The president of the Cabildo presents the budget project for 2021 that dedicates more than 44% of its resources to social welfare and the promotion of employment
Casimiro Curbelo assures that they are realistic accounts, that despite the 13.1% decrease, they maintain investment capacity in all areas and dedicate a special effort to caring for the most vulnerable people.
The president of the Cabildo of La Gomera presented this Wednesday the draft island budgets for 2021. The document, which outlines the economic roadmap for the year 2021, will be debated this Friday in a plenary session. The budgets include, in addition to the economic planning of the Institution, that corresponding to the Insular Water Council (CIA) and GuaguaGomera.
The Cabildo's accounts exceed 44.5 million euros, of which 2.2 million come from the CIA and another 2.2 from the public transport company. Although Casimiro Curbelo recognized the 13.1% decrease in resources due to the reduction in income, he assured that the Institution has made an important effort so that this drop does not affect social well-being, an objective that becomes more important due to the current economic and social crisis derived from the pandemic. “We dedicate more than 44% of our resources to social welfare and the promotion of employment, aware of the complicated situation that affects many families,” he said.
The island budgets pivot on three main axes aimed at caring for the most vulnerable people, with 4.7 million euros; to job creation, with another 4 million euros, and to sustainability, an area to which 3.5 million euros are dedicated to implement actions that advance towards the goal of energy self-sufficiency.
With the most vulnerable
“We allocate 24% of the budget to policies that will provide a lifeline for many families, such as aid to groups of the elderly and care for minors, the telecare service, health aid, the care service for women and care for the elderly and dependent people, through social and health centers,” he explained.
Training support
The insular Institution maintains its commitment to students, which is why it allocates 7.2% of its budget to support studies, with the guarantee of maintaining scholarships, agreements with universities and free mobility. Specifically, it contributes 800 thousand euros to scholarships, to which we must add 525 thousand to transport, 200 thousand to textbooks and 60 thousand to the European Erasmus program.
As in previous accounts, the Island Council allocates a high percentage of its budgets to sustainability, aware of the importance of implementing actions that result in the fight against climate change while advancing the circular economy and the promotion of clean energy. Curbelo highlighted some of these items, such as the incentives for photovoltaic energy with 400 thousand euros or the fire campaign with more than 911 thousand euros. “We continue to reinforce selective collection, the control of feral animals, as well as the promotion of renewable energies,” he commented.
Cultural values
Culture and sport occupy a prominent place in the budget planning for next year, allocating 2.3 million euros for this purpose. “We maintain our support for musical associations, the promotion of Silbo Gomero and folklore, as well as youth programs and research projects,” he indicated, while thanking them for the great work they do in disseminating and guaranteeing the survival of the cultural values of the Island.
Diversification and support for the economic fabric
In a clear commitment to diversification, the Institution includes strategic items to encourage rural development and the primary sector, allocating 7.1%, which represents 1.3 million. In addition, it dedicates an amount of 1.2 million euros to the implementation of measures that promote the development of the industrial sector and commerce on the Island, where the 400 thousand euros stand out to help SMEs and the self-employed, an amount that Curbelo advanced the possibility of being increased according to the evolution of the economy.
Likewise, he announced the provision of a sum of 30,000 euros for business associations, aimed at training and advisory programs for this sector. “It is one of the novelties with which we reinforce cooperation in the island's productive fabric,” he noted.
Reactivate tourism
Tourism promotion and planning will have more than 1 million euros with which to articulate measures to promote this sector hit by the pandemic. “We hope that the decisions that are being made are reflected in the reactivation and, therefore, in the arrival of tourists to the Canary Islands and La Gomera,” he said.
Presentation before representatives of the groups
The president of the Cabildo, Casimiro Curbelo, together with the Minister of Economy and Finance, Cristina Ventura, and the rest of the members of the Corporation participated in the presentation event before representatives of cultural, sports, musical, business and security groups and entities.
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