Fuerteventura and Lanzarote Demand Specific Attention to Their Insular Challenges
The president of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura, Lola García, defends the need to address population growth and resource pressure on the eastern islands.
By Idaira Santana Dorta
••3 min read
IA
Symbolic image of two Canary Islands with distinct landscapes, representing shared challenges.
The president of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura, Lola García, has advocated for specific attention to Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, eastern islands marked by population growth and resource pressure.
The president of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura, Lola García, stated this Monday that the Canary Islands must specifically address the reality shared by Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. Both islands in the eastern axis face significant population growth, considerable pressure on their resources, and the issue of double insularity.
García spoke at the V Economic Forum organized by the Biosfera Media group, held in Arrecife. She shared the stage with the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, and various representatives from the business sector. During her address, the island leader emphasized that Fuerteventura and Lanzarote confront common challenges that will shape their development in the coming decades, including ensuring basic services like water and housing, protecting the territory, and preserving the identity of both islands.
The president particularly highlighted the demographic increase experienced by the eastern islands, noting that Fuerteventura registers the highest growth in the Archipelago. In this context, García positively assessed the recent approval of the new Law of Cabildos, considering it an advancement for better recognizing the insular reality. However, she urged this law to become a practical tool, equipped with concrete measures, adequate funding, investments, and substantial improvements in maritime and air connectivity.
The objective, according to García, should be to move towards islands "equal in rights," paying attention to the particularities of territories that share structural problems and specific needs within the framework of the Canary Islands. The forum also included participants such as Javier Puga Santana, CEO of Dinosol Supermercados and board member of Grupo HD; Beatriz Martínez, territorial director of Banco Santander in the Canary Islands; and Adolfo Utor Martínez, president of the shipping company Baleària.
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"Fuerteventura and Lanzarote share a similar reality, with common challenges that will shape our future for the coming decades. It is important for the Canary Islands to understand that the eastern axis islands face a specific reality, marked by strong population growth, pressure on resources, and double insularity. The true challenge for Fuerteventura and Lanzarote is to manage this reality responsibly, guaranteeing basic services like water or housing, and protecting our territory and identity."
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"The new Law of Cabildos represents an advancement because it better recognizes this reality, although she asked for it to be an effective tool with concrete measures, funding, investments, and the generation of opportunities by improving maritime and air connectivity."
The president concluded by stating that "the Canary Islands must understand this reality."
