An increase in the number of flights and connections with the rest of the archipelago, larger aircrafts, and affordable prices for the citizens is the goal that has been proposed to achieve by the president of the Island Council and the mayors of La Gomera, as reported by the chairman of the insular corporation, Casimiro Curbelo, who explains that the local representatives have decided to join efforts to fight for improved communications.

He announces that these demands will be moved to the Presidency of the Canary Islands Government and to the Regional Ministry of Public Works and Transport, since "we speak of a public service, which requires the auspices of the regional government and which in a geographically dispersed community like ours becomes vitally important, if we really want to work for a single Canaries and close the gaps between the islands."

Curbelo explains that the defense of aerial and maritime communications was one of the agreements reached at a recent meeting held with the local representatives at the headquarters of the insular institution, which also highlighted the citizens' dissatisfaction with reference to the reality of transports. "This is why we demand more and better services to users, as well as an increase in the frequency of flights and a guaranteed fulfillment of the timetables", he explains.

La Gomera also demands greater comfort in aerial links, since according to its public representatives the aircrafts which still operate from the island are too small and, therefore, quite uncomfortable. "We believe that insular aerial connections require larger planes", says the president of the Island Council, before specifying that the actual aircrafts with 19 seats should be urgently replaced by ATR planes having a higher capacity.

The Gomeran leaders insist on the need to ensure a stable and definitive solution to communications, which "are priorities for all the Canary Islands, and in particular for smaller islands." In this sense Curbelo states that a request for a meeting with the president of the Government has also been agreed for to know the results of a study, which was to be carried out last December concerning the preservation of the maritime line covering the ports of La Gomera.

He recalls that the Island and City Councils have also agreed that the maritime line with Valle Gran Rey should be classified as an obligation of public service, just as it was established until last November, when the Canary Government abolished the corresponding subsidies, replacing them in January by a subsidy of 25 per cent of the cost of transportation.

Curbelo says that this aid is inadequate, since it is far below the one which was applied last year, when the residents of La Gomera were surprised by a disproportionate increase in rates. "From one day to another we Gomeran residents were surprised by an increment of costs, which went from 3,58 to 8,50 euros, an amount that the new aid only reduces to 6,30 euros", he explains before insisting that the response of the Autonomous Region does not solve the damage done to users.