61,67% of the accounts are allocated to economic development and social policies
The island accounts dedicate 183,8 million euros, 21,70% of the total, to the investment chapter
The president of the island Government, Antonio Morales, maintains that this Budget is “a fundamental instrument for recovery”
The Governing Council of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria has today approved the proposal for its Budget for 2023, which amounts to 847.409.872 euros, which represents an increase of 8,78% in relation to the 2022 accounts, that is, 68.405.683 ,1 euros more. A proposal that will be discussed in the plenary session on December XNUMX for approval and that is configured as “a fundamental instrument for recovery” and “has a very clear goal: the increase like never before in resources for social policies and items for economic reactivation,” said the island president, Antonio Morales, in the public presentation of the agreement that he made accompanied by the counselors of the Government Group.
And, as Morales stated, the 2023 Budget responds to the firm political commitment of the island Government to firmly face the challenge of providing answers to three fundamental challenges to combat the harsh reality that Gran Canaria is experiencing; reinforce public services that serve the elderly, minors and disabilities, and essential services of insular competence; serve the most vulnerable, addressing unemployment, poverty and social exclusion, gender violence and inequality; and reactivate the island economy, without losing sight of the sustainable and diversified ecosocial development model.
Based on these premises, Antonio Morales indicated that 29,65%, almost a third of this budget, is allocated to social policies, which receive a total of 251.245.445 euros, more than a quarter of the funds. As he stated, this figure implies an increase of 8.937.308 euros over the 2022 item, and is “the largest effort in social policies in our history.”
But, in addition, the accounts of the insular Corporation for 2023 allocate 271,244.407 euros to economic items or, in other words, 32,01% of the total and 31.235.907 euros more than in 2022. In short, as He stated, “the items dedicated to economic development and social policies represent 61,67% of the budget.” The sum of the funds for social policies and economic investment amounts to 522.489.852 euros, almost two thirds of the total budgeted.
Likewise, he specified that the total investments reach the figure of 183.880.219 euros, 21,70% of the total and 24.176.974 euros more than in 2022. An allocation that will allow the Corporation to continue advancing in the Plan Transforma Gran Canaria, which makes it possible that, today, around 1.500 million euros in investments are being executed or about to be initiated on the Island.
Because, as the president said, “as reflected in the official statistical data, it is the Cabildo, - with the city councils and here also our role is fundamental, financing a large part of their investments -, the administration that supports public works. in Gran Canaria at the moment.”
On the other hand, Morales emphasized that the Budget presented today does not consider the amounts that do not finance the Cabildo's expenses but are administered by the insular Corporation, such as the Canary Islands Financing Block, the general Tax on Business Traffic (IGTE) and the Canarian Development Fund (FDCAN) of the town councils, which have extra-budgetary treatment, given the possibility of having to make advance payments to the FDCAN. Thus, he stressed that, if the 164.980.766 euros that are transferred directly to municipal governments were included, the budget would be 1.012.390.639 euros.
Likewise, he explained that, in accordance with the commitments assumed by the Autonomous Community, these accounts do include expenses of 67,99 million from the FDCAN (51,15 from the Cabildo and 16,83 from municipalities) and, in the income chapter, the 50% corresponding to the amount of the Cabildo (25,58) and 100% of the town councils (16,83).
Likewise, the president indicated that the current debt of the Gran Canaria Government amounts to 2.712.027 euros. “Our debt capacity allows us to access 677.690.263 euros more credit, if we push the limit of 110% of the recognized rights and having to execute a debt reduction plan,” he specified. "But if we stay at 75%, we can reach up to 462.061.543 euros more, without a debt reduction plan."
And, finally, he added that the insular Corporation currently has 65.402.880 euros of surpluses, which can be incorporated into the Budget at any time, and which will be increased with those generated in the 2022 financial year. “This demonstrates the economic strength of the Cabildo and its ability to face the crisis and the economic reactivation of Gran Canaria,” he emphasized.
The most complicated scenario of the last 80 years in the Canary Islands
During the presentation, Antonio Morales highlighted that the Gran Canaria Council is probably the first institution to approve its 2023 Budget, the fourth of the mandate of the Government Group made up of Podemos, PSOE and Nueva Canarias, and stressed that “we "It drives the will not to delay, in these difficult times, investments and services, so that we can make use of the budgets as soon as possible."
He made it clear that these accounts have been prepared in a very difficult situation, weighed down by a health crisis that still remains, an economic crisis caused by inflation with an uncertain future, and a war crisis in the heart of Europe that has led to crises of enormous scope at the social, economic, energy, food and essential supplies for the industry. “We assume, therefore, being aware of our role and the leadership that corresponds to us, the challenge of facing a very serious scenario, the most serious in the last 80 years in the Canary Islands,” he stated.
In this scenario, he reflected on the need to work together to overcome this situation and achieve the challenges that the Cabildo of Gran Canaria has set for 2023. “And we have to do it supported by all the instruments and areas of Government, and betting on energy sovereignty, food sovereignty, sustainable mobility, water sovereignty, diversified and sustainable tourism, green, blue and circular economies, reforestation of the territory, innovation, modernization and digitalization that will make us move towards an island intelligent,” Morales pointed out. “And, of course, promoting the improvement of public infrastructure and the necessary equipment to guarantee the quality of life of the men and women of Gran Canaria,” he concluded.
