Casimiro Curbelo
At a time when societies demand more efficient, modern and friendly administrations, the proposal to reform the Law of Island Councils represents a decisive step towards a more solid, adapted and fair island governance model. It is not just a regulatory update; It is a commitment to the future of our islands, to their capacity for self-government and to the dignity of the councils as true driving institutions of social and economic well-being.
The town councils are not an institutional anomaly nor a mere intermediate administration. They have been, for more than a century, the backbone of public life on each of the islands. Their dual nature—as local entities and as institutions of the Autonomous Community—confers them a uniqueness that must be recognized and enhanced, and not confined to administrative models designed for other realities, since here it is the citizens who directly elect their representatives.
At FECAI we have promoted this reform not as a political whim, but as a demand for institutional coherence. The 2018 reform of the Statute of Autonomy clearly recognized the role of the councils, but the legislation in force until now has not finished providing them with the necessary tools to fully exercise their functions. This new law seeks to correct this dissonance, consolidating a model adapted to the island reality: with greater clarity of jurisdiction, with a control regime consistent with the autonomous nature of many of its functions, and with a simplified, professional and modern institutional architecture.
The proposal recognizes that the councils exercise first-level powers in such determining areas as infrastructure, the environment, public transport or social services. And it is not reasonable that those who assume these responsibilities do so under the same framework as the deputations. That is why this law takes a step forward: it strengthens the regulatory power of the councils, their representatives are directly elected by citizens, improves their personnel regime and guarantees realistic and fair remuneration, especially in non-capital islands where attracting talent has always been a challenge.
Furthermore, the reform promotes a new institutional culture based on cooperation, dialogue and co-responsibility. Regulatory duplications are eliminated, coordination spaces are reinforced, and agile conflict resolution mechanisms are incorporated. All of this with a clear objective: to better serve citizens, from proximity and efficiency.
The councils are not just managers; They promote economic and social development. They have demonstrated, throughout their history, an extraordinary capacity to adapt, to innovate and to lead policies that transform people's lives. That is why this reform is also a declaration of confidence in our island institutions. A trust that translates into more autonomy, more resources, and more decision-making capacity.
The Canary Islands cannot afford administrative structures anchored in the past. This diverse, fragmented and complex land needs agile institutions, with political and technical muscle, and with deep territorial roots. The councils are. And with this law, they will be even more so.
Because strengthening the councils is strengthening the Canary Islands. Because providing them with more capabilities means giving more answers to citizens. Because to recognize its uniqueness is to do justice to our history and our future.
