Mayor Takoronte: "The most important thing is honesty and dedication to the cause."

For the first time in Tacoronte's history, the city is governed not only by a team from the PSOE party, but also by representatives of the Canarian Coalition (CC) and the People's Party (PP). Sandra Izquierdo, the mayor of the city, says that for her, the most important thing is honesty and dedication. Of course, it is not easy to work, especially when the city council lacks people.

She emphasizes that she came into politics to make people's lives better. Therefore, it is important to continue the projects started by her predecessors, because the city is developing not only today, but also in the future. "We are here to help people, and the interests of the community must come first," the mayor emphasizes.

– Can we say that your coalition is working smoothly?

– Yes, we meet every week to discuss who is doing what and to move in the same direction. This helps to solve many issues, some of which have been stuck for years.

– What kind of projects are you talking about?

– For example, we are working on the development of the Carimar areas near Guayonge and El Durazno. These are projects that have been unblocked. Investors submitted a project and it was approved. New houses will be built there and the infrastructure will be improved. Housing, like education and medicine, is our priority.

– Does the city government plan to build social housing for those who need it?

– We are currently looking for suitable land together with our specialists. There are several proposals from the Cabildo, but they do not suit us, because we do not have free land. This is a problem that needs to be solved, because people really need social housing.

– What will happen to the Mesa del Mar campsite?

– It is currently not working, and I hope we can fix it. We have contacted the General Directorate of Coastal Protection, because it is about Mesa del Mar beach. Even to clean there, we need their permission. In addition, there are complaints that do not allow us to open a restaurant there, as planned.

– Residents of Mesa del Mar and El Pris complain that these areas are being forgotten. What is the situation there? And what about the pool?

– The pool will be demolished, and a better promenade will be built in its place. We already have money for this project, and it should be implemented by the end of our term. We regularly clean the natural pool, installed stairs, and painted it. We have a Blue Flag, which is not given just like that. Of course, there is still work to be done, but a lot has already been done. The Coast Guard sometimes puts a lot of obstacles in our way, and we cannot act without their permission.

– Recently, thefts have become more frequent in Tacoronte. Can you say that it is a safe city?

– Yes, definitely. We have data from the police and the Civil Guard, which do not confirm that the city has become dangerous. This is especially true of the opposition, which asks us such questions, but we answer them with facts.

– But it's not just the opposition that thinks so. A month ago, residents kicked out people who were living there illegally...

– These are isolated cases, such as in San Juan and Los Naranjeros, and they have already been resolved. In the first case, the residents helped, and in the second, the law enforcement officers.

– Has the problem with the local police been resolved?

– We have a temporary police chief, and we are working on approving the staffing schedule. This will allow us to streamline the work of the police and ensure decent wages.

– What about the Civil Protection Group? Its leader was dismissed in April due to reorganization...

– We have approved a new regulation for this organization, which did not exist before. We legalized it. I always appreciate the work of this organization, because they do a very important job. We did not dissolve anyone, but simply gave it more formality and seriousness.

– Have there been more volunteers, or have many people left, as some former members said?

– On the contrary, everything is great. Those who were there stayed, and even those who had left returned. Now we have enough people, and we provide them with the necessary equipment.

– What is your relationship with the opposition parties?

– I don't want conflicts, because we are all neighbors. I hope they will be a tough opposition so that we don't relax. They should point out our mistakes to us, because citizens tell them about it. I understand this, but I do not tolerate lies. Our doors are always open, and you have the right to check any information.

– The expansion of the medical center is a project that has not been implemented for years. Do you hope to complete it?

– Yes, we have already received the necessary data after meetings with the head of primary care and the health advisor. We are now preparing the technical documentation for the expansion. We will have to announce a tender again, and I hope that the work will resume by the end of our term. Sometimes I'm afraid to name an exact date, but we are working on it together with public organizations that support us. They also meet with officials to speed up the process.

– You promised this project during the election campaign, and now that you are in power, why is it so difficult to implement it?

– This is a project of the Government of the Canary Islands. We, as a municipality, were required to carry out sewerage and connect Unelco. There were problems with the latter, because they wanted to install towers and cables that would be visible from the outside. We asked them to bury them underground. We are doing everything we can, but the work itself depends on the regional government. Sometimes bureaucracy makes the process very difficult, especially when several organizations are involved.

– Has it been possible to get rid of underground termites?

– We didn't have enough money before, but now we do. This is very important, because it is impossible to fight this problem without funding. But I want to say that we are controlling the situation, not completely getting rid of the termites.

– There is a lot of garbage in the city. The containers are overflowing, people throw waste into the wrong bins, and there are even rodents. Do people have enough environmental awareness?

– We are improving garbage collection and street cleaning services. But we cannot teach everyone how to handle waste properly. We all want to live in a clean city. We had an unreliable street cleaning contract, but we are looking for a solution. Twelve and a half people clean the whole city, and this is impossible, especially during the holidays. Therefore, we will change the contract so that there are more workers on the streets, and there will also be a tree trimming group.

– What is the main problem of the city?

– Cleaning. A clean and tidy city is the most important thing for me. This is a priority that must be provided to people.

– Is unemployment no longer a problem?

– Thanks to the projects implemented by the local development department, the unemployment rate has decreased significantly. We have many training programs that allow people to get qualified and find a job.

– When will the project for the development of the La Estación municipal market be implemented?

– We do not have enough people to put the premises of the La Estación municipal market up for auction. There is a lot of management work and specialists needed to deal with this. It is currently impossible to apply for any premises, because it is necessary to hold a tender, change its appearance and determine what activities it will be dedicated to. We must put all municipal premises up for auction, from the canteens in social centers to the market, and this requires sufficient staff.

– Is the square with the same name already being used as a cultural space?

– Yes, this is our victory. It was closed and did not have a building permit. We have fully put it into operation, and several events have already taken place there, such as artificial intelligence days.

– Overall, how do you assess your work?

– During this time, we have stabilized the staff, approved two budgets, and reduced the payment period for suppliers. In the field of education, we have increased scholarships, and the unemployment rate has decreased to less than 2,000 people. We have increased the number of police officers and carried out sewerage and lighting works.

– You almost accidentally entered politics and became the first female mayor of the city. Would you like to run again in two years?

– I am not selfish, so the question is not whether I want to, but whether my party wants to.

– But do you want to or not?

– Yes, I like it. I love people and working with them. And building everything that is positive.

– What news would you like to announce after the end of your term?

– That Tacoronte is clean, tidy, with a municipality staffed with personnel, so that people are proud of our work, and that we work well and as a team.