The president of the Lanzarote and La Graciosa Chamber of Commerce, José Valle, recently re-elected, criticises the statements made by the mayor of Arrecife regarding the lack of investments and defends the management to secure projects.
The president of the Lanzarote and La Graciosa Chamber of Commerce, José Valle, has sought to distance himself from the recent statements made by the mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, who claimed that investments from the Port Authority are needed and that the distribution of funds among the islands is unfair. Valle, who has just been re-elected to the position, believes that "to achieve projects, one should not go to the press and say that investments are lacking; what needs to be done is to get to work."
The chamber leader, who is facing his second and final four-year term, has wanted to focus on the need for planning and execution. "There was a concession to build a park with an auditorium that was going to transform the area where the lighthouse and the ship are located in the port, but that authorisation expired at the Department of Works of the Cabildo," he explained, referring to a project that could have changed the appearance of the surroundings of the Fishermen's Guild of Arrecife.
Valle has been blunt in assessing the controversy surrounding the Papagayo Arena hotel. "If there are a number of hotels that may have had some irregularity in construction, it can be corrected, but I do not see the demolition of the Papagayo Arena because it would be counterproductive for Lanzarote. Imagine the headlines about demolishing a hotel. In Fuerteventura, they have two hotels in the dunes that have been there for 30 years and they are still standing," he stated, showing his preference for caution over drastic actions that could harm the island's tourist image.
The president of the Chamber of Commerce has defended the need for political stability for projects to move forward. "Each party has its structures and they are well planned. If they stopped fighting among themselves, which sometimes we see is not right, in Lanzarote we should seek stability among the parties because that would allow projects to go ahead, and investments to arrive," he pointed out.
Valle has rejected any direct connection with active politics. "We are on the brink of elections and there is always a shuffle of names. I was hearing that perhaps Yonathan de León will not run with the PP, so sometimes they try to attract those of us who are outside," he joked, although he acknowledged that "the president of the Chamber of Commerce is very close to the political parties" and that he has had "a good relationship with all parties."
The re-elected president wanted to convey a message of optimism for the immediate future. "We are going to have great news, especially in 2027 because we will see how the works of major projects begin," he hinted, referring to the planned investments in key infrastructures such as the new airport or improvements in the Port Authority.
Valle has warned about the risks of not planning adequately. "Fortunately, Lanzarote does not have a serious mobility problem, but we can see it in other islands. Tenerife has one of the worst traffic ratios in Spain. Sometimes you take longer in queues in Tenerife than in other European cities, and that is due to a lack of planning, investment, and doing things right," he compared.
The president of the Chamber of Commerce has insisted that "there should not only be promises three months before the elections; promises must be fulfilled." In his opinion, the key lies in "unity within reasoning and a common agenda" that allows the island to progress and attract the necessary investments to solve problems such as housing or traffic.
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