Listening to the words of Antonio Morales, president of the Gran Canaria Island Council, one cannot help but pause to reflect on the nature of power and its narrative. Ten years, a decade at the helm of the island's ship, and the resounding assertion that under his command, Gran Canaria "leads the Canarian economy." A triumph, in his opinion, forged through innovation and public-private collaboration. This is no small feat to say in an archipelago where envy and disputes for hegemony are as old as volcanoes.
The accountability ceremony wasn't a staging of success, a choreography of a positive balance sheet. And the president, like a classic orator, boasts about the "milestones": the Salto de Chira, that promise of energy still awaiting completion in 2027; hosting the 2030 World Cup, a dream of grandeur; and, of course, social care, always necessary, always the first to be wielded in these endeavors.
Morales, in a forty-five-minute speech, outlined the numbers. And numbers, as we know, tend to be as docile as wax in the hands of a sculptor. A 59% drop in unemployment in a decade, which translates to 404.600 people in employment. An increase in nominal GDP of 3,58%, and in per capita GDP of 3,52%, surpassing, according to his data, the entire archipelago. Average household income is 20,2% higher, reaching €30.273 per year. Figures that undoubtedly sound like a victory.
But what do these numbers say in the grand scheme of things? The diversification of the business community is a constant theme, as is the commitment to a "more sustainable and diverse" tourism, focused on "qualitative, not quantitative, growth." The 67% increase in revenue from non-tourist municipalities is applauded, a sign that tourist spending is spreading beyond the southern epicenters. And the main economic driver, tourism, has doubled its revenue, reaching €6.035 billion and a record 4,5 million tourists last year.
The "eco-island model" is the banner of his mandate. Sustainability "inspiring all essential policies." He celebrates the fact that Gran Canaria, along with La Palma, are the only islands without a water scarcity emergency, an achievement that, at its core, is more of a relief than a victory in an archipelago living with the specter of drought. The Salto de Chira, that magnificent project, is the symbol of energy sovereignty. A promise that, while moving forward, is not without controversy and will still take time to fully see the light of day in 2027. The mention of geothermal energy and offshore wind power sounds like a good omen, like steps in the right direction. But political discourse, as we know, is always one step ahead of the reality of the spinning turbines or the steam emerging from the bowels of the earth.
Sustainable mobility and the construction of a railway between the capital and the tourist south are presented as the future, the next major step in the island's "important transformation." A project that, while vital, has also been a pipe dream for decades, and now, under the leadership of his government, appears to be taking shape.
Antonio Morales concludes his assessment by looking to the 21st century, promising an "island model that must serve us as we approach the 21st century in the way our sons and daughters deserve." These are bold words, words of a statesman. But is today's Gran Canaria, with its GDP figures and tourism records, the island that those who come after it truly deserve?
Power, in these lands, has a habit of presenting itself wrapped in numbers and grand projects. And the Gran Canaria Island Council, under Morales's aegis, has managed to construct a narrative of leadership and progress. Observe the gap between "qualitative growth" and the overwhelming "quantity" of tourists. Contemplate the speed with which ecosystems respond to pressure, or the slowness with which promised major infrastructure projects materialize.
Because true power lies not only in what one claims to have done, but in the ability to shape a future that doesn't devour the present or mortgage the essence of what one seeks to safeguard. And in that always complex balance, the true legacy of ten years of government is decided. The figures are a mirror of GDP, yes, but the quality of life, the true sustainability and identity of the island are the fabric from which destiny is woven.
