The Local Police Councilor of Arrecife, Jacobo Lemes, belonging to Coalición Canaria (CC) has spoken about the increasingly public conflict that the nationalist formation maintains with the Partido Popular in the Arrecife City Council: "The relationship we have on a daily basis is more complicated than they say. There is the real version and the one that others invent in the media."
Lemes has indicated in an interview on Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero, that the CC councilors have never been "disloyal to the mayor", since she is the one who leads the government group, and this is demonstrated in their work.
"Work is being done from the City Council that is being seen. The events of the Christmas holidays went without any boycott, we are going to have good Carnivals... This is only achieved by working, and we are demonstrating it day by day."
Therefore, regarding the accusations that the nationalist councilors neglect their work or arrive late to their positions, Lemes indicates that "if they invent illusions, we cannot do anything", and defends that the vast majority of those who make up the government of Arrecife arrive early every morning, "regardless of their color".
The new barracks will be inaugurated on Friday, without the presence of Lemes
Another issue that has visibly bothered Lemes is his absence at the inauguration this coming Friday, January 13, of the new Police barracks.
"I am not going to be there because, despite the fact that I informed that I would not be on the island on the 12th and 13th due to a trip, they have decided to put it on that day. Initially it was going to be celebrated today (Wednesday 11th), but it seems that some did not want the Police Councilor to be present," he expresses.
Regarding the new Police headquarters, the councilor points out that the previous one did not meet the minimum requirements to accommodate 70 agents: "Now we will have a place full of resources that no other police force in the Canary Islands has."
Among them, there will be a special room dedicated to dealing with cases of gender violence, which will have greater privacy; offices; changing rooms; area for reports; shooting range; in addition to a room, "pioneering in the Canary Islands", with control screens for each traffic light in the city.
CC will continue in the government group
Although he recognizes that the situation is "tough", the head of the Local Police recognizes that "it is worth continuing for the city", which means that they will not leave the government group before the May elections.
"We have a commitment to society. Arrecife cannot afford to lose five months due to a paralysis, so we will continue working like this until the elections."
For his part, about those who defend that the CC councilors do not leave the City Council because of the salary, Lemes points out that "surely, to a large extent, we are not leaving for that reason", but details that they are also concerned about "all the management areas that we would leave, because many things, such as the Carnivals, would be in danger".