The president disapproves of the deputies from Tenerife receiving allowances when some dwell “twenty minutes on foot” from the Assembly
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 11 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Astrid Pérez, the president of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, expressed her support for the abolition of the per diem system in the Assembly this past Monday, following a recent increase agreed upon in July that followed a lengthy freeze since 2012, and introducing a model for invoicing expenses.
During an interview with ‘Radio Club Tenerife’, as reported by Europa Press, she made it clear that this is her “personal view,” as the allowances are governed by the Parliament’s regulations and decisions are made by the Table on which she finds herself “alone.”
In fact, she noted that the proposal to enhance the allowances originated from the parliamentary groups—Vox is opposed—due to the rising costs of services that deputies typically require, such as hotels, dining establishments, or taxis.
Pérez emphasised that deputies deserve a “respectable” salary for the extensive hours they dedicate to their work, but she focused on the inequality of deputies residing in Tenerife receiving per diems while some are merely “a twenty-minute walk from the Parliament.”
The president is against creating a division of “first and second-class deputies” based on their island of residence, asserting that all individuals should be treated “equally” and that individuals from other islands have the same right to serve as deputies as those from Tenerife.
“We are compensating the deputies from Tenerife for meals, dining, and overnight stays when they are merely a 20-minute walk from Parliament,” she remarked, suggesting that this system could continue for residents of the island who reside beyond the metropolitan area, for example.
“There are deputies from La Gomera, from Fuerteventura, from El Hierro, who allocate part of their earnings to cover certain costs like accommodation, meals, and breakfasts, yet here are the gentlemen from Tenerife, who live less than 50 kilometres from Parliament, receiving a higher salary. Ultimately, some deputies earn more based solely on their territorial location,” she stressed.
In this context, she reflected on the earnings of the last Parliament president, Gustavo Matos (PSOE), who resides in Tenerife: “What allowances did a Tenerife president receive who ate, slept, and had breakfast at home? And how much was his salary?”
“I do not agree with the allowances; I would eliminate them,” she reiterated, whilst advocating that the last increase—September alone saw a 131% rise—should have been “stringent” and correspond with the rising costs.
SIGNIFICANT RISE IN ACCOMMODATION, TAXI, AND DINING EXPENSES
She remarked that as a representative for Lanzarote, back in 2011, she paid 15 euros for a round-trip taxi from the airport to Parliament, whereas it now costs 21 euros; likewise, hotel stays that used to range between “50 to 60 euros now require payment of 110 euros.”
Hence, she reiterated her support for implementing an invoicing model for services rendered, although this will ultimately be “costlier” for the Regional Chamber’s finances. “We will all be paid the same, all of us. And then the Parliament will settle the bill for us. Naturally, it will be more expensive, won’t it?” she inquired.
The president lamented that the Chamber lacks a residence owned by its presidents when they are not from Tenerife—”we are among the few parliaments without an apartment for presidents not hailing from the city”—and clarified that she rents one, paid for from her salary, which last September did not exceed 13,000 euros.
She has narrowed her salary to just over 4,000 euros gross monthly, in addition to a “responsibility” supplement received by all presidents, which was established “many years ago,” along with the relevant allowances.