The councilor of Primero Teguise, Jonás Álvarez, highlights the "passivity" of the Department of Sports and the mayor's office to manage sports subsidies. “It turns out that some clubs are still collecting part of the 2023 subsidies, facing the following sports season, having to tighten their belts and sometimes shelving projects that would be beneficial for the municipality."
Jonás continues saying that "it is curious that, in the Guide of Sports Clubs and Associations of Teguise, both the mayor and the sports councilor, Alejandro Ramírez, boast and take pride in the sports activity we have, list the achievements of grassroots sports, and then are not able to plan and inform the season to facilitate the development of sports clubs. We have 37 sports clubs and associations in Teguise! Don't they realize the importance of this? How do they expect these clubs to develop and grow if for our city council they are not a priority and are left aside until the end of the year?”
The municipalist party has had conversations with some sports clubs, who "convey their concern about a situation that is not new and is worsening year after year." Already last year the subsidies were collected even in December, leaving a narrow margin for allegations in the middle of the festival calendar, only two clubs were able to present on time.
"In addition to an evident discomfort, what it generates is an inability to anticipate and plan a sports season in conditions, having to seek external financing, prioritizing projects or activities over others, and rowing against the current. Sports clubs should be informed at all times of the adversities that may occur so that they can also correct their planning and feel prepared. We talk about grassroots sports very lightly and we must think that these clubs often carry the sports weight of hundreds of families who trust them so that their children can practice sports," they say.
"This year, in addition, we have that, possibly, if this situation is not unblocked, they will end up collecting the subsidies in 2025, a complete delay,” explains councilor Álvarez, who continues: “if this has been repeating for years, I do not understand why a greater planning is not sought when distributing subsidies, with the sports calendar in front. Perhaps we should start to value separating sports aid from the Strategic Subsidy Plan, which entails being subject to other decisions that have nothing to do with sports, and that as a result of them the sports clubs of Teguise are harmed," they state.
Primero Teguise affirms that it will continue in conversations with sports clubs, monitoring sports subsidies, and that it will actively seek ways to improve communication between the administration and sports entities.
“If from the administration they are determined to praise the social, cultural and sports work of the clubs, we should take it more seriously, and look ahead. Better communication is needed, and we could, together with the help of the clubs and associations, start talking about the formation of a Teguise Sports Consortium, so that they have a more active and leading voice in the lives of all the people of Teguise,” concludes Jonás Álvarez.
