Almeria must not be ‘the poor relation’

A PLEA has gone out for more investment to stop Almeria becoming the poor relation in Andalucia.

Unless the province receives significant investment for infra-structure and communications, it will continue to lag behind neighbouring provinces in Andalucia.

That is the message from the Confederation of Employers of Almeria (Asempal) following the publication of figures which show that 2014 has been one of the worst years in Almeria in terms of bidding for tenders for public works, which are seen as a driving force for the local economy.

In 2014, total tender works in Almeria added up to €127.6 million, a drop of 2.2 per cent on the previous year and making Almeria the only province in Andalucia to register a fall. And while other provinces – including Granada and Sevilla – saw their spending limits increased, Almeria’s had been cut.

President of Asempal, Jose Cano Garcia, said that as well as Almeria suffering the most in terms of monies allocated, it is also one of the provinces most in need of infrastructure improvements.

“The situation has been dragging over time,” said Garcia, who added: “It needs to be corrected immediately.”

Among the works that Garcia highlighted as needing investment were the promised high-speed railway line between Almeria and Murcia, the Almanzora motorway, and an improved communications infrastructure, all of which are vital to connecting Almeria with the rest of Spain and helping to boost market competitiveness.

The figures released by the Observatorio de la Construccion de Seopan show that in 2014, 86.9 per cent more tenders were rejected than in 2013, at a value of €62 million.