Many ex pats think Tenerife politicians ignore them so it was nice to get an invite to an audience with Mayor of Adeje José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga in front of a selection of non Spanish media. I live in Los Cristianos which comes under Arona but work and pleasure often take me into Adeje and I have seen first hand the ways it has improved over the years. The meeting took place in the Cultural Centre, itself a fine example of reaching out to the community.
The socialist mayor has won a staggering seven elections since 1987, he will face the public vote again in a years time, and although born in Vilaflor he has lived most of his life in Adeje. There were representatives at the meeting from the British, Italian, and German media so his positive views on integration were welcome. The press office excelled itself with pen drives crammed with every stat you could imagine, there are 120 different nationalities registered on the padron, the voting register that is so important to the mayor.
Mr Fraga said he had seen Adeje change from an agricultural zone to a major tourist attraction over 30 years but always wanted to see Adeje create a modern area built on the old traditional values. The statue of a Guanche warrior, the original inhabitants of Tenerife, greets visitors to Adeje town but the mayor pointed out that even when dealing with their conquerors they realised the importance of communication and he hoped the council could always reach out to all people choosing to live in Adeje.
Many settlers are wary of signing up to the padron but Adeje like all municipalities is dependent on government financial support that is based on how many people officially live in the area. The mayor said he was keen to see people integrate through the padron and through social and sporting networks. I lingered downstairs on the way out to scan the vast choices of courses and clubs offered on the cultural centre notice boards, there’s something for everyone. The council also offers many language courses aimed at different levels, this is another area that Mr Fraga is keen on.
It came across very clearly that the mayor has great pride in Adeje and the strides it has made. Just a short walk from the meeting the Nexsport sports centre, the municipal school of music, and the soon to open El Galeon commercial centre are testimony to progress. Traditionalists can look to the award winning revamp of Plaza de España which is a beautiful venue for fiestas and gatherings.
Sport is a key draw for Adeje, I covered last Septembers World Waterski Racing Championships in Puerto Colon and they were a great showpiece, the proposed 52 million euro sports port for La Caleta could be another big attraction but that project has some choppy waters to negotiate.