PSOE Condemns Government Over False Promises of New Ambulances in Fuerteventura
The PSOE party in Fuerteventura has accused the local government of misleading the public regarding the announcement of three new ambulances intended to bolster emergency services on the island. According to them, this move is merely a publicity stunt generating unrealistic expectations.
Manuel Hernández Cerezo, the PSOE’s deputy secretary, pointed out that the deployment of these new resources hinges on a future tender for ground ambulance services, which has yet to commence. He highlighted that this process is complicated by an ongoing labour dispute involving emergency medical technicians in the Canary Islands.
“It’s irresponsible to announce new ambulances as if they would be available soon when the tender hasn’t even been issued, and there is a significant labour conflict making any serious timeline unfeasible,” said Hernández Cerezo.
He further noted that transport workers have been operating under an expired collective agreement since December 2024, resulting in a 25% loss of purchasing power over the years. He criticized the health department for only negotiating with employers, sidelining trade union representation, which he claims demonstrates a lack of political will from the Canary Islands government to improve working conditions for essential healthcare staff.
In light of the current circumstances, union representatives expect the new tender may not be enacted until late 2027 or early 2028, making it unlikely that the new ambulances will be operational before then.
“What Fuerteventura needs is not empty announcements but a government willing to manage properly, engage with workers, and resolve the ongoing stalemate hindering this essential service,” he added.
PSOE has called for urgent improvements to the island’s emergency transport, stressing that these enhancements should be based on genuine commitments, allocated budgets, and completed administrative processes rather than on headline-grabbing announcements.
Hernández Cerezo concluded, “The people of Fuerteventura deserve respect. It is unacceptable to create false hopes around such a critical service when the government knows it cannot deliver promptly. Once again, we see statements from the health minister for Fuerteventura that amount to little more than headlines.”
