The Ministry processes the “proposal” for the use of a private entity, where the director of the ICA, Manuel Cebrián, worked, to invest 350,000 euros
After years without using its part of the Casa del Niño, whose interior still has to be rehabilitated, the Ministry of Culture proposed a first project in this historic building in the center of Cartagena. And it has done so with controversy, for legal and ethical reasons. The Institute of Cultural Industries and the Arts (ICA) of the Autonomous Community has initiated the procedures for the possible authorization of temporary use of an area of the building to the Institute of Free Intelligence. It is an educational entity of which the director of the ICA, Manuel Cebrián López, was director of Innovation Programs until his appointment to public office in February.
The controversy over the alleged favorable treatment of this foundation arose this Tuesday, after the publication in the Official Gazette of the Region of Murcia (BORM) of an announcement by the Ministry of the Presidency, Tourism, Culture and Sports, directed by Marcos Ortuño. In it, the ICA “submits to the public information process the request of the non-profit foundation ‘Institute of Free Intelligence’, regarding the public concession of a part of the property called ‘Casa del Niño’ in Cartagena.”
MC denounces the “pitch”
The resolution is signed by Cebrián, which led MC, the main opposition party in the City Council, to denounce an alleged favored treatment. The MC spokesman and former mayor, José López, revealed that “Cebrián’s partner occupies one of the management positions of this entity, which continues to maintain the ICA director as part of the staff on its official website.”
Manuel Cebrian.
MC affirmed that the regional government and the PP “want to give the Casa del Niño to a foundation of a general director” and asked the mayor, Noelia Arroyo, for “explanations”, “because everything indicates that in April she met with him to prepare the ball».
Subsequently, the PSOE stated that “the PP has tried to sneak a ball into a beach bar of its friends in the middle of August.” And he announced that the deputy Carmina Fernández “will demand explanations in the Regional Assembly about this racket.”
marine science for kids
The Ministry and the mayor denied LAVERDAD irregularities or plugs. Sources of Culture defended his “exercise of publicity and transparency” and stressed that Cebrián should not have refrained from this procedure, since he “ceased his employment relationship with the foundation” upon arriving in the Community. They did not clarify what related to his wife and they did emphasize that “the proposal presented by the Institute of Free Intelligence is the only request for use” received. Culture will make “the decision” to accept it or not at the end of the procedure. The file can be consulted at the ICA headquarters, in Murcia, and there are twenty days to present allegations.
Law 5/1994, of August 1, of the Regional Statute of Political Activity, establishes in its article 11.1 the following: «In order to comply with the duty of objectivity and respect for the principle of equality, the senior official has the obligation to refrain from intervening: a) During his mandate, in all those matters that in his previous private activity he would have managed, directed or advised, or that directly or indirectly interest himself or his relatives, by blood or affinity, up to the second degree, or to companies in which he or his relatives had a stake, or interests, or had advised or advised”.
Culture will make “the decision” to accept it or not at the end of the procedure. “Any group or institution” has 20 days to see the file at the ICA headquarters, in Murcia, and argue.
In Culture they see two advantages. One is that “the foundation assumes all the costs of rehabilitation and commissioning and does not request help from public funds. The action implies an investment of 250,000 euros in work and 100,000 euros for the museum part. The transfer would affect “350 square meters, of the 1,290 assigned to the Ministry.” Education has more than 8,000.
The educational project would be “an activity related to marine sciences, aimed at children, who have historically been the recipient of the actions carried out in this space… And the Ministry “assesses different options for cultural uses, compatible with the educational use of the environment, which it will share with the City Council”.
A “comment” to Arroyo
Noelia Arroyo claimed to know only what was published in the BORM. He clarified that, «on one occasion, and without hiding, Cebrián made a generic comment to me about the fact that the foundation for which he had worked was interested in developing beneficial educational and cultural projects for the municipality in Cartagena, as a non-profit entity. But I did not discuss anything with him about the Casa del Niño or any other location. Once again, MC lies.
In any case, Arroyo pointed out that the occupation by the foundation “would be limited to a very small part of the building and would not have to be incompatible with the possible uses that the City Council and the Community are working on.”
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