It has been a long time since so many heads directed towards the stage gathered in the auditorium of the Benito Pérez Armas cultural center of Yaiza, where, on this occasion, a political pact was staged and a mayor who has governed the southernmost municipality of the island for 14 years was bid farewell. José Francisco Reyes has been removed from his position as mayor of Yaiza after the motion of censure presented by PIL and CC was approved with the vote in favor of seven of the 13 councilors present at the extraordinary plenary session this Tuesday.
Gladys Acuña Machín, until now spokesperson for the islanders in the opposition, has automatically been proclaimed the new mayoress of the municipality. After swearing her oath and already as mayoress, she addressed those present, highlighting the "work and daily dedication that will be guaranteed in this Government group". In her investiture speech, she outlined where her policies will go in the new stage of government, with special emphasis on the "growth with imbalances" that the municipality has experienced in recent years "without much planning", which, according to the mayoress, has caused deficiencies in healthcare, education and transportation services, issues to which she will give priority.
She has also not forgotten the need for a General Urban Planning Plan for Yaiza to move forward and has expressed her willingness to "end" the urban planning problems that the municipality suffers due to the open lawsuits with the Cabildo due to the granting of licenses outside the Law. "I commit to establishing communication bridges" with the institutions, Gladys affirmed, to reach "political agreements that take us away from the courts".
She has not missed the opportunity to highlight that Yaiza "has been relegated" by the Cabildo and the Government of the Canary Islands in recent years and has also recalled the need to support the primary sector now that tourism is the main economic engine of the municipality. The need to collaborate with the neighboring island of Fuerteventura and seek "excellence" for the municipality within the Canary Islands has been another point of her speech, in which she ended by asking for the support of municipal workers to carry out her project. "Let us be known for being exemplary", Gladys concluded.
After receiving a resounding applause from the residents and party colleagues present at the extraordinary Plenary Session, the new mayoress received the baton of command from the councilor of the PNL, Ana Belén Reyes, who presided over the Age Table constituted for the occasion together with the oldest of the councilors, Evaristo García.
This same Wednesday and shortly after sitting in the Mayor's chair for the first time, Gladys Acuña will sign the decrees by which each of the areas of responsibility will be attributed to the members of her Government Group, although this Tuesday she has already announced that two of the most important, Urban Planning and Economy and Finance will fall to Leonardo Rodríguez, of CC, a party that will also govern Culture, Festivities and Sports, with the rest of the councilorships remaining in the hands of the four councilors of the PIL.
Critical farewell from Reyes
José Francisco Reyes took the floor as mayor for the last time this Tuesday just past noon. It was his farewell after more than a decade of Government, although since last May he held the baton of command in minority and with only five councilors under his acronym. A difficult situation to govern and that, in his opinion, has been "due to the irresponsible indecision of the two parties" that are now beginning to govern, PIL and CC.
Reyes has thanked "the trust" that the residents have placed in him during 14 years of Government and the "support received in recent months" and has defended his work at the head of the Consistory. "An era of Government of the PNL characterized by the work and the staunch defense of the interests of the municipality is coming to an end" he said, considering "the great balance to the development and progress" that, in his opinion, the municipality has given.
"I only hope that those who take the reins know how to face the challenges that lie ahead with the same enthusiasm", he said referring to the new Government Group, to which he wished "to work with courage". "In the opposition we commit to not falling into indecision", he concluded, committing to making constructive criticism.
The former mayor has also stated that this pact between PIL and CC has been fueled by a series of businessmen who "understood that those groups (PIL and CC) were going to attend to them better than the one that was (PNL) and are still behind". He has also not missed the opportunity to downplay the lawsuits opened by the Cabildo for the granting of licenses outside the Law of his City Council in recent years, considering that "after so much trial now it seems that they are going to fix everything with one stroke", in reference to the negotiations that the First Institution has initiated with the promoters affected by those invalidated licenses.
Future head of Urban Planning and Economy in Yaiza
Leonardo Rodríguez, until now spokesperson for CC in the City Council, will be responsible for two of the most important and most conflictive councilorships in Yaiza at the moment: Urban Planning and Economy and Finance. He has expressed his intention of "change" in the policies of the municipality although he declares to be "aware of the legacy left" by the previous government and, although he has reiterated that they still do not know "100% what they are going to find", he ended his intervention assuring that "the best is yet to come".
Rodríguez has been supported by important members of his party, including the president, José Torres Stinga, Mario Pérez and Luis Morales. Important people within the PIL have also not missed the appointment, from its president, Antonio Hernández, to the vice president of the Cabildo, Fabián Martín, along with other representatives such as Plácida Guerra.
The PSOE charges against CC
The only socialist councilor in the Plenary of Yaiza, Olivia Cedrés, abstained in the vote on the motion of censure and has strongly attacked the CC group. Although she has had harsh words towards José Francisco Reyes whom she has accused of having "lost the democratic concept" after so many years of government in majority, a stage that she has described as "misgovernment" in Yaiza, Olivia Cedrés has also attributed that "misgovernment" to CC.
The councilor has recalled that Yaiza "has suffered" thirty years of CC governments, including Reyes "who until June was from Coaliciópn Canaria", she pointed out. Thirty years that Olivia Cedrés has described as an era without "any fit in the current regulations" due to the obsolescence of the current PGOU of 1973 and the lack of health and social services.
"We do not trust your partners", she has told Gladys Acuña. "I want to trust you", continued the socialist councilor, who has reminded the new mayoress how "difficult it is going to be", with issues as complex as the "suicidal confrontation with the Cabildo" in urban planning matters. Finally, she expressed her intention to extend her hand and continue bringing positive proposals for Yaiza to the Plenary.
