The Lanzarote deputy for Nueva Canarias (NC), Gladys Acuña, was forceful this Tuesday in the Plenary of the Canarian Parliament when evaluating and asking the Government of the Canary Islands about the situation in Lanzarote due to the arrival of immigrants in boats during recent months, stating emphatically that "in Lanzarote there is no humanitarian crisis, what there is is a profound management crisis." Addressing Cristina Valido, Minister responsible for Employment, Social Policies and Housing of the regional Executive, Acuña also recalled that "it is this Government that is responsible for the custody of minors."
In such a delicate matter that, like sensitive matters, does not admit half measures, Gladys Acuña criticized "the improvisation when enabling places in Lanzarote to accommodate people who have arrived on our coasts by boat". Acuña defended with the same vehemence "the solidarity shown by Lanzarote now and always."
The debate arose from the question registered in Parliament by the NC deputy on October 3 for oral response from the Government in the Plenary regarding the measures adopted or that the Executive plans to adopt in response to the increase in the arrival of immigrants to the coasts of Lanzarote during the last months.
Gladys Acuña explained that since April of this year, 34 boats have arrived in Lanzarote with 201 people, most presumably minors, and presumably because another of the worrying issues is the slowness in the practice and result of bone tests to determine if they are minors or adults. "Now there are 154 minors awaiting the results, 18 of them informed without final determination, and the rest have not even had the bone test. While this is happening, have we already planned the distribution of places and do we know where we are going to accommodate those who arrive?" Gladys Acuña snapped at the Government presided over by Fernando Clavijo. Of the 201 immigrants who have landed in Lanzarote, 26 have been transferred to Gran Canaria, 15 to Tenerife, 4 to Fuerteventura and 1 to La Palma.