Yesterday's protests well attended

The protests against oil exploration between the Canary islands and Morocco were well attended on all the islands yesterday. The largest protest was on Gran Canaria with over 5.000 people forming a chain. Here on La Gomera about 150 people joined hands against oil drilling and for renewable energies, first along the beach of the island's capital San Sebastian. Later on a huge circle was formed around the town's historic Torre del Conde, a symbol of the Spanish conquest of the Canaries:

Yesterday's human chain circle in protest against oil exploration (Image: gomeranoticias.com)

Human chains against oil prospecting today

All over the Canary Islands human chains will be formed to protest against oil prospecting today. On La Gomera the event will take place at the town's beach from 12 noon today. The initiative will also stress the abundance of alternative energy available here and will demand a new sustainable clean energy model for the Canaries.

Oil plans for Canaries to be put on hold?

The president of the Canaries believes he has secured a promise from the Spanish government to review the authorisation given to a major oil company to drill off the islands after the summer, although the news has still to be formally confirmed.

© Expansión.com

Paulino Rivero’s meeting with Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy in Madrid covered a wide range of issues including taxation matters and the Canaries  freeze on the building of all but 5-star hotels. However, media coverage has been dominated by the major hint given by Rivero that Rajoy has had a change of heart over the exploratory oil drilling, which is due to take place 60 km off the coast of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. According to Rivero, the prime minister has agreed to consider suspending the licences granted to Repsol to undertake drilling at several sites until an understanding can be reached between the two administrations. “An oil industry brings benefits only for the private sector and causes many problems” the Canarian president argued, while urging Rajoy to allow the islands to hold a binding referendum on whether they want the drilling. (Above report   by  queeniesdailysnippets)