The pact transforms San Bartolomé de Tirajana with more than 120 million in less than 100 days

 

The mayor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Marco Aurelio Pérez and the first deputy mayor, Alejandro Marichal, have made an assessment of the first 100 days of municipal government where both have highlighted “work” as the key to the pact signed in June 2023 “enjoy good health.” As Pérez highlighted, in the face of the “laziness and obvious abandonment” of the last four years, the government group has managed in these first 4 months to first carry out “financial engineering” work to initially provide 80 million euros to the Administration, allocating the necessary budget that will allow the development of the large projects that will be executed from 2024 to 2026 "in anticipation that next year the spending ceiling will be limited again." With this endowment, they pointed out, it is ensured that essential works for the municipality can be carried out, such as the senior residence, the promotion of public housing, the new municipal offices or the rehabilitation of public areas and spaces in the tourist area, among other objectives that mark the plan. route of the Pact for the Stability and Socio-economic Projection of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. 

 

On the economic level and as an example of the "laziness" of the previous government, they highlighted the loss of nearly 16 million euros from European funds, EDUSI and Feder, which "should make some member of the previous corporation blush." Pérez pointed out that “thanks to the coordination work of the different areas” it will be possible to recover 5 million euros that will be allocated mainly to Housing. One of the first actions will be to allocate 1,9 million to the acquisition of new homes, specifically, 26 homes in Castillo del Romeral for social rental. 

 

In addition, the first deputy mayor announced that after the budget modification that will be carried out in full this October, more than 40 million euros will be allocated to finance the 2023-2027 Housing Plan of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. The objective is to promote the construction of affordable public housing “at least 250 during this legislature”, as well as to buy empty homes intended for social rental. Likewise, this plan will contemplate rental aid and subsidies for the improvement of the oldest existing housing stock in our municipality. 

 

On the other hand, he highlighted the work carried out by this department that in 100 days of government has managed to complete the projects of the Ifa and El Pajar groups; which it is expected that works can begin in the second quarter of 2024. At the same time, work is being done on drafting the reports to request new aid for the renovation of homes whose projects did not come out during the previous legislature: Montaña Clara, La Rosaleda and La Paz. 

 

As an example of the “abandonment of the municipality,” Pérez and Marichal highlighted the dirt and deterioration of emblematic places in the tourist area and that “thanks to the coordination and work” of the Cleaning, Roads and Works team as well as Park and Gardens have left of being an “embarrassing image” of Maspalomas Costa Canaria. They thus made reference to the cleaning and evacuation of Toboplaya, the Mirador del Campo de Golf and the beaches of Las Carpinteras, Playa de Las Mujeres and Montaña Arena. In turn, Marichal highlighted the extraordinary cleaning plan 'Water and Soap' that will be developed as a daily action and not as a specific action as has been done to date." The first deputy mayor pointed out that the work of the Department of Cleaning in these more than 100 days of management stands out for being working on the preparation of the technical specifications to update the Selective Waste Collection contract, which was in forced extension since 2019. “We have done the same with the Maintenance and Cleaning Contract for Public Buildings, which had also expired since 2017.” 

 

 

Regarding the Department of Tourism, the injection of more than 6 million euros to the Tourism Rehabilitation Consortium stands out to promote the renewal of public spaces, "one of the great objectives of this legislature." In addition, Marichal indicated that a modification of more than 8 million euros will be brought to the October plenary session to start the bidding for 3 works of tourist interest. At the same time, work is being done to request the seasonal service of our beaches again, "but this time incorporating new services that were not contemplated to date." This, added to the promotion plan for Maspalomas Costa Canarias that will have an investment of more than 5 million euros and the leisure actions that are planned to be organized “designed for those of us who live in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, but with international projection, will allow renew our potential as a tourist destination.” 

 

Siam Park

 

Regarding the status of the Siam Park project, Marichal pointed out that it has been blocked by the promoter himself by presenting a property claim a few days after the new municipal government took office and with which he requires more than 120 million from the city council, for which losses caused by delay in granting the license. The first deputy mayor pointed out that “it was a mistake on the part of the company” to have presented said claim since they themselves have caused the paralysis of the file related to the granting of the license. Therefore, the claim filed by the company must first be resolved, “everything indicates that it will be rejected” and once the property claim is resolved, the file can be resumed to promote and grant the license. 

 

In this sense, the work carried out by the Department of Urban Planning also stands out, which has managed to resolve in 100 days a planning modification that has been stuck for 20 years, such as Meloneras 2A. He also achieved the same with the Aparthotel Principado, which will be transformed into a 5-star hotel. Regarding the economic projection, Meloneras 2A will be able to complete its urban construction and its municipal reception, allowing an investment of more than 700 million euros in the execution of new hotels with 3.600 beds, for whose construction 1.500 jobs will be required, and once built will generate 900 direct jobs and another 1.500 indirect jobs.

 

On the other hand, always keeping in mind the premise of facilitating investments given that a high percentage of them generate employment, indicated the first deputy mayor, the Department of Urban Planning has processed licenses that will involve an investment of more than 3 million euros. for the municipality.

 

Elderly residence

 

But the previous corporation has not been the only one that has abandoned San Bartolomé de Tirajana, the Gran Canaria Council “has not been able to fulfill its functions” and in the last four years it has done nothing to build the Senior Residence that the residents of the municipality have been demanding for years. For this reason, Marichal announced that it will be the municipal corporation that will directly assume the project for its construction, for this a modification of 23 million euros will be brought to the next plenary session for its execution, subsequently, the agreement must be signed with the Cabildo so that assume its management. 

 

In summary, the abandonment has been extended to all areas, and the work carried out by the government group in these 4 months has been to update and financially provide the council departments to undertake the necessary work. Thus, in Sports, explained Marco Aurelio Pérez, it already has 5,5 million euros for the improvement of facilities, changing rooms, shaded areas, grass, irrigation systems and fire and electricity systems. As an example, he spoke of the Aldea Blanca Fighting Ground which has been closed after an inspection by the Federation that indicated that it did not have the necessary conditions for its use. "The Department of Sports is processing a file to contract the project and execute the works required by the Federation." In addition, this department will allocate 24,8 million euros for the construction of the new municipal pavilion of San Fernando. 

 

In Culture and Education, an attempt has been made to make up for the deficit suffered by both school and daycare facilities, as well as to undertake the opening of the cultural centers of Castillo del Romeral and Juan Grande, after they were closed for years. The same occurs with the state of the playgrounds, in which actions have had to be prioritized in areas such as Parque Sur and the El Tablero Church Children's Park. 

 

Pérez highlighted the work carried out by the Department of Human Resources, which has already stabilized 70% of the municipal workforce, as well as the call to fill 32 positions in the Local Police, 13 for firefighter corporals, 10 for firefighters; and has launched the Municipal Employment Exchange. At the same time, the PFAES have been unlocked for training and employment in gardening, lifeguarding, restaurants, bars and cafeterias. 

 

In addition to the personnel provision, the mayor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana highlighted the material provision with which the Local Police, Firefighters and Civil Protection bodies have been improved with equipment such as bulletproof vests, radio stations, drones, quads for beaches, portable radio stations, intervention vans, a heavy and a light urban pump truck, a road rescue van or a command vehicle, among other equipment.