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FUERTEVENTURA MAGAZINE hoy
hoy
11
11
QUIÉN ES QUIÉN EN LA ISLA / WHO’S WHO IN THE ISLAND? /WER IST WER AUF DER INSEL?
Rosa Fernández – Mayor of La Oliva’s Ayuntamiento
«Tourism is the core of our economy, we
have to take care of it»
FMHOY - Fuerteventura
Young, dynamic and sincere, are the adjectives that
define this young lady on first impressions. This
interview unveils other facets that Rosa Fernandez
uses to confront with responsibility and care her role
of mayor.
How long have you been interested in politics?
I have been a member of the socialist part (PSOE)
since 1997 when I first arrived in Fuerteventura, but
my motivation comes from my family background; my
father has always been a member of the party.
At first I collaborated in Puerto del Rosario, but I then
moved to La Oliva and my colleagues asked me to get
involved politically here where my presence was more
required. During the elections in 2003, when the electoral
list was put together I found myself at number
two, mainly because it was unthinkable to govern, no
one wanted to be a candidate. Then with the pact with
Coalición Canaria and when, to everyone’s surprise,
we went into the town hall, this is when I started my
duty in this Ayuntamiento.
So you started with the previous mayor?
Yes, we took care of personnel, internal matters and
new technologies. This is when we started modernising
the installations and bringing normality in the business
area.
From then on, for the second elections, I was elected
head of the list and this is when the pact was created,
which was branded by some as «anti-nature», and I
was elected mayor.
Yes, this pact was talked about a lot and
criticised…
I know, we broke the taboo that was to make a pact
between socialists and the Popular Party and overall
with Domingo González Arroyo who had been mayor
of La Oliva for a long time.
It was very important because in this municipality
for a very long time they had relied on captive votes.
People didn’t vote for the right or the left side, it was
purely for or against Domingo González Arroyo.
We have now demonstrated that a pact is possible,
although it hasn’t been easy, but we can always
succeed with a unique objective: to boost the
municipality’s development.
It doesn’t look like the best time to be governing in
La Oliva: crisis, debts, etc…
It is a very difficult time. The economical situation is
very hard, we are dragging along a very heavy debt
and the income has been drastically reduced. On the
other hand, this municipality is huge and we don’t want
to reduce services for the population. Our income comes
from a population that has got rights but we have
to provide services to a population that triples with
tourism.
Rosa Fernández – Mayor of La Oliva’s Ayuntamiento
The Ayuntamiento has to assume this gap and we
don’t have the finances to absorb it. During prosperous
times we could compensate with the income from
licences, but now this income has disappeared.
The funds given by the central government as well
as the Fondo Canario de Financiación don’t even cover
the first Chapter, which is personnel. If we didn’t cover
the rest of the costs with taxes, licences, etc. the
situation would be unsustainable.
On the other hand, the ICO credits are not working
which means that we cannot get finance from other
banks, furthermore we are only allowed to get into debt
up to a certain level.
So, what do you think might be the solution? What
are your ideas?
The situation is complicated because we cannot rely
on large licences, so we will have to resort to traditional
methods, such as land value taxes. We are currently
updating them because the last update was done 19
years ago. We are aware that it is not a good time for
families but if we don’t take measures now we will not
be able to continue providing services that this
municipality needs so much because of tourism.
We should not forget that tourism is the core of our
economy and we have to take care of it. There are
already other destinations that compete with us and
we have to offer quality and fair prices if we want to be
an interesting holiday destination.
Municipalities are where citizens come and knock
to ask for solutions and services, however finances
comes last. We talk a lot about budgets of autonomous
communities but Ayuntamientos are left aside. The
Federación Canaria de Municipios (FCAM) cannot
combat alone for the Cabildo’s financing, Ayuntamientos
have to be allocated a budget that doesn’t get
changed and reduced because it always comes last.
We assume that since you are aware of this
situation, there must be some kind of project on
the way…
In La Oliva we are wagering on the creation of a mixed
body where both administration and businesses who
are specialists in the sector collaborate. Hotels cannot
offer only rooms, they have to bring more, be prepared
and have adequate installations to make the offer more
attractive, not just sun and beaches, although they
are amazing but we need more tourist incentives. But
sectors have good predispositions and I think that this
idea will spread to other sectors and municipalities.
Together we need to decide which direction we are
heading for on the tourism level.
Furthermore, during fairs businesses have been
exhibiting on one side and the Cabildo and
municipalities on another. I think it is absurd, because
although we are autonomous, we can collaborate and
create better things together.
How did this idea of a mixed body come about?
It is all based on the Plan Horizonte 2.020 of the
Tourism Ministry that is giving out subventions to help
create those bodies. I think it is a very good idea and
Cabildos must take advantage of it to bring Fuerteventura
to the adequate level.
It is very sad that when we speak about the Canaries
people only know, even as a reference, Tenerife and
Las Palmas. The Canarian Government doesn’t treat
all the islands in the same manner and although we
have the best beaches and the most stable climate,
Fuerteventura is still unknown.
Talk to us about the person who is behind the
mayor…
I graduated from Law school and I am married with
a Majorero. I came here to pay a visit to my brother,
who had got married here and I stayed. I also have two
children.
And how do you combine family and politics?
It is very complicated, we are making great
improvements in conciliation of working life and family
life, but it is not the case for politics and family life.
However I do my best although it is impossible to
disconnect from work when I get home.