Ingemont S.L. will not finish the works on the Maritime Avenue of Arrecife. After the extension period that was given to it concluded this Saturday, April 30, the works "have not been executed in a timely manner." This was acknowledged this Tuesday at a press conference by the president of the Cabildo, Pedro San Ginés, who pointed out that the institution has chosen to entrust the completion of the works to the public company Tragsa. According to the Councilor for Commerce and Industry, Ariagona González, this public company could assume the works in about 15 days. Subsequently, "at a minimum", it estimates a period of another two months until the works are finished.
The president of the Cabildo has indicated that this same Tuesday the contract with Ingemont S.L. will be resolved, for which the Corporation already has a legal report and is waiting to have "in the next hours" the necessary technical report. According to San Ginés, the Cabildo could choose to "try again" with this company or "change strategy". "In view of the result, we have opted for the second option," he said, noting that they consider that the awarding company does not "offer guarantees" in the face of a "possible extension, which would necessarily entail penalties." The "priority" for making the decision, he added, has been "to guarantee the completion of the works in the shortest possible time".
These works began on July 31 and had an execution period of 6 months, which concluded on January 31. Then, however, the works were not finished and it was decided to extend the completion period for another 3 months, but it has not been fulfilled either. San Ginés has indicated that the company has alleged "complexity of the project" to justify this delay, although he has indicated that he was unaware of the technical details to specify what could be due to that complexity, beyond the complications that occurred in summer with the rising tides or with the discovery of a wall that Heritage resolved that will have to be protected. Regarding sanctions or penalties, the president of the Cabildo has stated that the institution is "obliged to open proceedings", but it will be the Legal Services who determine "the scope" of these proceedings and whether or not it is appropriate to sanction.
The president of the Cabildo has also assured that this decision could not be taken until "the legal extension period" had concluded. He pointed out, however, that this extension of the term is not a legal obligation and the Cabildo could have chosen not to grant it to the company. "Could it have been resolved earlier? It is possible, but at that time the technicians advised giving a solution of continuity to the company with an extension," he said.
In the specifications, the price has an "almost exclusive" weight
"We intend that there be an agreed solution between the institution, Tragsa and the awarding company itself," said San Ginés, who explained that the resolution of that contract is "effective" from this May 2 (the first working day since the end of the extension). And, according to what he indicated, the materials necessary for the completion of the work will have to be "made available" to whoever finishes it. In the maximum of 15 days that the Cabildo estimates until Tragsa assumes the works, the works will be stopped. According to the councilor, Ariagona González, in that time on the Avenue there will remain "a detachment" that will only be in charge of watching the material. González has indicated that Tragsa is already "analyzing" the state of the work and that "all the information" about the project has been made available to it.
Now, they must "determine what is done, what remains to be done and with what resources it would be done," said San Ginés. In this sense, although he did not want to venture a figure, the president did advance that "the work is going to become more expensive." Both the councilor and the president of the Cabildo have recognized that the "error" in this work would be found in the specifications. González has indicated that in future projects they will be "more strict". San Ginés, for his part, has recognized that "the price prevails too much". "I think there was an error in the specifications of the contest, in this one and in all of them, and that is why we will modify them," said San Ginés.
According to what he pointed out, the "objective" of the Technical Office will be "to introduce elements in the contracting specifications that avoid nonsense, let's say, that take place not only in these, but in other works, where the price does not have so much weight". Thus, he has indicated that in those contracting processes the price had an "almost exclusive weight".
A "drama" for merchants
These works have been especially raising the indignation of the merchants in the area, who have suffered significant economic damages and, in some cases, have been forced to close their businesses. The councilor and the president of the Cabildo have reiterated their "apologies" to these businessmen. "What should have been good news has become a drama for them," said San Ginés.
Merchants have been demanding compensation for the losses that these works have caused them. In this sense, Ariagona González has indicated that the Cabildo is working on "subsidies so that they can improve their commerce", for aspects such as facades, awnings or terrace furniture. This, the councilor added, will be "complemented" with a "dynamization and revitalization plan with different activities so that we can attract population and consumers to the area, so that it has the life it had before again".
"What matters to us is that the merchants who are there can open their businesses as soon as possible and work and function well, that they can pay their suppliers, their employees and that they do not fire them. And we are also concerned that those who live there can access their homes without problems," said González. According to what she has stated, the Cabildo had not yet communicated its decision to resolve the contract with Ingemont to the merchants and the councilor intended to meet with them after her appearance before the media. Regarding the increase in the cost of the work, the councilor has asserted that "the benefit for the citizen and the merchant will be greater than what it is going to cost the administration" and that it will be a "reasonable" amount.
According to what the president has responded to questions from journalists, the decision, which is "to do it with Tragsa, with or without agreement with the company", cannot be appealed or paralyzed by Ingemont. "Our disposition is to do it in the best possible way, and it is the disposition that both one party and the other have," González completed.
San Ginés has pointed out, on the other hand, that the "burden" of the "political responsibility" should fall on him and should not be attributed to González, who has just joined the position, nor to his predecessor, Manuel Cabrera. However, the only "error" he has recognized has been the one referring to the specifications and that "almost exclusive weight" of the price in the award.
