The Minister of Infrastructure and Government Spokesman, Antonio Castro Cordobez, cast a shadow of doubt on two port projects in Lanzarote: the Órzola dock and the Playa Blanca port. The works of the first have been paralyzed for approximately one year and the expansion of the second does not even see the light as a project, but as a file, according to the words of the minister himself.
The appearance of Castro Cordobez, after the Government Council held on the Island, was used by the media to learn about the future of the port facilities. The head of Infrastructure announced that the works on the Puerto del Carmen dock will be tendered first, "and then Playa Blanca will come". The Executive, rather than specific projects, will issue specifications in which the characteristics that each port must meet and under what figure it will be exploited will be specified, so that interested companies can participate in the public tender and make their respective offers.
Not before 2007
Castro Cordobez said that the current reorganization of the port of Playa Blanca is being carried out precisely because it is not known when the expected expansion of the port will begin, and he preferred not to talk about a macro port. The minister would be satisfied if the work began during this legislature, but warned that it will be very difficult to see it completed before 2007, "since when it begins it will last two or three years."
For the northern port, things are not clear either. Castro Cordobez justified the paralysis of the works in Órzola because "in marine works a project is designed and then in practice it does not work as expected."
"The laboratory of reality is different," added the minister, who recalled that a machine was brought from Holland to complete the work, but "it did not work." Castro Cordobez did not dare to confirm whether the execution of the project will resume before the end of the year and only limited himself to saying that the project "is being adapted to the maritime conditions." According to Castro, the reformed project will have less environmental impact than the initial one.
Attention to battered women
On the other hand, the Government Council of the Canary Islands ratified in Lanzarote an agreement that will be formalized with the councils of Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma and Fuerteventura to launch new centers attached to the Canary Islands network of information, care and temporary accommodation services for women victims of gender violence.
The total budget of the program, which will be developed over the next four years, amounts to more than 23 million euros. The Government of the Canary Islands will contribute 11,765,000 euros and the councils the rest. Specifically, the Cabildo of Gran Canaria will contribute 4,834,120 euros, the Cabildo of Tenerife with 4,546,187 euros, from Lanzarote 919,752 euros will be allocated, in Fuerteventura 693,753 euros and in La Palma 781,423 euros.
With this money, the Executive hopes to improve care for battered women, enhance psychological and legal support, as well as significantly increase the offer of residences and shelters for those women who wish to leave their homes or are in a situation of social vulnerability.
