Not content with pissing off just about everyone he comes in contact with in the Algarve, Environment Minister, João Matos Fernandes, has performed true to form after announcing just €250,000 in central government aid to repair what, at minimum, is €7 million of front line damage wreaked by recent storms and tornados - and that is just in Faro.The Social Democratic Party in Faro, having seen the lame performance of Faro's mayor, Rogério Bacalhau, as he followed the minister while on a visit to damaged areas on Culatra and Faro Island, said the miserly sum was "ridiculous and insulting."
The PDS states that the damage caused by natural events along the coast, that should be covered by government funding, will have to be paid for by local ratepayers - Faro council being PSD and the government being Socialist Party.
The €250,000 sop appears to be for the entire Algarve. Faro, the only municipality that has managed to scrape together a damage estimate after storms Ema, Félix and Gisele, has a damage repair estimate of €7 million, half a million of which is for urgent work to reopen public access to Praia de Faro.
João Matos Fernandes met the mayors of the affected council areas and said he has agreed to have ... another meeting, "to discuss the issue of replacing the sand in larger quantities and with bigger interventions," thus avoiding the issue of a more intelligent approach to coastal defence.
The Minister's behaviour over the Ria Formosa islands and the demolition of property, his refusal to address the endemic management problems at Polis Litoral Ria Formosa, his inaction over the continued pollution of the Ria Formosa from a constant flow of untreated sewage from the toilets of Olhão and his indifference to the collapse of the local shellfishing industry all have contributed to making him appear aloof, while his economy with the truth equals that of the most shameful of ministers in the current socialist executive.
Seemingly oblivious to comments about urgent and full funding, made by the President of the Republic of Portugal on his visit to the storm damaged Algarve last weekend, João Matos Fernandes has ignored both the president and Faro council in offering just €250,000.
Faro’s Social Democratic Party concludes, "Faced with such a devastating response, the PSD of Faro can not fail to express publicly its revolt for what it considers a total disinterest and even a disrespect of the Government towards the Algarve and Faro’s population in particular in this lamentable affair."
The president of the Socialist Party in the Algarve, MP Luís Graça, had a different view on the Minister's visit and welcomed the the "prompt and rapid" response of the Government to the mayors, farmers and populations affected by last week’s storms.
The PS Algarve noted that the Government issued an order on Thursday, recognising the "adverse climatic phenomenon" on March 4 in some eastern Algarve council areas, which triggered a support scheme for farmers who has lost equipment, greenhouses and production.
The PS noted that the Environment Minister and the Secretary of State for Housing, Ana Pinho, had been on an Algarve visit and met local councils to carry out a survey of the damage caused by the weather.
The PS Algarve noted that the Government issued an order on Thursday, recognising the "adverse climatic phenomenon" on March 4 in some eastern Algarve council areas, which triggered a support scheme for farmers who has lost equipment, greenhouses and production.
The PS noted that the Environment Minister and the Secretary of State for Housing, Ana Pinho, had been on an Algarve visit and met local councils to carry out a survey of the damage caused by the weather.
The part claims that a report will now be made and money made available from the Environmental Fund to replace damaged structures along the coast of the Algarve.
Whether this is the fund capped at €250,000, the PS-Algarve does not make clear but it allows the government to up the funding and take the pressure off the Environment Minister whose adverse press will have caused disquiet in Lisbon, again.
