The Vice President of the Cabildo and Councilor for Employment, Joaquín Caraballo, accompanied by the island director of said Area, Marcos Bergaz, presented the Lanzarote 2013 Employment Plan this Tuesday. It is a roadmap that has an investment of 1.1 million euros from the island Department of Employment's own funds, with which it is intended to create some 170 jobs, with contracts of about six months.
The plan has three lines of action: cooperation with the town councils; economic revitalization, in which indirect employment is generated through contracts with companies, in order to help maintain existing jobs and the activity of companies; and support with financial aid for entrepreneurship initiatives and business creation.
The Vice President and Head of Employment began the presentation by reviewing the evolution of the number of unemployed in the years of the crisis, a figure that has reached 17,726 (April 2013). This analysis shows that the majority of the unemployed in Lanzarote are women, with a minimal difference compared to men; they have unfinished primary studies, and live in Arrecife or in urban centers. "Equally worrying" is the number of unemployed with one or more years without work, the councilor stressed.
"Fundamentally, -Caraballo pointed out- it is to this profile of unemployed people that the actions of this Plan are directed. To those of long duration, to those families that have all their members unemployed, and to those who are in a situation of social fragility. A balance will also be sought between the number of men and the number of women."
A "realistic" plan
"In addition to this character of social investment, for the help to the unemployed who are in situations of maximum difficulty, and for the help to those who try to start an activity via entrepreneurship, we have developed a realistic Plan, which is fully executable," added the councilor. In this regard, he assured that they already have the funds and have established collaboration mechanisms with other areas of the Cabildo for the execution of projects. "We want people to feel supported by this institution. To know that they can count on our support, and that the Cabildo will continue to support them," said Caraballo.
Regarding the different types of actions contemplated in the Lanzarote 2013 Employment Plan, the councilor clarified that "with indirect employment or the economic revitalization line, the services of companies are contracted after a public tender to carry out specific projects, with the requirement that 65 percent of the workers are long-term unemployed. In this way, in addition to helping to maintain existing jobs, it contributes to maintaining the activity of the participating companies."
In this sense, Caraballo also clarified that "the number of jobs that are intended to be created with each of the projects is indicative. A minimum is established and there is no downward contracting in the offers, because the number of workers or the duration of the contracts prevails, prioritizing the possibility of reaching as many people as possible."
A project for La Graciosa
The vice president explained and developed the details of each of the lines of action, specifying in each case with which area of the Cabildo it has been developed, Environment, Roads and Works, Waste or Social Welfare, as well as pointing out that "one of the projects was designed especially for the island of La Graciosa, and workers from the eighth island will be hired for this. Likewise, an effort will be made to ensure that, as far as possible, the companies that participate are from Graciosa."
Regarding the other projects, Caraballo maintained that "a transversal benefit has been sought so that some of them affect training for agricultural activities, helping many people who are considering returning to the primary sector; and others collaborate in the cleaning and beautification of the island, something fundamental for a tourist destination like Lanzarote."
