The socialist spokesperson, Alfredo Mendoza, reveals that the Prosecutor's Office has requested a six-month extension to decide whether to archive or take the investigation into the Christmas fair contracts to trial.
The case of the public contracts for the Christmas fairs in Arrecife, known as the 'Naviland case', could have a resolution after the summer. This was announced by Alfredo Mendoza, spokesperson for the PSOE in the Arrecife City Council, who confirmed that the Prosecutor's Office has requested a six-month extension to resolve the case. "Surely after the summer we will know whether it will be forwarded to the Court or archived," he stated on the 'A Buena Hora' programme on Crónicas Radio.
The Prosecutor's extension and the role of the UDEF
Mendoza detailed that "the last we heard about the case is that a six-month extension was requested by the Prosecutor's Office to have the case resolved." The socialist spokesperson emphasised that when the Prosecutor's Office seeks assistance from the UDEF, "it is not a normal and ordinary thing; it is because there are issues that need to be investigated further." This investigation focuses on the contracts awarded for the Christmas fairs in the capital of Lanzarote, a matter that has generated political controversy in the municipality.
Regarding another investigation linked to fines, Mendoza recalled that the mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, "was summoned as a witness and left in the same condition because he was not called to testify." The socialist spokesperson criticised that the mayor "muddied and complicated the process."
Active opposition and shelved proposals
Mendoza denied that the PSOE is taking a low profile: "There is too much work, which we have always done discreetly, humbly and simply." The spokesperson explained that his group has brought "practically dissected" their electoral programme through 120 proposals to the plenary, of which "maybe 10 at most have been approved." Despite this, he highlighted that "Arrecife, despite having 70,000 inhabitants, remains a town where practically everyone knows each other" and their work focuses on "being close to the neighbours."
One of the initiatives that the PSOE has put forward is the creation of a Family Respite Centre. Mendoza has held informal meetings with the councillor for Social Services to promote this project, but the government team "is determined to continue trying to push forward the purchase of a new property." The socialist spokesperson suggested that "perhaps the solution could be simpler" if existing municipal buildings are utilised, as was done in San Bartolomé, where a public building was renovated for the same purpose. "In Arrecife, we have several unused buildings that can be used for that activity," he insisted.
Mendoza also criticised the lack of progress on the General Plan of Arrecife, one of the "basic issues" in the government programme of CC and PP. "We are already in July and it is still sitting in the drawer," he lamented, referring to the delay in its approval.
Abstention and political fragmentation
The socialist spokesperson warned about the high rate of abstention in the city. "We are fighting among the parties to see who can take a vote away, but we are not realising that there is a 52 percent of people who do not go to vote," he stated. For Mendoza, this figure should be a wake-up call for all political parties, which should focus on regaining the trust of citizens.
Regarding the relationships between the governing parties, he noted that "CC and PP are more relaxed, but that does not mean there aren’t occasional jabs now and then." Meanwhile, the socialist opposition will continue to oversee municipal management and present proposals to improve the quality of life for the residents of Arrecife.
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