Clavijo Criticizes Government for Not Communicating New Migrant Centers in the Canaries
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE 30 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The President of the Canary Islands government, Fernando Clavijo, criticised the central government this Wednesday for failing to notify his administration in advance about the €7.4 million investment to establish two migrant centres in Tenerife and Fuerteventura.
“I’ve been expecting a call from a ministry, just for a brief conversation,” he informed the press, emphasising that they discovered the Granadilla centre through an application that must be processed via the Port Authority.
He mentioned that he frequently discusses such issues with the Minister of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, who coordinates the inter-ministerial immigration committee, even speaking with him just yesterday, yet he did not relay “anything” to him, and they ultimately learned about it through the decisions made during the Council of Ministers meeting.
The President of the Canary Islands expressed his support for “communication, dialogue, and transparency,” highlighting the importance of knowing how many places will be available and “under what conditions” because migrants “are individuals, not mere objects.”
In this vein, he reiterated that “in these sensitive matters, it is crucial for information to flow,” which is why he indicated he would attempt to reach out to Minister Torres on Wednesday to see “if he has the information,” and if not, he would connect with the Minister of Migrations, Elma Sáiz, to discuss “what their intentions are” and “what forecasts” the Spanish government holds regarding the influx of migrants to the Canary Islands.
For Fuerteventura, the central government believes it is essential to establish a temporary care centre for foreigners (CATE) with the capacity for 600 individuals. Regarding Tenerife, the current capacity of the CATE in Adeje is deemed “inadequate,” thus necessitating the setup of new modular facilities with an estimated capacity of 350 individuals, which will be situated on land belonging to the Ministry of the Interior.
Additionally, the government has committed to “reinforce, enhance and expand” the services and provisions of the CATEs located on the islands of Lanzarote, El Hierro, and Gran Canaria.
