During the years in which tourism development took the island out of the rural and fishing economy and placed it in the 20th century, Arrecife became the administrative, commercial and residential center of Lanzarote.
This division of tasks relegated the capital in the distribution of tourism benefits, beyond the small purchases made by visitors as they passed through the city, in case they decided to visit it.
However, the economic evolution and the growing weight of the tourism business in the Spanish, Canarian and Lanzarote production system has made it necessary to review this division of functions; the municipalities need administrative, banking and commercial services and the capital its share of tourism revenue, as a fundamental piece for the island's development.
The determined commitment of recent governments to place Arrecife on the tourism map, together with the population growth of the last decade, has brought to light new shortcomings and needs that must be addressed, some urgently. Both neighbors and residents as well as visitors demand quality services that are appropriate for the time in which we live.
There is no doubt that the capital is moving in the right direction, both in terms of organization and cleanliness as well as infrastructure. But in no way can we deny the pending subjects, those that become evident when it rains, when the neighbors of Argana must travel to Titerroy to go to the doctor or when the wait for the bus is extended up to half an hour.
After nearly four years walking the streets of our city with our eyes on its needs and our ears open to the demands of the neighbors, I believe I can make an accurate diagnosis of the priority interventions in the urban fabric. Diagnosis that, if the colleagues of the socialist group of Arrecife give me their confidence to lead the list to Arrecife, I will pour into a proposal for municipal management for the next four years.
In short, improve municipal infrastructure to improve citizen attention; make the town hall the home of the citizens; design agile social services that respond urgently to the needs that arise; strengthen aid to student transport and sports practice; invest in quality tourism and cultural offerings and continue to focus on cleanliness, organization and social use of public spaces.
In short, sensitive policies, intense work, citizen participation and transparency and efficiency of municipal management. That is the challenge and that is my commitment.
José Montelongo Espinosa, PSOE candidate for the Arrecife primaries
