Tenerife: Traffic and other problems

Some problem areas and how may we resolve them!
Traffic:
History has demonstrated very clearly that merely building more roads does not solve the problem. Indeed it tends to exacerbate it. Apart from using huge chunks of a limited stock of land the construction of more and faster roads merely attracts more traffic. Public spending is generally very welcome by the electorate and is obviously hugely pleasurable for the politicians. Indeed politicians everywhere become quite orgasmic when they have ‘loads of money’ to spend! However there is another side to the coin. That is to reduce the level of traffic. This may be accomplished in a number of ways:
• The obvious, if not the least painful, solution is to reduce the number of vehicles. This at the end of day means higher taxes on vehicles, on road usage and or on fuel. Clearly, as an alternative to private transport, there must be an efficient system of public transport. Nobody wants to pay higher taxes but it’s a question of balance and the common good!
• Decentralisation of services and centres of employment could reduce the number of journeys and alleviate congestion! Does Tráfico and La Oficina de la Extranjeria have to be in Santa Cruz? Why do all driving tests have to be undertaken in Santa Cruz?
• Instead of constructing more and more ‘traffic attracting’ roads in order to bring workers to the centres of employment, would it not be immensely more sensible both economically and socially to bring the jobs to the workforce? Why not, for instance, designate one million square meters of land in the Santiago del Teide\Buenavista del Norte zone as a ZEC (area)?

Is it practical for the Ayuntamientos in the south to object to the location of large stores such as El Corte Inglés or IKEA on grounds of protecting the PYMEs? Apart from the fact that it is like trying to stop the tide, the only way for the PYMEs to survive in the long term is to specialise in a product service mix with which the grand stores would be unwilling or unable to compete. Rather than being a general sports shop for instance why not specialise in one activity such as cycling, athletics or aquatic sports? The reality is that the consumer will, and does, drive from the South to Al Campo and Carrefour thus creating more traffic congestion and with no less adverse an impact on the PYMEs. Tourists from overseas also generally like to visit the destination, household name, retail stores without having to invest a day of their all too short holiday in congested travel.

Police:
There is a perception on the streets that there may be ‘one law for the locals and another for the foreigners’, whether such foreigners are residents or tourists. This is a perception typical of most countries by outsiders. From a marketing viewpoint perception is as important as reality. There may be a need for a better PR function at the police end. Many people believe that the police are far too eager to tow away cars for minor parking offences. Is it traffic control or income generation? Apart from the cost and stress involved for non Spanish-speaking tourists, they lose a day of their holiday. Does this encourage repeat visits? Perhaps a multi language warning or advice leaflet could be placed under their wipers for less grave offences especially where neither a traffic hazard nor an obstacle is created.

Furthermore, many foreigners are not accustomed to ‘gun toting’ police, wearing black glasses. They find it somewhat intimidating. Should all members of such security forces wear clearly legible identification numbers? Why shouldn’t members of the police be clearly identifiable? These are all perceived problem areas that would be relatively cost free to resolve thus making our island more tourist-friendly. After all, the police are on our front line of public relations as are the taxis, tourist guides and the estate agents. It is clear that those employed in these sectors should be fully aware of the importance of their role and trained on a continuous process to maintain the highest possible standards both of performance and integrity.

Perhaps our visitors do not consider that Tenerife is quiet as friendly (amable) as we would like to think. Our youth, particularly those engaged in the ‘office’ sector, do not always appear to be imbued with either a work or service ethic. They seem to be, as employees, particularly if the employers are foreign, very conscious of their rights but not at all conscious of their obligations. The words of John F. Kennedy may be worth quoting “Ask not what your country can do for you. Rather ask what you can do for your country?” Rights and obligations are merely the two side of the same coin. You cannot have one without the other. Nor can we as a state(let) dine a la carte at the table of Europe. If, on the one hand, we accept, nay, demand as our right vast amounts of structural funds from Brussels we cannot then for example start bleating about restricting the rights of fellow EU citizens to live and work here in Tenerife and share equally our rights and obligations.
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