It is true that citizens get tired of campaign messages related to the "drawers" of administrations. But far from being empty words, when I returned to the Ministry of Public Works, that is precisely what I found.
I want to remember that it was in 2021 when my colleagues from the Popular Party and this writer left the Government, after María Dolores Corujo's decision to expel us even while recognizing our great work.
And I recognize that at that moment I was saddened to leave. But I was glad to know that the person who was going to succeed me (the socialist Alfredo Mendoza) had an entire drawer with drafted projects, others on the way to being drafted, and some even in the bidding phase. Projects that aimed to improve the lives of the island's residents, through different interventions on roads and infrastructure throughout the island territory.
For that very reason, when I had the honor of returning to lead the Public Works area, I was convinced that good work had been done. Because I understand that we were not there to do politics, but to work for the citizens. However, when I met with my work team for the first time, I had the biggest negative surprise, and that is that everything I thought had been done by the previous councilor was there, in the same place I left it.
How is it possible that a councilor does not take advantage of the work of the outgoing councilor, in an area as important as Public Works? Only he will have the answer. I admit that I was mainly concerned with one of the thorns that remained in my previous stage in the area: the sinkhole of Los Hervideros.
You will remember that at the time I tried to do a work urgently to reopen the road, an intervention that Costas did not accept and that further lengthened the process. However, I remember that the previous Government group announced on several occasions that it was working on a solution, and that it had even commissioned the drafting of a project. The reality? Absolutely nothing had been done, and the process was exactly the same as in November 2021.
Far from throwing our hands up in the air, we got to work. And we have already commissioned the public company Tragsa to draft the project that will allow the reopening of the road in two directions. Because we do comply, we do come to the Cabildo to work.
Another aspect that worried me was the situation of the workers on the roadsides. A completely deficient service that even had problems paying its workers. It had them, mainly, due to the neglect of duties of the previous government. What did we do? Pay those payrolls as soon as possible, and start drafting a macro-specification that dignifies the service, with more personnel and equipment that allows reaching all points of the island.
There are many projects that have been left in the pipeline, such as the renovation of the water tanks in the municipality of Tinajo (which we will soon put out to tender), the paving of the Masdache road, the adaptation of some roads in towns on the island, the renovation of many sports facilities or the construction of public use infrastructures.
But I assure you. I have not come to put on medals, but only to manage. To work on improving the lives of the residents of Lanzarote. Because we are going to fulfill everything we promised in the electoral campaign. I am completely convinced.
We have started a mandate in which we will transform Lanzarote and La Graciosa. We will make both islands modern, accessible and recover their landscape beauty. Because they deserve to move forward.
