The political group of Lanzarote en Pie - Sí Podemos in the Cabildo will bring to the next board of spokespersons, which will be held extraordinarily this Friday, the proposal to reduce the salaries of political positions by 30% while the state of alarm decreed by the health crisis lasts.
"The crisis caused by COVID-19 has altered the daily life of citizens and the normal functioning of all public institutions, creating an atypical situation that makes it necessary for us to pull together without exceptions," defended the group's spokesperson, Myriam Barros, who in her case is released with exclusive dedication as Podemos spokesperson in the Cabildo, while her colleague, Jorge Peñas, is hired as an advisor in the Tías City Council.
The proposal aims to apply this salary reduction in the Cabildo equally to all released councilors, whether they are from the opposition or belong to the government group, and also regardless of the areas they manage and the activity each one is carrying out at this time. Regarding salaries, since the beginning of this term, they have been set at 3,571 euros gross per month with 14 payments, which is what those released full-time receive, both from the government and the opposition.
In Barros' opinion, this measure should be taken out of "empathy and the responsibility they acquired with the voters who are today suffering drastic reductions in income and painful uncertainty." In addition, her group's proposal includes a final objective "so that all that money contributes directly to the work that the Cabildo is carrying out to alleviate the social consequences of this exceptional crisis."
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Invest the money in helping the most vulnerable families
"It is important that this money is invested in helping the most vulnerable families to get through this economic shock with the greatest possible dignity, as it would be a tremendous failure if someone is left without hot water for not being able to afford a butane cylinder, to give an example," says the spokesperson for Lanzarote en Pie-Sí Podemos in the Cabildo.
"One of the greatest political commitments we acquired in our ethical code is to never lose contact and sensitivity with the social majority, so the coherent thing now is to assume a salary reduction, as most workers on the island are suffering," concludes Myriam Barros.
The formation also wanted to make a "special mention to all the people who are performing essential functions to make the confinement a success, from healthcare personnel to those who perform cleaning tasks or ensure the correct supply of basic products."
"In moments like these is when we most appreciate the value of the public and of the essential tasks for daily life and we are convinced that the lesson we will learn from this experience will make us grow as a conscious and responsible society," they point out.
