Taxi drivers in Arrecife are very angry about the situation they are experiencing at the taxi rank of the Doctor José Molina Orosa Hospital, where several cars are carrying out the service outside the management center. "The emergency service employees of the hospital do not notify the taxi rank," criticized the president of the association in Arrecife, Manuel Guillén, on Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero.
For his part, the Councilor for Transportation, Víctor Sanginés, has insisted that although he believes that "there are no cash commissions" for this service, there is "a certain preferential treatment for certain people", when calling taxis from the health center when requested by a patient.
In Arrecife, there is a fleet management of 107 cars, which every day finds it more difficult to carry out its service in the hospital. "The other day we saw a car entering and leaving to do services at the door of the Emergency Room. A colleague went to ask and we don't know what they were doing there," criticized Manuel Guillén. In this sense, he pointed out that in this area "there is a very big problem". "There are five cars from some gentlemen who are doing the service, outside the management center," he denounced.
For his part, the Councilor for Transportation, Víctor Sanginés, has insisted that this situation "must be resolved" and has pointed out that even "certain altercations" have occurred. "They are several hours at the hospital stop and they check how certain specific licenses enter directly to different places in the hospital and leave with juicy trips, such as to the south of the island or to distant places," Sanginés criticized.
A non-fruitful meeting with the management
This same Monday, Sanginés received a letter signed by the taxi cooperative in which these complaints are raised, which will be tried to be resolved. In addition, they will be raised "at a regional level" because "what is happening in the hospital must be solved". "Each one has to dedicate himself to what he knows, that there are many problems in healthcare. The rest of the things should stay in other instances," the councilman requested, in reference to the hospital management.
Manuel Guillén has also contacted the island director of Health, Erasmo García, and "with all the politicians", but "there is no way to solve it". "We are waiting for a legal report to know if these gentlemen should enter the single management or not," he stated.
The Councilor for Transportation also met with the taxi sector and with the manager of the Hospital, Blanca Fraguela, but the meeting "was not as fruitful" as he expected. "The manager argues that from the hospital management there is a system to call not only the fleet management, but that she understands that she can also call another taxi management that exists in the city, but that the City Council does not recognize, because it is the Auriga system that must prevail," the councilman pointed out.
