The former PP councillor in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Rafael Viñes, aged 92, advocates for the initiative he presented in the 90s to create a comprehensive shelter for the homeless, which was derogatorily dubbed 'City of the Poor'.
For Rafael Viñes, the project he presented in 1999 as councillor for District III in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was not a ghetto or a 'city for the poor', but a modern and dignified assistance centre. Now, at 92, he defends that initiative again, which came to nothing due to controversy and a lack of political understanding.
A project misinterpreted from the start
Viñes, who was a popular councillor during José Manuel Soria's first term (1995-1999), explains that his idea was to utilise some empty warehouses at the Puerto de los Militares to create a facility where homeless people could sleep, eat, shower, and receive medical and psychological care. "It was not a city of the poor; it was a city of refuge. That label was given by others," he emphasises in the interview.
The former councillor recalls that marginalisation in the Gran Canaria capital was very visible at that time, with people sleeping in the town hall square, Las Canteras beach, or Santa Catalina park. "There was a lot of drugs and many people on the streets. We wanted to gather people, convince them to at least come for a meal," he recounts.
Political rejection and the burden of the name
The initiative, which had public-private funding, did not progress. Viñes asserts that neither the opposition nor his own party colleagues understood it. "The name 'City of the Poor' that the press gave it ruined everything. How could we use such a horrible name? Poor has a negative connotation," he laments.
During that term, the PP governed with a narrow majority of 15 councillors against an opposition formed by PSOE (5), CC (5), IU (2), and the Gran Canaria Party (1). Viñes, who entered politics alongside José Miguel Bravo de Laguna and would have preferred the Culture department, had to manage District III (La Feria and Arenales) with only a secretary and a coordinator.
A precedent for the current debate on homelessness
Viñes' proposal has resurfaced following a news article published in this newspaper that recalled that episode. The former councillor, born in Navarre and a technical engineer, believes that his idea would eventually come to fruition. "I think sooner or later it will happen, and all I hope is that it won't be called 'City of the Poor'," he states.
For the residents of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the debate on how to assist homeless people remains open. The city currently has municipal shelters, but demand is growing. Viñes' reflection invites a reconsideration of whether the stigma of words hinders real solutions.
"We wanted to gather people, convince them to at least come for a meal"
The former councillor insists that the assistance centre was not a ghetto, but a dignified space with comprehensive services. "In the image and likeness of the municipal centres that exist today in many cities," he adds.
A project that remains in memory
At 92, Viñes speaks with serenity and without resentment. He knows how politics works, but leaves a clear message: "I hope one day it becomes a reality, but with another name." The capital's citizens, who still remember that controversy, may see in these statements a lesson on how prejudices hinder social policies.
The former councillor, who invested in land in Gran Canaria since the 70s, remains connected to the island. His testimony is a historical document that shows the difficulties of addressing homelessness three decades ago, with challenges that, in essence, persist today.
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