The port of Arrecife could be separated from the Port Authority of Las Palmas in the future. This is at least what the representatives of the Canarian Socialist Party (PSC) think, who managed to get the commitment of the President of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, that the matter will be studied in Madrid. The issue was also confirmed this Tuesday by the regional parliamentarian of the PSC for the island of Lanzarote, Manuela Armas, on the program La Trastienda of Lanzarote Televisión, where she stressed that it is an issue that "is very advanced."
Manuela Armas explained that during her meeting with Rodríguez Zapatero she came to the conclusion that he had perfectly understood that the provincial division of the Archipelago is archaic, since what really has value and meaning is the island. Within this line of supporting island by island, it was when the possibility was raised that Lanzarote has its own Port Authority, understanding above all the commercial movement that the port of Arrecife has and its difficult situation in the face of the lack of solidarity shown in recent years. "He told us that things were very advanced in this regard and that he was very in favor of it," she commented, referring to the port autonomy that areas such as Motril or Avilés have recently achieved. "It gave me a lot of joy, because I believe that Zapatero's visit, in addition to being good for us from a publicity point of view, has also been good for us in the sense that we have managed to directly raise all the problems we have in Lanzarote, which are many," she indicated.
In this line, she praised the attitude shown by the head of the Executive, who was able to listen to each and every one of the issues that were raised in the meeting he held last Monday at the Beatriz de Costa Teguise hotel, where the much-discussed issue of the Border Inspection Post (BIP) of the two eastern islands was also addressed. For Armas "it is a pride to feel represented by someone like Zapatero", whom she considers "very simple" and "very democratic". "There are many ideas of his that I share without knowing that they were his. It's like when one sees that people more prepared than oneself express ideas that had occurred to you," she stressed.
Similarly, she recalled the controversial issue of port fees that has already been raised in Parliament, fees that, for example, make users of the port of La Tiñosa pay the highest amount in the entire Archipelago. In this regard, she has presented an initiative in the regional Chamber to explain this issue and resolve it as soon as possible.
In another order of things, the socialist parliamentarian announced that she is preparing a proposal for the Islands to serve as a platform to launch Rodríguez Zapatero's project on the "alliance of civilizations" to the world. "We are in the middle of three continents, and everything that can be proposed around that alliance of civilizations would have to pass through the Canary Islands," she explained.
Pending issues
Manuela Armas presented in her day a commendable initiative so that all the people who have to travel from Lanzarote to Las Palmas for issues related to health could stay overnight in a place without having to make a large outlay, a place that was none other than the Casa del Marino. In this regard, in addition to regretting the delay with which the issues are resolved, she has already requested an appearance from the Minister of Health of the regional Government, María del Mar Julios, to address this and other issues related to health in Lanzarote. "Places like Playa Honda or Playa Blanca cannot be without a twenty-four hour clinic open, there is a lack of specialties everywhere, we have an infinite number of shortcomings that must be addressed," she stressed. But in the case of the Casa del Marino the issue is more serious, since the issue was approved in Parliament and only required the Minister of Employment and Social Affairs of the time, Águeda Montelongo, to send the request to Madrid for the change of use of the building. "Time passed, she was dismissed and when the new Minister arrived she knew nothing about the matter. She promised me that the issue will be sent to Madrid," she said.
