The president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, María Dolores Corujo, has valued as "very positive" the meeting she held a few days ago with representatives of the Lanzarote Transporters Cooperative "to find lines of understanding in the face of the demands currently being made by the sector."
As Lanzatrans announced, as a result of that meeting they decided to suspend the strike they had called, to denounce, among other things, the "persecution" they claim to suffer for the extraction of gravel. In particular, they questioned the appearance of the Minister of the Environment for Podemos, Elena Solís, in a report on national television in which the illegal extraction of aggregates in the Muñique area was denounced. In addition, they demanded more "flexibility" from the Cabildo, claiming that they are "overwhelmed" with sanctions in transport matters.
"It has been a first step. In the coming weeks we will continue working to specify the solutions that the Cabildo of Lanzarote can provide to the requests made by the sector, a set of claims that we know perfectly well," said the island's president, who says that the Institution observes "with respect the decisions and demands made by the group."
"We have agreed to hold new meetings to analyze the solutions to the most urgent issues in which the Cabildo of Lanzarote has competence, or in which it can serve as a lever to overcome obstacles in the day-to-day of the transporters," said María Dolores Corujo about the panorama that is glimpsed after the meeting last week, in which the director of Territorial Policy, Alicia Concepción, and the Minister of Transport, Marcos Bergaz, also participated.
Regarding the extraction of gravel, the Corporation points out that they addressed the issue, as well as "the necessary regional permits to face the activity." That is, the absence of authorizations that currently exists by the Government of the Canary Islands, due to the conditions of the area where the extractions are being carried out.
"Beyond published information about one controversy or another, the Cabildo insists on the 'professionalism' of Lanzarote's transporters," the Cabildo said in a statement. "We agree on the need to combine progress and sustainability," said Councilor Marcos Bergaz, who is confident "in a close understanding."
They will seek "a consensus" on the fines
In addition to the extraction of gravel in the mining area of Muñique, the complaints of the transporters include the management of the Zonzamas Environmental Complex. "They reject trucks for not carrying the waste, according to them, well separated," the transporters had denounced. "They are not aware that if they reject half of the waste they previously dumped, it will go to some outside place," they warned.
Regarding the request to "make more flexible" the fines that are applied through the regulations on land transport that is the responsibility of the Institution, the Cabildo points out that they will also "seek a consensus during the coming weeks."
"Even issues such as the higher cost of the activity due to the increase in the price of fuel will be addressed by both parties and, although our margin of maneuver is smaller here, as the first Lanzarote institution we have the obligation to defend this and any island economic activity that generates employment and well-being," adds the president of the Cabildo.
Finally, María Dolores Corujo wanted to thank the representatives of the transporters for the "good attitude" shown when calling off the protest, and stresses that they had "every right" to do so. "I believe that we have demonstrated that this government group has the capacity to work and is used to finding solutions to issues that have been bogged down for years," the president defended.