On Tuesday, the Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations (CEOE) in Tenerife unveiled the annual status of the island’s significant infrastructure initiatives during an event where it urged for a “shared commitment” to the island’s development. According to the president of the Tenerife employers’ association, Pedro Alfonso, this progress “demands political will, business engagement, and the backing of a society that believes in transformation,” underpinned by data from the report indicating that “3 out of every 10 projects have not exhibited any advancement in 2024.”
The follow-up meeting for the initiative Building Future, hosted at the Mencey Hotel, served as a platform for connecting public and private viewpoints, essential for bolstering competitiveness and fostering the economic and social advancement of Tenerife.
Participation in the presentation included the vice-counselor of the Presidency and Spokesman of the Government of the Canary Islands, Alfonso Cabello; the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of the Government of the Canary Islands, Francisco Javier González; the president of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila; the mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Manuel Bermúdez; the president of CEOE Tenerife, Pedro Alfonso; and the secretary general of the Confederation, Eduardo Bezares, along with representatives from various sectors who shared their insights on key areas such as roadways, connectivity, energy, water, and telecommunications.
Eduardo Bezares opened the meeting, stating that “the enhancement of our island’s competitiveness is hindered by the absence of modern infrastructure that meets our economic requirements. We are pleased that this space can serve as a catalyst for the sustainable development of Tenerife.”
Pedro Alfonso urged for “reigniting the enthusiasm and motivation that led Tenerife society to trust in grand projects of European integration and economic transition.” He emphasised that for these ideals to materialise, an active and resolute collaboration between the public and private sectors is essential.
In this context, the report presented this Tuesday, which contains information derived from official data, underscores that “half of the projects are only progressing through management stages,” which entail acquisition of permits, licenses, environmental procedures, etc. Additionally, it cautions that “3 out of 10 projects have not shown any progress in 2024,” highlighting the implications for the sound economic and social development of the island.
Conversely, it is highlighted that “only 2 out of every 10 projects are progressing into the execution phases,” necessitating an immediate institutional effort and public-private collaboration to ensure that these advancements in execution materialise more abundantly and swiftly, positively impacting the productive structure and the inhabitants of Tenerife as a whole.
Lastly, it is observed that road projects are the most advanced, with 14 of the 18 analysed projects making progress (78%). However, Alfonso notes that it is “important to clarify this figure, since the majority of these advancements (11 projects) occur in the aforementioned management phases, and only 3 projects are moving forward in the execution stages.”
In light of all this, the CEOE of Tenerife emphasises the necessity of expediting bureaucratic processes and fostering collaboration amongst all Administrations. “The future of Tenerife hinges on what we do now,” asserted the president of the Confederation.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Manuel Bermúdez, defended the completion of the island’s ring road in the metropolitan area, stressing that they are “very focused on projects in the south, but we must also prioritise the Northern ring road, as it would prevent traffic from Santa Cruz to La Laguna using the TF-5.”