The PSOE of Tenerife held a meeting yesterday with mayors and spokespeople from the 31 municipalities on the Island, along with members of the Socialist Group within the Cabildo and the Insular Executive Commission, led by General Secretary Tamara Raya, to coordinate political initiatives ahead of the new political term.
During the meeting, municipal leaders signed a joint declaration against the implementation of the “forest cent” in Tenerife, a surcharge on petrol and diesel proposed by Coalición Canaria and the People’s Party in the Cabildo, as reported by the party yesterday.
This joint declaration expresses opposition to the forest cent, describing it as a “regressive and unjust measure that penalises those with fewer resources”. It urges the Cabildo to withdraw it in favour of a “fair and progressive ecological taxation”, based on improving public transport, supporting workers, freelancers, young people, transport operators, and the primary sector, as well as introducing a tourist eco-tax on non-resident visitors.
“PSOE of Tenerife has already submitted a comprehensive amendment against the forest cent to the full Cabildo, and we will also bring it as a motion to the meetings of all 31 municipalities on the Island,” announced Tamara Raya.
The socialist leader warned that “Tenerife residents should not be punished for the effects of tourism”, emphasising that this tax “directly impacts working families while tourists continue to be exempt from contributing through an eco-tax”.
Furthermore, PSOE of Tenerife discussed other priority issues, including the National Centre of Vulcanology, which socialists assert should be based in Tenerife, “since it is here that the greatest volcanic risk exists, with the most advanced research from Involcan and decades of public investment”.
Tamara Raya highlighted, “It makes sense for Tenerife to host the national headquarters, rather than the Cabildo president undermining the Island’s prospects by yielding to internal party interests with the unfeasible proposal of a joint headquarters.” She added, “Contrary to her statements, the location in the Canaries has been guaranteed by the State Government since 2022, by both the president and the minister. Moreover, this is a centre for volcanic research, not for reconstruction.”
On another note, socialist mayors and spokespeople, particularly those most affected by volcanic risk, “raised concerns about the lack of information and effective coordination from the Cabildo with the municipalities”, as denounced by the Socialist Party, following a recent meeting between the insular and municipal authorities, as well as an upcoming drill planned for the next few days.
Additionally, the socialists called for greater commitment from the Government of the Canaries and the Cabildo on issues such as dependency, waste management, and the phylloxera crisis, noting that the current insular governing group has failed to execute over €365 million in two years, including €27 million in environmental policies.
Traffic and Housing
Moreover, Tamara Raya criticised that “Coalición Canaria and Rosa Dávila promised to eliminate queues within 90 days. We are now approaching 900 days and the reality is that not a single new project has begun in Tenerife, whereas works are being carried out in Gran Canaria and La Gomera. This reflects the political interests of Coalición Canaria, and most concerning is that the insular president is unable to confront a councillor from her own party to defend Tenerife’s interests.”
The General Secretary also warned that “not a single one of the promised housing units by the Cabildo has been built. This is forcing Tenerife residents further away from their workplaces, worsening the lives of thousands of families.”
