of Recreational Diving Schools and Centers of Lanzarote met in recent days with the mayor of Tías, José Juan Cruz Saavedra, to convey their demands. "And it must be said that we are very happy with the result," said Candela Fernández, who believes that there is a willingness on the part of the City Council to "modify" the project
Visit with City Council officials to Playa Chica and creation of a working table
In fact, after that meeting, members of BUCO, accompanied by the president of the Tourist Federation of Laanzarote, Susana Pérez, together with the advisor on tourism matters of Tías, Domingo Lorenzo, and the advisor of roads and works, Segundo Rodríguez, visited the Playa Chica area this Tuesday.
"We have been looking at the possibilities, although logically this now has to be studied in plan and seen with the technicians, but we see a very proactive attitude. In fact, a working table has been created, where we are going to have periodic meetings," said Candela Fernández, who believes that the position adopted by the new government group of Tías is "very intelligent." "And we are not sure, they are going to do the calculations, but we even believe that it could be cheaper," she added.
The mayor of Tías says he will request a meeting with the Cabildo
"They have conveyed the complaints with the previous government because they did not consult them at all regarding the project of the new diving center," said the mayor of Tías, José Juan Cruz Saavedra, about the meeting he held with the members of BUCO, whom he considers that "we must listen to." "Because they are the ones who know the sector, the ones who live it day by day," he said.
Thus, the first mayor of Tías has stated that he will request "a meeting with the Cabildo" to convey their demands. And, given the volume of tourists who come to the island to practice tourism, which according to a study carried out by the first institution in 2017 amounted to more than 176,000, he considers that it is an issue that "escapes the hands" of the City Council.
In addition, Cruz Saavedra has committed to "try to correct" other suggestions made by BUCO regarding "parking details, cleaning and the bathrooms that exist and that need to be renovated" and that the City Council can do "with its means."
