The CEO of the Centers for Art, Culture and Tourism (CACT), Benjamin Perdomo, denies that the Centers have a million-dollar debt with the Cabildo of Lanzarote. Following the accusations made by Coalición Canaria, Perdomo assured that "during all this time they have been informed that the Centers are up to date with the fee," he said in a radio interview granted to Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero this Wednesday.
Perdomo points to Coalición Canaria and the Partido Popular, who have requested an extraordinary plenary session to clarify the situation: "They insist that we are cheating with the accounts, when the accounts are audited. I am amazed," he lamented. "This opposition is unfounded headlines, without consulting," defends the CEO of CACT following the accusations.
To stop any hint of doubt, Perdomo has explained year after year the situation of the fee. The fee for 2018 and 2019 was settled by the Tax Network in the middle of the pandemic, according to the current CEO. It was then that the Centers were closed and the cost could not be met. "We understand that the tax network is not competent and we have sued them," he explained. Meanwhile, the fee of that time is divided and postponed.
Regarding the fee for 2020, Perdomo explains that it amounts to 400,000 euros. This payment was settled by the Tax Network and from the Centers for Art, Culture and Tourism presented a reply. "When the procedure is finished, we will pay what we have to pay," he insists.
To question the legality of the fee, Perdomo alludes to the lack of regulation. "Every fee and every canon has to be regulated, it's like when you pay for the circulation permit. In this case, the tax of the tax network is not regulated." Currently, the management of the centers is discussing with the Tax Network whether the fee is legal or illegal.
In this line, Perdomo accuses the opposition of not following their role well. "They make opposition with sand castles and when water comes they fall to the ground," criticizes the CEO.
Regarding the fee for 2021, he assures that they are up to date and that until May 2023 they will pay the fee corresponding to the previous year. "We have no debt with the Tax Network, nor are they going to seize anything from us, we have plenty of money to pay," he insisted this Wednesday in the morning show Buenos días, Lanzarote.
The CEO of the Tourist Centers confesses that these spaces have more economic capacity than ever to pay and insists that there will be no embargo.
All these explanations will also be given to the opposition in the extraordinary plenary session of the Cabildo of Lanzarote requested by Coalición Canaria and the Partido Popular. “We are happy to give all the explanations we have to give, especially with the report of the secretary that will clarify the doubts regarding the fee.”
