Anaga Locals Oppose Surveillance Camera Plan

Local groups in the Anaga Massif are speaking out against plans to install surveillance cameras in the rural park. The Cabildo (island council) announced this project to control traffic, as part of a wider island initiative to create a smart and sustainable transport system in Anaga, an area recognized as a Biosphere Reserve.

At a meeting on the 17th, residents unanimously voiced their opposition to the camera plan. They called it "an unnecessary public expense," arguing that it ignores the views of people living in the small villages and "violates the management principles of the Anaga rural park."

In a letter sent to the Cabildo, community leaders highlighted that the 428,000 euros budgeted for the camera system could be better used. They suggested hiring staff to manage the daily traffic problems at Cruz del Carmen instead.

They argued that the decision was "one-sided," made without consulting residents who will be most impacted. They also stated it "violates the management principles of the rural park," where local community involvement in decisions affecting the area is a key element. This lack of consultation and dialogue, they added, is a "serious oversight" that goes against sustainable management guidelines. In their petition, the associations also expressed "a feeling of institutional abandonment and deception," believing that residents' needs and suggestions are "not being heard or addressed."

Therefore, they are asking for the camera installation to be reconsidered. They want a genuine and effective process of discussion with local residents to find solutions that respect sustainability, transparency, and fairness for the area.

Additionally, neighborhood representatives have sent separate letters, along with over a thousand supporting signatures, to the city councils of Santa Cruz and La Laguna. They are demanding improvements to access roads, including fixing ditches, creating lay-bys, and removing dangerous wooden fences.

For the villages of Taganana, Roque de las Bodegas, Almáciga, and Benijo, they are also requesting better public transport links to the metropolitan area. They want beaches to be reclassified to allow for shower and toilet facilities, and for new parking areas to be created.

So far, only La Laguna has responded, stating that "we share the need for transparency and neighborhood participation in these decisions, and we have defended this in the Mobility Board."