A historic agreement for the tourist exploitation of the Treasures of the North: Cueva de los Verdes, Jameos del Agua and Mirador del Río. Up to 28,000,000 € could be invested in Haría during the next ten years as a result of the signing of this document.
Much has been written and, above all, opinions have been expressed about this lawsuit between institutions that should never have occurred. Those of us who today represent the popular will expressed in democratic elections, held just over a year ago, did not initiate this lawsuit, we were not there, and yet we said loud and clear that the only way to resolve this conflict was through negotiation, dialogue, mutual respect, institutional solidarity and the search for a consensual and reasonable solution for both administrations.
Haría is a municipality of around 4,800 registered inhabitants, located in the north of the island of Lanzarote, which occupies an area of about 106 square kilometers and more than 50% of its territory has some form of environmental protection. The population is distributed in 10 towns (Haría, Máguez, Guinate, Ye, Órzola, Punta Mujeres, Arrieta, Mala, Tabayesco and Charco del Palo). Neighbors of these towns, we are in luck. Confidence and persistence have led us to begin a new stage and close an episode of disagreements, lawsuits and confrontation with the Cabildo of Lanzarote; on occasions I would dare to say that even hatred has been breathed in the municipal offices by those who misunderstood the role they should play from the administration.
For too long, since 2010, we have been suffering the consequences of this lawsuit that we did not initiate, jeopardizing the unity of the island's main tourist industry - a point where perhaps authorized voices have been missed to show their concern about a possible fracture of the Tourist Centers, a work that Cesar Manrique always conceived as a whole - leading to an uncertain abyss its continuity and viability of the rest of the public company.
In the more than 50 years of existence of the Centers of Art, Culture and Tourism of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, a document of commitment, of mutual recognition of rights, obligations and concessions by both parties, had never been signed, and now it has been possible, above all, because the actors of this new stage that we have had to live are convinced that this is the only way.
For the municipality of Haría it will be a before and after. The great opportunity for the institution will be to achieve a strategic planning of our municipality, with actions that allow us to carry out the modernization of public services and the consolidation of objectives based on solid pillars of sustainable development and a clear commitment to our landscape, our cultural heritage and its natural values, as an authentic source of wealth.
However, there will be apocalyptic voices who consider that we have "capitulated to the great Cabildo", that it has come "with four crumbs to buy us", without putting themselves at any time in the shoes of an administration that has made many concessions to reach this point of encounter. Regarding these opposition comments, with a script to defame and criticize everything that the Government group does, I leave you some of the main reasons why I do this for my people, convinced, as never before, that it is a GREAT AGREEMENT AND A HISTORICAL MOMENT FOR HARÍA:
The legal uncertainty of not knowing when, how, rights, conditions and a horizon of 10 years to plan with guarantees the necessary policies to put this municipality where it deserves will end.
The unity of exploitation of the Centers is guaranteed and, as a consequence, the stability of many workers in our municipality who will not have to live moments of uncertainty.
It avoids the situation of repeated defaults, having a written commitment of obligations and rights.
The ownership of the properties is not assessed, although the Cabildo has always recognized the ownership of the land by the Haría City Council. Therefore, any reference to procedure 199/2013, which deals with the registration of assets carried out by the first Institution, is excluded in this agreement.
It guarantees the Haría City Council a stable income, both in transfers and in investments.
Variable Tourist Tax consisting of two indicators. A fee for each person entering Jameos and Cueva of 0.60 € and 0.30 € in the Mirador, plus 5% of the total income from tickets to these centers.
In recent years these indicators have been over one million euros.
The income in respect of canon would never be below 500,000 € as a guarantee clause, even if the influx of visitors decreases drastically.
Investments by the Cabildo in Haría that would never be below 600,000 € per year, during the ten years of validity of this agreement.
Acceptance by the Cabildo of a Development Plan for the Municipality of Haría of about 18,000,000 €.
Therefore, we guarantee a minimum of 11,000,000 € from the Cabildo, (5,000,000 € of minimum canon, plus 6,000,000 € in investments).
Under normal circumstances, taking as a reference the last three years, we would receive in these next 10 years 10,000,000 € of canon plus a minimum of 6,000,000 € in investments. This makes a total of 16,000,000 €.
With the maximum execution of the Cabildo on the Haría Development Plan, (18,000,000 €), plus average canon in the ten years (10,000,000 €), we would reach a possible total of 28,000,000 €.
For all this, I consider that it is a historic agreement for the tourist exploitation of the Treasures of the North, the Cueva de los Verdes, Jameos del Agua and Mirador del Río, which as a result of the signing of this document, up to 28 million euros could be invested in our municipality.
At this point, I would like to thank the selfless work that many people have put at the service of the agreement. Firstly, the president of the Cabildo, Don Pedro San Ginés, for understanding how important this commitment of guarantees is for a small municipality with no significant economic activity.
I also recognize the confidence and support that I have felt from each and every one of the councilors that make up the Government group of the Haría City Council. To the councilor, Don Luis Arráez Guadalupe, who being in the Cabildo has always had a look to the North, knowing and always concerned about our multiple needs.
To the councilor of the Centers of Art, Culture and Tourism of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Don Echedey Eugenio Felipe, who has not rested until finding the points and commas in a text of absolute consensus. To the councilors of the PSOE, PIL and NC of the Cabildo, who put the general interest of the citizens of Lanzarote above the partisan and electoral interests that weigh so much in the political parties, giving their support to a text agreed between two administrations condemned to understand each other; and, finally, above all I would like to finish this section with a special mention for someone who was from the initial moment at the service of the interests of the Haría City Council, Don Antonio Berriel Perdomo, Thank you very much to all and again my congratulations to Haría and to Lanzarote in general.
By Marciano Acuña Betancort, mayor of Haría
