The president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, and the delegate of the Government of Spain in the Canary Islands, Anselmo Pestana, met this Thursday to discuss different issues of interest that affect the island. These include the reinforcement of the personnel of the State Security Forces and Corps, the situation of migrant minors or the attention to citizens in the island offices of Social Security, Traffic or Immigration, where different incidents have been recorded in recent years.
During the meeting, Anselmo Pestana announced the reinforcement of personnel in the Immigration Unit, as well as the hiring, in the coming days, of a person in charge of the border control point. Betancort conveyed to him "the problem that exists" with the attention offered by the Immigration Unit of Lanzarote, where there are difficulties in accessing an appointment and processing work permits, residence or family reunification.
A few months ago, the Ombudsman urged the Ministry of the Interior to take urgent measures in the face of the collapse of the asylum appointment system: there are people who have been trying to obtain a first appointment for months, others with an appointment for more than a year and situations of special vulnerability that do not have protection.
To which is added the difficulties in getting direct face-to-face attention or "the obstacles to request a prior appointment" in the offices of the Social Security or the Traffic Department on the island.
"I have requested this first meeting with the Delegate of the Government in the Canary Islands with the certainty that he will take on our concern, since it is of total interest to the citizens of Lanzarote and La Graciosa," said Betancort. In addition, the president requested to know the data on the number of members of the State Security Forces and Corps operating in Lanzarote and La Graciosa to know if the ratio is met. Also the administration's forecast for the year 2025.
Regarding the Government Delegate, Anselmo Pestana told Betancort that "the State Security Forces and Corps have seen their numbers increased by a significant number and crime rates are significantly lower than the regional and national average." In addition, "the percentage of clarification is at 60%, much higher than the average in the Canary Islands, which makes Lanzarote a safe island," argued Pestana.
On migrant minors, Betancort expressed to Pestana "the need to reinforce services and infrastructures to guarantee a dignified first reception when they arrive on the coast." In this line, he also informed the delegate of the intention to know the situation of the SIVE (Integrated System of External Surveillance) of Guinate. "We want to know if the station is already in operation or is still pending some kind of improvement or repair," he requested.
