La Gomera will recover the old insular 'horseshoe' footpaths to create a network of trails, which will permit to travel across all boroughs of the island on foot. This is assured by the president of the Island Council, Casimiro Curbelo, who explains that the plenary session of the Council has approved the signing of an agreement with the Ministry of Environment, through which 5 million euros will be invested in the upgrading of these routes, which in the past served to connect the insular populations.

To highlight and promote the unique beauty of the landscape of La Gomera is the subject of a project which the Island Council has already begun, as announced by its chairman Casimiro Curbelo, who stresses that the initiative will be implemented in a network of viewpoints, which will extend throughout the island and form part of the insular offer to locals and visitors alike.

The Island Council of La Gomera works on the diagnosis of 30 existing viewpoints on the island, which the institution wants to value to highlight the Gomeran landscape and promote tourism. This was reported by the chairman of the corporation, Casimiro Curbelo, who stresses that, according to the proposals of the municipalities, an increase in the number of these enclaves scattered around the island of La Gomera is also being studied.

The Island Council of La Gomera urges the Regional Government to accelerate the completion of several tourism facilities pending since 2003, which is especially necessary for the current difficult times of the local economy. The chairman of the insular corporation, Casimiro Curbelo, stresses the importance of encouraging business and offering competitive products to ensure the sustainability and quality of insular development.

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.

The Island Council of La Gomera opts for responsible fishing and intends to launch an awareness campaign, as announced by the president of the corporation, Casimiro Curbelo, who adds that the insular institution handles the necessary licenses to practice the activity as a sport and stresses the importance to preserve marine life.

The chairman of the Canary Islands Government, Paulino Rivero, assures the continuity of the shipping line that connects Valle Gran Rey and Playa de Santiago and San Sebastian de La Gomera with Los Cristianos on Tenerife, operated by the Gomeran company Garajonay Exprés, until a new open request for tenders is made public within three or four months time.

Gomerans may drink natural mineral tap water directly at their homes according to the president of the Island Council of La Gomera, Casimiro Curbelo, who stresses that an analysis performed by the laboratory Oliver Rodés in Barcelona highlights the excellent quality of the flow produced by the new Ipalán groundwater gallery, located in the zone of Barranco Seco, San Sebastián de La Gomera.

The sale of fish throughout La Gomera will shortly be governed by the system of first sale in the Fisherman's Associations, as announced by the president the Island Council, Casimiro Curbelo, before clarifying that the initiative promoted by the insular corporation advances after a meeting held between the industry, the Canary Government and the municipality of Alajeró, who asked to apply as soon as possible the system that already works in Valle Gran Rey.

The new Ipalán groundwater gallery, which the Island Council undertakes by way of the Insular Water Council in the zone of Barranco Seco in San Sebastián de La Gomera, and which is included in the Insular Hydrologic Plan, produces sufficient outflow to supply more than 10.000 Gomeran citizens, according to the chairman Casimiro Curbelo. He stresses that the gallery has an insular character, and alludes to the need for improved municipal grid to avoid losses and optimize resources.

The Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has brought to public information phase the project and environmental impact study of the extension work of the dock at the port of San Sebastián de La Gomera, according to a notice published in the Official State Bulletin (BOE). The chairman of the Island Council, Casimiro Curbelo, stresses that this work which has been demanded by the insular society, is of vital importance to La Gomera, and will be reflected in the expansion of the docking line of the Gomeran port by 75 meters, with the aim of incorporating the island to the path of large cruise vessels.

Improvement of the irrigation network of Valle Gran Rey has been awarded to a Gomeran company with a budget close to 1,5 million euros, funded by the State Government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and an execution time of 12 months. The president of the Island Council specifies that "it will be the agricultural processing enterprise Tragsa who will be responsible to carry out this important project, which favors agriculture and allows recovering and preserving of abandoned arable land."

The Ministry of Environment has published in the Official State Bulletin (BOE) the award by the General Directorate of Coasts of contracting the drafting of projects to reform and restore the beaches of Hermigua and Valle Gran Rey, for a total amount of 143.300 euros. The president of Cabildo de La Gomera, Casimiro Curbelo, says in a communiqué that these are two initiatives raised by the insular corporation in order to improve and enhance the use and enjoyment of coastal areas, in addition to boosting the tourist attractions of these municipalities.

"La Gomera can generate all the energy needed by its present and future population through the use of force of the wind, water and sun." This is assured by the president of the Island Council, Casimiro Curbelo, who highlights the progress of a new insular project budgeted at about 100 million euros, which reduces pollutant emissions into the atmosphere, while contributing to sustainable development of the island.

La Gomera needs 3 million euros for completing and improving essential irrigation infrastructure to ensure the maintenance and development of the tasks on the fields. This was assured by the counselor of Agriculture, Emiliano Coello, following his meeting with the director of Rural Development of the Autonomous Community, Ernesto Aguiar, to whom Mr. Coello raised the need for regional funding.

The Garajonay National Park accounts for the current fiscal year with a total of 1,55 million euros, corresponding to its Annual Plan of Investments. The budget is mainly aimed at the restoration of degraded areas within the Park, whose objectives are the recovery of native monteverde formations, the elimination of pine plantations and the recovery of endangered species.

The Hydrological Plan of La Gomera is an example of how an island can satisfy its demand for potable water in a sustainable manner and with the greatest respect for the environment. On no other island in this archipelago the premises of sustainability and respect have been achieved in such a clear and effective manner as on La Gomera. The key to this success has been determined by a clear and total commitment to groundwater reserves.

Promotion of environmental policies which boost the development of a sustainable island is a priority that has been charted by the Island Council of La Gomera for 2008, this being one of the great challenges on which it has been working for several years. This was revealed by the President of the Insular Corporation, Casimiro Curbelo, who said that the main actions will focus on waste treatment, recovery of the old garbage dumps and cooperation with the six municipalities of La Gomera to achieve a sustainable balance in this area on the island.

Ben Magec - Ecologists in Action and Tagaragunche Association have presented on La Gomera a Popular Legislative Initiative for the renovation and containment of growth of the tourist accommodation facilities on the island. Ecologists argue that "the anticipated substantial increase in the accommodation facilities of La Gomera would result in a total insular population of 47.000 inhabitants, which means a totally exaggerated situation".

La Gomera does not record heavy rainfalls in almost a year and a half and this shortage reduces to 35 percent the average of water stored in the dams on the island, as reported by the president of the Island Council, Casimiro Curbelo, after obtaining data from the Island Water Council and clearing out that this figure amounts to some 2 million cubic litres of water.

The Island Council will recover the submarine ecosystem to promote the recovery of fish stocks in the southern coastal areas, as reported by the chairman of the insular institution, Casimiro Curbelo, before specifying that the action will focus on the tip of Iguala, the surroundings of the beach at La Dama, and the area of Roque del Herrero, near the lighthouse of San Cristóbal.

The Island Council of La Gomera has acquired in the Spanish peninsula a batch of 2.000 fruit trees, which are prepared and made available to local farmers at cost price, as reported by the chairman of the insular corporation, Casimiro Curbelo. He stresses the important investment that the Gomeran institution has made in the primary sector and within it in the cultivation of fruit.

The chairman of the Island Council, Casimiro Curbelo has announced the initiation of the procedure for registration of the first association of Gomeran stockbreeders. He explains that the insular corporation has promoted and supported the creation of this grouping, which will be founded with the aim of uniting all workers and employers in the sector and protecting the interests of the collective.

The plenary session of the Cabildo de La Gomera approved an insular budget for 2008 that exceeds 52,1 million euros, in addition to 2,4 millions which correspond to the items managed by the Island Water Council. "A total amount of over 54,5 million euros", states the chairman of the Corporation, Casimiro Curbelo, who ensures that the annual budget is eminently social and accentuates the well know solitary character of the island, and will allow to cushion the possible economic recession next year.

The President of the Cabildo de La Gomera, Casimiro Curbelo, says that this fiscal year will be definitive for the island since the Island Council has already marked the lines of action to address and complete all the outstanding works of infrastructure. According to Curbelo the administrative cooperation which has responded to the island's needs is the key to fulfilling the objective outlined by the insular institution.

The forest fire which began on Saturday April 26th 2008 and affected for four days the municipalities of northern La Gomera burnt two Sites of Community Interest (SCI) of great ecological value, according to the president of the Island Council, Casimiro Curbelo, who presented the overall assessment of the damage caused by the fire.

The Island Council of La Gomera and the Control Board of the Denomination of Origin Wines of La Gomera have agreed to promote, strengthen and consolidate wines of the island, explains the Council chairman Casimiro Curbelo, following the signing of a collaboration agreement promoted and funded by the insular corporation, in which the organizations agree to cooperate in the development of a quality plan.

The capital of La Gomera will have a large pavilion for sports and cultural events by the end of this year, as announced by the president of the Island Council Casimiro Curbelo. He stresses that the works for the construction of this facility known as Audillón will be resumed this week, and are awarded by the insular corporation to a Gomeran company for a total of 3 million euros.

Human remains found on the beach at Vallehermoso have more than 15 centuries of age, according to analyses done on this archaeological site, which today constitutes the most important funeral site on the island of La Gomera. The Island Council disseminates the findings through a cycle of conferences which began this weekend at the Casa de la Cultura Pedro Garcia Cabrera, located in the northern borough.