Canarian Weekly
20-03-2015, 12:30
VANDALISM ripping the heart out of the Santa Cruz coffers, despite the Island’s economic recovery of sorts.
Money remains tight, especially for local governments and councils, but Santa Cruz locals in particular, are making matters worse.
Last year, the capital city¡s Council forked out nearly one million euros as a direct result of vandalism. This included spending over 500,000 euros to replace and repair such items as street signs and dustbins in communal areas. And, of course, the cost of cleaning up graffiti, fly-posters and arson.
In total, the Town Hall spent 247,000 euros to replenish containers burned out last year – a 50% increase on the remarkable 153 containers destroyed in 2013.
And, sad to say, the problem is getting worse and worse. In 2007, the clean-up bill for graffiti was 100,000 euros. The same applies to the replacement of containers whose cost has ballooned from 90,000 euros in 2008 to more than 240,000 euros last year.
The alarming increase in Santa Cruz vandalism in recent years has persuaded the Council to create an action group called Proteu.
It is understood that local police will crack down on this type of anti-social behaviour. Carmen Delia Gonzalez, police liaison with the new action group, said: “This sort of crime has tripled in just a year. It is unacceptable.”
Santa Cruz Mayor Jose Manuel Bermudez agreed, saying: “The burning of containers, at a cost of 250,000 euros, must stop. The fires, of course, can spread to cars and homes.”
The Mayor declined to provide specific data on what the plan is to stop such behaviour, but what is clear is the fact that enough is enough!
There will surely be an increase in the number of police on the streets in areas of high activity, and there will be more security cameras.
The García Sanabria park has been a target, and last week alone three sculptures were finally unveiled after needing serious renovation work.
There will almost certainly be more police patrols in this area, and the Mayor is asking for the public’s help “I call on residents to co-operate with the security of Santa Cruz,” he urged.
“Call 091 or 092 to report everything that has to do with the lack of respect for the city.”
More... (http://www.canarianweekly.com/cost-vandalism/)
Money remains tight, especially for local governments and councils, but Santa Cruz locals in particular, are making matters worse.
Last year, the capital city¡s Council forked out nearly one million euros as a direct result of vandalism. This included spending over 500,000 euros to replace and repair such items as street signs and dustbins in communal areas. And, of course, the cost of cleaning up graffiti, fly-posters and arson.
In total, the Town Hall spent 247,000 euros to replenish containers burned out last year – a 50% increase on the remarkable 153 containers destroyed in 2013.
And, sad to say, the problem is getting worse and worse. In 2007, the clean-up bill for graffiti was 100,000 euros. The same applies to the replacement of containers whose cost has ballooned from 90,000 euros in 2008 to more than 240,000 euros last year.
The alarming increase in Santa Cruz vandalism in recent years has persuaded the Council to create an action group called Proteu.
It is understood that local police will crack down on this type of anti-social behaviour. Carmen Delia Gonzalez, police liaison with the new action group, said: “This sort of crime has tripled in just a year. It is unacceptable.”
Santa Cruz Mayor Jose Manuel Bermudez agreed, saying: “The burning of containers, at a cost of 250,000 euros, must stop. The fires, of course, can spread to cars and homes.”
The Mayor declined to provide specific data on what the plan is to stop such behaviour, but what is clear is the fact that enough is enough!
There will surely be an increase in the number of police on the streets in areas of high activity, and there will be more security cameras.
The García Sanabria park has been a target, and last week alone three sculptures were finally unveiled after needing serious renovation work.
There will almost certainly be more police patrols in this area, and the Mayor is asking for the public’s help “I call on residents to co-operate with the security of Santa Cruz,” he urged.
“Call 091 or 092 to report everything that has to do with the lack of respect for the city.”
More... (http://www.canarianweekly.com/cost-vandalism/)