Polis Litoral Ria Formosa Society, the company responsible for the demolition programme affecting hundreds of Ria Formsa island properties, is spending some money on Faro Island to sort out the dunes and install an 800 metre long walkway.
The dunes’ vegetation is always getting trampled over as people go to the beach and house owners go to and from their beachside properties.
One of the reasons for the walkway is to regulate pedestrian access to the beach and to properties, while also removing the old concrete walkway slabs. This contract has gone to Toscca - Equipamentos em Madeira, Lda. which will sort out the job within two months from starting.
This total cost of the dunes work is €160,000, money the Sociedade has sitting in the bank as it failed in its plan to destroy around 900 island properties - at huge cost.
However, on Faro Island there remain 102 properties due for demolition. This island was the worst hit in the first wave of demolitions.
The inhabitants that live in these properties are waiting to be re-housed on the mainland, the cost to be borne by Faro ratepayers and the government's Institute of Housing and Urban Rehabilitation.
Polis blames these people for 'walking on the dunes to get to their properties' and cites this as a reason for the current rehabilitation work and the installation of the walkway. Fair enough but this is hardly a new observation.
Polis Litoral Ria Formosa Society was set up with a life of ten years, to achieve all sorts of projects in the Ria Formosa area in developing communities and making access easier for tourists and locals alike.
Polis management failed to complete the allocated tasks in time and the Society's remit has been extended time and time again to cater for continuing incompetence.
Under the management of Sebastião ‘demolition man’ Teixeira, management energy was dissipated in a vicious quest to destroy the homes and way of life of many islanders. That battle pretty much has been won - by the islanders - Teixeira has been sacked and a dialogue has replaced edict.
This Faro Island dunes rehabilitation project should have been completed years ago, certainly within the ten years allotted, the inference being that this society deliberately has dragged its heels to ensure those dependent on its continuation keep their jobs.
