Güímar Council Approves €1.7M Employment Plan Amidst Opposition Concerns

The Güímar Town Council has approved a significant financial adjustment of nearly 1.7 million euros to fund its Social Employment Plan for 2025-2026. This decision passed despite negative assessments from the Secretariat and Comptroller's Office. The proposal was supported by the ruling coalition (PP, PSOE, two PSOE councilors, and Nueva Canarias) but opposed by the opposition parties (CC, the remaining PSOE members, and USP).

The governing party has criticized Gustavo Pérez and his Coalición Canaria colleagues, along with Alicia Lorenzo, Airam Puerta, and César Bethencourt, for voting against funding a program intended to create 127 jobs through labor agreements.

In a public statement on the Güímar City Council's official Facebook page, the ruling group, led by Mayor Carmen Luisa Castro, stated that the opposition's vote against the plan signifies their rejection of allocating municipal funds to an initiative designed to boost employment and assist families facing economic hardship in the area.

The council argues that the Local Employment and Development Agency (AEDL) provided the necessary technical justification for the plan. Mayor Carmen Luisa Castro also reportedly emphasized the urgency of the proposal, aiming to clear up any concerns about the process.

However, the opposition has a different view. Gustavo Pérez, spokesperson for CC, described the process as "hasty and unclear." He stated that the plan was approved based on a single-page PDF and unfavorable reports, without clear details on hiring criteria, plan conditions, or its announcement through the Canary Islands Employment Service.

Pérez explained that the PDF document included salary costs and a municipal contribution of 1,693,408 euros, with a subsidy covering only about 16.7% of the costs. He believes this is a "reckless move that could jeopardize up to 120 jobs," highlighting that this is one of the largest credit modifications of the year, presented late in the fiscal year without an approved economic-financial plan and with unjustified speed.

Coalición Canaria issued a statement clarifying that they do not oppose the Social Employment Plan itself. Instead, they object to the "lack of transparency, the haste, and the risk that administrative errors could prevent the project from being carried out." The Güímar branch of Coalición Canaria has called on the council to present a "robust, transparent plan with genuine legal guarantees, which supports vulnerable groups and ensures the proper management of public funds."

The ruling coalition, however, maintains that "thanks to the efforts and determination of Carmen Luisa Castro, 127 individuals will gain employment within the Güímar City Council, thereby improving employment and social well-being in the municipality."