The Lanzarote PSOE has denounced the concealment of information by the president of the Cabildo, Oswaldo Betancort, in relation to the process of transferring the concession for the integral water cycle, after learning of a parliamentary response to the Socialist Group in the Assembly of Madrid that reveals relevant information about this process that the Cabildo has not made public.
The island secretary of the PSOE of Lanzarote and congresswoman, María Dolores Corujo, has pointed out that the information known confirms that the transfer of the operator does not put an end to existing conflicts, as Canal de Isabel II does not renounce litigation or any of the possible claims that correspond to it, which leaves the door open to future claims against the Lanzarote Water Consortium.
The change of operator requires a new public contract
Likewise, from the response document itself, it is clear that we are not dealing with a simple transfer, as has been attempted to convey. The change of operator of a public concession necessarily requires the formalization of a new public contract, with the corresponding guarantees of publicity, competition, and oversight, even more so when the entity transferring the concession is a public companyCorujo has accused the president of the Cabildo of hiding this information from the Assembly of the Lanzarote Water Consortium, despite it being a process that directly affects the management of an essential and strategic service for the island.
An unacceptable risk to public finances
The PSOE of Lanzarote considers it especially serious that Canal maintains its litigation rights open, even after the transfer, which introduces legal and economic uncertainty for the island. "The intention is to change operators without settling the previous contract and without closing the past, leaving open the possibility of future claims that could end up directly impacting public funds," Corujo has warned.
For this reason, the PSOE demands that any transfer be accompanied by the complete and definitive settlement of the previous contract, ensuring that no lawsuits remain open, nor economic risks that compromise the future of water management in Lanzarote.
"From the outset, Oswaldo Betancort has led this process with opacity, deliberately hindering access to information for the other members of the Water Consortium and compromising the transparency in the management of an essential service for Lanzarote. Water cannot be managed behind the backs of institutions or citizens: an essential service demands transparency, legal certainty, and the defense of public funds, an unavoidable obligation to this island," Corujo concluded.