The spokesperson for the Coalición Canaria (CC) Political Group in the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Samuel Martín, has explained that the request for the appearance of the president Oswaldo Betancort, in relation to the Strategic Transformation Framework (MET), proposed by the Mixed Group for the next plenary session, has been rejected in accordance with the provisions of articles 110.2 and 75.2.a of the Organic Regulations of the Cabildo of Lanzarote (published in the BOP on January 11, 2023).
“The project has been presented with complete transparency, both in plenary and public sessions, and there have been no new circumstances that justify reopening the debate”, he indicated. “This is clearly stipulated in article 110.2 of the Organic Regulations of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, approved by the previous Corporation, which establishes that “appearance requests that are repetitive” will be rejected, so that appearances that have already been held are not repeated if there are no new facts”.
“We are facing an issue that has already been discussed publicly and that, in addition, falls under the competence of the Centers for Art, Culture and Tourism (CACT), a dependent entity with its own management bodies”, Martín pointed out. “This is also established in article 75.2.a, which states that initiatives that deal with issues that are the responsibility of other public bodies or entities, or because there is repetition in them, will not be accepted”.
The spokesperson recalled that this same issue was already addressed in a previous Plenary Session, in which the CEO of the CACT, Ángel Vázquez, responded in detail to a question asked by the Socialist Party, clarifying that the process followed for the award of the MET was completely public, open and legal. This is in addition to the official presentation of the project at a press conference held at the Castillo de San José, open to the media and the public.
Martín also wanted to congratulate the opposition work that the councilor of the Mixed Group Armando Santana is developing, highlighting “his responsible and constructive tone, focused on the general interest”. However, he reiterated that “this is an issue that has already been sufficiently explained and debated, and that has been managed with a constant exercise of transparency by the Government group”.
The Strategic Transformation Framework (MET) is a four-year roadmap (2025–2029), a comprehensive plan to redesign the island model from sustainability, cultural identity and positive territorial impact. It originates from the CACT, the epicenter of the tourist model of Lanzarote from the vision of César Manrique, and aims to connect sectors such as housing, mobility, agriculture, commerce or energy, under an approach of balance between development and conservation.
“Transforming and improving the tourism model is transforming our economy, our territory and our way of life. And it is our duty to do so with planning, consensus and responsibility”, concluded the nationalist spokesperson.