The councilor of the Mixed Group in the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Armando Santana, has publicly asked the president of the institution, Oswaldo Betancort, to rectify his decision to reject this Wednesday his request to appear in the next plenary session, and to give the appropriate explanations about the Strategic Transformation Framework (MET), a plan with a public investment of 3.3 million euros promoted through the Centers of Art, Culture and Tourism (CACT).
“It is time to strengthen institutions, not weaken them. Citizens need to trust those who manage their resources, and for that it is essential that the president show his face and account before the legitimate bodies of representation,” Santana said.
The councilor regrets that technical arguments are used to avoid legitimate political control over such a large-scale initiative. “This is not an administrative debate, but one of transparency. Whoever presides over the Cabildo and leads the Board of Directors of the CACT has the moral and political duty to explain in the plenary session the award criteria, the procedures followed and the destination of those 3.3 million euros of public money.”
Santana believes that preventing this debate not only violates the opposition's right to oversight, but also erodes the democratic health of the Cabildo. “It is a serious political mistake to close the doors to dialogue and institutional control."
"I ask the president to reconsider his position and listen to the citizens, who demand clarity and responsibility.”
Finally, the councilor has recalled that he is still in time to rectify. “Appearing is not an act of weakness, but of respect for democracy. For the good of the institution, the project and the citizens, the president must step forward and offer the explanations that are demanded of him. If there is nothing to hide, there should be nothing to fear.”
