Tuineje loses €550,000 for coastal protection as Giniginámar breakwater remains pending

The increasing frequency of storms in recent months has heightened the fear of residents living closest to the sea. For this reason, the municipal government is trying to revive measures that could be key to minimizing the impact of wave attacks, especially in Giniginámar.

In an interview on the program La Voz de Fuerteventura on Radio Insular, Miguel Andújar recalled that in 2018, when Sergio Lloret was mayor, the municipality received funding from the Government of the Canary Islands—about €550,000—to intervene on several coastal fronts, including Giniginámar, Tarajalejo and Las Playitas.

Those funds were intended to finance works such as the Giniginámar breakwater and the reinforcement of the Tarajalejo pier, infrastructures designed to protect homes and improve coastal safety. However, the projects were not carried out during the previous legislative term.

“We had up to four extensions and, in the end, no work was executed,” Andújar explained.

The money was finally returned in March 2023 without a single cent spent, after years of consecutive postponements. The current administration now aims to restart the procedure so the works can become a reality and protect the houses.

Andújar also noted that, in the previous term, a housing subsidy—about €600,000 plus €22,000 in interest—was declined, meaning the council lost roughly €1.2 million.

Therese Leaves Damage, and Possibly a Catastrophic Zone

Avenida de Tarajalejo

Andújar highlighted the recent passage of Storm Therese, which again exposed the vulnerability of Tuineje’s coastline. The most significant impact was in Tarajalejo, where the sea stripped part of the avenue, causing serious damage after several days of continuous impact.

Technical reports estimate the repair cost at around €300,000, with sections of the avenue remaining impassable and areas near the houses especially affected. In other localities such as Giniginámar or Las Playitas, the damage was less severe, though incidents on promenades and access routes were also recorded.

“We have already sent technical reports to the Cabildo with the aim of forwarding them to the Government of the Canary Islands to consider declaring a catastrophic zone; this would accelerate repair works and financing.”

Tuineje’s Debt Still Hovers Around €3 Million

Andújar also expressed the local government’s concern about the council’s main problem: the debt owed to suppliers, which remains close to €3 million.

Although some payments have been made—about €900,000 in the last fiscal year—the debt continues to accumulate amid the need to adapt to new procurement regulations and a lack of technical and administrative staff to speed up procedures.

The new mayor, David Hernández, together with area councilor Noelia García, is working on finding a solution that would unlock payments with legal certainty. The council is maintaining contacts with the Audiencia de Cuentas and other bodies to explore ways to settle the invoices.

“We are looking at how to pay as soon as possible,” Andújar emphasized, underscoring the political will to pay as soon as possible.

He went further, describing the impact on the municipality’s business fabric and even alluding to “illicit enrichment” by the administration for services already rendered but not yet paid, a situation he insists must be resolved urgently.

Lighting and Modernisation of Services

Beyond the coastline, the council defended its actions on public lighting after opposition criticism over outages in various parts of the municipality. Many incidents have been resolved within hours, and the goal is to make a structural leap with a new tender.

“We could not continue with public lighting the way it is,” he said, explaining that complex technical specifications are being drafted to modernise the system and bring it “into the 21st century.” These specifications have been sent to the Cabildo de Fuerteventura for review.

ARRU: 80 Homes Awaiting Rehabilitation

The municipal roadmap also includes the ARRU project, a rehabilitation scheme that will benefit 80 homes and is set to be unlocked after years of processing.

The council plans to convene a meeting with residents after Easter to explain the details of the intervention, which includes façade, roof, waterproofing and common‑area improvements.

“We want to put it out to tender as soon as possible,” Andújar added.

The project is financed by several administrations—the town council, the Cabildo, the Government of the Canary Islands and the State—and will improve the quality of life for about 80 families in the municipality.