The rains have been generous to Gran Canaria and when the sun comes out all the new green will be a spectacle for everyone to enjoy. They have helped our reservoirs, washed the mountains and brought life back to the ravines that had been thirsty for so long. But beyond the water that has flowed across the island, these days have left something even more valuable: irrefutable proof that the strength of the people of Gran Canaria is not measured in infrastructure, but in their ability to cooperate and protect each other.
In the midst of a storm that put the island to the test, the best thing we have seen has not only been the rain itself, but the impressive response of the citizens. From the upper-class neighborhoods to the coasts, solidarity has been the main protagonist. Neighbors helping neighbors, merchants offering shelter, volunteers clearing streets before the authorities arrived. An exemplary response, born of a people who know what it means to face adversity and emerge stronger from it.
And while the people of Gran Canaria were giving a lesson in civics, the political class was worried. Not so much because of the rain, but because of the fear that the growing public indignation would wet something more than just the streets: their questionable urban development projects. Because if anything has become clear, it is that building in ravines is not only an ecological error, but an irresponsibility that puts the entire island at risk. Places like Siam Park, in El Veril, south of Gran Canaria, where they plan to build a theme park. A clear example of planning that ignores nature and the memory of the land.
Fortunately, Gran Canaria's digital media have been up to the task. Without alarmism or exaggeration, they have reported accurately, guiding the population as well as tourists and avoiding chaos. They have shown that responsible information is key in times like these, helping people to act with prudence and determination. Thanks to them, the island has faced the storm with its head held high, without falling into panic or resignation.
The rains will go away, but the lesson remains. Gran Canaria has shown that its greatest wealth is not only its landscape, but its people. A people who, when united, are capable of changing the course of their own history. They know that you cannot continue building where nature demands a step. And with the same determination with which they have faced this storm, they will know how to defend their island from those who want to sell it to the highest bidder.
