The president of the Gran Canaria Cabildo demands that action be taken immediately, so that young people who turn 18 “are not forced to remain on the Island, like a permanent prison”
Accuses the State and the rest of the autonomous communities of “interestedly delaying” the necessary legislative change and the end of the blockade to welcome these minors
It emphasizes that Gran Canaria has been hosting more than 3.500 migrant minors for years, more than 50% of the total in the Archipelago, in overcrowded centers that do not meet the appropriate conditions.
The president of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, has today demanded that the State Government and the rest of the autonomous communities urgently carry out “the solidarity distribution of minor migrants to the Peninsula” and He has demanded that action be taken immediately “so that those who turn 18 are not forced to remain on this Island, like a permanent prison.”
In an institutional statement, the leader of the Gran Canaria Executive has made clear the regret of the island Corporation for the death and injuries suffered this week by two young people who resided in centers for migrant minors, in the city of Telde, as well as for the different incidents that have occurred in recent months in the southeast and north of Gran Canaria.
In his opinion, these are events "that undoubtedly generate concern among citizens and that become a breeding ground for those who use migration to generate confusion and xenophobia," he stated, to emphasize that they also "They remind us that the overcrowding experienced by our minor centers in the Canary Islands, and especially in Gran Canaria, remains unresolved, with more than 3.500 migrant minors welcomed for years, which represents more than 50% of the total in the Archipelago."
In this scenario, President Morales has maintained that "we are facing an unbearable and irresponsible situation of the competent public administrations and some political parties, which use it as a throwing weapon", when, in his words, "what is really urgent is the transfer of these minors to other communities, to share this responsibility.”
For this reason, already immersed in this problem, he has ruled that "the State Government must accelerate the legislative change and the governments of the autonomous communities, the majority chaired by the PP, must end the blockade to welcome the minors they retain in Canary Islands, depending on their population and availability. And they are delaying it with interest.”
Likewise, he emphasized that the centers that house these minors “do not meet the necessary conditions nor do they have the necessary resources,” he lamented. “And to further aggravate the situation, once they reach the age of majority, the children have no alternative but to stay on the street, unprotected, without economic means, without a roof and without expectations for the future.”
Hence, the island president has urged the Government of the Canary Islands to “intensify the training, support and integration work of older minors, so that, when they turn 18, they do not find themselves without a job perspective or social inclusion.” . For this reason, he has stated that "the necessary measures must be activated by the administration of the State and the Canary Islands so that, when young people leave juvenile centers, they receive guidance and support, and thus prevent them from finding themselves on the street without resources, nor integration perspectives.”
To conclude, Antonio Morales also wanted to record the "deep pain caused by the number, still unknown, but which exceeds ten people who have died in the last hours in waters near the Canary Islands."
