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THE INDEPENDENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER WITH LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS
EDITION 612
FRIDAY 26th OCTOBER TO THURSDAY 8th NOVEMBER 2018 MOVIES AT ...
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PAGES PA 25 - 27
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FORTNIGHTLY SUPPLEMENT NT
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guide
CASINO ROW: IT’S A JOKE, CLAIMS FURIOUS UNION
Cabildo announces 25 million euro sale to private investor
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ENERIFE Cabildo has announced its controversial decision to sell its three casinos but union representatives are far from happy, labelling it “a joke”. Island leaders met with national and international investors in Madrid to set the ball rolling and anticipate a sale in 2019. Cabildo president, Carlos Alonso, together with the insular director of the Treasury, Juan Carlos Pérez, presented details of the tender for the sale of the casinos in Playa de las Americas, Taoro and Santa Cruz, all owned by the island corporation, for an amount of 24.9 million euros. The meeting, held on the morning of October 18th, included the participation of a score of national and international investors interested in knowing more about the initiative. Carlos Alonso has indicated that “the objective is to link the transfer of ownership of the casinos to the tourist development of Tenerife through a quality project in line with the tourism model we want for the island.” Tenderers must submit a tourism investment project that will necessarily take place in one of the three municipalities where the casinos are located (Adeje, Puerto de la Cruz or Santa Cruz). This project, which involves a minimum investment of 4.5 million euros, may include both new work and rehabilitation of existing buildings. Juan Carlos Pérez Frías explained to the attendees the requirements included in the specifications recalling that the deadline for submitting applications ends on November 8th, although a period of one month will be opened to evaluate the viability and solvency of the companies and another four months to submit bids. “With all this, we estimate that the process could end next
spring,” he said. However, the unions are already voicing their concerns, with the UGT claiming there is no legal or economic cause to justify the sale of the casinos of Tenerife, much less when these are public companies that generate broad benefits that impact on the well-being of the island’s citizens. The union has slammed the idea as “incomprehensible”, saying the proposed sale lacks an appraisal report. “It is not logical for the Cabildo to sell casinos for a value of almost 25 million euros, based on a price assessment that has not taken into account other variables that would considerably increase the value of the three casinos,” said a spokesman. They are also alleging “lack of negotiation” and want the working conditions of all the casino staff guaranteed. The union says Carlos Alonso recently spoke about it being “time to raise wages and have a higher quality job,” adding that “the island corporation devotes a lot to employment.” “Therefore, as representatives of the workers, it seems to us “a joke” that the leading representative of the island council on the one hand speaks of the efforts to dedicate many economic resources to employment, but on the other hand, does not protect existing jobs,” the UGT claimed. The union is urging the Government Group of the Council of Tenerife to withdraw the sale of public casinos in Tenerife and to agree with the unions clauses that would guarantee all current jobs in casinos and labour rights of the same in the framework of the Collective Agreement.
Mount Teide to get wifi!
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ENERIFE Cabildo will implement 24 new free wifi points to cover the most visited areas of the island. The corporation currently has 37 points in Arona, Adeje, Puerto de la Cruz and Santiago del Teide and will expand it to 19 other areas of tourist interest
and in five points located in the Titsa transport interchanges. The decision was adopted at the last session of the Governing Council held under the presidency of Carlos Alonso. This initiative was launched in a coordinated manner within the tourism area as a pilot scheme in the afore-
mentioned tourist municipalities and will now be extended to other areas of great influx of visitors and residents, including the National Park of the Teide and the Rural Parks of Anaga and Teno until completing the network with 61 points.