The president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, has highlighted this Tuesday the progress of the economy and the creation of jobs in the islands, positioned above the national average and that of the eurozone, as well as the historically low levels of youth unemployment. However, he has warned that these positive macroeconomic data are not yet clearly reflected in the economies of Canary Island families.
These statements were made during the opening of the "Canarias Hacia el Futuro" day, organized by Europa Press Canarias, at an event where he was introduced by the president of the news agency, Asís Martín de Cabiedes.
Clavijo explained that this mismatch between the global figures and the daily reality of many citizens is one of the greatest concerns of his Executive when facing the challenges that arise for the archipelago, in a context marked by structural problems of social exclusion, poverty, and marginality that persist over time.
The regional president has also acknowledged the "effort" made by the business fabric and the tourism sector to improve working conditions, with salary increases exceeding 10% in the collective agreements of both Canary provinces. However, he emphasized that the rise in inflation has significantly reduced the real impact of these wage improvements on workers' pockets.
In the same vein, he has argued that it is essential to implement coordinated measures between the Government of the Canary Islands, the General Administration of the State, and the institutions of the European Union with the aim of correcting these imbalances. All of this, he recalled, within the framework of the roadmap designed by the regional Executive about a year and a half ago.
Clavijo has insisted that his Government has opted since the beginning of the legislature for institutional cooperation and to avoid political confrontation, a way of acting that he has attributed to the entire cabinet and that, as he pointed out, has made it possible to advance in agreements despite the differences between the parties that support it.
In this regard, he has highlighted the work and "courage" of the vice president of the regional Government and president of the PP of the Canary Islands, Manuel Domínguez, for having known how to position himself "on the side of the interests of the citizens of the islands."
The head of the Canary Executive has emphasized that, to increase the disposable income of households, it is not enough to promote new salary increases: it is essential, he said, to also strengthen the productivity of companies. For this reason, he has advocated for linking remuneration to the evolution of productivity and not just to the consumer price index (CPI).
At the same time, he has pointed out the responsibility of public administrations, which, in his view, must contribute to improving the economic capacity of families through a reduction in the tax burden.
To conclude, Clavijo has insisted that the future of the archipelago should not be "waited for," but built from now on with the decisions made in the present, emphasizing that the course of the Canary Islands will depend on the policies implemented today.